Physical Activity and Function in Older Adults: Theory of Planned Behavior.

To assess the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and TPB with functional ability to explain intention and self-reported physical activity (PA) behavior of older adults. Methods: A survey was mailed to 2056 retirees from a large Midwestern university. Results: Structural equation modeling revealed that the TPB plus functional ability explained an additional 11% variance than the TPB alone in older adult PA and functional ability was the best predictor of PA (β = .53, P<.05). Conclusions: Functional ability appears to be an important predictor of PA behavior and should be included when designing PA programs for older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]