Monitoring Leisure-Time Physical Activity among
U.S. Adults
Charlotte A. Schoenborn
Division of Health Interview StatisticsNational Center for Health Statistics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The findings and conclusions in this presentation are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Co-authors
Susan Carlson Janet Fulton Fleetwood Loustalot
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDC
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NHIS Leisure-time Physical Activity
Collected periodically since 1975 and annually since 1997.
Monitors progress toward National Healthy People (HP) Objectives.
LTPA indicators will change with move from HP 2010 to HP 2020.
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New Directions
• New Physical Activity Guidelines issued in 2008
• Based on comprehensive review of scientific evidence
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NHIS Adult Physical Activity Indicators
Healthy People 2010 (2000-2009)
2008 PA Guidelines (2010 - forward)
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What is new about the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines ?
Definition of “aerobically active” Additional guidelines:
Highly active level Combined muscle-strengthening
AND aerobic activity
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Does the transition to the 2008 Guidelines influence surveillance?
• Prevalence estimates?• Socio-demographic variations?• Trends?
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The Changing Definition of Aerobically Active for Adults
Healthy People 2010 criteria
2008 Guidelines criteria
Intensity Moderate Vigorous Moderate Vigorous Equivalent Combination
Duration(min/day) ≥ 30 ≥ 20
Frequency (days/week) 5 3
Volume (min/week) ≥ 150 ≥ 75 ≥ 150
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Prevalence of being aerobically active: Healthy People 2010 versus 2008 Guidelines,
NHIS, 2009
Healthy People 2010 criteria
2008 Guidelines criteria
% 95% CI % 95% CI
34.9 34.0, 35.8 47.2 46.2, 48.2
Source: National Health Interview Survey, Sample Adult Component, 2009. Unpublished data.
Comparing Healthy People 2010 and 2008 Guidelines criteria for aerobic activity, by sex and
age: NHIS 2009
Healthy People 2010 2008 Guidelines0
20
40
60
80
100
Men Women
Age
-adj
uste
d pr
eval
ence
Healthy People 2010 2008 Guidelines0
20
40
60
80
100
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-64 65+
Pre
vale
nce
Sex Age group
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Comparing Healthy People 2010 and 2008 Guidelines criteria for aerobic activity, by race/ethnicity and
education: NHIS 2009
Healthy People 2010 2008 Guidelines0
20
40
60
80
100
White, non-HispanicBlack, non-HispanicAsian, non-Hispanic
Age
-adj
uste
d pr
eval
ence
Healthy People 2010 2008 Guidelines0
20
40
60
80
100
Less than HS graduate HS graduate
Some college College graduate
Age
-adj
uste
d pr
eval
ence
Race/ethnicity Education level
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Trends in aerobic activity 1998-2009:Healthy People 2010 versus 2008 Guidelines
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 20090
20
40
60
80
100
29.7
34.9
40.1 47.2
HP 2010 2008 Guidelines
Age
-adj
uste
d P
reva
lenc
e
12Source: CDC/NCHS: National Health Interview Survey
Highly Active Level
• Level new with 2008 Guidelines
• Aerobic physical activity for:
• > 300 min/week moderate-intensity
• > 150 min/week vigorous-intensity
• Equivalent combination
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Prevalence of aerobic physical activity in four levels, NHIS 2009
Highly active
Sufficiently ac-tive
Insufficiently ac-tive
Inactive0
20
40
60
80
100
31.2
15.820.3
32.7
Age-
adju
sted
pre
vale
nce
Active
Highly active (>300 min/wk moderate-intensity activity, >150 min/wk vigorous-intensity activity, or equivalent combination), sufficiently active (150-300 min/wk moderate-intensity activity, 75-150 min/wk vigorous-intensity activity, or equivalent combination),
insufficiently active (some activity but not enough to meet active definition), and inactive (no activity of at least 10 min/time).
Percentage of adults who were highly active according to the 2008 Guidelines: NHIS 2009
0
20
40
60
80
100
36.2
26.6
34.1
26.7 24.618.8
25.5
32.6
41.7
Age
-Adj
uste
d P
reva
lenc
e
Race/ethnicity EducationSex
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Muscle-strengthening and aerobic activity
• HP 2010: Separate muscle-strengthening objective
• 2008 Guidelines: Combine muscle-strengthening with aerobic activity
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Percentage of adults who met the muscle-strengthening and aerobic guideline, NHIS 2009
Met aerobic and muscle-
strengthening guideline
Met aerobic guideline only
Met muscle-strengthening guideline only
Met neither0
20
40
60
80
100
1928.1
3.5
49.4
Age
-adj
uste
d pr
eval
ence
Active
Percentage of adults who met the full 2008 Guidelines (aerobic + strength) by selected
characteristics, NHIS 2009
0
20
40
60
80
100
22.016.2
21.2 17.712.6
7.311.5
21.0
30.1
Age
-Adj
uste
d pr
eval
ence
Race/ethnicity EducationSex
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Trends in meeting 2008 Aerobic PA Guideline among U.S. adults, by sex: 2007-2009
Men Women0
10
20
30
40
50
60 2007 2008 2009
Age
-Adj
uste
d P
reva
lenc
e
Source: CDC/NCHS: National Health Interview Survey, 19
Trends in meeting 2008 Aerobic PA Guideline among U.S. adults, by age: 2007-2009
18-24 25-44 45-64 65+0
10
20
30
40
50
60 2007 2008 2009
Perc
enta
ge o
f adu
lts
Source: CDC/NCHS: National Health Interview Survey, 20
Trends in meeting 2008 Aerobic PA Guideline among U.S. adults, by race/ethnicity: 2007-2009
White, NH Black, NH Asian, NH Hispanic0
10
20
30
40
50
60
2007 2008 2009
Age
-adj
uste
d P
reva
lenc
e
Source: CDC/NCHS: National Health Interview Survey, 21
Trends in meeting PA 2008 Aerobic PA Guideline among U.S. adults, by education: 2007-2009
< 12 years HS graduate Some College College graduate0
10
20
30
40
50
60 2007 2008 2009
Age
-adj
uste
d P
reva
lenc
e
Source: CDC/NCHS: National Health Interview Survey, 22
Conclusions Compared with HP 2010 criteria, prevalence
estimates shifted to upward by more than 10 percentage points when 2008 Guidelines were applied.
Disparities and trends over time were similar regardless of the LTPA criteria.
Leisure-time physical activity prevalence at recommended levels has increased modestly in recent years.
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For Further Information NHIS Physical Activity Information Website:
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/physical_activity.htm NHIS listserve: [email protected] For questions about this presentation, feel
free to contact me at: [email protected]
Thank you!
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