Impact of physical activity on medical expenditures among adults downhearted and blue.
OBJECTIVE
To examine inactivity-associated medical expenditures in adults, controlling for frequency of feeling downhearted/blue.


METHODS
Using the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey (N=12,250), expenditures were analyzed by comparison and multivariate models. Expenditures were updated to 2003 dollars.


RESULTS
Medical expenditure was 354 dollars (t=3.80, P<0.01) lower for active than inactive persons: 6.1% of the expenditure (133 dollars in 1987, 429 dollars in 2003) was inactivity associated. The total inactivity-associated expenditure was near 12 billion dollars in 1987 (38 billion dollars in 2003).


CONCLUSIONS
Medical expenditure increased with frequency of feeling downhearted/blue and was higher for inactive than active people.
Wang
Guijing
G
Physical Activity and Health Branch, Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. gbw9@cdc.gov
Brown
David R
DR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014481:United States