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The Association Between Physical Activity and Frailty: China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS)

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  • Wupeng Yin

    (Department of Biostatistics, FIU Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Miami, FL 33199, USA)

  • Ximeng Zhao

    (Department of Epidemiology, FIU Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Miami, FL 33199, USA)

  • Ayodele Tyndall

    (Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, FIU Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Miami, FL 33199, USA)

  • Nan Hu

    (Department of Biostatistics, FIU Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Miami, FL 33199, USA
    Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA)

Abstract

Background: With China’s rapidly aging population, frailty has become a growing concern among older adults. Physical activity (PA) is known to mitigate frailty-related decline, yet few studies have examined these associations longitudinally. Methods: Using five waves (2011–2020) of CHARLS data, we analyzed Chinese adults aged 60+ to assess the association between frailty—measured by a frailty index (FI)—and PA across various types (light, moderate, vigorous, total, and leisure). A generalized linear mixed-effects model was used, adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related factors. Results: All PA types were significantly associated with lower odds of concurrent frailty, including light (OR = 0.37), moderate (OR = 0.37), vigorous (OR = 0.40), total (OR = 0.23), and leisure PA (OR = 0.56). Lagged PA also predicted reduced frailty risk over time, except for light PA. Conclusion: Regular PA is linked to a lower risk of frailty among older Chinese adults. These findings underscore the importance of sustained PA as a strategy to promote healthy aging and inform public health interventions for this population.

Suggested Citation

  • Wupeng Yin & Ximeng Zhao & Ayodele Tyndall & Nan Hu, 2025. "The Association Between Physical Activity and Frailty: China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 22(8), pages 1-20, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:22:y:2025:i:8:p:1219-:d:1717451
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