Aging & Society: Eighth Interdisciplinary Conference

Abstract

We prospectively examined the relationship between physical activity and successful aging (determined through a multi-domain approach). 1,584 adults aged forty-nine plus years who were free of cancer, coronary artery disease, and stroke at baseline were followed over ten years. Participants provided details of the performance of moderate or vigorous activities, which were used to calculate total metabolic equivalents (METs) minutes per week. Successful aging status was determined through interviewer-administered questionnaire and was defined as the absence of: disability, depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, respiratory symptoms, and chronic diseases (e.g. cancer, coronary artery disease). After ten years, 249 (15.7%) participants had aged successfully. After multivariable adjustment, participants in the highest level of total physical activity (≥5000 MET minutes/week) compared to those in the lowest level of total physical activity (<1000 MET minutes/week) had two-fold greater odds of aging successfully than suboptimal aging: OR 2.08 (95% CI 1.12-3.88). Older adults who engaged in total physical activity levels several times higher than the current recommended minimum level of 600 MET minutes/week had a greater likelihood of aging successfully over ten years. These findings suggest that increasing activity levels could be a successful strategy in reaching old age disease-free and fully functional.