title: Leisure-Time Physical Activity and the Risk of Suspected Bacterial Infections.
abstract: The risk of upper respiratory tract viral infections is reduced with increased physical activity, but little information is available regarding bacterial infections. We examined the relationship between leisure-time physical activity and suspected bacterial infections.
  
  
  
  Information on leisure-time physical activity was obtained from the 2007 and 2010 North Denmark Region Health Surveys of 18,874 Danes and linked to data from nationwide administrative registries. Suspected bacterial infections were determined based on filled prescriptions for antibiotics. Adjusted estimates were calculated using logistic regression models.
  
  
  
  During a 1-yr follow-up, 5368 participants filled at least one antibiotic prescription. There was a statistically significant difference between physical activity level and filling any antibiotic prescriptions among women (P = 0.003) but not among men (P = 0.191). Logistic regression analysis showed that compared with sedentary behavior, all levels of leisure-time physical activities lowered the likelihood of filling an antibiotic prescription. However, after multivariable adjustments, only estimates of low physical activity were significant (odds ratio [OR] = 0.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.82; 0.99). Multivariable adjusted subgroup analyses of suspected cystitis showed a decreased likelihood of engaging in low (OR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.65-0.95) and moderate (OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.54-0.87) physical activity.
  
  
  
  Low leisure-time physical activity is associated with a statistically significant 10% lower risk of suspected bacterial infections during a 1-yr follow-up compared with sedentary behavior. Further, low and moderate levels of physical activity were associated with the statistically significant reduction of suspected cystitis. No reduction in suspected respiratory tract infections was statistically significant and associated with physical activity compared with sedentary behavior.
authors.affiliation: 1Public Health Epidemiology Group, Department of Health Science Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, DENMARK; and 2Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, DENMARK.
authors.forename: Kathrine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pape
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ryttergaard
authors.forename: Torill Alise
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Rotevatn
authors.forename: Berit Jamie
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Torp-Pedersen
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Overgaard
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bøggild
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*