Monthly Estimates of Leisure-Time Physical Inactivity -- United
States, 1994
Physical inactivity increases the risk for heart disease,
diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure, obesity, osteoporosis,
muscle and joint disorders, and symptoms of anxiety and depression
(1). However, approximately one third of adults in the United
States report no leisure-time physical activity, and rates of
inactivity have been higher in January than in June (1). Among
adults, the prevalence of leisure-time physical inactivity is
highest among those who are older, Hispanic, and residing in
southern states (1). A national health objective for the year 2000
is to reduce to less than or equal to 15% the proportion of persons
reporting no leisure-time physical activity (objective 1.5) (2). To
assist in monitoring efforts to achieve this objective, CDC
analyzed data from the 1994 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance
System (BRFSS) and estimated for each month the proportion of
adults from selected demographic groups who reported no
leisure-time physical activity. The findings indicate seasonal
patterns in the prevalence of reported leisure-time physical
inactivity; however, monthly rates of inactivity were higher and
more stable among older persons, Hispanics, and residents of
southern states.
The BRFSS is a population-based, random-digit-dialed telephone
survey of the civilian, noninstitutionalized U.S. population aged
greater than or equal to 18 years, with samples drawn monthly.
During 1994, a total of 105,853 respondents in 50 states and the
District of Columbia were asked whether they participated in
exercise, recreation, or physical activities other than their
regular job duties (e.g., running, calisthenics, golf, gardening,
or walking for exercise) during the past month. Respondents were
classified as having no leisure-time physical activity if they
reported no such participation. Data were weighted and aggregated,
and composite estimates and standard errors were calculated using
SESUDAAN. Prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals were
calculated for each month by demographic group and by residence in
selected northern or southern states * in the contiguous 48 states;
northern states were those generally north of 41 degrees latitude,
and southern states were those generally south of 37 degrees
latitude.
During 1994, an overall proportion of 29.4% of adults reported
no leisure-time physical activity; prevalence rates were highest in
January (35.3%) and lowest in June (24.7%) (Table_1). Seasonal
patterns (high prevalences during winter months and low prevalences
during summer months) were consistent for both sexes, among all age
and racial/ethnic groups, and by region of residence. Monthly
variations in prevalence were small for persons aged greater than
or equal to 75 years (range: 5.1 percentage points when February is
excluded; the range is 13.0 percentage points when February is
included), and was less than or equal to 10 percentage points among
Hispanics and residents in southern states. In addition,
prevalences were higher among residents in southern states than
among those in northern states during April-November; however, for
May and September, confidence intervals for the prevalences
overlapped (Figure_1).
Reported by the following BRFSS coordinators: J Cook, MPA, Alabama;
P Owen, Alaska; B Bender, Arizona; J Senner, PhD, Arkansas; B
Davis, PhD, California; M Leff, MSPH, Colorado; M Adams, MPH,
Connecticut; F Breukelman, Delaware; C Mitchell, District of
Columbia; D McTague, MS, Florida; E Pledger, MPA, Georgia; J
Cooper, MA, Hawaii; C Johnson, MPH, Idaho; B Steiner, MS, Illinois;
N Costello, MPA, Indiana; A Wineski, Iowa; M Perry, Kansas; K
Asher, Kentucky; R Meriweather, MD, Louisiana; D Maines, Maine; A
Weinstein, MA, Maryland; D Brooks, MPH, Massachusetts; H McGee,
MPH, Michigan; N Salem, PhD, Minnesota; P Arbuthnot, Mississippi;
T Murayi, PhD, Missouri; P Smith, Montana; S Huffman, Nebraska; E
DeJan, MPH, Nevada; K Zaso, MPH, New Hampshire; G Boeselager, MS,
New Jersey; W Honey, MPH, New Mexico; T Melnik, DrPH, New York; K
Passaro, PhD, North Carolina; J Kaske, MPH, North Dakota; R Indian,
MS, Ohio; N Hann, MPH, Oklahoma; J Grant-Worley, MS, Oregon; L
Mann, Pennsylvania; Y Gladman, South Carolina; M Gildemaster, South
Dakota; D Ridings, Tennessee; K Condon, Texas; R Giles, Utah; R
McIntyre, PhD, Vermont; L Redman, Virginia; K Wynkoop-Simmons, PhD,
Washington; F King, West Virginia; E Cautley, MS, Wisconsin; M
Futa, MA, Wyoming. Physical Activity and Health Br, Div of
Nutrition and Physical Activity, National Center for Chronic
Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDC.
Editorial Note
Editorial Note: The findings in this report indicate that
leisure-time physical inactivity was higher during winter months
and lower during summer months for both sexes and among most age
and racial/ethnic groups. Such differences are consistent with
previous surveys in Canada and Scotland (3,4) and may reflect
changes in temperature, amount of daylight, and annual
precipitation. In addition, this report documents less monthly
change in physical activity among older adults, Hispanics, and
residents of southern states. Older adults may be socially isolated
or have chronic diseases, and for some Hispanic adults, physical
activity messages and promotional strategies may be constrained by
barriers in communication. The difference between residents of
southern states and residents of northern states probably reflects
smaller declines in inactivity during spring and summer months
resulting from differing demographic or environmental factors
(e.g., higher temperatures and humidity).
The findings in this report are subject to at least two
limitations. First, because BRFSS data are cross-sectional,
different persons report their activity patterns for each month of
the year; longitudinal follow-up would provide more accurate and
reliable measurements of the changes in this behavior over time.
Second, the monthly results by demographic group and state of
residence were not adjusted for potential confounding variables
(e.g., social, demographic, and climatic factors).
To achieve the national health objective for increasing
leisure-time physical activity, comprehensive public health efforts
are needed to reduce reported levels of leisure-time physical
inactivity for all population groups for all months of the year.
Examples of strategies and approaches to increase leisure-time
physical activity include encouragement to climb stairs and to
avoid the use of labor-saving devices (5); organization of health
education classes for the elderly to stimulate interest and
participation in physical activity (6); facilitation of indoor
activities (e.g., walking in malls) during inclement weather,
darker winter months, or hot, humid summer months (7);
establishment at worksites of leisure-time physical-activity
challenges for workers throughout the year (8); and the
implementation of community-based physical-activity programs (9) to
promote regular activity (e.g., brisk walking) in conjunction with
other seasonal activities, such as gardening and outdoor sports
during spring and summer, raking and bagging leaves during fall,
and indoor dancing or outdoor ice skating during winter.
Interventions also can be developed for and tailored to
racial/ethnic and other high-risk groups (10).
References
US Department of Health and Human Services. Physical activity
and health: a report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, Georgia:
US
Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service,
CDC, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion, 1996.
Public Health Service. Healthy people 2000: national health
promotion and disease prevention objectives -- full report,
with
commentary. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human
Services, Public Health Service, 1991; DHHS publication no.
(PHS)91-50212.
Stephens T, Craig CL, Ferris BF. Adult physical activity in
Canada: findings from the Canada Fitness Survey I. Can Public
Health 1986;77:285-90.
Uitenbroek DG. Seasonal variation in leisure time physical
activity. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1993;25:755-60.
Blamey A, Mutrie N, Aitchison T. Health promotion by encouraged
use of stairs. Br Med J 1995;311:289-90.
Mayer JA, Jermanovich A, Wright BL, Elder JP, Drew JA, Williams
SJ. Changes in health behaviors of older adults: the San Diego
Medicare Preventive Health Project. Prev Med 1994;23:127-33.
Duncan HH, Travis SS, McAuley WJ. An emergent theoretical model
for interventions encouraging physical activity (mall walking)
among older adults. J Appl Gerontol 1995;34:64-77.
Blake SM, Caspersen CJ, Finnegan J, et al. The Shape Up
Challenge: a community-based worksite exercise competition. Am
J
Health Promot 1996;11:23-34.
Blake SM, Jeffery RW, Finnegan JR, et al. Process evaluation of
a community-based physical activity campaign: The Minnesota
Heart
Health Program experience. Health Educ Res 1987;2:115-21.
Avila P, Hovell MF. Physical activity training for weight loss
in Latinos: a controlled trial. Int J Obes 1994;18:476-82.
Table_1 Note:
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TABLE 1. Percentage * of respondents who reported no leisure-time physical activity,+ by month and selected characteristics
-- United States, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 1994 &
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Month Percentage
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ point
Characteristic Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec range
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sex
Men 32.5 32.6 26.9 25.7 24.3 23.4 24.9 23.8 25.9 25.5 28.7 30.4 9.2
Women 37.9 37.2 33.0 29.2 27.7 26.0 28.7 29.6 29.4 31.9 31.8 36.2 11.9
Age group (yrs)
18-29 25.2 22.8 21.1 18.6 18.0 18.9 20.2 20.2 22.1 19.1 25.3 26.4 8.4
30-44 34.0 34.2 28.5 24.3 22.9 20.8 22.3 24.7 24.3 27.3 27.8 33.0 13.4
45-64 40.8 39.3 34.1 32.4 30.6 27.4 32.4 28.2 30.6 32.8 32.4 33.9 13.4
65-74 41.1 42.5 37.3 34.0 33.3 35.0 32.9 34.7 34.7 36.0 33.2 43.9 11.0
>=75 46.0 55.8 46.1 46.5 43.8 42.8 45.6 45.0 44.5 47.9 45.7 43.3 13.0@
Race/Ethnicity
White, non-Hispanic 34.4 32.7 27.5 26.0 24.3 22.4 25.0 24.4 26.5 26.7 27.6 31.4 12.0
Black, non-Hispanic 43.5 46.4 45.6 37.1 31.3 33.9 35.6 41.0 30.8 38.5 40.2 44.0 15.6
Hispanic 39.5 43.7 38.2 34.9 40.0 39.5 34.9 35.0 39.4 42.1 43.2 41.6 8.8
Other** 28.3 35.5 27.3 21.3 26.7 23.5 28.7 32.4 28.0 26.0 34.6 33.2 14.2
Total 35.3 35.0 30.0 27.5 26.1 24.7 26.8 26.9 27.8 28.9 30.3 33.5 10.6
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* 95% confidence intervals ranged from +/-1.4% to +/-10.6%.
+ Defined as no participation in exercise, recreation, or physical activities other than regular job duties (e.g., running,
calisthenics, golf, gardening, or walking for exercise.)
& n=105,853.
@ When February is excluded, the range is 5.1 percentage points.
** Numbers for other racial groups were too small for meaningful analysis.
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