Quality of life and physical activity among adults: population-based study in Brazilian adults

To analyze the association between leisure-time physical activity (PA) (walking, moderate- and vigorous-intensity activities) and transport (active commuting) with quality of life (QoL) domains (physical, social relations, environmental and psychological).

Participants were 1,461 adults (18-65 years) living in the city of Curitiba, Brazil. QoL was assessed using the abbreviated WHOQoL questionnaire and PA through the IPAQ long version. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyze the relationship between PA types (walking, moderate and vigorous) and domains (leisure and transport) with QoL domains.

Walking for leisure was positively associated with social relations (β = 1.5; P = 0.011) and environment (β = 3.3; P = 0.015) domains among men and with physical (β = 3.2; P = 0.04), environment (β = 4.1; P = 0.011) and psychological (β = 3.2; P = 0.009) domains among women. Moderate intensity PA was associated with all but the physical QoL domain among women. Among men, this association was observed only between insufficient levels of PA and the physical domain of QoL (β = 3.0; P = 0.016). Vigorous PA was associated with social relations (β = 3.4; P = 0.034) and psychological (β = 4.2; P = 0.009) QoL domains. Transport PA was only associated with the physical QoL domain in men (β = 3.1; P = 0.042).

There is a positive relationship between PA and QoL, though this association varies according to the type and intensity of PA and differs across QoL domains. Unlike transport PA, leisure-time PA shows consistent association with QoL.