The association between exercise participation and well-being: a co-twin study

J H Stubbe; M H M de Moor; D I Boomsma; E J C de Geus

doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2006.09.002

The association between exercise participation and well-being: a co-twin study

J H Stubbe, M H M de Moor, D I Boomsma, E J C de Geus

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the association between leisure time exercise participation and well-being (i.e., life satisfaction and happiness) and examined the causality underlying this association.

METHOD: The association between exercise participation and well-being was assessed in around 8000 subjects, (age range 18-65 years) from The Netherlands Twin Registry (NTR). Causality was tested with the co-twin control method in 162 monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs, 174 dizygotic (DZ) twin and sibling pairs, and 2842 unrelated individuals.

RESULTS: Exercisers were more satisfied with their life and happier than non-exercisers at all ages. The odds ratio for life satisfaction given exercise participation was significantly higher than unity in unrelated pairs, and a trend was visible in DZ pairs. In MZ pairs, the odds ratio was close to unity. The pattern of odds ratios for happiness given exercise participation was similar.

CONCLUSION: Exercise participation is associated with higher levels of life satisfaction and happiness. This association is non-causal and appears to be mediated by genetic factors that influence both exercise behavior and well-being.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	148-52
Number of pages	5
Journal	Preventive Medicine
Volume	44
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2006.09.002
Publication status	Published - Feb 2007

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title = "The association between exercise participation and well-being: a co-twin study",

abstract = "OBJECTIVE: We investigated the association between leisure time exercise participation and well-being (i.e., life satisfaction and happiness) and examined the causality underlying this association.METHOD: The association between exercise participation and well-being was assessed in around 8000 subjects, (age range 18-65 years) from The Netherlands Twin Registry (NTR). Causality was tested with the co-twin control method in 162 monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs, 174 dizygotic (DZ) twin and sibling pairs, and 2842 unrelated individuals.RESULTS: Exercisers were more satisfied with their life and happier than non-exercisers at all ages. The odds ratio for life satisfaction given exercise participation was significantly higher than unity in unrelated pairs, and a trend was visible in DZ pairs. In MZ pairs, the odds ratio was close to unity. The pattern of odds ratios for happiness given exercise participation was similar.CONCLUSION: Exercise participation is associated with higher levels of life satisfaction and happiness. This association is non-causal and appears to be mediated by genetic factors that influence both exercise behavior and well-being.",

author = "Stubbe, {J H} and {de Moor}, {M H M} and Boomsma, {D I} and {de Geus}, {E J C}",

year = "2007",

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doi = "10.1016/j.ypmed.2006.09.002",

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volume = "44",

pages = "148--52",

journal = "Preventive Medicine",

issn = "0091-7435",

publisher = "Academic Press",

number = "2",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - The association between exercise participation and well-being

T2 - a co-twin study

AU - Stubbe, J H

AU - de Moor, M H M

AU - Boomsma, D I

AU - de Geus, E J C

PY - 2007/2

Y1 - 2007/2

N2 - OBJECTIVE: We investigated the association between leisure time exercise participation and well-being (i.e., life satisfaction and happiness) and examined the causality underlying this association.METHOD: The association between exercise participation and well-being was assessed in around 8000 subjects, (age range 18-65 years) from The Netherlands Twin Registry (NTR). Causality was tested with the co-twin control method in 162 monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs, 174 dizygotic (DZ) twin and sibling pairs, and 2842 unrelated individuals.RESULTS: Exercisers were more satisfied with their life and happier than non-exercisers at all ages. The odds ratio for life satisfaction given exercise participation was significantly higher than unity in unrelated pairs, and a trend was visible in DZ pairs. In MZ pairs, the odds ratio was close to unity. The pattern of odds ratios for happiness given exercise participation was similar.CONCLUSION: Exercise participation is associated with higher levels of life satisfaction and happiness. This association is non-causal and appears to be mediated by genetic factors that influence both exercise behavior and well-being.

AB - OBJECTIVE: We investigated the association between leisure time exercise participation and well-being (i.e., life satisfaction and happiness) and examined the causality underlying this association.METHOD: The association between exercise participation and well-being was assessed in around 8000 subjects, (age range 18-65 years) from The Netherlands Twin Registry (NTR). Causality was tested with the co-twin control method in 162 monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs, 174 dizygotic (DZ) twin and sibling pairs, and 2842 unrelated individuals.RESULTS: Exercisers were more satisfied with their life and happier than non-exercisers at all ages. The odds ratio for life satisfaction given exercise participation was significantly higher than unity in unrelated pairs, and a trend was visible in DZ pairs. In MZ pairs, the odds ratio was close to unity. The pattern of odds ratios for happiness given exercise participation was similar.CONCLUSION: Exercise participation is associated with higher levels of life satisfaction and happiness. This association is non-causal and appears to be mediated by genetic factors that influence both exercise behavior and well-being.

U2 - 10.1016/j.ypmed.2006.09.002

DO - 10.1016/j.ypmed.2006.09.002

M3 - Article

C2 - 17059845

VL - 44

SP - 148

EP - 152

JO - Preventive Medicine

JF - Preventive Medicine

SN - 0091-7435

IS - 2

ER -

The association between exercise participation and well-being: a co-twin study

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