Too Many Couch Potatoes Among Middle-Aged Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients: Findings from the “BE-FIT-IBD-2” Study

Background: Regular physical activity (PA) is desirable, regardless of age, even in patients with chronic conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Aims: This study aims to assess PA levels and related barriers/facilitators in IBD patients, stratifying them into age groups (with a thresho...

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Main Authors: Antonietta Gerarda Gravina, Raffaele Pellegrino, Giovanna Palladino, Annalisa Zanini, Alessandro Federico, Fabiana Zingone
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Gastroenterology Insights
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2036-7422/15/4/67
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Summary:Background: Regular physical activity (PA) is desirable, regardless of age, even in patients with chronic conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Aims: This study aims to assess PA levels and related barriers/facilitators in IBD patients, stratifying them into age groups (with a threshold of 50 years). Methods: The International PA Questionnaire (IPAQ) assessed PA levels regarding resting metabolic rate (Met) in minutes per week (min/wk). Patient-reported outcomes 2 (PRO-2) evaluated disease activity. Results: Among the 237 enrolled patients, PA rates were found to differ significantly in terms of patients being sufficiently active (55% vs. 39.8%), inactive (39.6% vs. 59.1%), and engaging in health-enhancing PA (5.4% vs. 1.1%) between patients under and at least 50 years old, respectively (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Overall, PA levels followed this trend, being higher in younger patients [892 (446.5–1439) vs. 545.25 (257–1210.47) Met min/wk, <i>p</i> = 0.007]. Individuals aged at least 50 years tend to have lower PA at regression analysis (OR: 3.302, <i>p</i> = 0.018). Patients aged at least 50 years perceived IBD as more of a barrier to PA (<i>p</i> = 0.04). Bowel urgency is a significant barrier, especially in older patients (<i>p</i> = 0.022). Conclusions: Age is an unmodifiable factor impacting and influencing PA levels. Strategies to recover exercise levels in older IBD patients should be encouraged.
ISSN:2036-7414
2036-7422