New Delhi: Health behaviors adopted by people remain relatively stable during middle adulthood, starting when one turns 40, a new research has found.
Following the individuals over a 19-year period, researchers observed largely positive changes, such as a reduction in smoking and general caution regarding their health.
“Studies often examine smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity separately, but our study approach takes into account that each of you engages in multiple health behaviors simultaneously,” says doctoral researcher Johanna. Ahola, Gerontology Research Center and Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland, said.
Researchers examined physical activity as well as smoking and drinking habits in about 370 individuals in Finland, and followed them when they were 42, 50 and 51 years old.
“Smoking decreased significantly during the follow-up period, which may be related not only to age but also to existing social conditions."It can also be hypothesized that with the increased incidence of diseases in middle adulthood compared to earlier ages, general health precautions and health-related goals may become more important, leading to changes in behavior," Ahola, in said the corresponding author of the study, published in the journal Psychology & Health.
The team also found that socio-demographic factors such as marriage and education, as well as personality traits, played a role in determining which health behaviors someone adopted.
They found that married women with degrees and working white-collar jobs were more likely to engage in healthy behaviors.
Similarly, individuals with high levels of conscientiousness, openness, agreeableness and low levels of neuroticism and extraversion were also more likely to adopt healthy behaviors.
"Examining personality traits in health behavior patterns offers a new perspective compared to prior research," Ahola said.,
Ahola said, "It has previously been observed that individuals with high extraversion are more physically active than those who are low on this trait. For a physical activity researcher, it was surprising that, in this study, Extraversion was associated with healthy behavior." .
Following the individuals over a 19-year period, researchers observed largely positive changes, such as a reduction in smoking and general caution regarding their health.
“Studies often examine smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity separately, but our study approach takes into account that each of you engages in multiple health behaviors simultaneously,” says doctoral researcher Johanna. Ahola, Gerontology Research Center and Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland, said.
Researchers examined physical activity as well as smoking and drinking habits in about 370 individuals in Finland, and followed them when they were 42, 50 and 51 years old.
“Smoking decreased significantly during the follow-up period, which may be related not only to age but also to existing social conditions."It can also be hypothesized that with the increased incidence of diseases in middle adulthood compared to earlier ages, general health precautions and health-related goals may become more important, leading to changes in behavior," Ahola, in said the corresponding author of the study, published in the journal Psychology & Health.
The team also found that socio-demographic factors such as marriage and education, as well as personality traits, played a role in determining which health behaviors someone adopted.
They found that married women with degrees and working white-collar jobs were more likely to engage in healthy behaviors.
Similarly, individuals with high levels of conscientiousness, openness, agreeableness and low levels of neuroticism and extraversion were also more likely to adopt healthy behaviors.
"Examining personality traits in health behavior patterns offers a new perspective compared to prior research," Ahola said.,
Ahola said, "It has previously been observed that individuals with high extraversion are more physically active than those who are low on this trait. For a physical activity researcher, it was surprising that, in this study, Extraversion was associated with healthy behavior." .
