title: [Impact of physical activity on quality of life in middle-aged women: a population based study].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the influence of physical activity on the quality of life of middle-aged women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 370 women aged 40 to 65 years-old recruited from a population-based sample. Enrollment took place in Basic Health Units in each health district of the city (North, South, East, and West) from June to September 2011. According to the Municipal Health Department of the City, 20,801 women were assisted at the Basic Health Units during a one-year period. The sample size calculation was stratified by district and based on a 95% confidence level with a power of 80%, as well as an error estimate of 5% and it was considered proportional to the number of patients classified as having adequate quality of life (indicator >26) in the general population. Data were collected while women waited for their routine appointment at the Health Unit. WHOQOL-Bref was used to evaluate the quality of life, and menopause rating scale (MRS) was used to determine climacteric symptoms. The level of physical activity was assessed by means of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). To obtain the classification of PA levels, we used three categories: sedentary, moderately active, and very active. Statistical analysis was performed using the Minitab software, version 16.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the subjects was 49.8 years-old (±8.1) and they were predominantly Caucasian (72.7%), married (61.6%), non-smokers (93.5%), and had High School education (47.8%). Using the WHOQOL, mean scores were found to be significantly different between the groups (low, moderate, and vigorous physical activity), classified according to the domains of quality of life (p<0.01). Concerning physical activity and climacteric symptoms, significant differences were found for all domains: psychological (p<0.01), vegetative-somatic (p<0.01), and urogenital (p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physical activity improves quality of life in middle-aged women.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brasil.
authors.forename: Ana Katherine da Silveira
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: da Silveira Gonçalves
authors.forename: Ana Carla
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Gomes Canário
authors.forename: Patrícia Uchôa
authors.initials: PU
authors.lastname: Leitão Cabral
authors.forename: Rayanna Assunção Henrique
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Maria Helena Constantino
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Spyrides
authors.forename: Paulo César
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Giraldo
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eleutério
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D011788:Quality of Life