Physical Activity and Psychological Well-Being in Advanced Age

A Meta-Analysis of Intervention Studies

Netz, Yael
Wu, Meng-Jia
Becker, Betsy Jane
Tenenbaum, Gershon

¹School of Exercise and Sport Sciences, Zinman College of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Wingate Institute, Netanya, Israel
²Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Special Education, College of Education, Michigan State University
³Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems, College of Education, Florida State University.

⁴Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Yael Netz, School of Exercise and Sport Sciences, Zinman College of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Wingate Institute 42902, Israel. E-mail: [email protected].

Received Date: July 31, 2003; Revised Date: December 28, 2004; Accepted Date: February 1, 2005

Psychology & Aging 20(2):p 272-284, June 2005.

A meta-analysis examined data from 36 studies linking physical activity to well-being in older adults without clinical disorders. The weighted mean-change effect size for treatment groups (d^C. = 0.24) was almost 3 times the mean for control groups (d^C. = 0.09). Aerobic training was most beneficial (d^C. = 0.29), and moderate intensity activity was the most beneficial activity level (d^C. = 0.34). Longer exercise duration was less beneficial for several types of well-being, though findings are inconclusive. Physical activity had the strongest effects on self-efficacy (d^C. = 0.38), and improvements in cardiovascular status, strength, and functional capacity were linked to well-being improvement overall. Social-cognitive theory is used to explain the effect of physical activity on well-being.