Positive attitude is linked to a decreased risk of falls in new research

Having an optimistic outlook is associated with a decreased risk of falling, experts highlight in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, and a cynical attitude is associated with an increased risk.

The research group looked at if personality influences fall and fracture risk in 87,342 women. Analysis of the data suggests that women with the highest optimism scores were less likely to report two or more falls in the last year. Women with the highest scores for hostility had an increased risk of having two or more falls.

Prof Terence O’Neill from the University of Manchester comments:

“Personality traits including optimism (expecting good things to happen) and hostility (mistrust of people) have been linked to other diseases including heart disease, though have not previously been studied in relation to the risk of falls or fractures. It is likely that lifestyle and other factors linked with these personality traits, such as levels of physical activity, medications, risk taking behaviour or fear of falling, could explain the increased fall risk, though further research would be needed to look at this.”