Midlife Occupational Physical Activity and Risk of Disability Later in Life: National Health and Aging Trends Study

Abstract

Objectives: To determine whether midlife occupational physical activity (PA) is associated with disability in older adults and to test disease as a mediating variable. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: National Health and Aging Trends Study. Participants: Individuals aged 65 and older (N = 7,307). Measurements: Participants were classified as to occupational PA levels by linking information from the Occupational Information Network database using standard occupation codes. Disability outcomes and covariates were obtained through in-person interviews. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between occupational PA and disability. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was fitted to examine the mediating effect of disease. Results: Occupations with high physically demands were associated with greater decline in functional capacity later in life. Individuals with occupations with high and very high PA were less likely to be able to perform activities of daily living than those with occupations with low PA. SEM showed that occupational PA has a very strong direct effect on disability (P