Physical Activity Dimensions Differentially Predict Physical and Mental Components of Health-Related Quality of Life: Evidence from a Sport for All Study

The present cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationship between different dimen sions of physical activity (PA) (i.e., work, sport, leisure) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (i.e., overall, physical component, mental component) in an adult lifespan sample of 381 active individuals (age range: 18–88 years; 38.8% men), while controlling for important covariates in terms of sex, age, education, and health profile regarding medical history. HRQoL was assessed using the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12). Usual (i.e., previous 12 months) PA was assessed during face-to-face interviews using the Baecke questionnaire. Hierarchical regression analyses showed in Step 1 that the three PA dimensions work, sport, and leisure (entered simultaneously) together predicted 8%, 10%, and 4% of the variance in SF-12 total score, SF-12 physical component, and SF-12 mental component, respectively. In the final model, adjusting for sex, age, education, and health profile regarding medical history, sport emerged as the only PA dimension predicting SF-12 total score and the SF-12 physical component. In conclusion, health-policy targets at the community level should include the promotion of lifelong engagement in PA, especially sport, to allow the sustainability of HRQoL across the lifespan of our society.

Keywords

Health-related quality of life Well-being Mental health Physical health Physical activity Sport for all Exercise . Faculdade de Ciências Sociais

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.13/5244

Citation

Ihle, A.; Gouveia, B.R.; Gouveia, É.R.; Cheval, B.; Nascimento, M.d.M.; Conceição, L.; Marconcin, P.; Peralta, M.; Ferrari, G.; Oliveira, D.; et al. Physical Activity Dimensions Differentially Predict Physical and Mental Components of Health-Related Quality of Life: Evidence from a Sport for All Study. Sustainability 2021, 13, 13370. https:// doi.org/10.3390/su132313370