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One in three US adults eligible for CVD prevention counseling in 2013
Thirty-seven percent of overweight or obese U.S. adults with one or more CVD risk factors were eligible for intensive behavioral counseling to promote a healthy diet and physical activity for CVD prevention in 2013, particularly the one in five adults who did not meet national guidelines for aerobic physical activity.
For a recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report study, researchers assessed data from the 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to determine the percentage of adults eligible for intensive behavioral counseling as recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) in 2014, as well as the proportion of adults who did not meet standards of physical activity outlined in the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Based on the latter guideline, significant health benefits can be attained by engaging in at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or at least 75 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or a combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity.
Based on the 2013, data, 36.8% of U.S. adults were considered eligible for intensive behavioral counseling to promote CVD prevention (40% of men, 33.5% of women). The prevalence of eligibility increased with advancing age, from 6.6% among those aged 18 to 24 years to 56.4% among those aged 65 years and older (P < .001). The prevalence of eligibility was higher among non-Hispanic black adults (43.3%) compared with Hispanic adults (32.6%; P < .001 for comparison) and non-Hispanic white adults (37.6%; P < .001 for comparison). Higher education level was associated with a lower prevalence of eligibility (42.3% for adults without a high school diploma; 31.8% for college graduates), according to the results.
Analyses based on U.S. geographic location revealed that the prevalence of eligibility ranged from 29% in Utah to 44.6% in Tennessee. Southern states yielded the highest percentage of eligible adults (39.4%) compared with other regions, including the Midwest (36.9%), Northeast (36%) and West (33.2%), according to the results.
Among the adults deemed eligible for intensive behavioral counseling, 54% did not meet the national guideline for physical activity. This proportion increased with age, subsided among adults aged 35 to 64 years and decreased among adults aged 65 years and older (P < .001). Men, Hispanics and non-Hispanic blacks were less likely to meet the physical activity guideline recommendations. The proportion of eligible adults who did not meet the physical activity guideline recommendations was highest in the Southern states and lowest in the Western states. Overall, the proportion of eligible adults who did not meet the physical activity guideline was significantly higher than the proportion of ineligible adults who did not meet the guideline (54% vs. 46.4%; P < .001). In total, 19.9% of the entire adult population were eligible for intensive behavioral counseling and did not meet the physical activity guideline, according to the results. – by Jennifer Byrne
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.