A Descriptive Analytical Study on Physical Activity and Quality of Life in Sustainable Aging

Abstract

Physical activity (PA) improves the quality of life (QOL) of older people, increasing overall health and well-being and enabling them to take control over their own lives, and is highly correlated with sustainable aging. Objective: To relate the practice of PA with QOL for sustainable aging. Method: The sample of this cross-sectional inquiry analytical observational ex post facto research was composed of 690 community-dwelling older people of both genders, non-selected volunteers, living in Brazil, present at a road run in Rio de Janeiro, from 30 October 2019 to 12 March 2020, that answered an instrument starting with profile questions, followed by selected questions on QOL from world health organization quality of life for old age (WHOQOL-Old) and on PA from Baecke-Old. Results: The mean age bracket was 65–69 years, 73.6% female. This sample was characterized as active (84%), having university level education (75%), fitting the concept of a high level of QOL (73.35 ± 12.6). QOL was distributed as: 562 (81.2%) at 70–100%; 123 (17.9%) at 41–69%; 5 (0.7%) at 32–40%. Between active and sedentary lifestyle and QOL, the sedentary lifestyle presented a lower QOL score while the active QOL score was highest, with a correspondence with p < 0.001, DF = 2, with 99.9% certainty and Pearson’s chi-square test critical value = 19.2. Conclusion: The sample of older people characterized by high QOL and PA with a university level education suggests the triangulation between advanced education, PA and QOL. The QOL of the older people with high scores was associated with the practice of PA, and low scores were associated with a sedentary lifestyle; this conclusion can be applied to sustainable aging of general society.