With approximately 16% of the Canadian population living with osteoporosis,
and rates expected to increase (Osteoporosis Canada, 2009), cost-effective treatment
modalities that improve bone health and psychological well-being reflect an important
public health agenda. Physical activity has been implicated as one non-pharmaceutical
mechanism to help improve psychological well-being in the general population (Fox,
Stathi, McKenna, & Davis, 2007) and in people diagnosed with osteoporosis
(Osteoporosis Canada, 2007). The purpose of this investigation was to determine the
association between leisure-time physical activity (LTP A) and well-being in people
diagnosed with osteoporosis. A secondary purpose, using Basic Needs Theory (BNT;
Deci & Ryan, 2002) was to determine if the fulfillment of three psychological needs (i.e.,
competence, autonomy and relatedness) mediated the relationship between LTP A and
well-being. People diagnosed with osteoporosis (N= 190; Mage = 68.14; SDage = 11.54)
were asked to complete a battery of questionnaires assessing L TP A, hedonic and
eudaimonic well-being and perceived psychological need satisfaction in physical activity
contexts. Bivariate correlations revealed a pattern of negligible (r's -0.02 to 0.35) to small
correlations between LTP A and well-being with contextual positive affect (r = 0.24) and
subjective vitality (r = 0.22) demonstrating statistical significance (p < .01). Results of
the multiple mediation analysis indicated that perceived satisfaction of the three
psychological needs mediated the relationship between LTPA and well-being with
perceived competence emerging as a unique mediator. As such, LTP A was positively
associated with well-being in people who are diagnosed with osteoporosis, and the
fulfillment of the three psychological needs may be the mechanism through which this
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effect is carried. Health promotion specialists and practitioners should encourage patients
with osteoporosis to engage in LTP A, and support their needs for competence, autonomy
and relatedness. Practical implications for researchers and health promotion specialists
are discussed in terms ofthe results of this investigation
