Table 2 Study characteristics: design, study population and measures of SS and PA

Booth [95]

Australia

XS

402

44.8% male

[60+ years]

NA

SR: LTPA questionnaire [95]

LTPA (walking and MVPA)

>800 kcal /week spent doing PA

Social environment scale (Likert scale, 4 items). Adapted from Sallis’ SS for ex. Scale [42].

SSPA

friends and family

Bopp [65]

Rural USA

XS

102

All female

[50+ years]

70.6 (9.2)

SR: PA Scale for the Elderly (PASE) [96]. Strength training.

Strength training exercise (LTPA)

SS for ex. scale [42] Friends 15 qs, family 5 qs. Conflicts with original version (5 friends, 5 family).

SSPA

friends and family

Carlson [31] USA

XS

687-709 (3 PA variables)

46.9% male

[65+ years]

74.4 (6.3)

Objective: Accelerometer (1 week) and subjective SR survey: CHAMPS [97]

Total MVPA, TPA

SS for ex. scale. Adapted from [42] & [31]. 4 items; Internal consistency Cronbach’s α = 0.67

SSPA

family and friends (Sum score)

Gellert [66]

Germany

Experimental

N = 302

n = 48 ex. with partner

n = 84 singles

n = 170 not ex. with partner

52% male

[60-95 years]

66.5 (4.9)

SR PAQ-50 (adapted from [98]. Frequency and duration in last 7 days

HH, LTPA/ sport, TPA

Only 2 items from SS for ex. Scale [42]

SSPA.

friends, partner and family (total)

Hall [67]

USA

XS

128

All female

[NA]

69.6

Objective: accelerometer analysed as less than 10,000 and more than 10,000 steps per day

All

At least 10 000 steps /day

SS for ex. scale [42] 10 item version, not clear which questions.

SSPA

Friends and family

Kaplan [80]

Canada

XS

12611

39% male

[65+ years]

NA

SR: leisure PA. Monthly moderate-intensity PA lasting more than 15 mins

LTPA

Greater than 15 mins PA at least 12x/m = frequent; less than this = infrequent

4 questions. Perceived SS [93]. Qs: 1) someone they could confide in, 2) someone they could count on, 3) someone who could give them advice,4) and someone who made them feel loved. Score = sum of all affirmative (yes) responses to the four items. (Internal consistency Cronbach’s α = 0.75.)

General perceived SS.

(General SS)

Kim [68]

South Korea

XS

290

30% male

[65-89 years]

68.6 (4.4)

SR: Leisure time PA scale [99] Habitual weekly PA. Greater than 15 mins. Scored in METs (sum total of all activities)

LTPA

24 item SS for ex. scale [42]. Translated [100]. 12 friend and 12 family questions. Unclear exactly which Qs.

SSPA

family and friends

Kraithaworn [69]

Thailand

XS

258

26% male

[60-88 years]

70.0 (6.4)

Modified version of self-reported PAQ for older Thais [101]. 42 items. Number hours /week for each activity. Last 7 days. Scored in METs

All

30 mins mod. intensity PA, 5 days /week or

20 mins vig. PA 3 days /week.

Scale developed from Social support for ex. scale [42] modified version for this study and Thais. 11 items [102]. Unclear which questions used.

SSPA (emotional support, tangible support, informational support.

family and friends

Lian [70]

Singapore

XS

2494

42% male

[60+ years]

NA

SR: Number of times doing moderate or vigorous PA at least 20 mins in last week (moderate: walking, gardening, tai chi chuan, qigong; Vigorous: jogging, cycling, swimming)

LTPA

mod. or vig. PA at least 20 mins at least 3x /week

SS for ex. Scale Adapted from [103]. 6 questions in original; 3 friends, 3 family.

SSPA.

Family and friends

Luo [58]

China

Longitudinal.

2002 sample n = 14072

re-interviewed 2005 n = 7668

re-interviewed 2008 n = 4033

47.1% male

[65-105 years]

72(6)

SR: Regular PA yes/no?

LTPA

Loneliness (as an IV for health). Single question about loneliness (how often lonely: never - always). 5 point Likert scale

Loneliness

NA

McAuley [71]

USA

Longitudinal

153

28% male

[60-75 years]

66

PA during the study: attendance at the classes (SR exercise log after each class). Follow up PA at 6 and 18 months assessed by SR: PASE [104] 10 item scale

LTPA, OPA, HHPA, (summed)

Social Support Provisions Scale [105] (support provided by exercise group). 24 items, 6 headings reflecting the social provisions proposed by [106]: attachment, social integration, reassurance of worth, reliable alliance, opportunity for nurturance, and guidance.

SSPA.

Exercise group

Mowen [81]

USA

XS

1515

44% male

[50-99 years]

67.4(9)

SR: Single ordinal item. Daily PA levels scored 1-3.

1 = sedentary,

2 = moderate activity

3 = vigorous activity (uses examples for each e.g. usually sedentary, usually walking a lot etc.)

LTPA, OPA, TPA (combined)

Social support questionnaire (SSQ) [92]. 6 items. Number of people providing supports and degree of satisfaction with support. 6 Point Likert

General SS, network size,

SS satisfaction

Number of people to provide support, satisfaction with. (all people in network)

Netz [59]

Israel

XS

1663

48% male

[65+ years]

74.8(6.2)

SR: frequency and average time doing certain types of Moderate and vigorous intensity PA each week (e.g. walking etc.).

LTPA

Sufficiently active: Mod. PA at least 150 mins /week, or Vig. PA at least 75 mins /week or an equivalent mix of the 2. Insufficiently active: Some activity but less than the levels above. Inactive: no activity other than light-intensity activity less than 1x /week

1 item from CES-D [107] Lonely/not lonely 4 point Likert scale. A question also about living alone

Loneliness, living alone

NA

Newall [60]

USA

Longitudinal

194

37.7% male

[77-96 years]

83(4.2)

Objective: Accelerometer. Daily PA

all daily activity

Loneliness measured in 2001 using [108] 11-item loneliness scale.

Loneliness

NA

O'Brien Cousins [72]

Canada

XS

327

All female

[70-98 years]

76.7 (5.5)

SR: Older adults exercise status inventory (adapted from other scales for this study)

LTPA, OPA, HHPA (summed)

4 Questions (1) previous family sport involvement; (2) current encouragement by at least one person to maintain one's physical abilities; (3) endorsement by the family physician; and 4) peer group interest in physical fitness activity

SSPA

family, friends, doctor (sum score)

Oka [73]

Japan

XS

137

47% male

[70-89 years]

74.5

Objective: pedometer daily number of steps. Recorded. Over 1 year and data downloaded every month.

All

Men = 6700 steps, women = 5900 steps

Itakura Social support for ex. [109] 5 item scale. Functional, emotional, and informational Social support for exercise i) advice/instruction, ii) understanding/ sympathy, iii) former encouragement/ reinforcement, iv) joint implementation, v) compliment/ appreciation.

SSPA.

family and friends (sum score)

Orsega-Smith [33, 74]

USA

XS

1900

38.5% male

[50+ years]

67.7 (6.9)

SR: survey frequency, intensity, time of 6 different PAs (specified by participants) over the last week. Total METs calculated.

LTPA

A minimum of 3 METs (mod. level of PA), at least 5 days /week (meeting PA guidelines)

Social support for ex. scale [42] 12 items for friends and family (not clear if 12 is total number of questions or 12 for each friends and family)

SSPA

Family and friends (separate)

Park [75]

South Korea

XS

187

29.9% male

[57-96 years]

71.6 (5.9)

SR: PASE [110]

LTPA, OPA HHPA (summed)

high-active = 150mins mod. and/or 75 mins vig. PA /week. low-active = Less than above

Social support for ex scale [42] Not clear if full original questionnaire was used. Translated into Korean.

SSPA

Friends and family

Potts [83]

USA

XS.

936

40.4% male

[NA]

72.6 (5.9)

SR telephone interview: Regular exercise in last week yes/no

LTPA

Social network scale [91] . 10 items. Number of friends and family (asked separately) seen regularly, able to talk to about private matters and ask for help.

General Social engagement

(General SS)

family and friends

Sasidharan [76]

USA

XS

1967

Gender NA

[50+ years]

NA

SR: 5 items from PASE [110]

LTPA

Social support for ex scale [42] 12 questions for each; friends and family

SSPA

friends or family

Schuster [77]

USA

XS

108

31% male

[60+ years]

NA

SR: Frequency of participation in one or more physical activities in last 6 months for 20-30 min?

LTPA

Social support for ex. scale. 5 items. Adapted from Sallis (1987). Not clear which questions

SSPA

Friends and family (combined).

Shankar [61]

UK

XS

8688

46.1% male

[NA]

66.9 (10.4)

SR: times /week taken part in vigorous, moderate or mild PA

LTPA, OPA

Inactive = mod.- vig. PA no more than 1x /week

3 item revised UCLA loneliness scale [111]. And also a measure of social isolation

Loneliness and social isolation

NA

Shiovitz-Ezra [62]

USA

XS

3005

46.6% male

[57-85 years]

NA

SR interview: frequency participating in PA (examples provided), 5-point Likert scale ranging from more than 3x /week to never.

LTPA

Loneliness question from CES-D

Loneliness

Loneliness

Theeke [63]

USA

XS

13812

38.7% male

[NA]

67.7 (9.2)

SR: Frequency doing sports/ activities that are moderately energetic: every day, more than 1x/week, 1x/week, 1-3x /m, never.

LTPA

Loneliness question from Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) [94].

Loneliness

NA

Vance [82]

USA

XS

158

52.5% male

[65-91 years]

74.8 (5.8)

SR: PA Questionnaire

All types of LTPA separated

Lubben Social Networks Scale [91]

Social engagement (General SS)

Wilcox [78]

Rural USA

XS

102

All female

[50+ years]

M = 70.6

SR: PASE; [110]

LTPA, OPA, HHPA, (summed)

SS for ex. scale [42] (15 friends, 5 family)

SSPA

Family and friends. Average of 2 used or for analysis (overall SS)

Yeom [79]

USA.

Quasi-exp.

N = 64

n (IG) =33

n (CG) =31

23.4% male

[60-89 years]

71 (7.4)

SR: Participation in any type of regular PA for a minimum 30 min 3x /week? (y/n)

LTPA (flexibility, balance, walking)

Answered ‘Yes’ to PA question

SS for ex. scale [42] 9 items friends and 9 family. Not clear exactly which questions.

SSPA

Friends and family (separate)