Leisure time physical activity and health-related quality of life: Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations

Abstract

Studies that relate change in physical activity to change in health-related quality of life in the general population are needed to confirm associations suggested by cross-sectional studies. In the present study, cross-sectional as well as longitudinal associations between leisure time physical activity and health-related quality of life were studied in an apparently healthy population. The present study showed cross-sectional associations between at least moderately intense leisure time physical activity and general health perceptions, vitality, physical functioning and role limitations due to physical health problems. No associations were present for total leisure time physical activity. Change in leisure time physical activity was associated with change in social functioning in men as well as in women, irrespective of the intensity of physical activity. Only in men, change in total leisure time physical activity was associated with change in vitality and general mental health. In our study, cross-sectional associations were not confirmed by longitudinal analyses. Cross-sectional associations were mainly found for physical components of health-related quality of life, whereas longitudinal associations were predominantly observed for mental components of health-related quality of life. Confirmation of our results by those of other studies is needed in order to quantify health promotion messages.

Associação entre atividade física e qualidade de vida em adultos

“…Other variables can also affect this association: in addition to the levels of PA, self-effi cacy can also infl uence health perception, fi tness and vitality of individuals. 4,51 The results of experimental and cohort studies ( Table 4) show agreement of fi ndings of a positive association between PA and SF domains including "physical functioning," "vitality," "mental health," "role-physical," "role-emotional," "general health" and "physical and mental components." This result may due to a greater number of studies using SF.…”

“…In Wendel-Vos study, 51 cross-sectional associations were not confi rmed by longitudinal analyses. The crosssectional analysis showed an association between leisure-time PA and the physical component of QoL, but the prospective analysis showed associations predominantly with the mental component.…”

“…Two studies had a mixed (longitudinal and crosssectional) design 28,51 with inconsistent results. In Wendel-Vos study, 51 cross-sectional associations were not confi rmed by longitudinal analyses.…”

“…4,19,26,31,39,51 Studies have investigated the association between PA and overall QoL, and the effects of PA on specifi c domains of QoL, 4,37 and it has often been reported an association with the "physical" and "mental" domains. 19,39,41,42,46,51 Evidence supports a positive association between PA and QoL, but the state of the art is not well established. The magnitude of this association is confl icting in different populations 4,37 and inconsistent results have been found when instruments for measuring PA and QoL, as well as designs, were compared.…”

Long-Term Physical Activity Patterns and Health-Related Quality of Life in U.S. Women

“…Ordinary least squares regression does well in large samples, as we have here, and has been used in analyses of quality of life elsewhere. 23,38 Debate exists regarding adjustment for baseline values of the dependent variable in analyses of change. 39 However, we believe baseline adjustment was appropriate given the strong ceiling effect present in this study; three of the SF-36 scales (role emotional, role physical and social functioning) had median scores of 100 (the scale maximum) and two others (mental health and physical functioning) had median scores over 80.…”