Dose-Response Relationship Between Total Physical Activity Volume, Health-Related Quality of Life, and GDF-15 and MDA Levels in Adults Aged 65 to 85 Years
Keywords:
Exercise, aging, health-related quality of life, oxidative damageAbstract
The aging process is associated with a decline in health-related quality of life (HRQoL), which is often exacerbated by increases in biological markers such as growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), a marker of cellular vulnerability and stress, and malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of lipid oxidative damage. These markers play a key role in predicting physiological decline and age-related diseases. This cross-sectional observational study aimed to investigate the dose-response relationship between total physical activity volume, HRQoL, and serum levels of GDF-15 and MDA in adults aged 65 to 85 years. 200 participants (105 women, 95 men; mean age 74.1 ± 5.2 years) were selected from the active elderly community in Tehran. Weekly physical activity volume was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF) and categorized into three levels: low (<150 min/week), moderate (150–300 min), and high (>300 min). HRQoL was assessed using the SF-36 questionnaire, and GDF-15 and MDA levels were determined from fasting blood samples. Statistical analyses included multivariate linear regression and ANOVA. Increased physical activity volume was significantly associated with improved HRQoL score (β = 0.47, p = 0.001), reduced GDF-15 levels (β = -0.35, p = 0.001), and reduced MDA levels (β = -0.30, p = 0.001). The dose-response relationship was nonlinear, with the greatest improvements observed at moderate to high levels. Gender differences also indicated that women showed a better response to moderate activity levels. Increased physical activity volume was associated with reduced GDF-15 and MDA levels (markers of cellular vulnerability and oxidative damage) and improved health-related quality of life. These findings demonstrate a positive association between physical activity volume and health indicators in older adults and emphasize the need for longitudinal or experimental studies to examine the interventional effects of exercise. The results highlight the importance of planning personalized exercise interventions for older adults, although generalization to sedentary or disabled older adults requires caution due to the selection of an active urban elderly sample.
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