Moderate Exercise Improves Health-Related Quality of Life in HIV Patients

Scientists at the University of Stuttgart conducted a study to examine the effects of a 16-week exercise intervention on the psychological and physical well-being of a sample of HIV-1 positive patients. The researchers compared an exercise group (19 subjects) with a control group (14 subjects) prior to and after the intervention on several outcome variables including health-related quality of life, psychological well-being (depression, anxiety, global symptoms), immune parameters, and cardiopulmonary parameters, according to the researchers, R. Rojas and colleagues.

"The exercise group experienced a significant improvement in cardiopulmonary fitness, and health-related quality of life improved significantly in that group relative to the control group," data showed. "Psychological well being improved similarly in both groups, however, while immune indices did not change in either group."

"Consistent with earlier studies," the report concluded, "it is suggested that a moderate exercise intervention enhanced the health- related quality of life in HIV-1 positive individuals."

The study, "Effects of Exercise Training on Quality of Life, Psychological Well-Being, Immune Status, and Cardiopulmonary Fitness in an HIV-1 Positive Population," appeared in the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology (2003;25(4):440-455).

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