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Preventive Medicine 2018
Journal of Preventive Medicine
ISSN: 2572-5483
Page 61
July 16-17, 2018
London, UK
9
th
Edition of International Conference on
Preventive Medicine
& Public Health
Introduction:
Regular physical activity (PA) can prevent and
manage chronic diseases yet physical inactivity remains a global
public health concern. Determinants of PA are complex and vary
betweenmen andwomen. Specifically, the impact of intrapersonal
factors such as how major life events impact PA behavior is less
understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the
effects of life events on adults’ PA levels.
Methods:
Nationally representative panel data from the
Americans’ changing lives survey (1986-2012) were used to
analyze the impact of major life events on age-based trajectories
of PA separately for men and women using latent growth curve
models.
Results:
Among women, death of a parent or retiring was
associated with greater PA at baseline. When examining across
time among women, experiencing death of a parent or close
friend, entering into marriage, or moving were all associated with
greater PA while entering in to retirement was associated with
less PA as women aged. Among men, becoming a caregiver was
associated with greater PA at baseline, and experiencing death
of a close friend or entering into marriage were associated with
more PA as men aged.
Discussion:
Findings of this study suggest that major life events
do affect PA behaviors at varying levels for men and women.
Considering the impact of life events is important in planning
effective health promotion interventions to increase PA, and it
appears to be important to consider these impacts separately for
men and women.
erichards@purdue.eduThe impact of major life events on physical activity
Elizabeth A Richards
1
, Patricia A Thomas, Zachary Hass
and
Anna Forster
1
Purdue University, USA
J Prev Med 2018, Volume 3
DOI: 10.21767/2572-5483-C1-003