Trait Anxiety and Negative Health Risk Behaviors in Adults : The Relationship between Trait Anxiety, Alcohol Consumption and Physical Inactivity

Abstract: Relatively little is known regarding trait anxiety and its relationship with negative health risk behaviors such as alcohol consumption and physical inactivity in adults. This study aimed to examine whether negative health risk behaviors differ by sex and whether trait anxiety is associated with the negative health risk behaviors above and beyond sociodemographic factors and depression. Data used in the present study came from a published dataset from the Midlife in the United States 2 (MIDUS 2) study and include a sample of 1,054 adults whose age range from 34 to 84 years. There were significant sex differences in alcohol consumption, but not in physical inactivity. Age, sex, BMI, and depression were significantly associated with alcohol consumption or physical inactivity, whereas trait anxiety was not. These results suggest that sociodemographic variables and depression should be taken into consideration when studying negative health risk behaviors.