Quality of life and physical activity in an older working-age population
Clinical Interventions in Aging
Quality of life and physical activity in an older working-age population
Daniel Puciato 1 2
Michał Rozpara 0 2
0 Faculty of Physical Education, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical education in Katowice , Katowice , Poland
1 Faculty of Physical education and Physiotherapy, Opole University of Technology , Opole
2 Zbigniew Bor ysiuk
PowerdbyTCPDF(ww.tcpdf.org) Objective: Physical activity can be an effective means of prevention and therapy of many psychosomatic disorders. It can also have a significant impact on the quality of life of older working-age people. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationships between quality of life and physical activity in older working-age people from Wrocław, Poland. Materials and methods: The study group comprised 1,013 people, including 565 women and 448 men, aged 55-64 years (59.1±2.9 years). The study took form of a questionnaire survey. The participants assessed their physical activity and quality of life using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Version (IPAQ-SF) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF), respectively. Results: The highest mean indices of general quality of life, perceived health status, and quality of life in the physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains were shown by respondents whose intensity of physical activity was the highest. Moreover, the odds of high assessment of overall quality of life increased with respondents' higher levels of physical activity. Conclusion: Quality of life improvement programs should also involve increased physical The issue of quality of life of older working-age people is highly significant. Results of some earlier studies indicate that decreased quality of life is often associated with the prevalence of psychosomatic and motor function disorders as well as with impaired social performance.1-4 An important determinant of quality of life is physical activity. Apart from lowering physical fitness and performance,5-7 insufficient physical activity can also increase the risk of muscle atrophy, sarcopenia, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease, and certain types of cancer.8-19 Studies indicate negative consequences of hypokinesis for mental health and intellectual abilities, eg, cognitive disorders, increased anxiety, discomfort and low self-esteem, high stress levels, and sleeping disorders.20-25 Undertaking properly dosed physical activity allows older working-age people to maintain their physical and mental fitness at an appropriate level and enable effective performance of their professional duties.26,27 Halloway et al28 and Kirk-Sanchez and McGough29 observed positive effects of exercise on brain health and cognitive performance in adult populations. Physical activity may therefore fulfill both preventive and rehabilitative functions in this particular age group. Physical exercises undertaken by people at this age can be regarded as interventions aimed at maintaining or improving
physical activity; IPAQ-SF; quality of life; WHOQOL-BREF; big city environment
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open access to scientific and medical research
activity components.
Introduction
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their overall psychophysical fitness, proper functioning of
the overloaded body,6,7,16,17,19,20 or full recovery after diseases,
injuries, or fatigue states.9–12,21,22,25 In addition, the beneficial
influence of physical activity on the functional autonomy
of elderly people (usually declining with age) should be
stressed.30
It must be noted that appropriate levels of physical
activity are far from common among the elderly.
Involutionary changes observed in elderly people together with
the incidence of various ailments often lead to fairly limited
physical activity in this age group.31–33
Potential links between quality of life and physical
activity were subject to earlier studies, which showed that
physically active individuals assessed some of their quality
of life domains higher than their physically non-active
counterparts.34–41 Some authors even suggest that infirm
persons who exercised regularly assessed their quality of life
higher than healthy but physically non-active individuals.42
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/sw laon level of performance.6,43 A few studies so far have examined
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tthp rsep relationships between quality of life and physical activity of
from roF older working-age persons, but they have focused on general
de populations or, in fact, on post-working-age individuals.34,36–38
ldao The aim of the present article was to assess relationships
now between quality of life and physical activity in an older
ingd working-age population from Wrocław, Poland. Two main
gA research questions were formulated:
isnn 1. Are general quality of life (GQOL), quality of life (...truncated)