Elsevier

Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases

Volume 57, Issue 4, January–February 2015, Pages 315-323
Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases

Inadequate Physical Activity and Health Care Expenditures in the United States

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2014.08.002Get rights and content

Abstract

This study estimates the percentage of health care expenditures in the non-institutionalized United States (U.S.) adult population associated with levels of physical activity inadequate to meet current guidelines. Leisure-time physical activity data from the National Health Interview Survey (2004–2010) were merged with health care expenditure data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (2006–2011). Health care expenditures for inactive (i.e., no physical activity) and insufficiently active adults (i.e., some physical activity but not enough to meet guidelines) were compared with active adults (i.e., ≥ 150 minutes/week moderate-intensity equivalent activity) using an econometric model. Overall, 11.1% (95% CI: 7.3, 14.9) of aggregate health care expenditures were associated with inadequate physical activity (i.e., inactive and insufficiently active levels). When adults with any reported difficulty walking due to a health problem were excluded, 8.7% (95% CI: 5.2, 12.3) of aggregate health care expenditures were associated with inadequate physical activity. Increasing adults’ physical activity to meet guidelines may reduce U.S. health care expenditures.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

BMI
Body Mass Index
MEPS
Medical Expenditure Panel Survey
NHIS
National Health Interview Survey
U.S.
United States

Keywords

Physical activity
Exercise
Health expenditures
Health care

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Statement of Conflict of Interest: see page 322.

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