Adopting an active lifestyle during adulthood is associated with a better health-related quality of life: The Doetinchem cohort study

Background: A lifelong healthy lifestyle is assumed to be most favorable for old-age health. Whether adopting a healthy lifestyle during adulthood is as good for health is unknown. Objective: The objective of this study was to examine health-related quality of life in adults who became physically ac...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of aging and physical activity 2012-08, Vol.20, p.S235-S235
Main Authors: van Oostrom, SH, Smit, HA, Wendel-Vos, GCW, Visser, M, Verschuren, WMM, Picavet, HSJ
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Evaluation
Exercise
Health
Lifestyle
Measurement
Men
Women
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Summary:Background: A lifelong healthy lifestyle is assumed to be most favorable for old-age health. Whether adopting a healthy lifestyle during adulthood is as good for health is unknown. Objective: The objective of this study was to examine health-related quality of life in adults who became physically active at recommended levels over a period often years compared to that in adults who remained persistently inactive or active in that period. Methods: Men and women aged 26-70 years in the prospective Doetinchem Cohort Study were examined every five years, with three examinations between 1995 and 2009. Being physically active was defined as spending 3.5 hours or more per week on physical activities of at least moderate intensity. Participants were categorized into those who became active (N = 618), remained persistently active (N = 1286), or persistently inactive (N = 727) over ten years. Health-related quality of life (SF-36) was measured at the 10-year follow-up. Results: Adults becoming physically active reported better physical functioning (1.7 points higher (95% CI 0.2 3.3), vitality (1.7 points higher (95% CI 0.2 3.3), and general health (2.7 points higher (95% CI 1.2 4.2) after ten years compared to persistently inactive adults, after adjusting for baseline quality of life and other confounders. The differences were more pronounced in women. No differences were found in health-related quality of life between adults becoming active and adults remaining active over ten years. Conclusions: These results suggest that adopting an active lifestyle according to recommendations result in a better health-related quality of life, nearly as good as that of adults who remained physically active over ten years.
ISSN:1063-8652