The Effects of Life Events and Interpersonal Loss on Exercise Adherence in Older Adults
in Journal of Aging and Physical ActivityClick name to view affiliation
Associations of life events and interpersonal loss with participation in home-and group-based exercise were studied in 97 older adults (64% women, 70.2 ± 4.1 years). Life events were assessed with a modified Social Readjustment Rating Scale at baseline and 6 and 12 months. Exercise logs and class-attendance records documented exercise participation. Participants experienced 3.62 ± 3.56 unique life events over the course of the study, and 28 participants reported an interpersonal loss (5 men, 23 women). Number of life events was negatively associated with home-based exercise participation (p < .05); among women, this association approached significance (p = .06) for class-based exercise. Women who experienced an interpersonal loss had lower class-based participation than those who did not (p = .02), but home-based participation rates were unaffected. Life events, particularly interpersonal loss, appear to have a negative impact on exercise in women, and this effect appears greater for class-based than for home-based exercise.
Wilcox is with the Dept. of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208. King is with the Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5705.
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