Sedentary Time And Prescription Medication Use In United States Adults: 2017-2018 NHANES

Abstract

Prescription medication usage has been used as a predictor of disease prevalence and overall health status. Evidence suggests a deleterious relationship exists between increased medication usage and physical activity participation. However, there is limited evidence examining the relationship between sedentary time and increased prescription medication usage in adults. PURPOSE: Examine the associations between sedentary time and increased prescription medication usage in a large nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. METHODS: Study sample (n=3,063) included non-pregnant adult (≥ 20 years old) participants in the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Self-reported minutes per day of sedentary time were converted to hours per day of sedentary time. The dependent variable was increased medication usage (≥ 5 medications). Logistic regression analysis was adjusted for age, race, and education level. RESULTS: Analysis revealed that for every hour of sedentary time, there was a 5% greater odds of increased medication usage (Odds Ratio 1.05; 95% Confidence Interval 1.01-1.08, P-value=0.0144). A significant positive dose-response relationship was seen between sedentary time and prescription medication use (P for trend <0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest increased sedentary time is associated with increased prescription medication usage among a large nationally representative sample of U.S. adults.