602 - Impact of a Peer Led Outdoor Mens Workout Group on Health-Related Quality of Life and Factors Associated with Increased Consistency in Engaging in Physical Activity

Objectives: Regular physical activity is crucial in the management of conditions treated by physiatrists, however consistency in a physical activity program can be challenging for individuals. This study explores if individuals who regularly participate in peer led mens' outdoor group fitness program (F3) have an increased health-related quality of life in comparison to controls.

Design: Participants across the country were surveyed using a SF-36 survey. The study was conducted by enrolling men who participate in F3 and men not involved in the group. The questionnaire consisted of 19 questions to survey satisfaction with exercise habits. Parts of the survey are subjective by asking participants to assess their current health status, compared to their health last year.

Results: A total of n=203 men were enrolled for this study. Initial descriptive statistics show a significant difference between the exercise group and the non-exercise group, with the exercise group having a lower BMI. Data suggested that benefits of peer led workouts included increased accountability, fellowship, and comradery. Several questions related to productivity at work and home showed statistical significance. The exercise group reported greater endurance with activities of daily living and community participation. Additional survey responses are being recruited to improve reliability of inferential statistics.

Conclusions: This study showed a trend of improved health-related quality of life for men who work out in groups. Further research is needed to investigate the effect of group fitness, especially in a post-COVID era where evidence suggests that social isolation and physical inactivity continue to be risk factors for many conditions. Peer led workouts could be a new way to incorporate physical activity into the treatment plan for patients.