Quality of Life and Physical Activity in a Sample of Brazilian Older Adults

Objective: To investigate the association between physical activity and quality of life in a sample of Brazilian older adults. Method: The Portuguese version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument-Older Adults Module and International Physical Activity Questionnaire was administered to 1,204 subjects (645 women and 559 men) aged >= 60 years. Results: Older adults of both genders who reported to be more physically active attributed higher scores to the sensory ability, autonomy, and intimacy domains, in addition to presenting significantly higher overall quality of life, irrespectively of age, marital status, educational level, and socioeconomic status. Specifically in women, the scores obtained for the social participation domain were significantly higher in the strata of active and very active subjects when compared to sedentary subjects. Discussion: The results indicate that increases in the levels of physical activity can contribute to improvements in quality of life of older adults.