OBJECTIVE: To assess whether a life-style physical activity intervention improved antibody response to a pneumococcal vaccination in sedentary middle-aged women. METHODS: Eighty-nine sedentary women completed a 16-week exercise (physical activity consultation, pedometer, telephone/e-mail prompts; n = 44) or control (advisory leaflet; n = 45) intervention. Pneumococcal vaccination was administered at 12 weeks, and antibody titers (11 of the 23 contained in the pneumococcal vaccine) were determined before vaccination and 4 weeks and 6 months later. Physical activity, aerobic fitness, body composition, and psychological factors were measured before and after the intervention. RESULTS: The intervention group displayed a greater increase in walking behavior (from mean (standard deviation) 82.16 (90.90) to 251.87 (202.13)) compared with the control condition (111.67 (94.64) to 165.16 (117.22); time by group interaction: F[1,68] = 11.25, p = 0.001, eta2 = 0.14). Quality of life also improved in the intervention group (from 19.37 (3.22) to 16.70 (4.29)) compared with the control condition (19.97 (4.22) to 19.48 (5.37); time by group interaction: F[1,66] = 4.44, p = 0.039, eta2 = 0.06). However, no significant effects of the intervention on antibody response were found (time by group 2 for each of the 11 pneumococcal strains ranged from 0.001 to 0.018; p values all > 0.264). CONCLUSIONS: Participation in a life-style physical activity intervention increased subjective and objective physical activity levels and quality of life but did not affect antibody response to pneumococcal vaccination.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help

• DOI
• PubMed
• PDF locator
• publisher