Long-term Physical Activity Improves Quality of Life for Middle-Aged Australian Women: Study Reveals

In a comprehensive study spanning 15 years, researchers have established that middle-aged Australian women who consistently adhere to the World Health Organization's physical activity guidelines experience better physical health-related quality of life. This study, conducted on a cohort of 11,336 participants and newly published in PLOS Medicine (2024), emulates a randomized controlled trial to highlight the causal effects of sustained physical activity on well-being.

The research, primarily led by Binh Nguyen and collaborators, utilized data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH), focusing on women born between 1946 to 1951, and gauging their physical and mental health through the SF-36 health survey. Reported physical activities were recorded triennially between 1998 and 2019. Rigorous target trial emulation and marginal structural models were employed to account for potential confounders such as socioeconomic status, lifestyle factors, and existing health conditions.

Key findings demonstrated a tangible, though modest, increase in the physical component summary (PCS) scores of women who consistently met physical activity guidelines when aged between 50-70 years. Initiating guideline-compliant physical activity at age 55 yielded similar improvements, suggesting that even later-life increases in physical activity can lead to significant health benefits. Despite these positive physical effects, the study noted less substantial impacts on mental health component summary (MCS) scores.

Evaluating longitudinal physical activity patterns, the study recommends active lifestyles throughout midlife, with a preferable increase to WHO guideline levels by age 55 to maximize physical health benefits in later life. However, the research acknowledges the possibility of unmeasured confounding factors and the inherent limitations of self-reported physical activity data. Nevertheless, the compelling evidence aligns with and reinforces public health messages promoting sustained physical activity among middle-aged women.

The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, with this specific study receiving support through various grants. The implications of these findings are critical for designing interventions and health messaging tailored to encourage physical activity among middle-aged women.

To explore the study in more detail, please visit the PLOS Medicine website: Nguyen et al. (2024) Physical activity across midlife and health-related quality of life in Australian women: A target trial emulation using a longitudinal cohort.

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