Climacteric · Feb 15, 2021

Association of objectively measured physical fitness with health-related quality of life of mid-life women: the FLAMENCO project

By Ruiz-Montero PJ, Marín-Jiménez N, Borges-Cosic M et al.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the association of physical fitness with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in mid-life women and to examine the potential independent association of physical fitness components with the physical and mental components from the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) in this population. METHODS: This cross-sectional study comprised 183 mid-life women from southern Spain who participated in the FLAMENCO project. Body composition was measured through an impedanciometer, a stadiometer, and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Physical fitness was objectively measured with the Senior Fitness Test battery (cardiorespiratory fitness, flexibility, and dynamic balance/agility) plus handgrip strength (muscle strength). The SF-36 questionnaire was used to assess HRQoL of the participants. RESULTS: All the physical fitness components were associated with the SF-36 physical function (all p < 0.05) except for lower-body flexibility. The rest of the physical fitness components showed associations with most of the SF-36 dimensions (all p < 0.05). Dynamic balance/agility and upper-body flexibility were independently associated with the SF-36 physical component scale, explaining 15% and 17% of the SF-36 physical component scale, respectively. Any physical fitness component showed independent associations with the SF-36 mental component scale. CONCLUSIONS: Greater physical fitness levels are associated with better HRQoL of mid-life women. Dynamic balance/agility and upper-body flexibility were the strongest independent physical fitness components associated with the SF-36 physical component scale.

doi.org/10.1080/13697137.2021.1879778PubMed 33586552Populations