Less anxiety about ageing may be linked to a positive attitude towards physical activity. Rephrasing information about both exercise and ageing can encourage more healthy behaviours, but views of both are influenced by gender, age, marital status, and money, according to researchers who evaluated data from a multi-state study.
Sarah Francis, who holds several titles at Iowa State University, said, “As this large demographic ages, it's really important to support health-promoting behaviours and have an approach that focuses on prevention -- not just treatment when it comes to chronic diseases. To do that, we need to know what their needs are and how best to address those needs," says Sarah Francis.
A portion of their research has been devoted to determining the variables that affect physical activity, such as "ageing anxiety." According to Francis, this anxiety includes worries about relationships, physical and psychological changes, and discomfort or disinterest in being among elderly people. It also includes anxieties and concerns about losing autonomy.
"Previous research has shown that if you have high anxiety about aging, you have poor health outcomes. But if you view it more positively as a life stage, you have better health outcomes. You're more likely to make lifestyle changes that benefit you in the long run,” says Francis.
The researchers created a 142-question online survey and used Qualtrics to find volunteers in order to learn more about the relationship between ageing anxiety and physical activity as well as other variables including age, gender, marital status, and income.
