Objectives: To examine the associations of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and walking for transportation (WT) with the physical and mental dimensions of health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) among women.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 2009 among 1,263 women ages 18-59 years living in neighborhoods with low and middle-low socioeconomic status in the urban area of Cali. HR-QOL was assessed using the Short Form 8 (SF-8). LTPA and WT were measured using the long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Associations were assessed using linear regression models adjusting for potential confounders.
Results: Low (10-149 min) and medium-high (at least 150 min) levels of WT were negatively associated with the mental and physical dimensions of HR-QOL. Low (10-149 min of moderate intensity PA, or 10-74 min of vigorous intensity PA) and medium-high (at least 150 or 75 min of moderate or vigorous intensity PA, respectively) levels of LTPA were positively associated with both dimensions. Significant interactions were observed between education level and perceived safety from traffic.
Conclusions: This study found that WT and LTPA were associated with HR-QOL both in the physical and mental dimensions; however, the direction and magnitude of the association varied by domain. These results highlight the need to better understand the links between PA and HR-QOL in urban contexts from Latin America.