title: Physical activity and self-rated health among 55- to 89-year-old Dutch people.
abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of physical activity and the possible mediating role of perceived physical self-efficacy (PPSE) on self-rated health (SRH) in the 55- to 89-year-old Dutch population.  The data are based on a structured interview carried out in a random sample of 120 subjects--60 men and 60 women with the average ages of 69 and 71 years, respectively--in Sassenheim, the Netherlands, as a pilot study of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA).  The results of linear multiple regression analyses showed that physical activity was a significant predictor of self-rated health.  Moreover, the results supported the role of PPSE as a mediator in the association between physical activity and self-rated health status even when age, gender, and chronic diseases were controlled. These findings suggest that in the elder population, increasing perceived physical self-efficacy may be more important for perceived health than raising the level of physical activity.
authors.affiliation: University of Jyvaskyla, Finland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Parkatti
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Deeg
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Bosscher
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Launer
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D011788:Quality of Life; D012647:Self-Assessment