Functional Limitations and Depressive Symptoms among older people in India: Examining the Role of Physical Activity

This study examines how physical activity affects critical health outcomes among older people in India, focusing on functional limitations and depressive symptoms. The sample consists of 4,214 individuals aged 60 or above. The study uses binary logistic regression and Wooldridge residual analysis. The results indicate that 49.5 percent and 42.3 percent of the sample have functional limitations and depressive symptoms respectively. The study finds that physical activity is negatively related to functional limitations and positively related to depression. Furthermore, physical activity influences depressive symptoms both directly and indirectly. Additionally, functional limitations escalate the likelihood of depressive symptoms among older people. Older males with functional limitations are more prone to depressive symptoms than older females. Conversely, older females without functional limitations are more likely to have depressive symptoms than older males. Therefore, the study advocates such interventions which address multiple levels and aspects, such as how people think and feel about physical activity, and what their surroundings are like in order to help people who face challenges of being physically active.