Middle-aged women should definitely be physically active on a regular basis. In this way, they can not only achieve improved physical performance and other health benefits, but also significantly improve their quality of life.
A new study involving experts from the University of Sydney examined the links between physical activity and health-related quality of life in the areas of physical and mental health in middle-aged women. The results are published in the specialist journal “PLoS Medicine”.
Data from over 11,000 women
For the study, the team used data from a total of 11,336 women collected as part of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. At the start of the study, the participants were between 47 and 52 years old.
Participants were differentiated between those who met the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for physical activity (150 minutes per week) over the entire 15-year period and those who did not initially meet these guidelines but did not meet the activity goal in old age of 55, 60 or 65 years.
There was also a third group of participants who never met the WHO guidelines for physical activity throughout the study period, the researchers added.
Health-related quality of life measured
Participants' health-related quality of life was assessed using a physical health composite score and a mental health composite score from a Short Form-36 Health Survey.
It showed that participants who consistently met physical activity guidelines scored three points higher on the physical health composite score compared to women who did not meet physical activity guidelines, the team explains.
Participants who began following the guidelines at age 55 also achieved a three-point increase in physical health scores compared to participants who did not meet the physical activity guidelines, the researchers added.
In particular, due to the improved physical health, the health-related quality of life also benefited from adhering to the recommended exercise routine.
Women should pay attention to an active lifestyle
“Together with existing evidence, this study contributes to the benefits of maintaining or adopting an active lifestyle in middle age becoming increasingly clear,” the experts explain in a press release.
Also read:
- Women need less exercise than men to live longer
- How physical activity, sleep and life expectancy are related
- Why physical activity is so important for older people
The results of the study show that women should aim to be physically active throughout middle age if possible in order to reap benefits for their physical health and quality of life later in life. (as)