title: Physical activity and inactivity patterns in India - results from the ICMR-INDIAB study (Phase-1) [ICMR-INDIAB-5].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The rising prevalence of diabetes and obesity in India can be attributed, at least in part, to increasing levels of physical inactivity. However, there has been no nationwide survey in India on physical activity levels involving both the urban and rural areas in whole states of India. The aim of the present study was to assess physical activity patterns across India - as part of the Indian Council of Medical Research-India Diabetes (ICMR-INDIAB) study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Phase 1 of the ICMR-INDIAB study was conducted in four regions of India (Tamilnadu, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Chandigarh representing the south, west, east and north of India respectively) with a combined population of 213 million people. Physical activity was assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) in 14227 individuals aged ≥ 20 years [urban- 4,173; rural- 10,054], selected from the above regions using a stratified multistage design.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 14227 individuals studied, 54.4% (n=7737) were inactive (males: 41.7%), while 31.9% (n=4537) (males: 58.3%) were active and 13.7% (n=1953) (males: 61.3%) were highly active. Subjects were more inactive in urban, compared to rural, areas (65.0% vs. 50.0%; p<0.001). Males were significantly more active than females (p<0.001). Subjects in all four regions spent more active minutes at work than in the commuting and recreation domains. Absence of recreational activity was reported by 88.4%, 94.8%, 91.3% and 93.1% of the subjects in Chandigarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Tamilnadu respectively. The percentage of individuals with no recreational activity increased with age (Trend χ(2): 199.1, p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study shows that a large percentage of people in India are inactive with fewer than 10% engaging in recreational physical activity. Therefore, urgent steps need to be initiated to promote physical activity to stem the twin epidemics of diabetes and obesity in India.
authors.forename: Ranjit M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Anjana
authors.forename: Rajendra
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pradeepa
authors.forename: Ashok K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Mohan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deepa
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhansali
authors.forename: Shashank R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: Prashant P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: Vinay K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Dhandhania
authors.forename: Paturi V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Vasudevan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sudha
authors.forename: Radhakrishnan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Subashini
authors.forename: Ranjit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Unnikrishnan
authors.forename: Sri V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Madhu
authors.forename: Tanvir
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Diabetology, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation & Dr,Mohan's Diabetes Specialities Centre, WHO Collaborating Centre for Noncommunicable Diseases Prevention and Control & IDF Centre of Education, 4, Conran Smith Road, Gopalapuram, Chennai 600 086, India. drmohans@diabetes.ind.in.
authors.forename: Viswanathan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mohan
authors.forename: Deepak K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Shukla
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011998:Recreation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population