Trends in adherence to the muscle-strengthening activity guidelines in the US over a 20-year span

Joaquín Calatayud; Rubén López-Bueno; Rodrigo Núñez-Cortés; Lin Yang; Borja Del Pozo Cruz; Lars Louis Andersen

doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2023.06.016

Trends in adherence to the muscle-strengthening activity guidelines in the US over a 20-year span

Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2023 Sep-Oct:84:89-95. doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2023.06.016. Epub 2023 Jun 29.

Authors

Joaquín Calatayud¹, Rubén López-Bueno², Rodrigo Núñez-Cortés³, Lin Yang⁴, Borja Del Pozo Cruz⁵, Lars Louis Andersen⁶

Affiliations

¹ Exercise Intervention for Health Research Group (EXINH-RG), Department of Physiotherapy, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark.
² Exercise Intervention for Health Research Group (EXINH-RG), Department of Physiotherapy, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Physical Medicine and Nursing, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain. Electronic address: rlopezbu@unizar.es.
³ National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Physiotherapy, Physiotherapy in Motion Multispeciality Research Group (PTinMOTION), University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
⁴ Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Canada; Departments of Oncology and Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
⁵ Faculty of Education, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain; Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cádiz (INiBICA) Research Unit, Puerta del Mar University Hospital, University of Cádiz, Spain; Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
⁶ National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark.

PMID: 37413717
DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2023.06.016

Abstract

Purpose: Purpose to evaluate the prevalence and temporal trends in adherence to muscle-strengthening activity (MSA) guidelines among the US population from 1997 to 2018 (pre-Covid 19).

Methods: We used nationally representative data from the National Health Interview Survey of the US (NHIS; a cross-sectional household interview survey). We pooled data from 22 consecutive cycles (1997 to 2018) and estimated prevalence and trends of adherence to MSA guidelines among adults aged 18-24 years, 25-34 years, 35-44 years, 45-64 years, and ≥ 65 years.

Results: A total of 651,682 participants (mean age 47.7 years [SD = 18.0], 55.8% women) were included. The overall prevalence of adherence to MSA guidelines significantly increased (p < .001) from 1997 to 2018 (19.8% to 27.2%, respectively). Adherence levels significantly increased (p < .001) for all age groups from 1997 to 2018. Compared with their white non-Hispanic counterparts, the odds ratio for Hispanic females was 0.5 (95% CI = 0.4-0.6).

Conclusions: It is over a 20-year span, adherence to MSA guidelines increased across all age groups, although the overall prevalence remained below 30%. Future intervention strategies to promote MSA are required with a particular focus on older adults, women, Hispanic women, current smokers, those with low educational levels, and those with functional limitations or chronic conditions.

Keywords: Physical activity; Public health; Resistance training; Strength training.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Cross-Sectional Studies
Exercise Therapy*
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Muscles*
Prevalence
Surveys and Questionnaires