Asp Malin, Simonsson Bo, Molarius Anu
Public Health Department, Region Värmland, Karlstad, Sweden.
Centre for Clinical Research, Region Västmanland, Västerås, Sweden.
Arch Public Health. 2025 Sep 8;83(1):225. doi: 10.1186/s13690-025-01718-w.
Physical inactivity, impaired physical mobility and poor mental health are common in the older population and increasing as the population ages. We examined the relationships between physical activity, physical mobility, and mental health in the general population of older adults.
The study is based on 12 959 men and women aged 70 years or older answering a survey questionnaire sent to a random population sample in Mid-Sweden in 2022 (response rate 66%). The associations between physical activity (at least 150 min/week), physical mobility (no difficulties e.g. in walking short distances or climbing stairs) and mental health were investigated with multiple logistic regression analyses, adjusting for gender, age group and educational level. Mental health was measured with symptoms of anxiety or worry, and self-reported diagnosed depression.
In total, 51% were physically inactive and 31% had impaired physical mobility. Symptoms of anxiety or worry (33%) were more common among older people who were physically inactive than among those who were physically active (24%). The prevalence of symptoms of anxiety or worry was also higher among those with impaired physical mobility (40%) than among those with physical mobility (23%). Physical inactivity and impaired physical mobility were also associated with self-reported depression. When stratified by physical mobility, physical inactivity was significantly associated with symptoms of anxiety or worry (OR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.08-1.34) and self-reported depression (OR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.27-2.17) among those with physical mobility, whereas no association was found among those with impaired physical mobility.
The results suggest that physical activity is positively associated with mental health among older people with physical mobility. However, about one in three in the older population has impaired physical mobility with poorer mental health irrespective of physical activity. These results are important for promoting mental health in an aging population.
身体活动不足、身体活动能力受损和心理健康状况不佳在老年人群中很常见，且随着人口老龄化而日益增加。我们研究了老年成年人总体人群中身体活动、身体活动能力和心理健康之间的关系。
该研究基于12959名70岁及以上的男性和女性，他们回答了2022年发送给瑞典中部随机人群样本的调查问卷（回复率66%）。通过多元逻辑回归分析，对性别、年龄组和教育水平进行调整，研究身体活动（每周至少150分钟）、身体活动能力（例如在短距离行走或爬楼梯方面没有困难）与心理健康之间的关联。心理健康通过焦虑或担忧症状以及自我报告诊断的抑郁症来衡量。
总体而言，51%的人身体活动不足，31%的人身体活动能力受损。身体活动不足的老年人中焦虑或担忧症状（33%）比身体活动活跃的老年人（24%）更常见。身体活动能力受损的人（40%）中焦虑或担忧症状的患病率也高于身体活动能力正常的人（23%）。身体活动不足和身体活动能力受损也与自我报告的抑郁症有关。按身体活动能力分层时，身体活动不足与身体活动能力正常者的焦虑或担忧症状（比值比：1.20，95%置信区间：1.08 - 1.34）和自我报告的抑郁症（比值比：1.66，95%置信区间：1.27 - 2.17）显著相关，而在身体活动能力受损者中未发现关联。
结果表明，身体活动能力正常的老年人中，身体活动与心理健康呈正相关。然而，老年人群中约三分之一的人身体活动能力受损且心理健康状况较差，无论其身体活动情况如何。这些结果对于促进老龄化人口的心理健康很重要。
