Fisieke aktiwiteit se verband met leefstyl, gesondheid en geestelike welstand by dames

Abstract

The relationship of physical activity with lifestyle, health and spiritual well-being among women. Physical inactivity is probably the single largest risk factor in the development of chronic lifestyle disorders. It has been well documented in research literature that participation in regular physical activity does have positive effects and consequences on general health and quality of life. The aim of this research is therefore to determine the relationship of physical activity on lifestyle and health in women, as well as the relation of physical activity on lifestyle and spiritual well-being. Lastly this study wants to determine the influence of spiritual well-being and lifestyle on health status of preand postmenopausal women. Four hundred and twenty five (425) Caucasian women between the ages of 30-65 (42 .9 ± 9.5 years) living within the municipal boundaries of the city of Potchefstroom were randomly selected to participate in this study. Participants were classified into a pre-menopausal (≤ 49) and postmenopausal group (~ 50). Physical activity was measured with the physical activity participation index (PAI) of Sharkey (1984 ). The lifestyle index of the participants were determined by the questionnaire of Belloc and Breslo.v (1972) (LSBB) as well as the questionnaire of Walker et al. (1987)(LSW). Health status was assessed by the health status questionnaire of Wyler et al. (1968). One-way and two-way analysis of variance was used to determine relationships between variables. After the statistical significance had been determined, the Newman-Keuls post-hoc test was used to determine whether certain groups differ significantly from each other. Effect sizes (ES) were obtained to determine the meaningfulness of the results.

From the descriptive data it is clear that the younger group (≤ 49) tended to be more physically active than the older group (~ 50). The postmenopausal women tend to follow healthier lifestyle than the premenopausal women do. A highly practical significant (ES ~0.8) difference existed between high active - and inactive pre- and postmenopausal women in terms of their lifestyle index (LSBB, LSW). It also appears that in women following a healthy lifestyle, participation in physical activity has a positive effect on their health status. Contrary to this, the health status of those who followed an unhealthy lifestyle was negatively affected by physical activity. It therefore appears that in certain circumstances women react differently to physical activity participation than men do. Spiritual well-being showed a statistically (p~0.05) significant relationship with physical activity. Statistically significant (p~0.05) difference also existed between the physical activity index (FAI) of pre- and postmenopausal women, as far as lifestyle (LSBB & LSW) and existential well-being (EW) is concerned. Physical activity contributes significantly to the existential well-being (EW) (p~0.01) and spiritual well-being (SWB) (p~0.001) of women. Religious - (RW), existential - (EW) and spiritual well-being (SWB) showed statistically - (p~0.05) and practical (ES~0.8) significant relationship with mainly the psychological components of lifestyle like self-actualisation, inter-personal relations and stress management. An improvement in spiritual well-being and lifestyle contributes, although not statistically, to a better health status in pre- and postmenopausal women. An exception to this is postmenopausal women with an unhealthy lifestyle where a negative response occurred as far as health status is concerned, with an increase in SWB. Existential well-being (EW) contributes significantly to the (p~0.01) health status of premenopausal women and nutrition to postmenopausal women. According to this investigation women and men differ as far as the different parameters of LS and SWB 's contribution to health status is concern.