Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2026

Getting to Compliance in Forced Exercise in Rodents: A Critical Standard to Evaluate Exercise Impact in Aging-related Disorders and Disease
Published on: August 22, 2014
The effects of life events and interpersonal loss on exercise adherence in older adults
1Dept. Of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.
Abstract:
Associations of life events and interpersonal loss with participation in home- and group-based exercise were studied in 97 older adults (64 % women, 70.2 +/- 4.1 years). Life events were assessed with a modified Social Readjustment Rating Scale at baseline and 6 and 12 months. Exercise logs and class-attendance records documented exercise participation. Participants experienced 3.62 +/- 3.56 unique life events over the course of the study, and 28 participants reported an interpersonal loss (5 men, 23 women). Number of life events was negatively associated with home-based exercise participation (p <.05); among women, this association approached significance (p =.06) for class-based exercise. Women who experienced an interpersonal loss had lower class-based participation than those who did not (p =.02), but home-based participation rates were unaffected. Life events, particularly interpersonal loss, appear to have a negative impact on exercise in women, and this effect appears greater for class-based than for home-based exercise.
Related Concept Videos
Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle
The Effect of Aging on Tissues
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques VI
Motivation and Self-Determination
Motivation, the driving force behind behavior, plays a pivotal role at every stage of the change process. The research...
Longitudinal Research
Lifestyle Factors and Health
Benefits of Physical Activity
Physical activity, whether through structured exercise or casual activities like walking, biking, or dancing, is a cornerstone of a...