Effects of physical exercise programme on happiness among older people

<jats:sec><jats:title>Accessible summary</jats:title><jats:p><jats:list list-type="bullet"> <jats:list-item><jats:p>This randomized‐controlled trial investigated the effect of physical exercise programme (PEP) on happiness among older adults in Nowshahr, Iran.</jats:p></jats:list-item> <jats:list-item><jats:p>Results of this study on 120 male and female volunteers showed that an 8‐week group physical exercise programme was significantly effective in older adults' happiness.</jats:p></jats:list-item> <jats:list-item><jats:p>Findings showed that physical exercise programme is so beneficial for increasing older adults' happiness.</jats:p></jats:list-item> </jats:list></jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Physical activity is associated with well‐being and happiness. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an 8‐week long physical exercise programme (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">PEP</jats:styled-content>) on happiness among older adults in <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">N</jats:styled-content>owshahr, <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">I</jats:styled-content>ran. This was a randomized control trial study. The participants consisted of a group of 120 male and female volunteers (mean ± <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">SD</jats:styled-content> age: 71 ± 5.86 years) in a convenience sampling among older adults in public parks in <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">N</jats:styled-content>owshahr, <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">I</jats:styled-content>ran. We randomly allocated them into experimental (<jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 60) and control (<jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 60) groups. A validated instrument was used to measure well‐being and happiness [<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">O</jats:styled-content>xford <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">H</jats:styled-content>appiness <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">I</jats:styled-content>nventory (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">OHI</jats:styled-content>)]. Respondents were asked to complete the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">OHI</jats:styled-content> before and 2 months after implementing <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">PEP</jats:styled-content>. The 8‐week <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">PEP</jats:styled-content> was implemented with the intervention group. The statistical analysis of the data was conducted using paired <jats:italic>t</jats:italic>‐test, <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">F</jats:styled-content>isher's exact test and χ<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>. Before the intervention, there was no significant difference in the happiness mean score between the case and control groups; however, after implementing <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">PEP</jats:styled-content>, happiness significantly improved among the experimental group (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = 0.001) and did not improve within the control group (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = 0.79). It can be concluded that <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">PEP</jats:styled-content> had positive effects on happiness among older adults. Planning and implementing of physical activity is so important for older happiness.</jats:p></jats:sec>