More activity linked to lower risk of daily living problems or death
Relative risks with sustained increases versus persistently lower activity were 0.776 in the US, 0.764 in Europe and 0.725 in South Korea; below 1 means lower risk.
Our read
Populations- Studied:
- Preprint: cohort study of 19,204 previously less active, independent older adults, about four years
- What changed:
- Daily living problems or death were lower with increased versus lower activity: US 7.08, Europe 8.15, South Korea 4.89 percentage points
- The catch:
- Better underlying health among people increasing activity could explain some of the lower risk
- In the record:
- The 3,288th paper on physical activity with results in people; 6,950 on record in all.
Editor of record: Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
The 19,204 adults aged 65 or older in three longitudinal cohorts were previously less active and independent in five basic activities of daily living. In this target trial emulation, they contributed 43,754 eligible entries. Researchers compared increased activity frequency maintained at the first follow-up with persistently lower frequency.
Over two subsequent visits, generally about four years, sustained increases were associated with a risk of daily living problems or death lower by 7.08 percentage points in the US cohort, 8.15 in Europe and 4.89 in South Korea. Deaths accounted for a substantial part of these differences. Findings for daily living problems alone were less consistent.
Why it matters
Maintaining independence and survival are central goals of healthy aging. The authors said the findings support evaluating sustained activity support programs, with attention to how many people they reach and help maintain increased activity.
Caveats
People who increased activity may have been healthier in ways the analysis could not account for. The preprint, which has not been peer-reviewed, covered only adults aged 65 or older who began independent in five basic daily activities.
The paper
Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University
Research Square, Nov 11, 2026, Open access, Preprint, not yet peer-reviewed
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