. . . happiness is a key to improved physical function in aging adults

Scientists already showed that aging adults who enjoy life live longer and suffer less illness. Now, a new study published last month in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) suggests happier seniors maintain better physical function as they age.

Researchers at University College London analyzed eight years of data on 3,199 men and women who participated in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Participants were separated into three age groups of 60-69, 70-79, and 80-years-old and above. Then, study investigators assessed overall happiness in life using participant surveys that rated their agreement with such statements as:

• I enjoy the things that I do
• I feel full of energy these days
• I enjoy being in the company of others
• On balance, I look back on my life with a sense of happiness

Researchers compared responses to these questions with the participants’ abilities to perform daily physical activities like getting out of bed, bathing, or getting dressed. Test subjects also performed a gait test and had their walking speeds analyzed.

“The study shows that older people who are happier and enjoy life more show slower declines in physical function as they age,” stated study co-author Andrew Steptoe, M.D., Director of UCL’s Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care. “They are less likely to develop impairments in activities of daily living such as dressing or getting in or out of bed, and their walking speed declines at a slower rate than those who enjoy life less.”

The study also showed that people in the 60-69-year bracket tended to enjoy higher levels of well-being, as did those seniors with higher socioeconomic status and education, and those who were married and working. People who were most unhappy and unsatisfied with life were nearly four times as likely as their positive counterparts to develop difficulties performing routine daily tasks. Researchers also found that people who reported lower levels of life enjoyment tended to have an increased risk of chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, and depression.

Dr. Steptoe added that, “Our previous work has shown that older people with greater enjoyment of life are more likely to survive over the next 8 years; what this study shows is that they also keep up better physical function. Our results provide further evidence that enjoyment of life is relevant to the future disability and mobility of older people. Efforts to enhance well-being at older ages may have benefits to society and health care systems.”