Hearing loss in middle- and older-aged adults is associated with lower physical activity, an English study finds.
The results in the study showed that at baseline, physical activity was not associated with hearing loss. But during the study, physical activity declined more rapidly over time in those with hearing loss, compared to those without hearing loss.
The 11,292 participants in the study were from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing who were 50-years or older at baseline assessment and were classified at baseline as ever reporting hearing loss or not reporting hearing loss.
In the study, self-reported hearing was collected at each wave (every 2nd year). Respondents were asked to rate their hearing as: excellent, very good, good, fair or poor. If respondents wore hearing aids, they rated their hearing based on wearing their hearing aids. Self-reported data for physical activity were also collected at each wave.
The study also found that individuals who reported hearing loss at any wave tended to be older, male, have less education, be on a lower wealth quintile, experience cardiovascular and other chronic health conditions, have a BMI over 25 (overweight or obese), have smoked, report higher levels of loneliness and depression and engage in less physical activity.
The study, "How are hearing loss and physical activity related? Analysis from the English longitudinal study of ageing", was published in the journal Preventive Medicine.
Sources: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov and https://www.sciencedirect.com
Originally posted on https://hear-it.org
