Recent Data on Physical Inactivity Points to a More Active Role for Nurses

“. . .more attention should be given to considering total daily sitting time and to understanding the individual, social, occupational, and community environments that contribute to [it]. Nurses have a pivotal role to play in increasing public awareness about the potential adverse effects of high-volume and prolonged uninterrupted sitting.” –“Too Much Sitting: A Newly Recognized Health Risk”

“Often when I ask patients about their lifestyle, they are quick to admit they need more exercise. As a nurse, I view such conversations as opportunities to discuss and encourage physical activity.” –“The Evolution of Physical Activity Promotion”

According to recently released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 15% of U.S. adults say they don’t engage in any physical activity.

Health effects of being physically inactive.

Leading a sedentary lifestyle can lead to well-documented detrimental health effects, including an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. The World Health Organization estimates that insufficient physical activity results in 3.2 million deaths annually.

Sedentary behavior varies based on location and race/ethnicity.

Using data collected from 2015 to 2018 as part of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the CDC notes that inactivity levels range from an estimated 17.3%  to 47.7%, depending […]

2020-02-05T10:52:46-05:00February 5th, 2020|exercise, Nursing, personal health practices, Public health|0 Comments
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Low Physical Activity Among Chinese American Immigrants with Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes

“…compared with the general population, people who have or are at risk for type 2 diabetes are significantly less likely to engage in regular physical activity.”

On this month’s cover, group practices tai chi during snowfall in Shenyang, China. ©Photo Reuters/Stringer.

We all know that physical activity is important for maintaining health—for everyone. It’s especially important to prevent or manage prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

AJN’s February research feature, “Physical Activity Among Chinese American Immigrants with Prediabetes or Type 2 Diabetes,” takes a special look at the issue among Chinese American immigrants. Diabetes is the fifth leading cause of death among Asian Americans, so researchers wanted to investigate what this population’s knowledge of and barriers to physical activity might be.

Recruiting from a community health center in New York City, researchers conducted interviews with 100 foreign-born Chinese American adults having a diagnosis of prediabetes or type 2 diabete

According to the study authors:

“Chinese American immigrants with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes tend to be sedentary and are less likely to perform moderate or vigorous physical activity than the general population . . . .The findings also highlight some of the barriers to such activity and suggest a need for greater involvement […]

2018-02-07T10:30:12-05:00February 7th, 2018|exercise, Nursing, nursing research, patient engagement, personal health practices|0 Comments
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Views expressed on the blog are solely those of the authors or persons quoted. They do not necessarily reflect AJN’s views or those of Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
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