Individual Outdoor Activity is Associated with Lower Mortality Among Older Chinese Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study

Insufficient individual outdoor activity is common among older adults, yet research on the association between individual outdoor activity frequency and all-cause mortality among older adults remains limited. Therefore, we aimed to explore the association between individual outdoor activity frequency and all-cause mortality among older Chinese adults. We conducted a prospective cohort study using data from 8117 participants aged 65 years or above from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Accelerated failure time (AFT) models were used to assess the longitudinal association between individual outdoor activity frequency and all-cause mortality by using time ratios (TRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses of the association were conducted by age, sex and residence. In addition, sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of main results. During a median follow-up period of 5.11 years, a total of 3893 (47.96%) participants died. Compared with participants who never engaged in individual outdoor activity, those who engaged rarely or sometimes (TR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.10-1.40) and those who engaged regularly or almost every day (TR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.48-1.70) had a statistically significant longer survival time in the fully adjusted model. Subgroup analyses showed consistent associations in nearly all strata. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of main results. Frequent participation in individual outdoor activity was significantly associated with longer survival time among older Chinese adults. Our findings support encouraging older adults to engage in regular individual outdoor activity for longevity benefits.