Abstract
Through this study, we aimed to determine the association of regular leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) with self-reported body mass index (BMI) and obesity risk among middle-aged and older adults in Taiwan. We conducted a cross-sectional study and reviewed the data derived from the Taiwan National Physical Activity Survey (TNPAS). Responses from 12,687 participants aged 45–108 years from the database were collected in this study. All the participants completed a standardized structured questionnaire that solicitated information regarding their demographic characteristics (age, gender, education, occupation, and self-reported health status), physical activity behaviors (regular/nonregular LTPA), and self-reported anthropometrics (height, weight, and BMI). Multiple linear and logistic regressions were used to examine the association between regular LTPA and BMI, and between regular LTPA and obesity status, respectively. Regular LTPA was associated with male gender, normal weight, excellent or good self-reported health status, and a lower rate of being underweight compared with nonregular LTPA. Regular LTPA was significant negatively associated with being underweight (OR = 0.71, p < 0.05), whereas it had no significant relationship with BMI and obesity (p > 0.05). Regular LTPA was associated with a reduced risk of being underweight among middle-aged and elderly adults in Taiwan. Further research on the relevant mechanism underlying this phenomenon is warranted.
Highlights
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the global prevalence of obesity has nearly tripled since 1975, and approximately 13% of adults worldwide were classified as obese in 2016 [1]
Except for body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.063), significant differences were observed between the groups (p < 0.05) in terms of all the relevant variables, including age, gender, height, body weight, BMI, obesity status, education, occupation, and self-reported health status (p < 0.05)
The regular leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) group had a higher proportion of males (53.3%) and normal-weight individuals (48.8%) and a higher education rate (27% of participants had completed college education); almost 34.9% of participants had already retired, and 75.5% self-reported that they were in excellent or good health
Summary
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the global prevalence of obesity has nearly tripled since 1975, and approximately 13% of adults worldwide (over 650 million) were classified as obese in 2016 [1]. A person with obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2, and it may increase the risk of developing coronary heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, and some cancers [2]. The availability of neighborhood sidewalks, parks, and recreational facilities has been reported to facilitate physical activity (PA) and decrease the prevalence of obesity [4]
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