A Review of Models for Measuring Physical Activity Levels in the Elderly Population: The Case of Türkiye

Accurate measurement of physical activity (PA) in older adults enables classification of the aging population into PA categories based on participation in daily activities and leisure-time PA. It also facilitates monitoring changes in PA habits, evaluating PA interventions tailored to older individuals, identifying relationships between PA and health outcomes, and quantifying these associations in terms of dose-response relationships. According to the Turkey Elderly Profile Survey (2024), individuals aged 65 and above who regularly engage in PA, exercise, or sports is 18.3%. However, little is known about the participation of older adults in PA and related parameters in Türkiye. Our review revealed no large-scale population studies conducted in Türkiye examining the relationship between PA and related parameters in the elderly population. This study aims to address the lack of literature on models for measuring PA levels among the elderly population in Turkey. For this purpose, a traditional (narrative) review study was conducted using the Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Google Scholar databases. This review synthesizes relevant literature, focusing on the definition of aging and the importance of PA, statistics on the Turkish elderly population and PA levels, PA measurement models in the elderly, and examples of PA studies conducted in the Turkish elderly population and globally. This study is expected to contribute to research on the associations between meeting PA recommendations and socio-demographic and lifestyle factors, as well as chronic conditions, among older adults in Türkiye.