Trends, Characteristics, and Mortality of U.S. Adults Unable to Do Aerobic Leisure-Time Physical Activity: The U.S. National Health Interview Survey 1998-2018.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to describe trends, characteristics, and mortality associations of U.S. adults unable to do aerobic leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) from 1998 to 2018.

Methods: We used data from 21 U.S. National Health Interview Survey annual updates. Logistic binary regressions were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and Cox proportional regression models to estimate hazard ratios (HR). People unable to do aerobic LTPA was self-reported.

Results: From a total of 621,499 participants pooled, 10,554 (1.70%) were unable to do PA. Adults who were older than 65 yr (OR = 14.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 12.69-16.28), unemployed (OR = 15.61, 95% CI = 14.20-17.17), reported a bad self-rated health (OR = 45.69, 95% CI = 39.52-52.83), and had limitations with instrumental activities of the daily living (OR = 16.51, 95% CI = 15.68-17.38) had a higher risk of being unable to do aerobic LTPA. During a mean follow-up time of 10.36 yr, 5137 participants (50.44%) who were unable to do aerobic LTPA died. They had a higher mortality risk for all-cause (HR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.18-1.28) mortality compared with the participants who were able to do aerobic LTPA. Adults unable to do aerobic LTPA had an increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.09-1.19) than those who were able but did not perform aerobic LTPA.

Conclusions: U.S. adults unable to perform aerobic LTPA showed a higher risk of all-cause mortality compared with adults who were able to perform aerobic LTPA, and even compared with those who were physically inactive.