Vital signs: disability and physical activity--United States, 2009-2012

Abstract

Background: Adults with disabilities are less active and have higher rates of chronic disease than the general population. Given the health benefits of physical activity, understanding physical activity, its relationship with chronic disease, and health professional recommendations for physical activity among young to middle-age adults with disabilities could help increase the effectiveness of health promotion efforts.

Methods: Data from the 2009-2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were used to estimate the prevalence of, and association between, aerobic physical activity (inactive, insufficiently active, or active) and chronic diseases (heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer) among adults aged 18-64 years by disability status and type (hearing, vision, cognitive, and mobility). The prevalence of, and association between, receiving a health professional recommendation for physical activity and level of aerobic physical activity was assessed using 2010 data.

Results: Overall, 11.6% of U.S. adults aged 18-64 years reported a disability, with estimates for disability type ranging from 1.7% (vision) to 5.8% (mobility). Compared with adults without disabilities, inactivity was more prevalent among adults with any disability (47.1% versus 26.1%) and for adults with each type of disability. Inactive adults with disabilities were 50% more likely to report one or more chronic diseases than those who were physically active. Approximately 44% of adults with disabilities received a recommendation from a health professional for physical activity in the past 12 months.

Conclusions: Almost half of adults with disabilities are physically inactive and are more likely to have a chronic disease. Among adults with disabilities who visited a health professional in the past 12 months, the majority (56%) did not receive a recommendation for physical activity.

Implications for public health: These data highlight the need for increased physical activity among persons with disabilities, which might require support across societal sectors, including government and health care.

FIGURE 1

Prevalence and weighted population estimates of the absence or presence of one or more chronic diseases* among adults aged 18–64 years with a disability (N = 10,690), by aerobic physical activity level^† — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2009–2012 * Chronic diseases include diabetes, cancer, stroke, and heart disease. ^† Aerobic physical activity levels categorized as active (≥150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity equivalent aerobic activity), insufficiently active (at least one bout of aerobic physical activity per week that lasted ≥10 minutes, but not enough total weekly activity to meet the guideline), or inactive (no bouts of aerobic physical activity per week that lasted ≥10 minutes). ^§ 0 chronic disease: N = 5.4 million; ≥1 chronic disease: N = 4.7 million. ^¶ 0 chronic disease: N = 2.8 million; ≥1 chronic disease: N = 2.0 million; weighted population estimates do not add to the overall N of 4.7 million because of rounding. ** 0 chronic disease: N = 4.6 million; ≥1 chronic disease: N = 2.1 million.

FIGURE 2

Prevalence* of aerobic physical activity level^† among adults aged 18–64 years with a disability (N = 1,090), by whether or not a doctor or health professional recommended exercise or physical activity in the past 12 months — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2010 * The denominator for this variable also excludes those who have not seen a doctor or other health professional in the past 12 months. ^† Aerobic physical activity levels categorized as active (≥150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity equivalent aerobic activity), insufficiently active (at least one bout of aerobic physical activity per week that lasted ≥10 minutes, but not enough total weekly activity to meet the guideline), or inactive (no bouts of aerobic physical activity per week that lasted ≥10 minutes). ^§ χ² = 5.3, df = 2, p=0.006.