Physical activity, mood and the functioning of daily living: A longitudinal study among former elite athletes and referents in middle and old age

We studied whether factors related to type of sport participated in as young adults and level of and changes in physical activity later in life predict changes in mood as well as functioning during a 6-year follow-up. A cohort of male Finnish former athletes (N = 504), referents (N = 349) was followed up for changes in physical activity, in relation to subsequent self-reported mood and functioning of daily living in 1985, 1995, and 2001. The mean age of the cohort was 68.6 years in 2001. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to assess changes in mood and functioning between 1995 and 2001 in relation to baseline values and changes in exposure variables and covariates. A low level of physical activity in 1985 predicted a decrease in physical functioning between 1995 and 2001 in the lowest physical activity compared to the highest quintile as well as poor physical functioning at the end of follow-up in 2001. An increase in physical activity between 1985 and 1995 protected against onset of anxiety between 1995 and 2001. Physical activity for elderly seems to have an important role in reducing the progress of deficiencies in physical functioning and in preventing onset of anxiety.