[Stereotypes of ageing and sporting activity in the over-50s]. / Altersstereotype und Sportaktivität in der Generation 50+.

Stereotypes of ageing affect activity in older adults. However, no representative studies on the impact of "images of ageing" on sporting activity existed until now. In a telephone survey, 2002 over-50s were asked about sporting activity and their opinions about ageing. A factor analysis of the queried attitudes disclosed five dimensions of ageing stereotypes. A subsequent cluster analysis identified three categories of attitudes towards ageing: "fit and performance-hungry", "conventional", and "easy-going and committed". Physical activity was described as the key criterion for a healthy old age in all clusters. Analysis also revealed a significant correlation between cluster affiliation and amount of sporting activity. The percentage of non-exercisers is lowest in Cluster 1, the "fit and performance-hungry" category (29.4%), and highest in Cluster 3, the "worryfree committed" (51.6%). Sports for health and trendy sports are the sports of choice, while conventional sports attract little interest.

["Living an active life"--sports, exercise and health in middle-aged and older adults. An empirical database on physical activity, health behavior and lifestyle in the 50- to 70-year-old residential population of Baden-Wuerttemberg]. / "Ein aktives Leben leben"--Sport, Bewegung und Gesundheit im mittleren und höheren Erwachsenenalter. Konzeption, Datenerhebung und erste Ergebnisse eines repräsentativen Basis-Survey für die 50- bis 70-jährige baden-württembergische Wohnbevölkerung.

In a society with an aging population, the preventive healthcare importance of physical activity in middle-aged and older adults is growing. The purpose of the study "Living an active life - age and aging in Baden-Wuerttemberg" is to acquire generalisable data of practical relevance for the 50- to 70-year-old population of Baden-Wuerttemberg. The main themes of this study are sports, exercise, and health-related and lifestyle aspects--from both a current and a biographical perspective. Following conceptualization and a test run, the survey was conducted by means of a computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) in the period from May to October 2006. 982 men and 1,020 women responded. The percentage of respondents with a high level of education was disproportionately high, as is frequently the case for telephone surveys. Due to the resultant bias, the data was weighted by age, gender and education on the basis of the German Microcensus 2004. In addition to serving as a health report on the middle-aged and older adult population, this basic survey generated representative data on physical/sporting activity among older people in Baden-Wuerttemberg, and can be used as a reliable basis for designing future preventive measures. First analyses show that people with higher educational levels and good health, and non-smokers, people with balanced diet and normal weight are more likely to do sporting activities.