Life events and changing physical activity patterns in women at different life stages

Wendy J. Brown; Kristiann C. Heesch; Yvette D. Miller

doi:10.1007/s12160-009-9099-2

Life events and changing physical activity patterns in women at different life stages

Wendy J. Brown
, Kristiann C. Heesch
, Yvette D. Miller

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

153 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: The impact of life events on physical activity (PA) is little understood.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine relationships between specific life events and changes in PA in three cohorts of Australian women. Methods: Young (N=7,173; age 22-27 years), mid-age (N=8,762; 51-56 years), and older (N=6,660; 73-78 years) participants in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health completed surveys on two occasions, 3 years apart.

Results: About one third of the young and mid-age women and one quarter of the older women were "active" at both times. Decreasing PA was associated with marriage and childbirth in young women and with declining health in older women. Increasing PA was associated with retirement and death of spouse in the mid-age women. Stressful events such as divorce, harassment at work, and violence were also associated with changing PA.

Conclusions: There were significant associations between age-specific life events and PA changes. Understanding these relationships could inform interventions for preventing declines in activity at specific life stages.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	294-305
Number of pages	12
Journal	Annals of Behavioral Medicine
Volume	37
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-009-9099-2
Publication status	Published - 2009
Externally published	Yes

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This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

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Cite this

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title = "Life events and changing physical activity patterns in women at different life stages",

abstract = "Background: The impact of life events on physical activity (PA) is little understood. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine relationships between specific life events and changes in PA in three cohorts of Australian women. Methods: Young (N=7,173; age 22-27 years), mid-age (N=8,762; 51-56 years), and older (N=6,660; 73-78 years) participants in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health completed surveys on two occasions, 3 years apart. Results: About one third of the young and mid-age women and one quarter of the older women were {"}active{"} at both times. Decreasing PA was associated with marriage and childbirth in young women and with declining health in older women. Increasing PA was associated with retirement and death of spouse in the mid-age women. Stressful events such as divorce, harassment at work, and violence were also associated with changing PA. Conclusions: There were significant associations between age-specific life events and PA changes. Understanding these relationships could inform interventions for preventing declines in activity at specific life stages.",

author = "Brown, \{Wendy J.\} and Heesch, \{Kristiann C.\} and Miller, \{Yvette D.\}",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgements The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, which was conceived and developed by groups of interdisciplinary researchers at the Universities of Newcastle and Queensland, is funded by the Commonwealth of Australia Government Department of Health and Ageing. We thank all participants for their valuable contribution to this project. These analyses were supported in part by funding from the Australian Government Department of Family and Community Services (Office for Women). Dr. Heesch was supported by NHMRC program grant \#301200 and Dr. Miller was supported by NHMRC capacity building grant \#252977, both at The University of Queensland, School of Human Movement Studies.",

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doi = "10.1007/s12160-009-9099-2",

language = "English",

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pages = "294--305",

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AU - Heesch, Kristiann C.

AU - Miller, Yvette D.

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgements The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, which was conceived and developed by groups of interdisciplinary researchers at the Universities of Newcastle and Queensland, is funded by the Commonwealth of Australia Government Department of Health and Ageing. We thank all participants for their valuable contribution to this project. These analyses were supported in part by funding from the Australian Government Department of Family and Community Services (Office for Women). Dr. Heesch was supported by NHMRC program grant #301200 and Dr. Miller was supported by NHMRC capacity building grant #252977, both at The University of Queensland, School of Human Movement Studies.

PY - 2009

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N2 - Background: The impact of life events on physical activity (PA) is little understood. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine relationships between specific life events and changes in PA in three cohorts of Australian women. Methods: Young (N=7,173; age 22-27 years), mid-age (N=8,762; 51-56 years), and older (N=6,660; 73-78 years) participants in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health completed surveys on two occasions, 3 years apart. Results: About one third of the young and mid-age women and one quarter of the older women were "active" at both times. Decreasing PA was associated with marriage and childbirth in young women and with declining health in older women. Increasing PA was associated with retirement and death of spouse in the mid-age women. Stressful events such as divorce, harassment at work, and violence were also associated with changing PA. Conclusions: There were significant associations between age-specific life events and PA changes. Understanding these relationships could inform interventions for preventing declines in activity at specific life stages.

AB - Background: The impact of life events on physical activity (PA) is little understood. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine relationships between specific life events and changes in PA in three cohorts of Australian women. Methods: Young (N=7,173; age 22-27 years), mid-age (N=8,762; 51-56 years), and older (N=6,660; 73-78 years) participants in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health completed surveys on two occasions, 3 years apart. Results: About one third of the young and mid-age women and one quarter of the older women were "active" at both times. Decreasing PA was associated with marriage and childbirth in young women and with declining health in older women. Increasing PA was associated with retirement and death of spouse in the mid-age women. Stressful events such as divorce, harassment at work, and violence were also associated with changing PA. Conclusions: There were significant associations between age-specific life events and PA changes. Understanding these relationships could inform interventions for preventing declines in activity at specific life stages.

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Life events and changing physical activity patterns in women at different life stages

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