PLoS ONE (Jan 2016)

Low Physical Activity and Its Association with Diabetes and Other Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Nationwide, Population-Based Study.

  • Laura Brugnara,
  • Serafín Murillo,
  • Anna Novials,
  • Gemma Rojo-Martínez,
  • Federico Soriguer,
  • Albert Goday,
  • Alfonso Calle-Pascual,
  • Luis Castaño,
  • Sonia Gaztambide,
  • Sergio Valdés,
  • Josep Franch,
  • Conxa Castell,
  • Joan Vendrell,
  • Roser Casamitjana,
  • Anna Bosch-Comas,
  • Elena Bordiú,
  • Rafael Carmena,
  • Miguel Catalá,
  • Elias Delgado,
  • Juan Girbés,
  • Alfonso López-Alba,
  • Maria Teresa Martínez-Larrad,
  • Edelmiro Menéndez,
  • Inmaculada Mora-Peces,
  • Gemma Pascual-Manich,
  • Manuel Serrano-Ríos,
  • Ramon Gomis,
  • Emilio Ortega

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0160959
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 8
p. e0160959

Abstract

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Low physical activity (PA), or sedentary lifestyle, is associated with the development of several chronic diseases. We aimed to investigate current prevalence of sedentariness and its association with diabetes and other cardiovascular risk factors. PA was evaluated in a population-based, cross-sectional, randomly sampled study conducted in 2009-2010 in Spain. International Physical Activity Questionnaire (SF-IPAQ) was used to assess PA. 4991 individuals (median age 50 years, 57% women) were studied. Prevalence of sedentariness was 32.3% for men and 39% for women (p < 0.0001). Sex differences were particularly notable (age*sex interaction, p = 0.0024) at early and older ages. Sedentary individuals had higher BMI (28 vs. 27 kg/m2) and obesity prevalence (37 vs. 26%). Low PA was present in 44, 43, and 38% of individuals with known diabetes (KDM), prediabetes/unknown-diabetes (PREDM/UKDM), and normal glucose regulation (p = 0.0014), respectively. No difference between KDM and PREDM/UKDM (p = 0.72) was found. Variables independently associated (p < 0.05) with sedentariness were age, sex, BMI, central obesity, Mediterranean diet adherence, smoking habit, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and dyslipidemia. Low PA is on the rise in Spain, especially among women. Sedentariness is associated with several cardiovascular risk factors and may be responsible for the increasing prevalence of obesity and diabetes in this country.