Epidemiology of Physical Activity and Inactivity

1
Epidemiology of Physical Activity and Inactivity

• Jamie Stang, PhD, MPH, RD
• University of Minnesota
• Division of Epidemiology

2
Healthy People 2010

• Lists 15 objectives related to physical activity
  including
• Participation in light to moderate activity at
  least 5 times/week (30 mins or more)
• Participation in vigorous activity at least 3
  times/week (20 mins or more)
• Engaging in strength training activities 3 or
  more times per week

3
Healthy People 2010 Guidelines

• 23 meet guidelines for light-moderate physical
  activity 5 times per week
• 12 meet guidelines for vigorous activity 3 or
  more times per week

4
Prevalence of Physical Activity and Inactivity
among Adults

• 38 do not engage in any type of physical
  activity
• 62 of adults participate in some type of
  activity
• 23 of adults report engaging in strength
  training activities

5
Percent of Adults Reporting Some Physical
Activity, by Race/Ethnicity and Gender
Source Schoeborn CA, Barnes PM. Leisure-time
physical activity among adults United States,
1997-98. Advance data from vital and health
statistics no. 325. DHHS Publication No. (PHS)
2002-1250. Hyattsville, MD National Center for
Health Statistics. 2002.
6
Percent of Adults Who Engaged in Physical
Activity, by Age United States, 1997-98
7
Percent of Adults Who Engaged in Strengthening
Activity, by Age and Gender
8
Percent of Adults Who Engaged in Physical
Activity, by Education
9
Percent of Adults Who Engaged in Physical
Activity, by Poverty Status
10
Prevalence of Physical Activity among Youth

• 65 of high school students meet vigorous
  physical activity guidelines
• 27 of high school students meet light-moderate
  physical activity guidelines
• 54 engage in strength training activities at
  least 3 times per week

11
Students Meeting HP 2010 Recommendations by
Race/Ethnicity and Gender
Source Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance --
United States, 1999. MMWR. 200049(SS-5).
12
Physical Activity and Age

• Physical activity decreases with age among
  school-aged children and adolescents
• Decrease more pronounced for vigorous physical
  activity than light-moderate activity
• Corresponds high with decreases in participation
  in PE classes in schools

13
Physical Activity within Schools

• 56 of students enrolled in physical education
  classes (PE)
• 29 attended PE classes daily
• PE requirements inversely related to grade level

14
Percentage of Schools Requiring Physical
Education, by Grade
15
Physical Activity and Gender

• Males are more physically active and engage more
  frequently in strength training
• 72 of males and 57 of females met vigorous
  physical activity guidelines
• 29 of males and 24 of females met
  light-moderate physical activity guidelines
• 64 of males engaged in strength training
  compared to 44 of females

16
Disability and Physical Activity

• 56 of adults with disabilities report no
  physical activity
• 95 of students with disabilities participate in
  PE classes
• 25 in adaptive PE classes
• 38 in both adaptive and general PE classes