Adherence Trends to Physical Activity Guidelines in Adults With Cardiovascular Diseases and the Impact of Wearables on Adherence: Findings From a National Representative Sample.

Abstract

Background: Physical activity (PA) is crucial for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs); however, adherence to PA guidelines remains challenging.

Objectives: We examined adherence trends to PA guidelines among adults with CVD and the effects of engagement with wearables on adherence.

Methods: We used data from 3 cycles of the Health Information National Trends Survey collected in 2019, 2020, and 2022. Adults 18 years or older with a self-reported history of CVD were included in the study. Adherence to PA guidelines was measured as self-reported engagement in at least 150 min/wk of moderate-intensity aerobic PA and a minimum of 2 d/wk of muscle-strengthening activity. Engagement with wearables was assessed as the use of wearables within the past 12 months and the frequency of use in the past month. Weighted multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the effect of engagement on adherence to the PA guidelines.

Results: The sample comprised 1540 respondents. The estimated proportions of adults with CVD who adhered to aerobic PA guidelines were 22.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 16.8-27.8), 29.6% (95% CI, 21.8-35.4), and 27.2% (95% CI, 21.8-30.0) in 2019, 2020, and 2022, respectively. In addition, 24.0% (95% CI, 18.4-29.7), 25.6% (95% CI, 18.9-32.3), and 26.8% (95% CI, 21.1-32.4) adhered to muscle-strengthening activity guidelines in 2019, 2020, and 2022, respectively. There were no significant changes in adherence trends for either aerobic (odds ratio [OR], 1.12; P = .228) or muscle-strengthening (OR, 1.07; P = .508) activities in the included years. The use of wearables was positively associated with adherence to aerobic PA (OR, 2.72; P = .023) and muscle-strengthening activity (OR, 2.85; P = .020) in the cumulative years.

Conclusions: Adherence to PA guidelines among adults with CVD remains consistently low. However, the use of wearables may be beneficial for promoting adherence.