Age-related variations in physical activity, happiness, and psychological well-being: Evidence from Iran
2025

Physical Activity, Happiness, and Well-Being in Iran

Sample size: 1050 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): VaezMousavi Mohammad, Carneiro Lara, Shams Amir, Abbasi Hamed, Dehkordi Parvaneh Shamsipour, Bayati Mahdi, Nobari Hadi

Primary Institution: Imam Hossein University, Tehran, Iran

Hypothesis

This research aimed to study the psychological well-being, happiness, and physical activity in Iranian age groups.

Conclusion

Increasing physical activity enhances happiness and psychological well-being.

Supporting Evidence

  • Middle-aged individuals had the highest physical activity and reported the highest happiness and psychological well-being levels.
  • The elderly had the lowest levels of physical activity, happiness, and psychological well-being.
  • Physical activity positively correlated with happiness and psychological well-being, especially in the elderly.
  • Multivariate regression revealed that physical activity significantly predicts happiness and psychological well-being.

Takeaway

Being active makes people happier and feel better about themselves, especially as they get older.

Methodology

The study used randomized cluster sampling and four questionnaires to assess physical activity, happiness, and psychological well-being among 1,050 participants divided into three age groups.

Potential Biases

Self-reported questionnaires may introduce biases or inaccuracies in reporting physical activity levels, happiness, and psychological well-being.

Limitations

The study focused solely on urban areas, which limits the generalizability of the findings to rural populations.

Participant Demographics

Participants were divided into young, middle-aged, and elderly groups, with 350 individuals in each group.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.001

Confidence Interval

[651.08–770.89], [938.88–1092.50], [615.50–740.07]

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0314202

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