Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Kaiser Permanente have revealed a significant link between lack of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) in adults and increased deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD).
This alarming trend, particularly impacting middle-aged women and elderly Black individuals, was detailed in a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Lead author Shady Abohashem, MD, MPH, an investigator in cardiovascular medicine at MGH, emphasizes the study’s critical finding: communities with high proportions of adults not engaging in leisure-time physical activity continue to face higher mortality rates from heart disease.
This is despite a national decline in cardiovascular mortality rates. Abohashem highlights the need for more effective physical activity promotion strategies, as current interventions seem to miss the communities most in need.
The study is timely, considering the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s report that 25% of U.S. adults do not participate in leisure-time physical activity, with variations across different demographics.
Previous studies have shown the importance of LTPA in reducing cardiovascular risk and mortality. However, its impact at the community level has been less explored.
MGH researchers analyzed over seven million CVD deaths across 2,900 U.S. counties from 2011 to 2019, using data from the CDC’s PLACES database.
They found a clear link between high rates of leisure-time physical inactivity and prevalent chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart diseases.
Senior author Jamal Rana, MD, Ph.D., a cardiologist with The Permanente Medical Group, notes that social determinants, including lack of infrastructure for safe recreation and socioeconomic barriers, significantly contribute to this issue.
The study also sheds light on the higher risk of CVD death among specific groups, particularly middle-aged women and older Black individuals. Factors like sociocultural norms and caregiving responsibilities contribute to lower physical activity levels in women.
Similarly, elderly Black individuals face a higher susceptibility to cardiovascular disease and lower activity levels.
These findings underscore the urgent need for community-based initiatives that offer accessible and safe physical activities.
These programs should be culturally sensitive and inclusive, addressing barriers to exercise faced by women and other less active populations.
The study supports the goals of the CDC’s Healthy People 2030 initiative, which aims to reduce the percentage of people not engaging in LTPA through comprehensive community and healthcare provider involvement.
Abohashem believes this study can guide the creation of effective public health interventions across diverse geographic and demographic areas, aligning with Healthy People 2030 objectives.
The research provides essential data for community leaders and healthcare providers to allocate resources effectively and tailor preventive care for populations at higher risk of dying from heart disease.
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The research findings can be found in British Journal of Sports Medicine.
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