Health worries may keep aging adults on the couch

Older adults who worry about their health often opt out of physical activity -- and as a result, they may have greater trouble walking and getting around as they age, new research suggests.

Some studies have suggested that "health worry" may motivate people to exercise regularly and engage in other healthy behaviors. The current study, however, suggests that's not always the case.

Furthermore, people who participated in less physical activity were more likely than their more active counterparts to report having trouble walking 6 years later.

A more productive approach in dealing with health concerns in the aging population, is to provide health-related information and screening tools prior to beginning a physical activity routine to help cope with health worries. This might ease health concerns and promote participation in physical activity.