Leisure time physical activity and health-related quality of life

doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2005.01.006

Preventive Medicine

Volume 41, Issue 2, August 2005, Pages 562-569

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2005.01.006 Get rights and content

Abstract

Background.

There are few data on the relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and leisure time physical activity (LTPA) in the general population. We investigated the relationships of meeting public health recommendations (PHR) for moderate and vigorous physical activity with HRQoL in French adult subjects.

Methods.

LTPA and HRQoL were assessed in 1998 in 2333 men and 3321 women from the SU.VI.MAX. cohort using the French versions of the Modifiable Activity Questionnaire (MAQ) and the SF-36 questionnaire, respectively. Relationship between LTPA and HRQoL was assessed using analysis of variance.

Results.

Results from multivariate analysis showed that meeting physical activity recommended levels was associated with higher HRQoL scores (except in Bodily pain dimension for women): differences in mean HRQoL scores between subjects meeting or not PHR ranged from 2.4 (Mental health) to 4.5 (Vitality) and from 2.2 (Bodily pain) to 5.7 (Vitality) for women and men, respectively.

Conclusions.

Subjects meeting PHR for physical activity had better HRQoL than those who did not. Our data suggest that 30′ of moderate LTPA per day on a regular basis may be beneficial on HRQoL. Higher intensity LTPA is associated with greater HRQoL. This emphasizes the importance to promote at least moderate physical activity.

Introduction

Physical activity promotion is now recognized as an important component in health prevention policies. The impact of physical activity on health status has been mostly investigated by objective outcomes. In addition to such health indicators, there is growing use of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures assessing subject's perception of their own health. Relationships between physical activity and HRQoL have been mostly investigated in intervention studies on the effects of an exercise training program on HRQoL [1], [2], [3], especially in population with chronic conditions [2], [3]. As yet, there are few studies in the general population. They are mostly cross-sectional, but suggest however that leisure time physical activity (LTPA) is favorably associated with HRQoL [4], [5], [6], [7].

Current physical activity recommendations for the general population are that all adults should accumulate at least 30 min of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, and preferably all, days of the week [8]. Earlier guidelines recommended vigorous exercise for at least 20 min performed 3 or more days per week [9]. There are few studies that have assessed whether meeting these public health recommendations (PHR) for physical activity is associated with better HRQoL [4], [5].

The aim of our study was to investigate, in a large sample of apparently healthy French adults, the relationships of meeting public health recommendations (PHR) for moderate and vigorous physical activity with HRQoL.

Section snippets

Data source

The data analyzed here were collected in the SU.VI.MAX (SUpplementation en VItamines et Minéraux AntioXydants) study. SU.VI.MAX was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, primary-prevention trial designed to test the efficacy of daily supplementation with antioxidant vitamins (vitamin C, 120 mg; vitamin E, 30 mg, and beta-carotene, 6 mg) and minerals (selenium, 100 μg and zinc, 20 μg) at nutrition-level doses in reducing the incidence of cancers (all sites) and ischemic heart diseases

Subjects' characteristics

Due to SU.VI.MAX inclusion criterion, men were in average 5 years older than women, and thus were more frequently retired (21.2% vs. 9.1%). Majority of subjects lived in urban poles. Minority of the subjects, especially men, were living alone. About one-third of men and women had university or equivalent education level. 85% (with 54% of former smoker) of men and 86.7% (with 33.4% of former smoker) of women were non-smokers. Men were more frequently excessive drinkers than women (29% vs. 6.9%).

Discussion

Results of the present study showed that, in a relatively large sample of French adults men and women, a higher level of LTPA was associated with a higher level of HRQoL in both men and women whatever the HRQoL dimension considered, after adjustment on several HRQoL correlates. More specifically, meeting PHR for physical activity was associated with higher HRQoL scores (except for bodily pain dimension in women).

Our findings have a number of limitations. First, subjects were enrolled in a

Acknowledgments

The SU.VI.MAX project received support from public and private sectors. Special acknowledgements are addressed to Fruit d'Or Recherche, Lipton, Cereal, Candia, Kellogg's, CERIN, LU/Danone, Sodexho, L'Oréal, Estée Lauder, Peugeot, Jet Service, RP Scherer, France Telecom, Becton Dickinson, Fould Springer, Boehringer Diagnostic, Seppic Givaudan Lavirotte, Le Grand Canal, Air Liquide, Carboxyque, Klocke, Trophy Radio, Jouan, Perkin-Elmer.

The authors are very grateful to Etienne Le Bihan for

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Published by Elsevier Inc.

Leisure time physical activity and health-related quality of life

Abstract

Background.

Methods.

Results.

Conclusions.

Introduction

Section snippets

Data source

Subjects' characteristics

Discussion

Acknowledgments

Eur. J. Cancer

Prev. Med.

Prev. Med.

J. Clin. Epidemiol.

Controlled Clin. Trials

J. Clin. Epidemiol.

J. Clin. Epidemiol.

J. Clin. Epidemiol.

Aust. N. Z. J. Public Health

Am. J. Prev. Med.

Evaluation of quality of life in elderly healthy subjects after aerobic and/or mental training

Arch. Gerontol. Geriatr.

Influence of an outpatient multidisciplinary pain management program on the health-related quality of life and the physical fitness of chronic pain patients

J. Negat. Results Biomed.

Associations between physical activity dose and health-related quality of life

Med. Sci. Sports Exerc.