Population based study of social and productive activities as predictors of survival among elderly Americans
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Abstract Objectives: To examine any association between social, productive, and physical activity and 13 year survival in older people. Design: Prospective cohort study with annual mortality follow up. Activity and other measures were assessed by structured interviews at baseline in the participants9 homes Proportional hazards models were used to model survival from time of initial interview. Setting: City of New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Participants: 2761 men and women from a random population sample of 2812 people aged 65 and older. Main outcome measure: Mortality from all causes during 13 years of follow up. Results: All three types of activity were independently associated with survival after age, sex, race/ethnicity, marital status, income, body mass index, smoking, functional disability, and history of cancer, diabetes, stroke, and myocardial infarction were controlled for. Conclusions: Social and productive activities that involve little or no enhancement of fitness lower the risk of all cause mortality as much as fitness activities do. This suggests that in addition to increased cardiopulmonary fitness, activity may confer survival benefits through psychosocial pathways. Social and productive activities that require less physical exertion may complement exercise programmes and may constitute alternative interventions for frail elderly people. Key messages Little is known about predictors of survival among elderly people Physical activity is clearly good for health, but the potential benefits of social activities have not been studied Social and productive activities are as effective as fitness activities in lowering the risk of death Enhanced social activities may help to increase the quality and length of life
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Less strenuous leisure activities have been associated with better functioning and survival among older adults.
“However, less strenuous leisure activities, such as attending classes or volunteering, also have been associated with better functioning (Berkman et al., 1995;Herzog, Franks, Markus, & Holmberg, 1998) and survival (Glass, Mendes de Leon, Marottoli, & Berkman, 1999) among older adults.”
From Relationship of activity and social support to the functional health of older adults (2000) · cites this paper as Glass, Mendes de Leon, Marottoli, & Berkman, 1999
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- Authors
- Glass, T. A., de Leon, C. M., Marottoli, R. A., & Berkman, L. F.
- Affiliations
- Harvard University (US)
- Rush University Medical Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Glass, T. A
- Venue
- BMJ
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Published
- 1999-08-21
- Volume
- 319
- Issue
- 7208
- Pages
- 478-483
- ISSN
- 0007-1447 (ISSN-L)
- 0959-8138
- 1468-5833
- PMC
- PMC28199
- OpenAlex
- W2149230781
- Cited by
- 924
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 32 · 2019: 31 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 43 · 2016: 49 · 2015: 44 · 2014: 33 · 2013: 58 · 2012: 36
- FWCI
- 32.43
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- BMJ (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (n01ag002105-019, 7r01ag011042-03, 7r29ag010170-05)
- National Institute on Aging (N01AG02105, R29 AG-10170, R01-AG-11042)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Aging, Health, and Disability
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Geriatrics and Gerontology › Frailty in Older Adults
- Keywords
- social activity, productive activities, physical activity, all-cause mortality, survival, older adults, frail elderly, psychosocial pathways, exercise intervention, mortality risk factors
- MeSH terms
- Activities of Daily Living, Aged, Connecticut, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Prospective Studies, Recreation, Cohort Studies, Exercise, Survival Rate
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