Relationship of Exercise Behavior and Health Status of Middle-Aged Women in the Community

Abstract

Exercise is an important activity to keep people healthy because exercise can help to reduce the risk of chronic diseases, control weight, increase bone and muscle strength and clear the mind. Currently, while a number of middle-aged women in the community have regular exercise, a significant proportion are busy with duties inside and outside their home and have no time for exercise, which may eventually affect their health. The objective of this research was to study the relationship between exercise behavior and health status of middle-aged women in the community. The sample consisted of 342 middle-aged women aged 35-60 years lived in one community of Nakhon Pathom Province. Data on personal information, exercise behavior and health status were collected through a set of questionnaire; and were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. It was found that exercise behaviors of middle-aged women in the community were correlated with thier health status as determined by significant corre-lation coefficients with (1) physical well-being, measured by body mass index (r=-0.144), obesity level (r=-0.145), intra-abdominal fat (visceral fat) (r=-0.122), and physical health (r=0.112); (2) mental well-being, measured by stress (r=-0.192), happiness (r=0.122) and mental health (r=0.114); (3) social well-being, measured by social relationship with others (r=0.175); and (4) spiritual well-being (r=0.132). This study shown that middle-aged women with high exercise behavior would result in better physical, psychological, social and spiritual health. Therefore nurses should encourage middle-aged women in the communities to perform exercise regularly; and teach them on the types of suitable exercise that could be practised continuously in order to achieve sustainable health.