Significant life events can impact a person's physical abilities and have a negative affect on their heart health, according to new data published in Circulation.
Such major life events include starting a new job, going to a new school, getting married, getting pregnant and entering retirement.
A new Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association detailed this relationship between life experiences and health. The writing group behind the statement aimed to explain how life changes influence physical activity levels and list some steps that can be taken to help people sustain good heart health during these massive moments.
In the statement, the writing group pointed out that because sedentary behavior is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease, it’s imperative to recognize how physical activity levels may impact health during major life events and transitions.
“Certain life events and transitions may mark the beginning and end of different phases of a person’s life, and these life changes may lead to periods of less physical activity and more sedentary lifestyle behaviors,” Abbi D. Lane-Cordova, PhD, an assistant professor in exercise science at the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina and the writing group's chair, said in a prepared statement. “Physical activity is an important heart-healthy behavior and too much sitting and inactivity is not good for you. This is a particularly important topic right now because, in addition to life’s other major events, the COVID-19 pandemic is another disruption of everyone’s daily routines and activity levels."
The group examined 17 different life events or transitions in total and discovered evidence of lower activity levels during nine of those events.
They also examined the effects of major life changes on subgroups to identify people who requires help during life transitions. Those subgroups include: people with lower levels of education, people who lived alone during the COVID-19 venue closings, those who didn’t have safe access to outdoor space for exercise and women during pregnancy and parenthood.
In the analysis, the group found that some of the general factors that affect physical activity levels in people less than 18 years of age at the individual level were gender, age, motor coordination, and body image.
While at the interpersonal level, younger people were influenced by their weight, physical activity levels, and their parents’ education level.
The authors also noted that environmental influencers for youth include neighborhood crime rates, perception of safety, proximity and access to school programs and recreational facilities.
Regarding physical activity levels for adults older than 18 years of age, the group found individual influencers to be the perceived health benefits of exercise, history of and intention to exercise, self-efficacy/confidence to achieve goals and lower stress levels.
In the statement, the writing group suggested that healthcare professionals assess physical activity by asking their patients questions during routine visits.
“It’s important to maintain or improve physical activity when major life events happen, which is often a time when exercise is most needed,” Lane-Cordova said. “There are so many ways people can do this. They could plan family activities that involve exercise, use free videos or websites to exercise at home or take standing breaks while at work. The most important things are to be aware of the positive health and cardiovascular impact of physical activity and make the effort to get moving.”
Read the full scientific statement here.