title: Exercise and Self-Reported Limitations in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Limited evidence suggests that exercise may have beneficial, anti-inflammatory effects in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of exercise in patients with IBD and the limitations they experience secondary to their disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and fifty IBD patients were prospectively enrolled in this study at an academic medical center at the time of their outpatient visits between March and October 2013. Subjects were asked to complete a one-time survey that asks questions about medical and surgical history, exercise frequency and intensity, and the limitations and barriers they experience.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and twenty-seven patients (148 female patients) completed the survey. Crohn's disease was present in 140 patients (61.5 %), while 87 had ulcerative colitis. Forty-one patients (16.4 %) never exercised, 82 patients (32.8 %) exercised 1-2 times per week, 59 (23.6 %) exercised 3-4 times per week, and 45 (18.0 %) exercised more than four times per week. Of the 186 who regularly exercise, 95 (51 %) reported moderate exercise intensity, 61 (33 %) reported light intensity, and 30 (16 %) reported vigorous intensity. Ninety-nine patients (44 %) reported that their IBD limited their exercise for reasons including fatigue (n = 81), joint pain (n = 37), embarrassment (n = 23), weakness (n = 21), and others.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although they may benefit from exercise, IBD patients experience considerable barriers to regular exercise secondary to the relapsing and remitting nature of IBD. Larger studies are needed to determine the effects of exercise on disease symptomatology and activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Weill Cornell Medical Center-New York Presbyterian Hospital, 1315 York Avenue, Mezzanine Level, New York, NY, 10021, USA. emdefilippis@partners.org.
authors.forename: Ersilia M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: DeFilippis
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Weill Cornell Medical Center-New York Presbyterian Hospital, 1315 York Avenue, Mezzanine Level, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
authors.forename: Saniya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tabani
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Weill Cornell Medical Center-New York Presbyterian Hospital, 1315 York Avenue, Mezzanine Level, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
authors.forename: Ryan U
authors.initials: RU
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.affiliation: Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Healthcare Policy and Research, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Christos
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Weill Cornell Medical Center-New York Presbyterian Hospital, 1315 York Avenue, Mezzanine Level, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
authors.forename: Brian P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Bosworth
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Weill Cornell Medical Center-New York Presbyterian Hospital, 1315 York Avenue, Mezzanine Level, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
authors.forename: Ellen J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Scherl
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D011446:Prospective Studies; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D057566:Self Report; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Crohn’s disease; Exercise; Physical activity; Ulcerative colitis