Air quality correlations with physical activity and asthma in the elderly

Asthma poses a significant public health burden globally, particularly among the elderly. While environmental and behavioral factors are implicated, their combined influence in aging populations remains underexplored. To investigate the association between physical activity (PA), air quality satisfaction, and asthma among middle-aged and elderly Chinese. Asthma prevalence was 2.7%, with 65.1% reporting air quality dissatisfaction. High PA significantly reduced asthma risk (adjusted odds ratio = 0.23, 95% confidence interval: 0.14-0.38, P < .001), as did good air quality satisfaction (adjusted odds ratio = 0.31, 95% confidence interval: 0.17-0.58, P < .001). These associations persisted after full adjustment for covariates including age, smoking, and chronic conditions (P < .01). Higher physical activity and better air quality satisfaction are independently associated with reduced asthma risk in Chinese elderly. Public health initiatives should promote active lifestyles and air pollution control to mitigate asthma burden in aging populations. This cross-sectional study analyzed 3352 participants aged ≥50 years from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Multivariable logistic regression adjusted for demographic characteristics, health status, and lifestyle factors assessed associations between PA level (≥23 vs <23 MET·h·week-1), air quality satisfaction (satisfied/dissatisfied), and physician-diagnosed asthma.