Differential exercise effects on quality of life and health-related quality of life in older adults: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Maintaining quality of life (QOL) and physical and mental health status are important outcomes throughout the aging process. Although cross-sectional studies suggest a relationship between global QOL and physical activity, it is unclear whether such a relationship exists as a function of exercise training. METHODS: We examined the effects of two exercise intervention arms on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and global QOL. Low-active, older adults (n = 179) were randomly assigned to either a 12-month aerobic walking group or a strengthening and flexibility group. HRQOL and QOL were measured at baseline, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS: There was a significant group by time effect on QOL [F(2,176) = 3.11, p = 0.047, η (2) = 0.03]. There was also a significant overall group by time effect for HRQOL [F(4,174) = 2.46, p = 0.047, η (2) = 0.05], which was explained by the significant group by time interaction for mental health status (p = 0.041, η (2) = 0.02) favoring the walking condition. Further analyses using latent class analysis revealed three classes of individuals with differential patterns of change in QOL and HRQOL across time. These classes reflected no change, declines, and improvements in these constructs across time. CONCLUSIONS: Walking appears to enhance the mental aspect of HRQOL and global QOL when compared to a non-aerobic intervention. Additionally, the patterns of change in QOL and HRQOL were not linear over time. Our findings are in contrast to previous reports that these outcomes change a little or not at all in randomized trials.

Differential trajectories of well-being in older adult women: the role of optimism.

BACKGROUND: Well-being is important to healthy aging. The present study examined the trajectories and determinants of well-being in older women (n = 248) over a 39-month period. METHODS: Participants completed measures of optimism, pessimism, functional limitations, physical activity, and self-efficacy. Well-being, operationalised as life satisfaction, was assessed at baseline, 12, 24, and 39 months. Latent growth and class analyses examined trajectories of well-being and antecedents of change. RESULTS: The overall model testing a linear growth pattern fit the data well [χ(2) (df = 5) = 7.77, p = .17, CFI = .98, RMSEA = .05], revealing an overall significant, but modest decline in well-being. Three latent classes were further revealed; one class (n = 34, 13.3%) began with moderate levels of well-being (Mi = 25.4, p < .001), which decreased across time (Ms = -3.12, p < .001). A second class (n = 54, 21.8%) began with lower well-being (Mi = 17.1, p < .001) that remained low (Ms = .702, p = .378). The third class (n = 161, 64.9%) started with high levels of well-being (Mi = 28.4, p < .001) which were maintained (Ms = -.027, p = .841). Higher optimism and lower pessimism differentiated between declining well-being and maintaining well-being across time. CONCLUSIONS: Optimism and pessimism appear to differentiate patterns of well-being in community-dwelling older women. Promoting optimism-inducing strategies may be useful for maintaining well-being in older adulthood.