Abstract Body

Background: Increased physical activity (PA) results in huge benefits to mental and physical health. Despite this, many GPs struggle to support people to become regularly and consistently active. Encouraging PA is a simple, cost-effective way to reduce morbidity and mortality, reduce prescribing and improve mental health. Behavioural, social, policy and environmental approaches have been suggested to support people to become physically active. This workshop aims to help GPs support patients to become physically active to improve their mental health.

Learning objectives:

1. To better understand the relationship between PA and mental health.

2. To understand ways that General Practitioners can support patients to become physically active.

Methods: The virtual workshop will involve a mixture of whole group teaching, interactive questions, a quiz and breakout rooms to share experiences and learn from each other. Videos and example consultations will be used.

Proposed timetable:

Minutes 0-10:

Introduction

Aims

Minutes 10-20:

Global picture: the most/least active nations – interactive quiz.

WHO guidance: PA and mental health

Minutes 20-30*:

Shared experiences of recommending PA for mental health.

Minutes 30-45:

Review of current evidence about PA and mental health

Strength of the evidence base

Relationship to clinical practice

Minutes 45-60:

Ways to encourage PA:

Social/behavioural approaches

Policy and environmental approaches

Motivational interviewing

Minutes 60-70*:

Case scenarios

Minutes 70-85:

Motivational Interviewing to encourage PA:

Basic concepts

Example consultation

Resources

Minutes 85-90:

Summary

*=Breakout session

Conclusions: After attending, GPs will be more confident to recommend PA to improve mental health, understand the evidence supporting PA and mental health and understand ways to support patients to become physically active.

Abstract Body

Background

Exercise provides significant health benefits. Robust evidence supports remaining active in later life is associated with reduced all-cause mortality, better balance and mobility. It is important GPs support older patients to remain/become active. The relationship between physical activity (PA) and mental/cognitive health in older age has been less extensively studied.

This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between PA and self-reported memory problems, mental-health and health satisfaction in people aged >60 years.

Method

Data from the 2016 Health Survey for England was used. 2776 people aged >60 years were included. Self-reported average weekly minutes PA and ‘gentle activity’ including walking, balancing or 10-75 minutes activity per week were investigated. Outcome measures were self-reported memory problems, health satisfaction and GHQ-12 mental-health scores.

Odds ratios were calculated using logistic regression, adjusted for age, socio-economic status, alcohol, gender and smoking. ANOVA was used to investigate average weekly activity and health satisfaction.

Results

Compared to those reporting inactivity, those reporting most physical activity had significantly lower odds of self-reported memory problems (adjusted OR 0.22, 95%CI 0.13-0.38). Even gentle activity was associated with dramatically lower odds of self-reported memory problems (adjusted OR 0.48, 95%CI 0.39-0.60).

The group with the highest level of health satisfaction had significantly higher weekly mean minutes of PA than those reporting lower health satisfaction (p 0.00).

No significant association was seen between self-reported PA and GHQ-12 scores.

Conclusion

PA was strongly associated with reduced odds of self-reported memory problems and higher health satisfaction, supporting the need for GPs to encourage PA in older patients. The link between PA and mental-health outcomes was less clear.