Characteristics associated with recent recreational exercise among women 20 to 44 years of age.
Data on 1,501 control women from a multi-center, population-based, case-control study of breast cancer were used to examine characteristics associated with recreational exercise during the year prior to the interview among women 20 to 44 years of age. In a univariate analysis, higher levels of recreational exercise were associated with: higher education; higher family income; white race; previous participation in recreational exercise above the median level at ages 12 to 13 and at age 20; being nulliparous; ever lactating; being a never or past smoker; having a low current Quetelet's index (QI: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared); and living in Atlanta or Seattle (compared to New Jersey). In a multiple linear regression model, independent predictors of higher levels of recreational exercise were: participation in higher levels of exercise at 20 years of age; having a low current QI; and never having smoked. Though all women should be encouraged to participate in exercise, these findings identity subgroups of women that may need targeting when developing exercise intervention programs.
Britton
J A
JA
Division of Epidemiology, Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Gammon
M D
MD
Kelsey
J L
JL
Brogan
D J
DJ
Coates
R J
RJ
Schoenberg
J B
JB
Potischman
N
N
Swanson
C A
CA
Stanford
J L
JL
Brinton
L A
LA
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009515:New Jersey / Q000453:epidemiology; D011998:Recreation / Q000502:physiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014861:Washington / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health