THE ROLE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN PRESERVING VASCULAR FUNCTION AND SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING IN OLDER ADULTS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/2522-1795.2026.20.1.12Słowa kluczowe:
subjective well-being; physical activity; vascular function; endothelial function; nitric oxide; vascular aging; older adultsAbstrakt
Age-related changes in the vascular system are closely linked to endothelial dysfunction, reduced bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO), and a decline in the adaptive capacity of the cardiovascular system. Physical activity is regarded as one of the key modifiable factors capable of slowing vascular aging; however, population-based functional indicators that reflect these processes in older adults remain insufficiently explored.
Research objective. This study sought to characterize the age-related profiles of the physical, psychological, and social dimensions of subjective well-being using the BBC scale. A further aim was to explore their association with an overall well-being score, posited as a functional marker pertinent to the maintenance of vascular health in older adults.
Materials and methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 136 relatively healthy teachers stratified by age group. Subjective well-being was assessed using the BBC methodology, which distinguishes physical, psychological, and social components. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), the Kruskal-Wallis test, and Spearman correlation analysis. The critical level of statistical significance was set at p = 0.05.
Results. In the total sample, mean values were: physical component 22.16±5.49 (10–36), psychological component 41.52±8.12 (22–58), social component 19.20±4.24 (10–28), and integral indicator 83.11±13.41 (52–112). Across age groups, the physical component ranged from 21.82 to 23.60 without progressive decline in older participants. Psychological scores varied between 40.00±8.41 and 42.20±10.06, and social scores between 17.64±4.23 and 19.91±4.13. ANOVA revealed no significant inter-age differences for physical (F=1.12; p=0.35), psychological (F=0.94; p=0.44), social (F=1.03; p=0.39), or integral indicators (F=1.27; p=0.28); nonparametric analysis confirmed these findings (H=3.21-3.44; p>0.05). Spearman analysis demonstrated strong positive correlations between the physical component and the integral score (r=0.62; p<0.001), psychological and integral scores (r=0.74; p<0.001), and social and integral scores (r=0.58; p<0.001), indicating systemic integration of functional domains and preserved adaptive capacity.
Conclusions. The findings indicate that the physical component of subjective well-being may be considered a functional indicator associated with the preservation of adaptive capacity and vascular regulatory function in older adults. Indicators of subjective well-being appear to be relevant functional markers of processes related to endothelial function and NO-dependent vascular regulation, even in the absence of clinically significant cardiovascular pathology.
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