Daily physical activity and life satisfaction across adulthood

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Psychology
• Health Sciences

Background:

• Physical activity is linked to life satisfaction, but age-related differences in this association are unclear.
• Younger adults may experience benefits from daily physical activity, while older adults might benefit from habitual activity levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate age-specific associations between physical activity and life satisfaction.
• To examine both between-person and within-person effects of physical activity on well-being across the adult lifespan.

Main Methods:

• A daily diary study with 150 adults (aged 18-89) over three 21-day periods.
• Assessed usual physical activity, daily physical activity, and life satisfaction.
• Analyzed between-person and within-person associations, considering age differences.

Main Results:

• Usual physical activity positively correlated with life satisfaction in middle and older adulthood, mediated by health.
• This between-person association was absent in young adulthood.
• Daily physical activity positively impacted life satisfaction for all ages, indicating a within-person effect.
• Life satisfaction followed a cubic trajectory across the lifespan: low in emerging adulthood, high in midlife, and low in older adulthood.

Conclusions:

• Daily physical activity enhances life satisfaction irrespective of age.
• Developmental differences in life satisfaction dynamics exist, influenced by age-related activity patterns.
• Findings inform strategies for promoting well-being through physical activity across the adult lifespan.