Levels of Physical Activity in Spanish Asthmatics: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Sheila Sánchez Castillo,Lee Smith,Guillermo Felipe López Sánchez,Arturo Díaz Suárez

doi:10.3390/medicina56120643

Sheila Sánchez Castillo, Lee Smith + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina56120643

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Abstract

Background and objectives: 339 million people in the world suffer from asthma. Regular physical activity (PA) could help in its control. Therefore, the aim of this research was to determine the level of PA in Spanish people with asthma considering variation by, age, sex, education, marital status, living together, smoking habits, alcohol intake and body mass index (BMI). Materials and Methods: 1014 Spanish people from 15 to 69 years were included in the study. Data of the Spanish Health Survey (year 2017) were analysed. PA levels were measure with the international physical activity questionnaire short version (IPAQ-SF). PA was categorized as low, moderate and high, and analyzed by sample characteristics. Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskall Wallis H and crosstabs were used to calculate statistical significance (p < 0.05). Results: On average, Spanish asthmatics engaged in a weekly volume of 2228.9 metabolic equivalent of task (MET)·min/week. Males revealed significantly higher PA than females (2516.8 vs. 2019.5 MET·min/week; p = 0.005), younger participants (<30 years) compared to people aged 30–60 years and older than 60 years (2699.0; 2243.2; 1619.3 MET·min/week; p < 0.001) and those with tertiary level of education than those without secondary (2368.3 vs. 2168.3 MET·min/week; p = 0.001). Level of PA was lower in those married (p = 0.001) and/or living together (p = 0.010). Alcohol consumers showed a higher level than the participants who did not drink (2378.3 vs. 1907.9 MET·min/week; p = 0.001), but no significant differences were found within current, past and never smokers (p = 0.890). Obese asthmatics engaged in less PA than their normal weight and overweight peers (p < 0.001). Overall, moderate level was significantly the most frequent (47.7%), but 31.6% showed a low level. Conclusions: Three out of ten Spanish people with asthma do not achieve PA recommendations, so PA programs should be executed to make people aware of its benefits in asthma control, focusing on those groups with lower PA levels.

Highlights

Asthma is a common and important chronic disease that involves people of all ages [1].Globally, 339 million people suffer from asthma [2]
The sample consisted of 1014 Spanish people with asthma (587 females)
The results of this study show an average of 2228.9 metabolic equivalent of task (MET)·min/week of physical activity (PA) in adults with asthma residing in Spain

Summary

Introduction

Asthma is a common and important chronic disease that involves people of all ages [1].Globally, 339 million people suffer from asthma [2]. In Spain, an epidemiological study of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (IBERPOC Project), found a 4.9% prevalence of asthma in Spanish adults aged from 40 to 69 years [4], but according to data of the Spanish Health Survey (year 2017), the prevalence of asthma in Spanish people aged 15 to 69 years was found to be slightly higher, at around 6% [5]. Asthma is a chronic condition that appears with chronic airway inflammation, whose main symptoms are wheeze, chest tightness, shortness of breath, variable expiratory airflow limitation and cough [1]. All these aspects, together with the fear of having exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.

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