Trajectory of declines in physical activity in community-dwelling older women: social cognitive influences

Abstract

Studies examining physical activity behavior suggest that activity levels decline with age. Such declines are particularly problematic among older adults in light of the research suggesting a protective effect of physical activity on numerous physical health outcomes associated with independent living. Despite a growing recognition of the importance of a physically active lifestyle, little is known about the role of demographic and psychosocial variables on this trajectory of change. In this study, the roles played by outcome expectations, self-efficacy, and functional limitations on changes in physical activity levels over a 2-year period in older women were assessed using latent growth curve modeling. Data were obtained from 249 community-dwelling older women (M age = 68.12, n = 81 Black, and n = 168 White). Demographic, health status, and psychosocial data were collected via self-report upon entry into the study. Self-reported physical activity was assessed at baseline and again at 12 and 24 months. As expected, physical activity declined over the 2-year period. Self-efficacy demonstrated an indirect association with the trajectory of decline in physical activity through functional limitations. Importantly, the pattern of relationships appears independent of demographic factors and chronic health conditions.

Figure 1.

Trajectories of change in physical activity for individuals with high, medium, and low activity scores at baseline.

Figure 2.

Predicting declines in physical activity across 24 months using social cognitive variables. Note that values in parentheses are path coefficients adjusted for age, income, race, education, and number of reported chronic health conditions. All loadings are standardized, and significant paths are shown by solid lines. Nonsignificant paths are indicated by dashed lines.