Behavioral and Functional Adaptation to Chronic Stress in Older Adults.
Wan-Chin Kuo, Karl P Hummel, Roger L Brown and 2 others
PMID 40203838WHAT IT FOUND
In 3,075 adults aged 50 or older, higher stress was linked to less physical activity and more perceived physical limitation.
Perceived stress and physical limitation helped explain the pattern.
Key findings
01Higher psychological stress was associated with lower physical activity and higher perceived physical limitation in the adjusted model.
02Perceived stress and physical activity were significant mediators in the model linking chronic stress exposure and perceived physical limitation.
03In the alternative model, chronic stress exposure had opposite direct and indirect effects on physical activity, indicating a suppression effect.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study did not test an intervention, so it cannot show that changing stress or activity changes function. Stress, physical activity and physical limitation were self-reported. In 2020, physical performance measures were not available. The data were collected in 2016 and 2020, and the 2020 period included the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have affected stress, activity and health. People with diagnosed cognitive impairment were excluded, so findings may not apply to those with dementia or Alzheimer's disease. The adjusted cross-sectional model still had CFI and TLI below the authors' stated fit cutoffs. Missing data were not completely at random, and results depended on imputation.
Declared interests
No conflict-of-interest or funding statement appears in the supplied text. The publication metadata lists NIH extramural research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that treating stress will increase physical activity or reduce perceived limitation. This was an observational analysis of self-reported stress, activity and limitation, not a trial of stress reduction or exercise.