Background:The current physical activity (PA) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) literature warrants further investigation with general population samples. The exploratory-focused purpose of this study was to compare total PA-HRQoL and walking-HRQoL relations, include a measure of general happiness, and to evaluate potential activity-HRQoL demographic moderators.Methods:A random sample of 351 adults completed an adapted Godin Leisure Time Questionnaire, the SF-36, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale.Results:Partial correlations revealed small-to-moderate associations between walking/total PA and general health, vitality, and social functioning after controlling for key demographics (P < 0.05). A dependent t-test determined walking and PA as equally related to vitality and social functioning. Multiple regression revealed annual income as a moderator of the total PA/walking-social functioning relationship [F(3,315) = 9.71 and F(3,316) = 12.03, P < 0.01, respectively].Conclusions:HRQoL may be considered with walking interventions and annual income. The contribution of PA to overall happiness appears to be minor.

Age and gender are consistently related to physical activity (PA), yet theoretical explanation for these associations is scant. The present study compared the mean values and correlations of a population sample, divided by gender and age group, with respect to theory of planned behavior beliefs (behavioral, normative, and control) and PA. Participants were a sample (N=6,739) of adults (M age=49.65, SD=16.04) who completed measures of social and health demographics, theory of planned behavior beliefs, and self-reported PA. Mean analyses identified greater perceived control over PA for seniors than for young and middle-aged adults (N>.025). Belief-behavior correlations, however, were not different across age and gender in 24 of 26 tests (q<.19). Thus, PA beliefs are invariant across age and gender with the exception of mean levels of perceived control, which are lower among younger adults than older adults. Factors such as early parenthood and career demands were considered the likely reasons for differences. Overall, the evidence suggests that adapting theoretical models for specific age groups or based on gender may not be necessary.

Light- and moderate-intensity exercise may be a valuable alternative anxiolytic tool that also allows for the acquisition of myriad additional known health benefits associated with exercise.

The SETS method was developed as a systematic approach to setting occupational performance standards and qualifying information from SME.

Promoting maintenance of regular physical activity (PA) is a public health priority; however, to the authors' knowledge, no researchers to date have examined whether the expectancies of proximal PA enactment are similar to the expectancies of longer maintenance. Thus, the authors' purpose in this study was to evaluate whether PA expectancies, measured with constructs of the theory of planned behavior (TPB), varied as a function of time frame (no time frame, next week, next month, next 6 months). Undergraduate students (N=409) completed randomly distributed self-report measures of the TPB; the authors then compared results across the 4 groups (formed on the basis of time frame). Analysis of variance tests showed that 13 of 37 constructs were significantly (p<.05) different, and post hoc follow-up tests identified that the proximal time frame (ie, next week) had the significantly lowest mean value. Chi-square tests of independent correlations, however, revealed few differences in TPB-intention correlations by time frame. The results suggest that social cognitive correlates of PA intention are robust to timeframe deviations but that time frame may affect the absolute values of some constructs. Overall, this is a positive finding because it suggests that PA promotion efforts focused on increasing expectancies do not have to be tailored to proximal or more distal maintenance applications.