title: Medical cost of type 2 diabetes attributable to physical inactivity in the United States in 2012.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Type 2 diabetes has grown to epidemic proportions in the U.S. and physical activity levels in the population continues to remain low, although it is one of the primary preventive strategies for diabetes. The objectives of this study were to estimate the direct medical costs of type 2 diabetes attributable to not meeting physical activity Guidelines and to physical inactivity in the U.S. in 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross sectional study that used physical activity prevalence data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to estimate the population attributable risk percentage for type 2 diabetes. These data were combined with the prevalence and cost data of type 2 diabetes to estimate the cost of type 2 diabetes attributable to not meeting physical activity Guidelines and to inactivity in 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cost of type 2 diabetes in the U.S. in 2012, attributable to not meeting physical activity guidelines was estimated to be $18.3 billion, and that attributable to physical inactivity was estimated to be $4.65 billion. Based on sensitivity analyses, these estimates ranged from $10.19 billion to $27.43 billion for not meeting physical activity guidelines and $2.59 billion-$6.98 billion for physical inactivity in the year 2012.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that billions of dollars could be saved annually just in terms of type 2 diabetes cost in the U.S., if the entire adult population met physical activity guidelines. Physical activity promotion, particularly at the environmental and policy level should be a priority in the population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, Paterson, NJ, USA. Electronic address: priyank_221084@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Priyank
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, Paterson, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Fayez
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shamoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, Paterson, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Mahesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bikkina
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, University of Texas School of Public Health, Austin Regional Campus, Austin, TX, USA. Electronic address: priyank_221084@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Harold W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Kohl
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Physical activity guidelines; Physical inactivity; Population attributable risk percentage; Type 2 diabetes