Physical activity, use of alcohol and smoking in middle-aged and aging men. A longitudinal study among Finnish male former athletes and controls

Mental health symptom burden in elite ice hockey players and its association with self-reported concussive events

BACKGROUND

Some studies suggest that elite athletes experience adverse mental health symptoms at rates commensurate with the general population, despite the well-established buffering effects of exercise. Within contact sports, such as ice-hockey, recurrent concussions may be a source of this discrepancy. We compared the point prevalence of various mental health outcomes with other athlete and general population samples, as well as investigated their relationship with concussive events.

METHODS

We surveyed 648 active ice hockey players from the top two men's tiers and the top women's tier in Swedish elite ice hockey on lifetime concussive events, hazardous alcohol use, problematic social media use, depression, anxiety, and burnout.

RESULTS

Hazardous alcohol use was more prevalent among male ice hockey players (29.5% AUDIT-C ≥ 6) compared to other athlete and general population samples, while other mental health symptoms were less common. Female ice hockey players reported higher hazardous alcohol consumption (36.4% AUDIT-C ≥ 4) than another athlete sample and more burnout (19.1%) than the general population. After adjusting for covariates, athletes with 3+ concussive events had 2.1 times the odds of elevated depressive symptoms and 3.5 times the odds of elevated burnout symptoms compared to those with no concussion history. Treating lifetime concussive events as a continuous predictor revealed positive correlations with all outcomes except for hazardous alcohol use.

CONCLUSIONS

Mental health outcome rates among active elite ice hockey athletes differ from those of other athlete and general population samples, whilst concussive events may be particularly linked to elevated symptoms of depression and burnout.

Stability in health behavior patterns in middle adulthood: a 19-year follow-up study

Objective: This study investigated subgroups of adults with particular health behavior patterns, their stability over 19 years, and the role of sociodemographic and personality characteristics in these.

Methods and Measures: Data on smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity were collected at ages 42, 50, and 61 in the Jyväskylä Longitudinal Study of Personality and Social Development (n = 205-302). Latent class, latent transition, and logistic regression analyses were used.

Results: Four similar classes of health behaviors were identified at each age. A class named low alcohol consumption (AC)-high physical activity (PA) included individuals with the lowest levels of alcohol consumption and the highest levels of physical activity, and a class named high AC-low PA vice versa. Classes between these extremes of alcohol consumption and physical activity levels were nonsmokers with the lowest proportion of smokers, and smokers vice versa. Although transitions emerged, class memberships were relatively stable. Women, those who were married, held a degree, had higher occupational status, and certain personality traits at age 42 were more likely to belong continuously to healthier classes compared to a stable membership in high AC-low PA.

Conclusion: Health behaviors exist in patterns, are relatively stable across adulthood, and associated with sociodemographic and personality characteristics.

Connection between Lifestyle and Life Satisfaction of Older Adults in Relation to the Living Environment

BACKGROUND: Physical activity, healthy diet and avoiding risk factors are essential for a healthy lifestyle of older adults and for their life satisfaction. AIM: The aim of the research was to determine the connection between lifestyle and life satisfaction of older adults in relation to the living environment (home environment, institutional environment). METHODS: The research was based on a non-experimental quantitative research approach. We used the Oldwellactive standardised questionnaire to obtain lifestyle data and the SWLS scale to determine life satisfaction. The study included 656 older adults with an average age of 78.2 years who lived in a domestic (n = 380) and institutional environment (276). RESULTS: Older adults living in the home environment rate their lifestyle higher (AV = 2.38, SD = 0.77) than those in the institutional environment (AV = 2.31, SD = 0.88), the difference is not statistically significant p = 0.304). Eating habits with regard to the location of residence showed statistically significant differences in the consumption of meat, fish and fish products and milk and dairy products (p <0.001). In the institutional environment, older adults are more likely to perform balance-enhancing exercises, while they consume more alcohol in the home environment. By assessing conditional associations, we establish a positive association between life satisfaction and lifestyle (estimated value = 21,600, p = 0,000). Older adults living in the institutional environment are more satisfied with life (v= 23,097) than those living in the home environment (N= 21.774). CONCLUSION: The satisfaction of older adults with their life increases if an individual’s lifestyle improves. Older adults living in the institutional environment are more satisfied with life than those living in the home environment. In the future, it will be necessary to pay more attention to the study of living in a home environment, in accordance with the strategy of long-term care for the older adults.