Physical activity levels in American-Indian adults: the Strong Heart Family Study.
BACKGROUND
A limited body of evidence, mostly based on self-report, is available regarding physical activity levels among American-Indian adults.


OBJECTIVE
This study aims to examine physical activity levels objectively using pedometers among a large cohort of American-Indian adult participants in the Strong Heart Family Study (SHFS).


METHODS
Physical activity levels in 2604 American-Indian adults, aged 18-91 years, from 13 American-Indian communities were assessed using Accusplit AE120 pedometers over a period of 7 days during 2001-2003. Anthropometric measurements were also assessed. All data analyses were conducted in 2008. Age-adjusted Pearson correlations were used to examine the relationship between average steps per day and age and anthropometric variables. Subjects were placed in age and BMI categories (according to National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute cut points) to examine trends in physical activity with increasing age and BMI.


RESULTS
Daily pedometer steps ranged from 1001 to 38,755. Mean step counts by age group for men were 5384 (aged 18-29 years); 5120 (aged 30-39 years); 5040 (aged 40-49 years); 4561(aged 50-59 years); 4321 (aged 60-69 years); and 3768 (aged >or=70 years) and for women, 5038 (aged 18-29 years); 5112 (aged 30-39 years); 5054 (aged 40-49 years); 4582 (aged 50-59 years); 3653 (aged 60-69 years); and 3770 (aged >or=70 years). A significant linear trend in physical activity was noted with increasing age (p=0.002 for men, p<0.0001 for women) and with increasing BMI (p=0.05 for men, p=0.04 for women).


CONCLUSIONS
Objectively measured data suggest that inactivity is a problem among American-Indian adults and that a majority of American-Indian adults in the SHFS may not be meeting the minimum physical activity public health recommendations. Efforts to increase physical activity levels in this population are warranted.
Storti
Kristi L
KL
Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA. stortik@edc.pitt.edu
Arena
Vincent C
VC
Barmada
M Michael
MM
Bunker
Clareann H
CH
Hanson
Robert L
RL
Laston
Sandra L
SL
Yeh
Jeun-Liang
JL
Zmuda
Joseph M
JM
Howard
Barbara V
BV
Kriska
Andrea M
AM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D001130:Arizona; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015146:Midwestern United States; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000295:instrumentation; D015397:Program Evaluation; D016138:Walking; D055815:Young Adult