HATIM A. NATTO, WAHAJ A. KHAN, HATIM MATOOQ BADRI, ALBARAA MILIBARI, MOHAMED OSMAN ELAMIN BUSHARA, RAHAF ADNAN ALHAZMI, RAGHAD ABDULHAMID HADIDI, HAYA SAAD ALBISHI3, SHOQ ALI ALMONTASHIRI, AHDAB SALEH ALHARBI AND AHMED A. OSMAN
Abstract
Background: Several behavioral factors are considered to be obstacles to adopting a healthy life for those over 60 years of age; such factors have strong associations with mortality related chronic illnesses, physical inactivity, bad eating habits, and sleeping disorders. Objective: This study aimed to identify the population specific factors that affect adopting a healthy lifestyle for the elderly in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, this study aimed to identify possible ways to encourage the elderly into adopting a healthy life. Methods: This is a cross-sectional community-based study. Elderly Saudi citizens aging 60 years old and above were targeted. A non-random (quota sampling) sampling technique was used to recruit 330 participants. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire. Results: The Majority of participant (70 %) were in the age group of 60-66 years. Many of which (40 %) reported hypertension as the most common chronic disorder affecting them. Moreover, near half of the participants did not participate in any form of physical exercise. Additionally, fatigue was reported as the major obstacle (29%) that prevented participants from regular exercise. Conclusion: Two probable factors preventing the elderlies from adopting a healthy lifestyle were identified namely fatigue which kept older people from engaging in regular exercise and sleeping disorders which probably had an impact on overall physical health which eventually could affect their ability to participate in physical exercise.