A systematic review of physical activity and quality of life and well-being

David X Marquez; Susan Aguiñaga; Priscilla M Vásquez; David E Conroy; Kirk I Erickson; Charles Hillman; Chelsea M Stillman; Rachel M Ballard; Bonny Bloodgood Sheppard; Steven J Petruzzello; Abby C King; Kenneth E Powell

doi:10.1093/tbm/ibz198

A systematic review of physical activity and quality of life and well-being

Transl Behav Med. 2020 Oct 12;10(5):1098-1109. doi: 10.1093/tbm/ibz198.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, Center for Research on Health and Aging, Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
² Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
³ Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
⁴ Department of Kinesiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
⁵ Department of Psychology, Brain Aging and Cognitive Health Lab, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
⁶ Department of Psychology and Department of Physical Therapy, Movement, and Rehabilitation Sciences, Center for Cognitive and Brain Health, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
⁷ Office of Disease Prevention, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
⁸ ICF Next, Fairfax, VA, USA.
⁹ Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Urbana, IL, USA.
¹⁰ Department of Health Research and Policy, Stanford Prevention Research Center, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
¹¹ Atlanta, GA, USA.

Abstract

Maintaining or improving quality of life (QoL) and well-being is a universal goal across the lifespan. Being physically active has been suggested as one way to enhance QoL and well-being. In this systematic review, conducted in part for the 2018 U.S. Health and Human Services Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Scientific Advisory Committee Report, we examined the relationship between physical activity (PA) and QoL and well-being experienced by the general population across the lifespan and by persons with psychiatric and neurologic conditions. Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and pooled analyses from 2006 to 2018 were used for the evidence base. Strong evidence (predominantly from randomized controlled trials [RCTs]) demonstrated that, for adults aged 18-65 years and older adults (primarily 65 years and older), PA improves QoL and well-being when compared with minimal or no-treatment controls. Moderate evidence indicated that PA improves QoL and well-being in individuals with schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease, and limited evidence indicated that PA improves QoL and well-being for youth and for adults with major clinical depression or bipolar disorder. Insufficient evidence existed for individuals with dementia because of a small number of studies with mixed results. Future high-quality research designs should include RCTs involving longer interventions testing different modes and intensities of PA in diverse populations of healthy people and individuals with cognitive (e.g., dementia) and mental health conditions (e.g., schizophrenia) to precisely characterize the effects of different forms of PA on aspects of QoL and well-being.

Keywords: Health-related quality of life; Physical activity; Quality of life; Systematic review; Well-being.

Publication types

Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Bipolar Disorder / psychology
Depressive Disorder, Major / psychology
Exercise*
Health Status*
Humans
Motivation
Parkinson Disease / psychology
Quality of Life*
Schizophrenic Psychology