
==== Front
Sao Paulo Med J
Sao Paulo Med J
Sao Paulo Med J
São Paulo Medical Journal
1516-3180
1806-9460
Associação Paulista de Medicina - APM

10.1590/S1516-31802006000500014
Research Letter
Evaluation of the quality of life among elderly female athletes
Avaliação da qualidade de vida em atletas idosasSguizzatto Guilherme Turolla *
Garcez-Leme Luiz Eugênio *
Casimiro Luciana *
Address for correspondence: Luiz Eugênio Garcez-Leme Rua Professor Ovídio Pires de Campos, 333 3ª andar – São Paulo (SP) Brasil – CEP 05403-010 Tel. (+55 11) 3069-6888 – Fax (+55 11) 3069-6888 E-mail: lueglem@usp.br
Conflict of interest: None

07 9 2006
2006
124 5 304305
17 10 2005
18 8 2006
22 8 2006
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons license.
ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE:

To analyze quality of life (QOL) in elderly athletes.

DESIGN:

Transversal, controlled study.

METHODS:

Female athletes over 60 years who run 15 km, and a control group consisting of 15 healthy, sedentary, women over 60 were studied. Questionnaires on QOL and Depression were applied.

RESULTS:

Athletes show better functional capacity (98.8 versus 73.3), less pain (90.6 versus 64.9), better general state of health (86.8 versus 66.8) and better vitality (86.2 versus 67.3). Differences were observed in emotional characteristics (89.6 versus 60.0) and mental health (84.3 versus 68.3), with fewer depressive answers (1.9 versus 3.8).

CONCLUSION:

Regular physical activity was related to better quality of life.

RESUMO

OBJETIVO:

Analisar qualidade em vida de atletas idosas.

TIPO DE ESTUDO:

Estudo transversal controlado.

MÉTODOS:

Atletas maiores de 60 anos, que correm 15 km, e grupo controle com 15 mulheres saudáveis, sedentárias foram estudados. Aplicados questionários de qualidade de vida e depressão.

RESULTADOS:

A capacidade funcional das atletas foi maior (98,8 versus 73,3). As atletas referiram menos dor (90,6 versus 64,9), melhor condição geral de saúde (86,8 versus 66,8), melhor vitalidade (86,2 versus 67,3). Houve diferença no aspecto emocional (89,6 versus 60,0) e saúde mental (84,3 versus 68,3), com menos respostas depressivas (1,9 versus 3,8).

CONCLUSÃO:

A atividade física regular foi relacionada com melhor qualidade de vida.

KEY WORDS:

Quality of life
Motor activity
Sports
Depression
Aging
PALAVRAS-CHAVE:

Qualidade de vida
Atividade física
Esportes
Depressão
Envelhecimento
==== Body
pmcRegular physical activity is seen as one of the most effective procedures for promoting quality of life in any population.1,2 The relationship between physical activity and depression in the elderly population presents controversial aspects, with epidemiological studies suggesting a diverse relationship between the amount of activity and the depressive symptoms, in which these symptoms increase in individuals who report both low and high levels of physical activity.3

Women perform less energetic leisure activities than men and, on average, with shorter duration. In all age groups, women participate in sports or physical leisure activities less frequently.4

From this perspective, we analyzed the quality of life (Short Form-36, SF-36,5 and Geriatric Depression Scale-15, GDS-156) of elderly female athletes in high performance competitions (the annual São Silvestre race, in the city of São Paulo), by comparing these individuals' quality of life with that of controls matched for sex and age. This was a preliminary cross-sectional study with controlled observations for evaluating and comparing the quality of life and the presence of depressive symptoms among women aged 60 years and over. The subjects were 31 female volunteers: 16 athletes and 15 healthy sedentary women with no complaints, pain symptoms or physical limitations.

To compare the sedentary and athletic groups, we used Student's t test for the variables presenting parametric distributions and the Mann-Whitney U-test for the non-parametric distributions. The 5% confidence level was adopted (α = 0.05).

The study group (athletes) and the control group (sedentary women) were shown to be homogeneous, with no significant differences in terms of age, physical characteristics and social characteristics.

There were significant differences in functional capacity, pain, general health condition, vitality, emotional characteristics, mental health and Geriatric Depression Scale scores (Table 1). From this preliminary study, we concluded that regular physical activity and high performance sports were related to better quality of life and fewer depressive symptoms among elderly women and that this could be a tool for promoting physical and mental health.

Furthermore, we concluded that more structured studies, such as specific cohorts, are justified in order to answer the remaining questions regarding high-performance sports and aging.

Table 1 Results from investigations on athletes and controls, and their significance

	Athletes	Controls	p	
Age		66.2	67.5	0.22	
SF-36	Functional capacity	98.8	73.3	2.7 × 10−6*	
	Physical characteristics	97.8	88.3	0.59	
	Pain	90.6	64.9	0.01*	
	General state of health	86.8	66.8	0.0001*	
	Vitality	86.2	67.3	0.0004*	
	Social characteristics	90.6	75.0	0.06	
	Emotional characteristics	89.6	60.0	0.02*	
	Mental health	84.3	68.3	4.9 × 10−5*	
GDS-15		1.9	3.8	0.03*	
* = Statistically significant; SF-36 = Short Form-36; GDS = Geriatric Depression Scale.

Guilherme Turolla Sguizzatto, MD, MSc. Geriatrician, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo Brazil.

Luiz Eugênio Garcez-Leme, MD, PhD. Geriatrician, associate professor and full researcher in the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology (DOT/FMUSP), Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo Brazil.

Luciana Casimiro, BSc. Psychologist and Gerontologist, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo Brazil.

Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology (DOT/FMUSP), Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo Brazil

Sources of funding: None
==== Refs
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