Physical fitness development with a multi - component physical activity program for improving the physical quality of life of the elderly in Chanthaburi Province
Abstract:
This research was a study to stimulate and promote the mechanism of knowledge creation in terms of increasing physical activity and creating awareness of health to create adequate and appropriate physical activity, and reduce sedentary behavior. The purposes of the research were to: 1) study the current conditions and needs of physical fitness and the physical quality of life of the elderly, 2) create a multi - component physical activity program for improving the physical quality of life of the elderly, and 3) compare the results of the physical activity program. The research sample consisted of 2 groups: the elderly people aged 60 - 65 years living in Mueang Chanthaburi District, Chanthaburi Province. The sample groups were determined using a pre-constructed table, totaling 351 people. A questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.93 was employed for data collection and a group of 30 elderly people who voluntarily participated in the physical activity program The results of the research were as follows: 1) the majority of the sample group had free time for physical activities 1 2 days per week, accounting for 51.85%, a group with uncertain time for 35.33% and spending 60 minutes per activity session for 36.75% which was the highest demand for the physical activities for 24.50%, primarily motivated by a desire to stay healthy for 29.63%, and it was found that in terms of physical fitness and physical well-being quality, the sample group was found to be at a moderate level (M=3.19, S.D.=0.49); however, they had the highest level of need for physical fitness and the quality of life (M=4.99, S.D.=0.10) which the data was valuable for creating the physical activity program with the environmental context of the elderly in the area to achieve sustainable effectiveness, 2) the comparison of physical fitness of the elderly after training the program was at the average and it was not different from the standard criteria, and 3) the elderly both male and female who participated in the training of the program before and after in the 3rd and 6th week of the experiment had better overall physical fitness.