Potential Impact of Physical Activity on Measures of Well-Being and Quality of Life in People with Rare Diseases: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study in Italy
Open accessAbstract
Background: Rare diseases constitute a heterogeneous group of approximately 7000–8000 conditions, distinguished by their low prevalence. Collectively, they present a significant global health challenge, affecting millions of people worldwide. It is estimated that rare diseases affect approximately 10% of the global population, which places a significant burden on individuals, families, and society. It is, therefore, important to consider strategies to improve the overall well-being and quality of life of individuals with rare diseases. One potential avenue for exploration is the incorporation of physical activity (PA). The scope of this study was to ascertain whether PA has a positive impact on measures of well-being and to determine its potential to enhance the quality of life of these individuals. Methods: The data were collected via an online survey. The one-way ANOVA test for multiple groups and multivariate Poisson models were employed to identify the significant predictors of the outcomes of interest. Results: The protective effects of PA become evident with a minimum of six hours of activity per week. Our data confirm that the weekly hours devoted to PA can serve as a significant protective factor for QoL. The study also provided some insights into the motivations behind patients’ engagement in PA. These included improving QoL and physical well-being, as well as the desire to interact socially, with the goal of meeting friends or making new acquaintances. Finally, for adults and older adults, engaging in PA can also be a way to control weight. Conclusions: It is becoming increasingly clear that individuals with rare diseases stand to benefit greatly from PA, so it is only sensible to educate them on the advantages of an active lifestyle.
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Engaging in at least six hours of physical activity weekly provides significant benefits for individuals with rare diseases, improving quality of life, social interaction, and weight control.
“A study by Aliberti et al. [90] found that engaging in at least six hours of physical activity weekly provides significant benefits for individuals with rare diseases, improving quality of life, social interaction, and weight control.”
From The Power of Environment: A Comprehensive Review of the Exposome's Role in Healthy Aging, Longevity, and Preventive Medicine-Lessons from Blue Zones and Cilento (2025) · cites this paper as [90]
The Results (§3.2) suggest that at least six hours of weekly physical activity may be beneficial and that weekly activity hours may protect quality of life. The Discussion (§4) and Conclusions (§5) describe social interaction and weight control as reasons participants engaged in activity, not as demonstrated improvements from six hours of activity. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredRegular exercise mitigates these effects by improving cardiovascular function, maintaining muscle mass, and enhancing bone density.
“Regular exercise mitigates these effects by improving cardiovascular function, maintaining muscle mass, and enhancing bone density.”
From The Power of Environment: A Comprehensive Review of the Exposome's Role in Healthy Aging, Longevity, and Preventive Medicine-Lessons from Blue Zones and Cilento (2025) · cites this paper as [90]
The Discussion (section 4; page unavailable) says physical activity improves body composition and enhances skeletal and cardiovascular health. It does not specifically say that exercise maintains muscle mass or increases bone density, or establish those changes as the means by which it mitigates the effects mentioned in the claim. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredAerobic activities promote cardiovascular efficiency, while strength training helps prevent sarcopenia and osteoporosis.
“Aerobic activities (e.g., walking, swimming, cycling) promote cardiovascular efficiency, while strength training helps prevent sarcopenia and osteoporosis [88,89,90].”
From The Power of Environment: A Comprehensive Review of the Exposome's Role in Healthy Aging, Longevity, and Preventive Medicine-Lessons from Blue Zones and Cilento (2025) · cites this paper as [90]
The Discussion (section 4; page not provided) says physical activity can enhance cardiovascular and skeletal health, and the Results (section 3.2; page not provided) list walking, swimming, cycling, and gym training among participants’ activities. The paper does not distinguish the effects of aerobic activity from strength training or say that strength training prevents sarcopenia and osteoporosis. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
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- Authors
- Aliberti, S. M., Sacco, A. M., Belviso, I., Romano, V., Di Martino, A., Russo, E., Collet, S., Ciancaleoni Bartoli, I., Tuzi, M., Capunzo, M., Donato, A., Castaldo, C., Di Meglio, F., & Nurzynska, D.
- Affiliations
- University of Salerno (IT)
- University of Naples Federico II (IT)
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy
- Osservatorio Malattie Rare, 00187 Rome, Italy
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, Italy
- ORCID
- Venue
- Healthcare
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2024-09-11
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 18
- Pages
- 1822
- ISSN
- 2227-9032 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC11431722
- OpenAlex
- W4402455266
- Cited by
- 6
- References
- 34
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4
- FWCI
- 1.71
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Healthcare (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Social Sciences › Life-span and Life-course Studies › Sports and Physical Education Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Aging, Health, and Disability
- Keywords
- rare diseases, physical activity, quality of life, well-being, exercise motivation, social interaction, weight management, older adults, adults, active lifestyle
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