Life Chances, Subjective Perceptions, and Healthy Lifestyles in Older Adults: Longitudinal Evidence From China.

The article focuses on examining changes in healthy lifestyles among older Chinese adults using the healthy lifestyle duality framework, which integrates life chances (socioeconomic resources) and subjective perceptions (cognitive ability, psychological resilience, and perceived health) to explain health behavior trajectories over time. Analyzing data from 31,445 participants in four waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Surveys (2008–2018), the study identified four stable lifestyle profiles—healthy, risky, low-standard, and mixed—and found that both life chances and subjective perceptions significantly influence transitions between these profiles as individuals age. The research also highlights distinct age and cohort effects, with younger cohorts and advancing age associated with healthier lifestyle changes, underscoring the need for tailored public health interventions that address structural and psychological factors across generations.