Older adults who exercise with spouse may be less physically active: Study

A study by researchers from NTU Singapore found that older adults who exercise with their spouse achieve lower physical activity levels than older adults without their spouse.

In a study of 240 participants in Singapore aged 54 to 72 years old, the NTU researchers from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) also found that those who received personalised feedback on their fitness trackers were more active than those who did not.

With many societies facing an ageing population, promoting healthy ageing, such as through physical activity, has become increasingly important. Findings from the NTU study suggest that it may be more effective to do so by encouraging older adults to exercise individually, said the researchers.

The study was published in the International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction in October 2023. Dr Sapphire Lin led the research as a PhD student at NTU WKWSCI. Also on the research team are Associate Professor Sonny Rosenthal from WKWSCI and Professor Rich Ling, who has retired from NTU.

Its exploration of active ageing aligns with the University’s research focus on health and society as part of its NTU 2025 five-year strategic plan.