The Role of Leisure Activities in Mediating the Relationship between Physical Health and Well-Being: Differential Patterns in Old and Very Old Age

Gerontology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 560-571 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Ihle ◽  
Élvio R. Gouveia ◽  
Bruna R. Gouveia ◽  
Bernadette W.A. van der Linden ◽  
Julia Sauter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Health ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Activity Participation ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Very Old Age ◽  
Differential Relations ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Health And Well Being

Background: Recently, Paggi et al. [Gerontology 2016;62:450-458] for the very first time showed in a cross-sectional sample of 259 adults aged 18-81 years that the relation of physical health to psychological well-being was mediated via frequency of leisure activity participation. Objective: To extend this framework, we followed theories on successful aging and vulnerability to propose to add a differential perspective predicting that certain individuals may be more vulnerable than others and therefore may show differences in the mediation pattern. Specifically, we examined whether mediation patterns were differential in certain populations, such as in old-old (compared to young-old) adults and in individuals who carried out a low (compared to those with a high) number of activities. Methods: We analyzed data from 3,080 individuals on physical health (number of chronic diseases, subjective health status, and subjective evaluation of change in health over the last 10 years), frequency of participation in 18 leisure activities, and physical and psychological well-being using moderated mediation models with a path model approach that allowed the simultaneous estimation of all model paths, including their significance. Results: We found that the relation of physical health to physical and psychological well-being was mediated via frequency of activity participation. For physical (but not for psychological) well-being, this mediation was more pronounced in old-old (compared to young-old) adults and in individuals who carried out a low (compared to those with a high) number of activities. These moderated mediations were attributable to differential relations of physical health to frequency of activity participation and to differential relations of frequency of activity participation to physical well-being between the investigated moderator levels. Conclusion: Present data suggest that participation in leisure activities may play a key role in mediating the relationship between physical health and well-being, particularly in very old age. Findings are discussed with respect to theories of successful aging and differences between physical and psychological well-being.

scholarly journals The Importance of Leisure Activities in the Relationship between Physical Health and Well-Being in a Life Span Sample

Gerontology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 450-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle E. Paggi ◽  
Daniela Jopp ◽  
Christopher Hertzog
Keyword(s):  
Physical Health ◽  
Life Span ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Adult Life ◽  
Leisure Activity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Activity Participation ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Health And Well Being

Background: Previous studies have examined the relationships between physical health and leisure activities and between leisure activities and well-being, but, to our knowledge, none has examined these relationships simultaneously. Objective: This study investigated the relationships between leisure activities, health and well-being considering the role of age, and whether leisure activities mediate the relationship between physical health and well-being. Methods: Utilizing a cross-sectional database of 259 adults (ages 18-81 years) who completed several questionnaires, linear regression models and mediation models were tested. Results: Regression analyses indicated that physical health was related to leisure activities and leisure activities were related to well-being. When physical health was measured by subjective ratings, age had a stronger relationship with leisure activities. However, when physical health was indicated by health restrictions, physical health had a stronger relationship with leisure activities than did age. Leisure activities were a partial mediator of the relationship between physical health and well-being. Conclusion: The results demonstrated that the reduction in leisure activities with age has more to do with physical health limitations than with older age itself. In addition, regardless of age, the benefits of physical health for well-being are due in part to the level of leisure activity participation. These results highlight the importance of leisure activities for successful aging throughout the adult life span. Interventions designed to improve well-being through increasing leisure activity participation should take physical health into consideration, particularly for older adults.

The Benefits of Savoring Life

2016 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Smith ◽  
Fred B. Bryant
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Social Functioning ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Positive Interventions ◽  
Reported Health ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Lower Life Satisfaction

We investigated the protective impact of savoring capacity on the relationship between physical health and psychological well-being among older adults. A total of 266 adults over 55 years old ( Mean = 73.4 years) completed measures of savoring ability, self-reported health, and life satisfaction. Savoring ability moderated the relationship between health and life satisfaction in older adults. Among people with less savoring ability, poor health was associated with lower life satisfaction. In contrast, people with greater savoring ability maintained higher life satisfaction, regardless of their level of health. These effects were consistent across a variety of different aspects of health, including general health, pain, limitations due to physical health, energy, and social functioning. These findings have direct implications for developing positive interventions to support the psychological well-being of older adults.

Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being in Public Health Law and Practice

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (S1) ◽  
pp. 37-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jill Krueger ◽  
Nathaniel Counts ◽  
Brigid Riley
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Collective Impact ◽  
Health Law ◽  
Policies And Programs ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Health And Well Being

This article discusses the relationship between stress, physical health, and well-being in cultural context, offers examples of laws, policies, and programs to promote mental health and well-being, and examines how collective impact supports mental health and well-being.

scholarly journals To be or not to be: Relationship between grandparent status and health and wellbeing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel W.L. Lai ◽  
Jia Li ◽  
Xue Bai
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Older People ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Marital Status ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Chinese Society ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract BackgroundIt is common for older people to become grandparents in later life. However, the impacts of grandparenting on their health and well-being remain ambiguous, especially in Chinese society, where the family is in the core of culture. The current study explored the relationship between grandparenthood and Chinese older people’s health and psychological well-being in Hong Kong. MethodsCross-sectional data were collected from a sample of 1,208 Hong Kong Chinese older people aged 55 and above through a telephone survey conducted in 2019. Participants were grouped into three categories: current grandparents (n = 507), grandparents-to-be (n = 275), and grandparents-not-to-be (n = 426). Multivariate linear regressions were performed to examine the relationship between grandparenting status and health and well-being outcomes, including self-rated physical health, mental health, resilience, and happiness. The potential moderating roles of older adults’ demographic characteristics, including age, sex, education, marital status, financial status, were also examined. ResultsBivariate analyses suggested statistically significant differences between health and well-being across the three groups of participants. Regression models showed that, compared with grandparents-not-to-be, being a current grandparent was associated with a significantly higher happiness level. Being a future grandparent was associated with significantly higher levels of happiness, resilience, and self-rated physical health. Moderating analyses showed that age, marital status, and educational level could moderate the relationship between grandparent status and resilience and self-rated mental health. ConclusionsThe current study offers preliminary insights into the significant relationship between grandparenthood and older adults’ health and well-being. It calls for future studies to further explore the mechanisms between grandparenthood and the healthy ageing of different subgroups of older adults.

scholarly journals Daily Activity Engagement Predicts More Positive Affect Especially on Days When a Person Feels Young

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 908-909
Author(s):  
Erica O'Brien ◽  
Shevaun Neupert
Keyword(s):  
Negative Affect ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Activity Engagement ◽  
Prior Literature ◽  
Age Range ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Engagement in a wide array of mental, social, and physical leisure activities confers several health benefits. Indeed, theories of successful aging argue that an active lifestyle serves as an important criterion for maintaining high levels of psychological, functional, and physical well-being in old age. Findings from parallel studies also show that people who hold positive (self-)views of aging exhibit higher and maintained levels of well-being over time. Yet, whether views of aging enhances the link between activity engagement and well-being - and whether they do so on a daily basis – remains unknown. This study therefore sought to extend prior literature by examining the relationship between activity engagement, subjective age, and affective ratings within-person over several days. Old adults (N = 115; Age: Range = 60 – 90, M = 64.65, SD = 4.86) in the Mindfulness and Anticipatory Coping Every Day (MACED) study completed an 8-day daily diary. Participants reported on their positive and negative affect, the age they subjectively felt compared to their actual age, and the number and types of leisure activities in which they engaged. Results from multilevel analyses indicate that people felt more positive on days when they also engaged in more activities (total across mental, social, physical types) than usual. Moreover, the effect of activity engagement was most pronounced on days when people felt younger than usual. No effects were found for negative affect. Preliminary findings suggest that people benefit psychologically from daily leisure activities and a positive self-view of aging.

scholarly journals Numeracy Skills, Cognitive Reserve, and Psychological Well-Being: What Relationship in Late Adult Lifespan?

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 176
Author(s):  
Maria Chiara Fastame ◽  
Silvia Melis
Keyword(s):  
Physical Health ◽  
Cognitive Reserve ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Negative Experience ◽  
Mental Calculation ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Adult Lifespan ◽  
Cognitive Efficiency ◽  
Numeracy Skills

Background: The capacity of understanding and manipulating numerical stimuli (i.e., numeracy) can impact decision making. This investigation was conducted to examine whether number comprehension and mental calculation predict hedonic (i.e., Scale of Positive and Negative Experience, SPANE) and eudaimonic (i.e., Flourishing Scale) well-being in late adulthood, and whether cognitive reserve (i.e., education, time spent for gardening, and time spent for leisure activities) and non-verbal reasoning predict numeracy skills of old adults. Additionally, the effect of age on numeracy was examined, controlling for the effect of education and cognitive efficiency. Methods: One hundred and fifty-eight (i.e., 65–94 years old) community-dwellers completed a battery of tools assessing numeracy, cognitive and metacognitive efficiency, and psychological well-being. Results: Number comprehension, metacognition, time spent for leisure, and perceived physical health accounted for 23% of the variance in the SPANE condition, whereas metacognition, perceived physical health, time for leisure, and education explained 15% of the variance in the Flourishing condition. Moreover, cognitive reserve assessed in terms of vocabulary and education predicted mental calculation. Finally, aging significantly impacted the mental calculation performance of older participants. Conclusions: These findings suggest that numeracy skills can selectively impact the mental health and daily life of older adults.

Student Attitudes toward Sports and Fitness Activities after Graduation

2006 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Forrester ◽  
Christopher Arterberry ◽  
Bob Barcelona
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Colleges And Universities ◽  
Predictor Variables ◽  
Outcome Variable ◽  
Recreational Sports ◽  
Sports Involvement ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Health And Well Being

Colleges and universities have generally been seen as environments where physical activity can be facilitated and promoted. Most colleges and universities offer programs and facilities that promote participation in recreational sports, physical activity, and overall physical health. This study was designed to examine the relationship between recreational sports involvement, satisfaction, interpersonal and group, physical health and well-being, and academic benefits of involvement and the importance of sports and fitness activities after graduation. Surveys were randomly distributed to students ( N = 718) participating in a variety of recreational sports programs. Multiple regression was used to analyze the relationship between the predictor variables (involvement, satisfaction, and benefits of involvement) and the outcome variable (importance of sports and fitness activities after graduation). Only physical health and well-being benefits and the combined measure of recreational sports involvement were significant predictor variables in the regression equation. Understanding the impact of campus programs devoted to influencing positive health behavior, including physical activity, is a critical component in understanding the benefits of recreational sports involvement. Suggestions for future research are made in the context of the limitations of the study.

The Relationship Between Leisure Activities and Well-being During Social Isolation

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sartu Osman ◽  
Danielle Gaucher
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Leisure Activity ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Control Flow ◽  
Activity Participation ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
The Relationship

Leisure activities are effective ways to cope with stressful life events; however, more research is needed to understand its effects in social isolation. In the current study, we explored whether university students’ participation in leisure activities (such as baking, running, and yoga) has helped protect against some of the negative effects of social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, this correlational study aimed to discover (a) the relationship between leisure activity participation and psychological well-being and resilience during periods of social isolation; (b) the type of leisure activity (i.e., physical or nonphysical) that has the most positive effect on overall well-being; and (c) precisely why particular leisure activities were positively associated with well-being and resilience (e.g., do they increase social affiliation, self-efficacy, personal control, flow, and sense of meaning?). To answer these questions, 200 university students completed an online survey asking them about the frequency and type of their participation in leisure activities. Participant’s coronavirus anxiety, sense of well-being, and resiliency were the outcome variables. Results indicated a significant, positive association between leisure activity participation and overall well-being, demonstrated by a decrease in anxiety and an increase in well-being. Contrary to the literature, engagement in more non-physical leisure activities was associated with greater resiliency compared to physical activities. The mechanisms for the positive association were not clear. In sum, this study supports participation in leisure activities as a possible way to cope with social isolation and the negative effects of the current pandemic.

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