Habitual physical activity is a meaningful predictor of well-being in mid-life women: a longitudinal analysis.

OBJECTIVES

To examine whether physical-activity patterns over a period of 4 years are associated with well-being.

DESIGN

A sample of 399 women aged 50-60 years participated in the study. Measures included rate of physical activity and other life style behaviors, well-being, health status, and interpersonal stress. Sufficient and insufficient exercisers were identified, and the association of this dichotomy with well-being, along with the contribution of the other variables, was examined.

RESULTS

The distribution of physical-activity patterns remained stable over the 4 years of the study, with 40% of the women exercising leisurely and 15-20% exercising vigorously four to seven times a week. Approximately 50% of the women were considered sufficiently active in terms of public recommendations. Random effects regression analysis revealed that sufficient exercise along with a low frequency of daily hassles, relatively few menopausal symptoms, and a low level of interpersonal stress significantly contributed to the variability of well-being.

CONCLUSIONS

These data evoke the need for a better understanding of exercise behavior and its promising potential contribution to the well-being of middle-aged women.