Physical activity, low-grade inflammation, and psychological responses to the COVID-19 pandemic among older adults in England.

ABSTRACT: Mental health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic have been widely studied, but less is known about the potentially protective role of physical activity (PA) and the impact of low-grade inflammation. Using a sample of older adults from England, this study tested (1) if pre-pandemic PA and its changes during the pandemic were associated with mental health responses; (2) if older adults with low-grade inflammation experienced greater increases in depression and anxiety, compared to pre-pandemic levels; (3) if PA attenuated the association between inflammation and depression/anxiety. The study used data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, a cohort study following a national sample aged 50+. Information on mental health and PA were collected before the pandemic (2016/17 and 2018/19)

SUBMITTER: Danka MN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11065037 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature