Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Dose-Response Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Quality of Life in Postmenopausal Women: Results from the Breast Cancer and Exercise Trial in Alberta (BETA)

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Exercise generally improves quality of life (QoL) and psychosocial functioning in adult populations but few randomized trials have examined dose-response effects.

Purpose

The purpose of the present study was to report the QoL and psychosocial outcomes from the Breast Cancer and Exercise Trial in Alberta (BETA).

Methods

Healthy but inactive postmenopausal women at risk for breast cancer were randomized to a year-long aerobic exercise intervention consisting of either 150 min/week (moderate volume group, n = 200) or 300 min/week (high volume group, n = 200). QoL was assessed at baseline and 1 year using the short form-36 health survey. Sleep quality, depression, anxiety, stress, self-esteem, and happiness were also assessed. Participant preference for group assignment (i.e., exercise volume) was assessed at baseline and tested as a moderator.

Results

There were no statistically significant dose-response effects of aerobic exercise on any QoL, sleep quality, or psychosocial outcome. Participant preference for group assignment did not moderate any QoL, sleep quality, or psychosocial responses. Marital status was a significant moderator (p for interaction = 0.01) and obesity showed a trend towards being a moderator (p for interaction = 0.08) of the dose-response effects of aerobic exercise on global sleep quality such that unmarried and obese women improved sleep quality with the higher volume of aerobic exercise.

Conclusions

A higher volume of aerobic exercise, approximately double the minimum public health guideline, did not provide additional QoL or psychosocial benefits compared to the minimum public health guideline in inactive postmenopausal women, even for women who preferred the higher volume of exercise at baseline.

Trial Registration

Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT1435005.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Gillison FB, Skevington SM, Sato A, Standage M, Evangelidou S. The effects of exercise interventions on quality of life in clinical and healthy populations; a meta-analysis. Soc Sci Med. 2009;68(9):1700–1710.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Park SH, Han KS, Kang CB. Effects of exercise programs on depressive symptoms, quality of life, and self-esteem in older people: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Appl Nurs Res. 2014;27(4):219–226.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Kredlow MA, Capozzoli MC, Hearon BA, Calkins AW, Otto MW. The effects of physical activity on sleep: A meta-analytic review. J Behav Med. 2015;38(3):427–449.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Rebar AL, Stanton R, Geard D, Short C, Duncan MJ, Vandelanotte C. A meta-analysis of the effect of physical activity on depression and anxiety in non-clinical populations. Health Psychol Rev. 2015;9(3):366–378.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Con, VS. Anxiety outcomes after physical activity interventions: Meta-analysis findings. Nurs Res. 2010;59(3):224–231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Stonerock GL, Hoffman BM, Smith PJ, Blumenthal JA. Exercise as treatment for anxiety: Systematic review and analysis. Ann Behav Med. 2015;49(4):542–556.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Courneya KS, Tamburrini AL, Woolcott CG, et al. The Alberta Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Prevention Trial: Quality of life outcomes. Prev Med. 2011;52(1):26–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Martin CK, Church TS, Thompson AM, Earnest CP, Blair SN. Exercise dose and quality of life: A randomized controlled trial. Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(3): 269–278.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Kline CE, Sui X, Hall MH, et al. Dose-response effects of exercise training on the subjective sleep quality of postmenopausal women: Exploratory analyses of a randomized controlled trials. BMJ Open. 2012;2:e001044.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. Reichkendler MH, Rosenkilde M, Auerbach PL. Only minor additional metabolic health benefits of high as opposed to moderate dose physical exercise in young, moderately overweight men. Obesity. 2014;22(5):1220–1232.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Vidoni ED, Johnson DK, Morris JK, et al. Dose-response of aerobic exercise on cognition: A community-based, pilot randomized controlled trial. PLos One. 2015;10(7):e0131647.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  12. Friedenreich CM, Neilson HK, O’Reilly R, et al. Effects of a high versus moderate volume of aerobic exercise on adiposity outcomes in postmenopausal women: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Oncol. 2015;1:766–776.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Courneya KS, McKenzie DC, Mackey JR, et al. Moderators of the effects of exercise training in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy: A randomized controlled trial. Cancer. 2008;112:1845–1853.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Friedenreich CM, MacLaughlin S, Neilson HK, et al. Study design and methods for the Breast Cancer and Exercise Trial in Alberta (BETA). BMC Cancer. 2014;14(1):919.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. US Department of Health and Human Services, 2008. Physical activity guidelines for Americans. Hyattsville, MD. Available at http://www.health.gov/paguidelines.

  16. Ware J, Kosinski M, Bjorner B, Turner-Bowker DM, Gandek MS, Maurish ME. User’s guide for the SF-36v2 Health Survey. 2007, Lincoln, RI: Quality Metric Incorporated.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Buysse DJ, Reynolds Iii CF, Monk TH, Berman SR, Kupfer DJ. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index: A new instrument for psychiatric practice and research. Psychiatry Res. 1989;28(2):193–213.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Andresen EM, Malmgren JA, Carter WB, Patrick DL. Screening for depression in well older adults: Evaluation of a short form of the CES-D (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale). Am J Prev Med. 1994;10(2):77–84.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Spielberger C, Gorsuch R, Lushene R, Vagg PR, Jacobs GA. Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. 1983, Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Cohen S, Kamarck T, Mermelstein R. A global measure of perceived stress. J. Health Soc. Behav. 1983; 24:385–396.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Fordyce MW. A review of research on the happiness measures: A sixty second index of happiness and mental health. Soc Indic Res. 1988;20(4):355–381.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Rosenberg M. Society and the adolescent self image. 1965, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  23. Courneya KS, McKenzie DC, Mackey JR, et al. Subgroup effects in a randomized trial of different types and doses of exercise during breast cancer chemotherapy. Br. J. Cancer. 2014;111(9):1718–1725.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  24. Courneya KS, Segal RJ, Mackey JR, et al. Effects of exercise dose and type on sleep quality in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy: A multicentre randomized trial. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2014;144(2):361–369.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Courneya KS, Sellar CM, Stevinson C, et al. Moderator effects in a randomized controlled trial of exercise training in lymphoma patients. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2009;18(10):2600–2607.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Friedenreich CM, Courneya KS, Neilson HK, et al. Reliability and validity of the Past Year Total Physical Activity Questionnaire. Am J Epidemiol. 2006;163(10):959–970.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Pollock ML, Foster C, Schmidt D, Hellman C, Linnerud AC, Ward A. Comparative analysis of physiologic responses to three different maximal graded exercise test protocols in healthy women. Am Heart J. 1982;103(3):363–373.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. American College of Sports Medicine: ACSM’s guidelines for exercise testing and prescription, seventh ed. 2006, Philidelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Mason OJ, Holt R. Mental health and physical activity interventions: A review of the qualitative literature. J Ment Health. 2012;21(3):274–284.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Boulé NG, Kenny GP, Haddad E, Wells GA, Sigal RJ. Meta-analysis of the effects of structured exercise training on cardiorespiratory fitness in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Diabetologia. 2003;46(8):1071–1081.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Gormley SE, Swain DP, High R, et al. Effect of intensity of aerobic training on VO2max. Med Sci Sport Exerc. 2008;40(7):1336–1343.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Tjønna AE, Lee SJ, Rognmo Ø, et al. Aerobic interval training versus continuous moderate exercise as a treatment for the metabolic syndrome: A pilot study. Circulation. 2008;118(4):346–354.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  33. Karstoff K, Thomsen C, Winding K, et al. The effects of free-living interval-walking training on glycemic control, body composition, and physical fitness in type 2 diabetes patients. Diabetes Care. 2012;36(2):228–236.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Norris MK, Bell GJ, North S, Courneya KS. Effects of resistance training frequency on physical functioning and quality of life in prostate cancer survivors: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases. 2015;18(3):281–287.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Bower P, King M, Nazareth I, Lampe F, Sibbald B. Patient preferences in randomised controlled trials: Conceptual framework and implications for research. Soc Sci Med. 2005;61:685–695.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Klaber Moffett J, Torgerson D, Bell-Syer S, et al. Randomised controlled trial of exercise for low back pain: Clinical outcomes, costs, and preferences. BMJ. 1999;319:279–283.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Klaber Moffett JA, Jackson DA, Richmond S, et al. Randomised trial of a brief physiotherapy intervention compared with usual physiotherapy for neck pain patients: Outcomes and patients’ preference [see comment]. BMJ. 2005; 330: 75.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  38. Grandner MA, Patel NP, Gehrman PR, et al. Who gets the best sleep? Ethnic and socioeconomic factors related to sleep complaints. Sleep medicine. 2010;11(5):470–8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  39. Chapman DP, Wheaton AG, Perry GS, Sturgis SL, Strine TW, Croft JB. Household demographics and perceived insufficient sleep among US adults. J commun Health. 2012;37(2):344–349.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Reiter RJ, Tan DX, Korkmaz A, Ma S. Obesity and metabolic syndrome: association with chronodisruption, sleep deprivation, and melatonin suppression. Annals of medicine. 2012;44(6):564–577.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Beccuti G, Pannain S. Sleep and obesity. Current opinion in clinical nutrition and metabolic care. 2011;14(4):402–412.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  42. Knutson KL, Van Cauter E. Associations between sleep loss and increased risk of obesity and diabetes. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 2008;1129:287–304.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  43. Marshall NS, Glozier N, Grunstein RR. Is sleep duration related to obesity? A critical review of the epidemiological evidence. Sleep medicine reviews. 2008;12(4):289–298.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. St-Onge MP, Shechter A. Sleep disturbances, body fat distribution, food intake and/or energy expenditure: pathophysiological aspects. Hormone molecular biology and clinical investigation. 2014;17(1):29–37.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors’ Contributions

Drs. Courneya and Friedenreich had full access to all of the data in the study and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. Study concept and design: Courneya, Friedenreich. Acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data: All authors. Drafting of the manuscript: Courneya, McNeil, O’Reilly, Morielli. Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content: All authors. Statistical analysis: O’Reilly. Obtained funding: Courneya, Friedenreich. Administrative, technical, or material support: Courneya, Friedenreich. Study supervision: Courneya, Friedenreich.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta, 1-113 University Hall, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2H9, Canada

    Kerry S. Courneya PhD & Andria R. Morielli MSc

  2. Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research, CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    Jessica McNeil PhD, Rachel O’Reilly MSc & Christine M. Friedenreich PhD

  3. Departments of Oncology and Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    Christine M. Friedenreich PhD

Authors
  1. Kerry S. Courneya PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jessica McNeil PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rachel O’Reilly MSc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Andria R. Morielli MSc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Christine M. Friedenreich PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kerry S. Courneya PhD.

Ethics declarations

Funding

This research was funded by the Alberta Cancer Foundation (#24404). Dr. Courneya is supported by the Canada Research Chairs Program. Dr. Friedenreich holds a Health Senior Scholar Award from Alberta Innovates-Health Solutions and the Alberta Cancer Foundation Weekend to End Women’s Cancers Breast Cancer Chair. The funding body had no role in the design of the study; the collection, analysis, or interpretation of data; or in writing the manuscript.

Author’ Statement of Conflict of Interest and Adherence to Ethical Standards

Authors Courneya, McNeil, O’Reilly, Morielli, and Friedenreich declare that they have no conflict of interest. All procedures, including the informed consent process, were conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000.

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Courneya, K.S., McNeil, J., O’Reilly, R. et al. Dose-Response Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Quality of Life in Postmenopausal Women: Results from the Breast Cancer and Exercise Trial in Alberta (BETA). ann. behav. med. 51, 356–364 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-016-9859-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-016-9859-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation