The Impact Of Changes In Vigorous Physical Activity On Subsequent Optimism Levels In Older Us Adults

PURPOSE: In extensive longitudinal epidemiological studies, optimism (general expectations that good things will happen in the future) has been linked to favorable health outcomes. However, modifiable factors that predict optimism are poorly understood. We examined whether vigorous physical activity (VPA) predicts optimism. We hypothesized that an increase in VPA enhances optimism. METHODS: We utilized data from a sample of 12,029 people in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), which is a comprehensive, nationwide longitudinal study of adults aged over 50 in the United States. In 2010 and 2012, the participants were queried regarding the frequency of vigorous physical activity (VPA) per week. After reclassifying this as a binary variable (Y/N), we created a four-category exposure variable to capture the changes in VPA from 2010 (t0: Y/N) to 2012 (t1: Y/N): 1) maintained no VPA, 2) maintained VPA, 3) initiated VPA, and 4) ceased VPA. Optimism was measured using the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R, range: 1-6) 2-4 years later (t2: 2014-2016). The covariates examined in 2010 (t0) were age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, income, alcohol consumption, smoking habit, diabetes status, hypertension status, and body mass index. We conducted a linear regression to determine whether changes in VPA predict subsequent optimism levels, controlling for the rich set of covariates. RESULTS: Among the 12,029 participants (age: 64.3 ± 10.5, LOT-R: 3.8 ± 0.5), 39 % maintained no VPA, 37 % maintained VPA, 12 % initiated VPA, and 12 % ceased VPA. The mean score of controlling for all covariates, compared to those who maintained no VPA, those who initiated VPA had mean score of optimism 0.06 higher (p < 0.001), and those who maintained VPA had mean score of optimism 0.10 higher (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Increased VPA predicted higher optimism levels in older adults in the US. Interventions focused on enhancing VPA may elicit increased optimism levels in older adults.