|
The benefits of moderate physical
activity are well known: lowered risk for heart attack
and stroke, reducing weight, and improving mood. Researchers
at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
recently documented another major advantage — improving
the health of the Nation’s health care expenditures.
A study in the October issue of The Physician and
Sportsmedicine found that physically active individuals
had lower annual direct medical costs than did inactive
people. The cost difference was $330 per person, based
on 1987 dollars.
The potential savings if all inactive
American adults became physically active could be $29.2
billion in 1987 dollars, or $76.6 billion in 2000 dollars.
This is the first study ever to examine
direct medical costs associated with various levels
of physical activity by reviewing actual medical expenditures.
Previous studies in the field have used estimates to
project the economic costs of physical inactivity. The
CDC researchers analyzed the relationship between physical
activity and medical expenditures from the 1987 National
Medical Expenditures Survey (NMES), the most comprehensive
healthcare information source available. They found
that Americans 15 years and older who engaged in regular
physical activity–at least 30 minutes of moderate or
strenuous physical activity three or more times a week–had
average annual direct medical costs of $1,019 versus
costs of $1,349 for those who were inactive. Persons
with health conditions that limited regular moderate
physical activity were excluded from the study.
"This study has significant implications,"
said Jeffrey Koplan, M.D., M.P.H, Director of CDC. "It
suggests that we can make a major impact on reducing
health care costs by encouraging regular physical activity.
The amount of physical activity required to make a difference
is reasonable and well within the reach of most Americans."
The level of physical activity measured
in this study was even more modest than current Federal
guidelines of 30 minutes or more of moderate physical
activity five or more days a week, suggesting that following
current recommendations could yield even greater cost
savings.
The study found that physically active
people had fewer hospital stays and physician visits
and used less medication than physically inactive people.
The cost savings were consistent for men and women,
for those with and without physical limitations, and
even for smokers and nonsmokers. The biggest difference
in direct medical costs was among women 55 and older,
supporting the widely held belief that the potential
gain associated with physical activity is especially
high for older women. The authors state that "a
population-wide strategy might produce cost savings
among most adult age groups."
"We must make it easier for people
to be active," said Dr. Koplan. "We need to
make a serious national effort to promote physical activity
and support changes in the environment that get people
moving again."
Changes that promote physical activity
may be as simple as improving the location and appearance
of stairwells to encourage walking at work or as complex
as the redesign of communities. Some communities have
existing infrastructure that supports physical activity,
such as sidewalks and bicycle trails, and work-sites,
schools, and shopping areas in close proximity to residential
areas. In many other areas, such community amenities
need to be developed to foster walking and cycling as
a regular part of daily activity.
Contacts:
To obtain a copy of the article, please call the
press contacts listed below.
- Tim Hensley at 770-488-5820
- CDC Media Relations at 404-639-3286
For more information about nutrition
and physical activity,
|
