Physical Exercise of Senior Women II: Subjective Perception of Selected Indicators of Quality of Life

Abstract

Two experimental groups (an instructed group exercise program and an individual exercise program, healthy lifestyle education) and a control group (healthy lifestyle education only) were observed in our study. Healthy lifestyle education included lectures on physical activity, healthy diet and mental health and was undergone by all the groups. Questionnaires were used to obtain participants' anamnestic data, data on eating habits, self-reported health status and other selected indicators of quality of life. To assess the influence of education and physical activity on mental state, questions focused on expressing positive and negative feelings were applied. Increases/decreases in the incidence frequency of positive/negative feelings or attitudes were examined. After the education program and the 10-month physical activity program, group 1 (group exercise program) demonstrated a significant positive shift in self-reported health status and in participation in social life. The total score of positively oriented questions changed significantly in both experimental groups (p < 0.001 in group 1, p < 0.05 in group 2) whilst the total score of negatively oriented questions was equal in both experimental groups (p < 0.05). It seems that regular, long-term and, most importantly, instructed physical activity, despite its low volume and intensity, can have beneficial effect not only on disease prevention but also on self-reported health status and quality of life.