Spousal Influence on Physical Activity in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: The ARIC Study.

ABSTRACT: Low physical activity levels are a public health concern. Few studies have assessed the concordance of physical activity change among spouses. We studied this concordance during a 6-year period (baseline: 1987-1989; follow-up: 1993-1995) in 3,261 spousal pairs from the US-based Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. Linear regression was used to examine the association between change in individuals' sport/exercise and leisure physical activity indices (ranging from 1 (low) to 5 (high)) and change in his or her spouse's indices. The association between individual and spousal changes in meeting physical activity recommendations was assessed with logistic regression. Individual changes in the sport/exercise and leisure indices were positively associated with spousal changes. For ev

SUBMITTER: Cobb LK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4772433 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature