Engagement in a Community Physical Activity Program and Its Effects Upon the Health-Related Quality of Life of Elderly People: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Aging is related to an increase in the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases and impairments in health-related quality of life. Physical activity is a nonpharmacological intervention that is known to prevent and manage noncommunicable diseases and improve quality of life.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the quality of life, as measured by the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), of elderly participants and nonparticipants in a community physical activity program.

METHODS: One hundred elderly men and women (age > 60 years) who were either sedentary (sedentary [S] group; n = 50, 30 men) or physically active and attended a community physical activity program (physical activity [PA] group; n = 50, 30 men) took part in the study. All participants completed the SF-36 subscales to assess their quality of life.

RESULTS: The PA group reported higher values on the functioning capacity and general health perceptions subscales of the SF-36 when compared with the S group. Conversely, scores on the following SF-36 subscales did not differ between the groups: role limitations due to physical problems, pain, vitality, social functioning, role limitations due to emotional problems, and mental health. A ceiling effect was evident in both groups for all SF-36 subscales.

CONCLUSIONS: The SF-36 subscales were not sufficiently sensitive to detect differences between the S and PA groups (except for functioning capacity and general health perceptions), probably because of ceiling effects.