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The relationships between physical activity, health status and psychological well‐being of fertility‐aged women
Author(s) -
Kull M
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0838.2002.00341.x
Subject(s) - general health questionnaire , beck depression inventory , mental health , depression (economics) , medicine , physical activity , fertility , clinical psychology , psychiatry , gerontology , physical therapy , anxiety , population , environmental health , economics , macroeconomics
The purpose of this investigation was to measure the association between leisure time physical activity and health status, mental health and depression. The participants were women aged 18–45. The data were collected using questionnaires that were mailed to 1200 women. The response rate was 55%. The questionnaire contained three instruments: the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), the Health Questionnaire for Adults, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The results showed that 52.8% of the sample were physically inactive. Physically active women experienced better mental health ( P < 0.05), less depression ( P < 0.05) and they had better general health status ( P < 0.005). Differences in the emotional state (GHQ score) and depression (BDI score) between active (participating in exercise 3 or 1–2 times a week) and inactive women were significant ( P < 0.05). Even a low level of physical activity (1–2 times per week) was positively related to women's mental health ( P < 0.05).