Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationThe aging of the American population brings increased concerns about the consequences of chronic diseases and the associated health challenges related to these illnesses. Regular exercise is linked to reducing or eliminating risks of disease and provides the ability to delay the onset of disabilities. Despite the known benefits of exercise, there is a low adherence to exercise regimens among older Americans. This study used a conceptual approach that was informed by Dweck and Leggett’s incremental theory, Cockerham’s health lifestyle theory, and Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior to look at lifestyle physical activityâ€"the daily accumulation of nonstructured physical activities (i.e., chores, gardening, incidental walking)â€"and its impact on health among adults. Analyzing data from the Active for Life: Translation of Physical Activity Programs for Mid-Life and Older Adults, the study explored the effects of lifestyle physical activity on self-rated health and self-reported health conditions among adults 50+. Results demonstrated that lifestyle physical activity is a protective factor for positive self-rated health scores and self-reported health conditions. This study offers a significant contribution to the understanding of the importance of lifestyle physical activities while providing policy implications and future research directions