Fisieke aktiwiteit en enkele lewenstylaspekte as bepalers van gesondheid

Abstract

Physical acdvity and some lifestyle factors. as predictors of health General consensus exists among researchers with regard to relationships between lifestyle and health (Walker et al., 1987; Breslow, 1988; McGinnes, 1992). A classic study demonstrating this relationship was done by Belloc and Breslow (1972) in which a direct relationship was found between seven basic lifestyle habits, health status and mortality. Relationships of physical activity with health have been proven extensively (Blair et al., 1989, Barlow et al., 1990; McGinnes, 1992). Barlow et al., (1990) reported physically fit respondents had lower mortality risks, even in presence of primary coronary risk factors, hypertension, elevated levels of serum cholesterol and smoking. The question arises as to whether exercise would show a positive relationship with health in the presence of an unhealthy lifestyle. Two questionnaires with regard to lifestyle have been used namely the Belloc and Breslow Questionnaire ( 1972) and a more sophisticated lifestyle questionnaire known as the Health-promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP) (Walker et al., 1987). Both measuring instruments are aimed at identifying individuals who live healthy or have healthpromoting lifestyles. Respondent participation in physical activity was measured and quantified with the Physical Activity Index of Sharkey (I 984). The aim of this study was to evaluate combined and individual relationships of some lifestyle factors and exercise with health as measured with the Belloc and Breslow habits and the HPLP. This was done to determine if exercise would show any significant relationship with health in the presence of a less healthy or unhealthy lifestyle.

The second aim of this study was to determine contributions of each of the seven Belloc and Breslow habits to the variance of health by using a stepwise multiple regression analysis. Contributions of each of the six HPLP sub scales to variance of health was also studied by using the same technique, and results of the two analyses were compared. This was done to determine if contributions of exercise to health differed when a more sophisticated method than Belloc and Breslow habits was used to measure lifestyle. The subjects of this study were 525 Caucasion male inhabitants of Potchefstroom, a city in the Norht-West Province of South Afiica. Subjects between the ages of 30 and 60 were selected at random according to their street addresses. The response rate was 95%. Statistically (p::, 0.05) and highly practically significant (ES~0.8) relationships were found between lifestyle (as measured with Belloc and Breslow habits and HPLP) and health as measured with IRS. Relationships of lifestyle with health were however, influenced by physical activity. In the absence of physical activity only the very healthy had significant (p::, 0.05) better IRS scores. Results of the two way analyses of variance also indicated that physical activity had a statistically significant (p::, 0.05) and highly practically (ES~0.8) significant relationship with good health, independent of lifestyle. Physical activity was found to be the major contributor to variance of IRS in the stepwise multiple regression analysis. Results of this study are supportive of the statement made by McGinnes (1992: Sl96-S199), namely that physical activity may provide a shortcut for the control of chronic diseases, much like immunization has facilitated progress against infectious diseases.