PhD position “unraveling late-life trajectories of physical activity”

While the benefits of physical activity for healthy aging are widely recognized, it is currently unknown whether specific types of activities are more beneficial than others. This project aims to improve our understanding of mechanisms by which different components of physical activity are associated with health outcomes in older adults. Although physical activity is likely to decline during aging, there may be variation across different components of physical activity (intensity, strength, tension, and rotational movements). In this project, we aim to identify trajectories of physical activity components that are optimal for healthy aging and to investigate how these trajectories may differ across subgroups. Ultimately, the findings of this project could lead to the development of personalized physical activity recommendations that can stimulate healthy aging for all individuals.
From a methodological point of view, it is a challenge to analyze (heterogeneity of) physical activity in older adults over time. The current project provides the ideal setting to investigate how longitudinal trajectories of different physical activities in older adults can be compared and assessed. Secondly, physical performance measures may play an important mediating role in the association between physical activity and other health outcomes. This has been demonstrated cross-sectionally, but not yet studied longitudinally.

Your duties
As a PhD candidate you will be responsible for conducting this research and performing the data analysis, writing of scientific articles and writing a dissertation. You will be able to use already collected data of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, a cohort study in Dutch older men and women with more than 30 years of follow-up (LASA, www.lasa-vu.nl). Additionally, you will contribute to ongoing research activities within the LASA cohort study.

Your specific tasks are:

• To identify longitudinal trajectories of physical activities in older adults
• To investigate longitudinal trajectories of physical activities in relation to different health outcomes
• To develop and compare different methodological analysis techniques for analyzing complicated longitudinal data
• To disseminate the research findings through international scientific publications and a final thesis
• To present your findings at national and international conferences and symposia
• To contribute to teaching activities of the Department of Health Sciences