J.H. stubbe, M.H.M de Moor, D.I. Boomsman, E.J.C. de Geus

By: Tasha Mathis

· The exploration of the association between leisure time exercise participation and well being (i.e., life satisfaction and happiness) and examined the casuality underlying this association.

· Studies have shown that non-exercisers are characterized by higher levels of anxiety and depression.

· Many controlled training trials have shown that exercise acutely reduces feelings of tension, anxiety and anger and increases feelings of vitality.

· The association between exercise behavior and well-being may depend on reversed causality, i.e., well-being or a personality profile conducive to higher well-being may be a prerequisite for people to engage in exercise in the first place.

· 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). Casuality was tested with the co-twin control method in 162 monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs, 174 dizygotic (DZ) twin and siblings pairs, and 2842 unrelated individuals.

· Exercisers were more satisfied with their life and happier than non-exercisers at all ages. The odd 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 odds ratios for happiness given exercise participation was similar.

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