Patterns of Insufficient Physical Activity in U.S. Adults, 2003

Abstract

PURPOSE To determine prevalence and energy expenditure of four patterns of insufficient physical activity (PA) among U.S. adults. METHODS Patterns of insufficient physical activity were examined using data from the 2003 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (N=264,684, 39.5% males, mean age 49.4±17.2 years). Respondents were asked in this telephone survey to report frequency and duration of moderate-intensity and vigorous-intensity lifestyle (e.g., leisure-time, household-related, transport-related) PA. Persons who were insufficiently active participated in some activity but less than the CDC/ACSM recommended level of ≥5 days/week and ≥30 min/day moderate PA or ≥3 days/week and ≥20 min/day vigorous PA. The insufficiently active group was subdivided by the number of criteria that were met for recommended PA: 1.) no criteria, 2.) one frequency only (e.g., ≥5 days/week moderate PA or > 3 days/week vigorous PA), 3.) one duration only (e.g., ≥30 min/day moderate PA or ≥20 min/day vigorous PA), and 4.) two criteria in any combination. Prevalences of insufficient activity were reported by age, sex, race/ ethnicity, body mass index, and education level. Prevalences were reported for patterns of insufficient PA. Differences among the subcategories in energy expenditure were assessed by comparing geometric means of MET-minutes/week using linear regression on the log-transformed MET-minutes/week. RESULTS Prevalence of insufficient PA was higher in women (39.6%) than men (37.5%), peaked in the 45–64 age group (41.2%), increased with BMI category and education level, and did not vary by race/ethnicity. Eighty-two percent of insufficiently active adults met at least one criterion for PA recommendations, 47% met the criteria for one duration only, and 24% met 2 criteria in any combination. Geometric means of energy expenditure were 144 MET-minutes/wk for 0 criteria, 356 MET-minutes/wk for 1 frequency, 499 MET-minutes/wk for 1 duration, and 1090 MET-minutes/wk for 2 criteria (R-squared=0.51, F=752,490, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS More than 80% of the insufficiently active adults in the U.S. meet at least one criterion for physical activity recommendations, with most needing only to increase their frequency of current physical activities.