OBJECTIVES While gender differences in physical activity (PA) have been reported, their origin is not well understood. The present study aimed to identify factors contributing to this disparity.
METHODS
This was a population-based cross-sectional study based on the 2011 surveillance of risk factors of non-communicable diseases that was conducted among Iranian adults. Multi-staged sampling was performed to obtain the required study sample. The primary outcome was gender differences in the prevalence of sufficient physical activity (SPA). Total physical activity (TPA) was calculated as metabolic equivalents (MET) per minute during a typical week, as recommended by the World Health Organization. On this basis, achieving 600 MET-min/wk or more was defined as SPA. The nonlinear Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition technique was used to explain the disparity.
RESULTS
The predicted gap was 19.50%. About one-third of the gap was due to differences in the level of observable covariates. Among them, work status contributed the most (29.61%). A substantial portion of the gap remained unexplained by such differences, of which about 40.41% was related to unobservable variables. The differential effects of standard of living, ethnicity, and smoking status made the largest contribution, accounting for 37.36, 35.47, and 28.50%, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
Interventions to reduce the gender gap in PA should focus on increasing TPA among housewives and women with chronic diseases, as well as those with a higher standard of living. In addition, it is essential to explore the impact of ethnicity and smoking status on women’s TPA in order to promote health.
Summary
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Gender differences in cardiac rehabilitation participation and outcomes: an 18-year retrospective study in Iran Marzieh Najafi, Zahra Teimouri-Jervekani, Marjan Jamalian, Hamidreza Roohafza, Mohammad Hossein Paknahad, Mohammad mahdi Hadavi, Neda Dorostkar, Masoumeh Sadeghi The Egyptian Heart Journal.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Perioperative Exercise Intention and Influencing Factors: A Multi-Centered Cross-Sectional Study Feng Lv, Yuxi Zhang, Su Min, Ping Li, Lihua Peng, Li Ren, Jian Yu, Bin Wang, Yiwei Shen, Shanshan Tong, Juying Jin, Xi Luo, Jing Chen, Yingrui Chen, Yuanyuan Li, Jin Chen, Xing Zeng, Fuquan Luo, Qiuju Xiong, Lei Zou, Yuanyuan Guo, Jun Cao, Qibin Chen, Bin Frontiers in Public Health.2021;[Epub] CrossRef
Health-Related Quality of Life and Physical Activity in a Community Setting Marta Gil-Lacruz, Ana Isabel Gil-Lacruz, Paola Domingo-Torrecilla, Miguel Angel Cañete-Lairla International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2021; 18(14): 7301. CrossRef
A detailed explanation and graphical representation of the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition method with its application in health inequalities Ebrahim Rahimi, Seyed Saeed Hashemi Nazari Emerging Themes in Epidemiology.2021;[Epub] CrossRef
Sex-related Disparities in Access of Patients with STEMI to PCI Hospitals in Brazil: The Contribution of Blinder–Oaxaca Decomposition Method Marcos Antonio Almeida-Santos, Taciana Silveira Passos, Jeferson Cunha-Oliveira, Laís Costa Souza Oliveira, Ticiane Clair Remacre Munareto Lima, Larissa Andreline Maia Arcelino, Jussiely Cunha Oliveira, Antonio Carlos Sobral Sousa, José Augusto Soares Bar Journal of Health Management.2020; 22(1): 3. CrossRef
OBJECTIVES Although the effect of physical activity (PA) on the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) has been studied, contradictory results have been reported. Such discrepancies may reflect the different effects of various types of PA upon AF, as well as gender interactions. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the associations of PA types (total, moderate/vigorous, and intentional), as well as walking pace, with AF risk in men and women.
METHODS
Using the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Typical Week Physical Activity Survey, 3 PA measures and walking pace were calculated among 6,487 men and women aged 45-84 years. The incidence of AF over approximately 11 years of followup was ascertained. The association of each PA measure and walking pace with AF incidence was estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazard models. An extended Cox model with Heaviside functions (hv) of time was used to estimate the effects of time-varying covariates.
RESULTS
During 11 years of follow-up (49,557 person-years), 242 new AF cases occurred. The incidence rate of AF was 48.83 per 10,000 person-years. The proportional hazard (PH) assumption for total PA among women was not met; hence, we used the hv to calculate the hazard ratio. Total PA in women in the hv2 analysis was negatively associated with AF in all 3 models, although for hv1 no significant association was observed. The PH assumption for walking pace among men was not met, and none of the hv showed a statistically significant association between walking pace and AF in men.
CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that PA is inversely associated with AF in women.
Summary
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Leisure-time and occupational physical activity and risk of cardiovascular disease incidence: a systematic-review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies Asma Kazemi, Sepideh Soltani, Dagfinn Aune, Elham Hosseini, Zeinab Mokhtari, Zahra Hassanzadeh, Ahmad Jayedi, Francisco Pitanga, Masoumeh Akhlaghi International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Impact of ventricular assist device use on pediatric heart transplant waitlist mortality: Analysis of the scientific registry of transplant recipients database Arene Butto, Lydia K. Wright, Jameson Dyal, Chad Y. Mao, Richard Garcia, William T. Mahle Pediatric Transplantation.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Weekly physical activity and incident atrial fibrillation in females – A dose-response meta-analysis Ioannis Anagnostopoulos, Maria Kousta, Charalampos Kossyvakis, Eleni Lakka, Dimitrios Vrachatis, Spyridon Deftereos, Vassilios P. Vassilikos, Georgios Giannopoulos International Journal of Cardiology.2023; 370: 191. CrossRef
Self-Reported Walking Pace and Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study Lu Chen, Xingang Sun, Yuxian He, Liangrong Zheng Frontiers in Genetics.2022;[Epub] CrossRef
Sex-Specific Exposure–Effect Relationship Between Physical Activity and Incident Atrial Fibrillation in the General Population: A Dose–Response Meta-Analysis of 16 Prospective Studies Qin Wan, Yue Zhou, Wengen Zhu, Xiao Liu Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine.2021;[Epub] CrossRef