Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40926247›Full record

ArticleArchives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique2025

Physical activity, physical mobility, and mental health among persons 70 years or older: results from a large population-based study in Sweden.

Malin Asp, Bo Simonsson, Anu Molarius

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Malin AspPublic Health Department, Region Värmland, Karlstad, Sweden.
Bo SimonssonCentre for Clinical Research, Region Västmanland, Västerås, Sweden.
Anu MolariusCentre for Clinical Research, Region Värmland, Karlstad, 651 85, Sweden. anu.molarius@regionvarmland.se.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPhysical inactivity, impaired physical mobility and poor mental health are common in the older population and increasing as the population ages. We examined the relationships between physical activity, physical mobility, and mental health in the general population of older adults.

methodsThe study is based on 12 959 men and women aged 70 years or older answering a survey questionnaire sent to a random population sample in Mid-Sweden in 2022 (response rate 66%). The associations between physical activity (at least 150 min/week), physical mobility (no difficulties e.g. in walking short distances or climbing stairs) and mental health were investigated with multiple logistic regression analyses, adjusting for gender, age group and educational level. Mental health was measured with symptoms of anxiety or worry, and self-reported diagnosed depression.

resultsIn total, 51% were physically inactive and 31% had impaired physical mobility. Symptoms of anxiety or worry (33%) were more common among older people who were physically inactive than among those who were physically active (24%). The prevalence of symptoms of anxiety or worry was also higher among those with impaired physical mobility (40%) than among those with physical mobility (23%). Physical inactivity and impaired physical mobility were also associated with self-reported depression. When stratified by physical mobility, physical inactivity was significantly associated with symptoms of anxiety or worry (OR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.08-1.34) and self-reported depression (OR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.27-2.17) among those with physical mobility, whereas no association was found among those with impaired physical mobility.

conclusionThe results suggest that physical activity is positively associated with mental health among older people with physical mobility. However, about one in three in the older population has impaired physical mobility with poorer mental health irrespective of physical activity. These results are important for promoting mental health in an aging population.

Indexed as

Mental healthPhysical activityPhysical mobilityPopulation studies

Identifiers

PMID40926247
PMCPMC12418685

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.