Physical Inactivity Among Adults With Chronic Diseases That Are Leading Causes Of Mortality In United States 1998-2002

Abstract

Heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic lower respiratory disease (e.g., emphysema, asthma), and diabetes mellitus are 5 of the 6 the leading causes of mortality in the United States. Although physical activity helps to prevent these problems and provides benefits to people with these diseases, little is known about the prevalence of inactivity among people with chronic disease. PURPOSE To examine the prevalence of physical inactivity in adults with heart disease, cancer, stroke, emphysema, asthma, and diabetes. METHODS Five years of aggregated data (1998–2002) from the National Health Interview Survey were analyzed (N=159,985 adults, 43.4% males, mean age 46.4±17.8 years). Physical inactivity was defined as no reported moderate-intensity or vigorous-intensity physical activity in the past month. Prevalence of physical inactivity was calculated overall and by sex and age for persons who reported ever being diagnosed by a health professional with any of six chronic diseases (heart disease, any cancer, stroke, emphysema, asthma, or diabetes (either type I or type II). Heart disease included persons with angina pectoris or myocardial infarction and people who reported cancer could have had any cancer. RESULTS One quarter (24.7%; 95% CI = [24.4–24.9]) of adults has one or more of the six chronic diseases that result in one of the leading causes of mortality. The prevalence of physical inactivity among adults was 38.7% (95% CI = [38.3–39.1]). Persons who reported having any of the six chronic diseases under study had a prevalence of inactivity of 40.1% (95% CI= [39.4 - 40.8]). The prevalence of physical inactivity for the specific conditions was: heart disease (48.5%, 95% CI = [45.7 - 51.3]); cancer (38.4%; 95% CI=[36.7 - 40.1]), stroke (53.5%; 95% CI=[48.9 - 58.0]), emphysema (58.7%; 95% CI=[53.7 - 63.6]), asthma (38.7%; 95% CI=[37.8 - 39.7]), and diabetes (48.0 %; 95% CI=[46.1 - 49.8]). Men with many of these chronic conditions were generally less inactive than women. For example, among men with a history of stroke, the prevalence of inactivity was 46.2% (95% CI= [41.4 - 51.1]), which was significantly lower than for women (60.0%; 95% CI = [54.0–65.6%] (p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that the prevalence of inactivity among US adults with chronic disease is slightly higher than the overall prevalence especially among those with stroke, emphysema, coronary heart disease and diabetes. Further, since one out of four adults has at least one chronic disease, research into targeted physical activity intervention strategies appropriate for these groups is warranted.