Table 1.
Baseline characteristics by intervention group
| Characteristics | Physical Activity | Health Education | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Na | Mean ± SD or n (%) | Na | Mean ± SD or n (%) | |
| Age | 818 | 78.7 ± 5.2 | 817 | 79.1 ± 5.2 |
| Female | 547 (66.9) | 551 (67.4) | ||
| Non-Hispanic white | 815 | 604 (74.1) | 815 | 635 (77.9) |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 818 | 30.1 ± 5.7 | 817 | 30.3 ± 6.2 |
| BMI ≥ 30 | 818 | 374 (45.7) | 817 | 378 (46.3) |
| Smoking status | ||||
| Never | 807 | 400 (49.6) | 799 | 434 (54.3) |
| Former | 381 (47.2) | 341 (42.7) | ||
| Current | 26 (3.2) | 24 (3.0) | ||
| Number of chronic conditionsb | 816 | 2.0 ± 1.2 | 815 | 2.0 ± 1.2 |
| Hypertension | 573 (70.2) | 578 (70.9) | ||
| Diabetes mellitus | 199 (24.4) | 216 (26.5) | ||
| Arthritis | 153 (18.8) | 165 (20.2) | ||
| Chronic lung diseasec | 130 (15.9) | 123 (15.1) | ||
| Peripheral artery diseased | 71 (8.7) | 58 (7.1) | ||
| Coronary artery diseasee | 60 (7.4) | 69 (8.5) | ||
| Stroke | 57 (7.0) | 52 (6.4) | ||
| Heart failure | 26 (3.2) | 814 | 45 (5.5) | |
| Respiratory medicationf | 817 | 86 (10.5) | 817 | 92 (11.3) |
| Oxygen therapyg | 818 | 11 (1.3) | 816 | 21 (2.6) |
| Fair-to-poor health status | 816 | 285 (34.9) | 813 | 282 (34.7) |
| 400m walk time (minutes) | 818 | 8.4 ± 1.9 | 817 | 8.5 ± 1.9 |
| Slow gait speed (<0.8 m/sec)h | 333 (40.7) | 309 (37.8) | ||
| SPPB score | 7.4 ± 1.6 | 7.3 ± 1.6 | ||
| SPPB <8i | 465 (56.8) | 439 (53.7) | ||
| Sedentary time (%)j | 656 | 77.1 ± 8.1 | 653 | 77.1 ± 8.2 |
| Respiratory measures | ||||
| Borg dyspnea indexk | 816 | 1.70 ± 1.46 | 816 | 1.72 ± 1.53 |
| Moderate-to-severe dyspnea (Borg>2) | 254 (31.1) | 262 (32.1) | ||
| FEV1 (liters) | 684 | 1.85 ± 0.56 | 679 | 1.86 ± 0.57 |
| Low breathing capacity (FEV1<LLN) | 135 (19.7) | 116 (17.1) | ||
| MIP (cm H2O) | 703 | 59.4 ± 23.0 | 677 | 58.6 ± 22.0 |
| Respiratory muscle weakness (MIP<LLN) | 116 (16.5) | 100 (14.8) | ||
BMI, body mass index; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 second; LLN, lower limit of normal (Z-score <−1.64); MIP, maximal inspiratory pressure; SD, standard deviation; SPPB, Short Physical Performance Battery.
Varies as a consequence of participants being excluded because of poor testing performance, missing values, or a delayed start to data acquisition (i.e., accelerometry).
Self-reported physician diagnosed.
Asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (chronic bronchitis or emphysema).
Included self-reported, physician-diagnosis or prior hospitalization for an operation or procedure to improve the blood flow to the legs (angioplasty or stent).
Heart attack, coronary, or myocardial infarction requiring overnight hospitalization.
Included bronchodilators and corticosteroids.
Included intermittent use, at night, or with exercise. Regular use of oxygen therapy was an exclusion criterion in the LIFE Study.
Measured during the 400 meter walk at the participant’s usual walking pace.
SPPB score <8 identified moderate-to-severe mobility impairment.
Percent of accelerometer wear time with activity <100 counts/minute, averaged across days.
Scale of dyspnea severity (0–10), recorded immediately after the 400-m walk test.