Exercise and health-related quality of life in older community-dwelling adults: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND: The effects of exercise on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in older adults are not well established. OBJECTIVE: Use the meta-analytic approach to examine the effects of exercise on HRQOL in older community-dwelling adults. METHODS: Studies were included if they met the following criteria: (1) randomized controlled trials with the unit of assignment at the participant level, (2) an exercise-only intervention group (aerobic, strength training, or both), (3) community accessible exercise interventions ³ four weeks, (4) a non-intervention control group, (5) target population of older adults, (6) English-language studies, (7) published and unpublished (master's degrees and dissertations) studies, (8) studies published between January 1, 1973 and August 29, 2007, and (9) HRQOL data available for one or more of the 10 components in the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey. A random-effects model was used for all primary analyses. RESULTS: Of the 257 studies screened, 11 representing 13 groups and a total of 617 men and women (324 exercise, 293 control), all > 50 years of age, were included. Overall, a significant (small to moderate) standardized effect size improvement was found for physical function as a result of exercise (Hedges g = 0.41, 95% confidence interval, 0.19 to 0.64, p <0.001). This was equivalent to a common language effect size of 62% and an odds ratio of 2.14 (95% CI, 1.42 to 3.24). No significant differences were found for the other nine HRQOL outcomes. CONCLUSION: Exercise improves self-reported physical function, a component of HRQOL, in older community-dwelling adults.