Sedentary Lifestyle and Estimated Fracture Risk in the Elderly: A Cross-Sectional Study

TL;DR

This study found no significant link between a sedentary lifestyle and fracture risk in elderly nursing home residents.

Contribution

The study contributes new evidence on the lack of association between sedentary behavior and fracture risk in elderly individuals.

Findings

Most participants were sedentary, but fracture risk was generally low.

No significant association was found between sedentary lifestyle and fracture risk.

Fracture risk appears influenced by multiple factors beyond physical activity.

Abstract

Background

Fractures are a major public health concern among the elderly and contribute substantially to morbidity and disability. Sedentary behavior has been proposed as a modifiable risk factor for fractures; however, evidence regarding its association with fracture risk remains inconsistent. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between a sedentary lifestyle and fracture risk among elderly individuals in a nursing home setting.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted in October 2025 at Tresna Werdha Budi Mulia 2 Social Home, Jakarta. A total of 93 participants aged ≥60 years were recruited using consecutive sampling. Physical activity levels were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and fracture risk was evaluated using the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) without bone mineral density. Fracture risk was categorized as low (<5%) or moderate-to-high (≥5.0-7.5%). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v23, and the Fisher-Freeman-Halton exact test was used to assess the association between physical activity level and fracture risk.

Results

The study included 93 participants, consisting of 50 males (53.8%) and 43 females (46.2%), aged between 60 and 91 years, with a mean age of 69.7 ± 7.5 years. Most participants were classified as sedentary (n=62, 66.7%) and had a low fracture risk (n= 75, 80.6%). No statistically significant association was found between sedentary lifestyle and fracture risk (p = 0.232).

Conclusion

A sedentary lifestyle was not significantly associated with fracture risk among elderly nursing home residents. These findings indicate that fracture risk is likely influenced by multiple interacting factors beyond physical activity alone. Further longitudinal studies using objective physical activity measurements are needed to clarify this relationship.

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