title: Effects of a physical activity program on the quality of life among elderly people in Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the quality of life (QOL) of elderly people in the "Academia da Cidade program" (ACP), a public Brazilian Government Program encourages physical and leisure activity in Recife, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study evaluated 181 elderly people attending the "ACP" at least twice a week. Demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical data were presented according to World Health Organization QOL (WHOQOL)-BREF and WHOQOL-OLD scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Univariate analysis showed that WHOQOL-BREF and WHOQOL-OLD scores were positively associated with longer duration of participation in "ACP," P < 0.030 and P < 0.003, respectively, a multivariate regression analysis showed that duration of participation in "ACP" remained associated with higher WHOQOL-BREF (P = 0.023) and WHOQOL-OLD (P = 0.038) scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A longer duration of participation in a community-based physical activity program, "ACP," may contribute to a better QOL for the elderly in Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira, Rua dos Coelhos, 300, Recife, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: da Fonte
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculdade Pernambucana de Saúde, Rua Jean Émile Favre 422, Recife, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro Henrique
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Feitosa
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculdade Pernambucana de Saúde, Rua Jean Émile Favre 422, Recife, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Teixeira
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: de Oliveira Neto
authors.affiliation: Department of Mother and Child Care, Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira, Rua dos Coelhos, 300, Recife, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carla Leal
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: de Araújo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira, Rua dos Coelhos, 300, Recife, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Natal
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Figueiroa
authors.affiliation: Department of Mother and Child Care, Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira, Rua dos Coelhos, 300, Recife, Brazil.
authors.forename: João Guilherme
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Alves
keywords: Academia da Cidade program; elderly; physical activity; quality of life