Effect of Practice of Physical Activity and Satisfaction with Health Status on Older Adults’ Perceived Motor Competence

Abstract

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Due to the increase in the number of elderly people in the world, research related to the elderly is becoming more and more relevant, especially with the objective of understanding the factors which can affect the preservation of an adequate quality of life. The objectives of this research were to analyze older adults’ perceived motor competence according to the practice of physical activity, satisfaction with health status, and social and demographic characteristics. This research followed a descriptive quantitative methodology using a survey. The “Standardized Questionnaire on Physical Activity and the Elderly” was administered to a total of 933 Spanish older adults (≥65 years old) (46.9% men, 53.1% women). The results show that the people who engaged in physical activity and/or sport on a regular basis had the best perception of their motor competence (p < 0.001). The more satisfied the subjects were with their health status, the higher the scores they obtained in their perceived motor competence (p < 0.001). Finally, the younger age group (≤74 years old), men, and people of a higher social class perceived their motor competence more satisfactorily (p < 0.001). The significance level was set at p < 0.05. The conclusions indicate a positive effect of physical activity on the perception of motor competence in older adults.