Poster Sessions

C-31

Genevieve Dunton

G. Dunton, D. Berrigan, R. Ballard-Barbash, B. Graubard, A . Atienza

Social and Physical Environmental Influences on Sports and Exercise Reported among US Adults in the American Time Use Survey

Participating in regular physical activity has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of colon, breast, and other types of cancer. However, only about 50% of U.S. adults engage in recommended levels of physical activity. These estimates highlight the critical need to identify environments that are conductive to the promotion of physical activity. Research compared the impact of different social and physical environments on the duration of sports and exercise bouts in a nationally-representative sample. Adults (ages 21+) from the American Time Use Survey (combined years 2003-2006) who reported at least one bout of sports or exercise were included (N = 8,614). For each exercise bout, data was collected on the type of activity, its duration (in minutes), and where and with whom it occurred. Sample-weighted linear regressions found that exercise bouts were shorter when exercising alone as compared to with family members, coworkers, or friends/acquaintances (p\'s < .001). The mean duration of vigorous exercise bouts was greater when exercising outdoors than when exercising at home, work, or at gym or health club (p\'s < .001). Interventions to reduce cancer risks should promote physical activity in outdoor locations and in the presence of other people as compared to alone.