Exercise Frequency As a Determinant of Healthy Lifestyle Characteristics Among U.S. Adults

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Duston D. Morris, Michael Young, FAAHB, George S. Denny, Wayne R. Blinne
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR., New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM.
Individual participation in recommended amounts of regular exercise can improve health and prevent disease. However, little is known about whether exercise can improve a group of healthy lifestyle characteristics (HLC).

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between exercise frequency and the prevalence rate of a single healthy lifestyle indicator.

METHODS: Researchers used data from the 1998 and 2000 BRFSS. Logistic regression analysis was conducted with covariates (age, gender, race, education, income, and general health) and exercise frequency selected as the predictor variable. The criterion variable (single healthy lifestyle indicator), was calculated by a defining pattern of four HLC (healthy weight, fruit and vegetable consumption, non-smoking, and leisure time physical activity) for each respondent. The covariates and predictor variable were entered as a block of predictor variables.

RESULTS: Gender (OR = 2.56, 95% CI = 2.41-2.71, p < .0001), general health (OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.52-1.62, p < .0001), and exercise frequency (OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.36-1.38, p < .0001) had the largest effect on the single healthy lifestyle indicator. Education (OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.30-1.39, p < .0001), race (OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.04-1.21, p < .0001), income (OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.05-1.08, p < .0001), and age (OR = 1.01, 95% CI = 1.00-1.01) were also statistically significant, but had a smaller effect on the single healthy lifestyle indicator. For every one unit increase in exercise frequency, the odds of meeting the single healthy lifestyle indicator increased by a factor of 1.41 while holding all other variables constant. Based on pseudo-R-squared values, when exercise frequency was excluded from the model, the remaining variables only explained 6% of the variance in the single healthy lifestyle indicator. When exercise frequency was reintroduced, the model accounted for 17% of the variance in the single healthy lifestyle indicator. Exercise frequency was able to exclusively explain 11% of the variance in the single healthy lifestyle indicator.

CONCLUSION: An increase in exercise frequency was positively related to an increase in the single healthy lifestyle indicator. Future research should examine causal relationships between exercise frequency and other healthy lifestyle indicators.