THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Adults screened for inactivity at well visits have lower rates of comorbid conditions, according to a study published online Jan. 2 in Preventing Chronic Disease.
Cole G. Chapman, Ph.D., from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, and colleagues examined the value of screening patients for physical activity in a study involving adults treated for a well visit between Nov. 1, 2017, and Dec. 1, 2022, at a large Midwestern university hospital. A total of 7,261 patients screened for inactivity were compared to 33,445 unscreened patients. Further comparisons were conducted between screened patients who were inactive, insufficiently active, or active (0, 1 to 149, and 150+ minutes/week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity).
The researchers found that patients screened for inactivity presented with lower rates of several comorbid conditions, including obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, compared with unscreened patients. Significantly healthier cardiometabolic profiles and a lower risk for up to 19 inactivity-related comorbid conditions were seen for active versus insufficiently active and inactive patients.
“We believe this finding is a result of those patients who take the time to come in for annual wellness exams also are taking more time to engage in healthy behaviors, such as being physically active,” coauthor Lucas J. Carr, Ph.D., from the University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center, said in a statement.
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