Highlights
- •Physical inactivity (PI) is significantly associated with lower levels of happiness.
- •The PI-happiness association is attenuated and mediated by pain, sleep problems, loneliness, anxiety, and boredom.
- •PI moderated the association of happiness with pain, social isolation, and boredom.
- •Reducing pain/emotional distress is vital for PI and subjective well-being in old age.
Abstract
This study examines the association between physical inactivity (PI) and happiness
among Ghanaian older adults and whether emotional and physical-related experiences
(EPE) mediate the association. Data from the Aging, Health, Psychological Well-being
and Health-seeking Behavior Study (AgeHeaPsyWel–HeaSeeB) conducted in 2016-2018 among
1201 older Ghanaians were analyzed. Happiness was assessed with the self-rated and
cross-culturally validated item on a 5-point scale. PI was evaluated with the International
Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Hierarchical linear regressions and mediation
analyses were performed to estimate the hypothesized associations. Results showed
that PI was significantly associated with lower levels of happiness (β = −0.053, p < .001) net of potential confounders. The association of PI with happiness was attenuated
and fully mediated by pain, sleep problems, loneliness, anxiety, and boredom. Moreover,
in terms of the cross-level interaction effects, PI moderated the happiness-pain (β = −0.029,
p < .005), happiness-social isolation (β = −0.024, p < .05), and happiness-boredom (β = −0.023, p < .005) associations. Our data suggest that EPE may explain why PI decreases happiness
in old age. Findings provide valuable insight into the interventions and decisions
to improve subjective well-being and quality of life in old age.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 03, 2023
Accepted:
December 28,
2022
Received in revised form:
November 7,
2022
Received:
July 2,
2022
Identification
Copyright
© 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
