Physical Exercise as the Spice of Life: The Impact of Regular Exercise on Anxiety and the Meaning of Life in Diabetes, Psoriasis, and Heart Disease Patients

The primary scope of the current study was to investigate the effects of physical activity among three types of diseases, that is diabetes, psoriasis and heart disease in well-being and negative emotional states. The sample consisted of 120 Greek adults with a clinical diagnosis of a medical condition, aged between 30 and 50 years. The participants completed four self-report questionnaires (DASS 21, Meaning in Life, Subjective Happiness Scale, Life Satisfaction Scale) and reported their frequency of exercise and their demographic characteristics. A 3 (no, moderate, high exercise) × 3 (diabetes, psoriasis, heart disease) factorial ANOVA was conducted. The results showed that regarding anxiety, symptoms were prospectively associated with lower exercise frequency. The findings suggest the prudence of exercising on psychological prosperity in patients with chronic disease.