title: Living With a Smoker and Physical Inactivity: An Unexplored Health Behavior Pathway.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study investigated an unexplored health behavior pathway: the association between living with a smoker and physical inactivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study performed an analysis of cross-sectional data from the second wave of the Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (2004-2006).
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample included 1050 women and 945 men, ages 30 to 84 years (mean, 56.5 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  In addition to control variables, survey items indexed presence of a smoker in the respondent's home, and physical inactivity and low health commitment on the part of the respondent.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis employed multiple logistic regression analyses, controlling for sociodemographic factors as well as health restrictions on physical activity and respondents' current smoking status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Living with a smoker was linked to 56% higher odds of physical inactivity. Low health commitment mediated this association. Living with a smoker was linked to lower health commitment (B = .31), and low health commitment was linked in turn to increased odds of physical inactivity (odds ratio, 1.36).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increased health risk among individuals living with a smoker is assumed to be a function of exposure to secondhand smoke. We demonstrate an unexplored behavioral pathway involving a link between living with a smoker and physical inactivity. These findings suggest that household smoking bans may have broad health behavior effects beyond reducing smoking.
authors.forename: Carole K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Holahan
authors.forename: Charles J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Holahan
authors.forename: Xiaoyin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
keywords: Health focus: smoking control/physical activity; Outcome measure: behavioral; Physical Activity, Health Attitudes, Prevention Research. Manuscript format: research; Research purpose: modeling/relationship testing; Setting: home; Smoking; Strategy: policy; Study design: nonexperimental; Target population age: adults; Target population circumstances: national sample of men and women