The Mediating Role of Physical Activity and Physical Function in the Association between Body Mass Index and Health-Related Quality of Life: A Population-Based Study with Older Adults

Nascimento, Marcelo de Maio; Gouveia, Élvio Rúbio; Gouveia, Bruna R.; Marques, Adilson; Campos, Pedro; García-Mayor, Jesús; Przednowek, Krzysztof; Ihle, Andreas

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.13/5271

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Authors

Nascimento, Marcelo de Maio

Przednowek, Krzysztof

Ihle, Andreas

Abstract(s)

This study aimed (1) to investigate the association between body mass index (BMI), physical activity (PA), and physical function (PF) with health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and (2) to examine in-depth whether PA and PF mediate the relationship between BMI and HRQoL in older adults. We investigated 802 individuals (mean age 69.8 ± 5.6 years), residents of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, Portugal. Harmol and PA were assessed using the SF-36 and Baecke questionnaires, respectively, and PF by the Senior Fitness Test. The prevalence of overweight was 71.3%, 26.5% for normal weight, and 2.1% for underweight. We verified a small correlation between age and sex with BMI, PA, PF, and medium borderline with HRQoL. After adjusting for covariates (i.e., sex, age, comorbidities), the multivariate regression analysis indicated a 93.1% chance of improvement in HRQoL for low BMI, while PA and PF revealed a chance of increasing HRQoL by 91.8% and 60.0%, respectively. According to the serial mediation pathway, PA and PF partially mediated the association between BMI and HRQoL by 32.3% and 81.5%, respectively. The total variance of the model was 90%. It was concluded that BMI can negatively affect HRQoL. On the other hand, PA and PF are able to increase HRQoL levels during the aging process.

Keywords

Obesity Body mass index Quality of life Physical activity Physical function Aging Vulnerability . Faculdade de Ciências Sociais Faculdade de Ciências Exatas e da Engenharia

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.13/5271

Citation

Nascimento, M.d.M.; Gouveia, É.R.; Gouveia, B.R.; Marques, A.; Campos, P.; García-Mayor, J.; Przednowek, K.; Ihle, A. The Mediating Role of Physical Activity and Physical Function in the Association between Body Mass Index and Health-Related Quality of Life: A Population-Based Study with Older Adults. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 13718. https://doi.org/10.3390/ ijerph192113718