Prevalence of meeting physical activity guidelines for cancer prevention in Alberta

Introduction: Guidelines for recommended physical activity (PA) levels have been developed by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) for health benefits and by the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) for cancer prevention benefits. Methods: We examined if these guidelines were met using a sample of 14 294 Albertan participants of the Tomorrow Project, aged 35 to 64 years, enrolled from 2001 to 2005. We used logistic regression to examine correlates of leisure PA behaviour. Results: An estimated 55%, 42%, 26% and 23% of participants met CSEP, ACS, USDHHS, and WCRF/AICR guidelines, respectively. Women were less likely than men to meet ACS (Odds Ratio [OR] = 0.72, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.55–0.93), USDHHS (OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.50–0.89) and WCRF/AICR (OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.47–0.85) guidelines, and being obese was correlated with not meeting USDHHS (OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.32–0.65) and WCRF/AICR guidelines (OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.63–0.98). Conclusion: Albertans, particularly women and obese individuals, are not sufficiently active for cancer prevention benefits.