Associations of perceived role of exercise in cancer prevention with physical activity and sedentary behavior in older adults

Abstract

This study examined whether the perceived importance of exercise in cancer prevention was related to physical activity and sedentary behavior in older adults, who are the most vulnerable to cancer and the least active among all age groups. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted with 1,308 respondents (≥ 50 years) from the cycle 2 of the 2018 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). 70.23% of older adults acknowledged the protective role of exercise in cancer prevention. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the perceived role of exercise in cancer prevention was significantly and positively associated with physical activity (Odds Ratio = 1.58, p = .013), while multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the perceived role of exercise in cancer prevention was significantly and negatively associated with sedentary behavior (p < .001) in older adults. Findings from this study can guide efforts to develop interventions that could promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior in older adults.