The clustering of psychological distress variables, particularly among sedentary individuals, highlights the importance of promoting active lifestyle as a strategy to mitigate mental health burden in this population of older adults.
Abstract
Population aging represents one of the major global challenges of the twenty-first century. Anxiety, depression and stress are highly prevalent conditions that contribute substantially to morbidity and mortality worldwide. Among older adults, physical inactivity combined with stress has been associated with an increased risk of depression and anxiety. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) older adults who accumulate at least 150 min of moderate-intensity per week are classified as physically active. To analyze levels of anxiety, depression, and stress according to physical activity status among older adults. This cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical ex post facto study included a sample of community-dwelling older adults of both sexes. Participants completed a questionnaire comprising sociodemographic information and validated instruments, including the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Baecke Questionnaire Modified for Older Adults (Baecke -Old). The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO). The sample comprised 599 older adults (312 sedentary and 287 physically active) predominantly women, aged 60–64 years, married, living with family members, and with higher education attainment. Physically active participants exhibited lower levels of stress and depression compared with sedentary individuals. No statistically significant differences were observed for anxiety. In the sedentary group, significant positive correlations were identified between stress and anxiety, stress and depression, and anxiety and depression (p < 0.05). In the physically active group, a significant positive correlation was observed between anxiety and stress (p < 0.05). Physical Activity is associated with lower levels of stress and depression among older adults, reinforcing its role as a protective factor for mental health and healthy aging. The clustering of psychological distress variables, particularly among sedentary individuals, highlights the importance of promoting active lifestyle as a strategy to mitigate mental health burden in this population.
PIL in older adults was negatively associated with elevated symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, even after controlling for sociodemographic variables and subjective health perception, underscore the need for integrated strategies to promote mental health and purpose in life in aging populations.
T. Vasconcellos, G. Cipolli, V. Campos et al.· Geriatrics Gerontology and A...· 0 citations
With the acceleration of global population aging, mental health issues among older adults have become increasingly prominent. Aging anxiety, defined as apprehension regarding the aging process and associated physiological, psychological, and social role losses, significantly impacts the quality of life and health of the older adults. Physical exercise has been shown to be associated with better physical and mental health of older adults, yet the theoretical psychological mechanisms underlying their association remain insufficiently clarified. Therefore, this study aims to construct and test a serial mediation model to explore the statistical sequential indirect associations linking physical exercise to aging anxiety via self-efficacy and health anxiety.
This study employed a cross-sectional survey design, targeting Chinese adults aged 60 and above. A total of 721 valid questionnaires were collected. Data were gathered using the *Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3)*, the Aging Anxiety Scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Health Anxiety Scale. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 27.0 and PROCESS 4.0 software. Common method bias tests, correlation analyses, multiple linear regression, and Bootstrap mediation effect tests were conducted to examine the relationships among physical exercise, self-efficacy, health anxiety, and aging anxiety, as well as the mediating pathways.
Correlation analysis revealed that physical exercise was significantly negatively correlated with aging anxiety (
r
= −0.232,
p
< 0.001), significantly positively correlated with self-efficacy (
r
= 0.225,
p
< 0.001), and significantly negatively correlated with health anxiety (
r
= −0.193,
p
< 0.001). Aging anxiety was negatively correlated with self-efficacy (
r
= −0.474,
p
< 0.001) and positively correlated with health anxiety (
r
= 0.483,
p
< 0.001); self-efficacy and health anxiety were significantly negatively correlated (
r
= −0.420,
p
< 0.001). Mediation analysis further revealed that the total effect of physical exercise on aging anxiety was −0.0525 (95% CI: [−0.0685, −0.0364]); the direct effect was −0.0221 (95% CI: [−0.036, −0.0081]), accounting for 42.10% of the total effect, and the total statistical indirect effect was −0.0304 (95% CI: [−0.040, −0.0216]), accounting for 57.90% of the total effect. The independent statistical indirect effect of self-efficacy was the most prominent (indirect effect = −0.0159, 95% CI: [−0.022, −0.0105]; accounting for 30.28% of the total effect). The indirect effect through health anxiety alone was −0.0078 (95% CI: [−0.0143, −0.0023]; 14.86%), and the serial indirect effect was −0.0067 (95% CI: [−0.0095, −0.0044]; 12.76%).
This study supports that physical exercise is not only directly associated with lower aging anxiety in older adults but also shows significant statistical indirect associations through a potential serial pathway involving self-efficacy and health anxiety. Self-efficacy, as a crucial psychological resource, exhibits the strongest statistical indirect effect between physical exercise and aging anxiety. The findings deepen the understanding of the statistical association patterns through which physical exercise is linked to better mental health in older adults. They provide a theoretical basis and practical reference for designing targeted exercise interventions to mitigate aging anxiety among the older adults.
Wenhai Yu, Guo-Xi Ye· Frontiers in Public Health· 0 citations
SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between lower limb strength and symptoms of anxiety and depression in communitydwelling older adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 99 community-dwelling older adults (69.5±6.6 years; 81.8% women) assessed between 2021 and 2023 in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Inclusion criteria were age ≥60 years, independent mobility, and medical clearance. Participants were excluded if they had uncontrolled chronic or cardiovascular diseases, a history of stroke, unmanaged neurodegenerative disorders, active psychiatric comorbidities that could interfere with psychological assessments, or musculoskeletal injuries preventing safe participation in testing. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory and Geriatric Depression Scale. Lower limb strength was measured using the 30-Second Chair Stand test and classified according to age- and sex-specific normative values. RESULTS: Participants with below-average lower limb strength had higher odds of anxiety symptoms (OR 10.90; 95%CI 1.97–60.33; p=0.006). Lower limb strength was also associated with depressive symptoms, although with a smaller effect size (OR 3.96; 95%CI 1.06–14.74; p=0.040). Age was positively associated with anxiety (p=0.019), while no significant associations were observed for sex. CONCLUSION: The 30-Second Chair Stand test may have potential as a complementary screening indicator to identify older adults at elevated psychosocial risk.
Poliany Pereira Cruz, R. A. De Sousa, L. Felício et al.· Revista da Associação Médica...· 0 citations
Perceived stress showed the strongest association with both anxiety and somatic symptom burden, and the use of a single total activity score concealed a more specific inverse association between vigorous leisure-time activity and somatic symptoms.
Mihaela Fadgyas Stanculete, O. Căpățînă, Catalin Alexandru Chihaia· Medicina· 0 citations
In this online convenience sample of adults aged ≥50 years, sleep quality, anxiety symptoms, and total physical activity showed consistent cross-sectional associations and require confirmation in representative longitudinal studies.
Hammad S. Alhasan, M. Alshehri· Journal of Clinical Medicine· 0 citations
The increase of age is related with high concerns of cognitive decline and depression which frequently influence each other in both directions. The objective of the current study is the assessment of the cognitive status and the symptoms indicating depression the older adults, in order to evaluate a structural model that subjective cognitive complaints mediate the relationship between objective cognitive performance and depression.
The current study, cross-sectional in nature, was carried out with 140 community-dwelling senior adults (63.38 ± 7.22 years). Participants were assessed by using three standardized instruments: Abbreviated Mental Test Score (AMT) for objective cognitive performance, the Persian Cognitive Difficulties Scale (PCDS-26) for subjective cognitive complaints, and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) for depressive symptoms. Data were analyzed by the use of SEM (Structural Equation Modeling), together with diagonally weighted least squares (DWLS) estimation to test a partial mediation hypothesis. The finalized model fit was assessed using χ²/df, CFI, TLI, and RMSEA.
The structural model resulted in very impressive goodness-of-fit indices (χ²/df = 1.102, CFI = 0.996, RMSEA = 0.027). The analysis revealed that objective cognitive performance has a remarkable direct negative impact on depressive symptoms (β = -0.289,
p
= 0.001). Furthermore, a significant indirect pathway was also identified (β = -0.108): higher objective cognitive performance was associated with fewer subjective cognitive complaints (β = -0.201), which in turn strongly predicted lower levels of depressive symptoms (β = 0.534). The total effect of objective cognition on depression was β = -0.397.
The findings confirm that better objective cognition is linked to fewer subjective complaints and lower depression, with subjective perceptions partially mediating this relationship. This finding highlights the potential relevance of metacognitive awareness to late-life mental health. Clinically, screening for subjective cognitive complaints may help identify older adults with elevated depressive symptoms who could benefit from further assessment and appropriate interventions, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy. Therefore, clinicians should integrate assessments of subjective cognitive difficulties into routine depression screenings to provide more holistic geriatric care.
Not applicable. We clarify that this research employed a cross‑sectional design, with all data gathered and analyzed at one single time point. Therefore, the study does not constitute a clinical trial.
Farnaz Fathollahzadeh, A. Borna, Parvin Dibajnia et al.· BMC Psychiatry· 0 citations
