Main Article Content
Association of leisure time physical activity, watching television, obesity & lipid profile among sedentary low-income south Indian population
Abstract
Objective: Physical activity has good effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk-factors while inactivity is an important CVD risk factor and watching TV as an inactivity predictor can influence on CVD risk factors. The present study shows the association of leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and watching TV with lipid profile & obesity in a South Indian adult population.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 2171 women and 2016 men in Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute. The subjects were selected by random cluster sampling method. A standardized Beacke physical activity questionnaire was filled and height, weight, blood pressure, blood glucose and blood lipids of the participants were measured. Data were analyzed by SAS using the Student t, multiple regression, and logistic regression tests at P<0.05.
Results: Mean TV watching time among women living in urban and rural areas was not significantly different (954.59±647.84 vs. 949.22±665.34 minutes per week, respectively). Women in urban and rural areas had 262.89±475.86 and 200.08±451.30 MET-minutes per week of physical activity in their leisure time, respectively. Men in urban and rural areas had 519.46±681.82 and 460.51±663.32 MET-minutes per week of leisure time physical activity, respectively. Mean TV watching time among men in rural and urban areas was 900.58±564.26 and 892±547.72 minutes per week, respectively. Leisure time physical activity had a significant negative relation with waist circumference (ß=-0.002), Body Mass Index (ß=-0.008), cholesterol (ß=-0.01), LDL-cholesterol(LDL-C) (ß=-0.07) & diastolic blood pressure(ß=-0.001) in rural men. In women, leisure time physical activity had no significant relation with any of these variables. Neither in men, nor in women watching television was related to any of the variables. Odds ratio of obesity didn‘t relate to leisure time physical activity and watching TV neither in women nor in men.
Conclusion: Leisure time physical activity leads to improvement of lipid profile and reduction of obesity as a major atherosclerosis risk factor. It is therefore recommended to implement community-based interventions for promoting women‘s leisure time physical activity.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 2171 women and 2016 men in Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute. The subjects were selected by random cluster sampling method. A standardized Beacke physical activity questionnaire was filled and height, weight, blood pressure, blood glucose and blood lipids of the participants were measured. Data were analyzed by SAS using the Student t, multiple regression, and logistic regression tests at P<0.05.
Results: Mean TV watching time among women living in urban and rural areas was not significantly different (954.59±647.84 vs. 949.22±665.34 minutes per week, respectively). Women in urban and rural areas had 262.89±475.86 and 200.08±451.30 MET-minutes per week of physical activity in their leisure time, respectively. Men in urban and rural areas had 519.46±681.82 and 460.51±663.32 MET-minutes per week of leisure time physical activity, respectively. Mean TV watching time among men in rural and urban areas was 900.58±564.26 and 892±547.72 minutes per week, respectively. Leisure time physical activity had a significant negative relation with waist circumference (ß=-0.002), Body Mass Index (ß=-0.008), cholesterol (ß=-0.01), LDL-cholesterol(LDL-C) (ß=-0.07) & diastolic blood pressure(ß=-0.001) in rural men. In women, leisure time physical activity had no significant relation with any of these variables. Neither in men, nor in women watching television was related to any of the variables. Odds ratio of obesity didn‘t relate to leisure time physical activity and watching TV neither in women nor in men.
Conclusion: Leisure time physical activity leads to improvement of lipid profile and reduction of obesity as a major atherosclerosis risk factor. It is therefore recommended to implement community-based interventions for promoting women‘s leisure time physical activity.
