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Muscle-strengthening physical activity is associated with cancer mortality: results from the 1998–2011 National Health Interview Surveys, National Death Index record linkage

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Abstract

Purpose

To examine the association of muscle-strengthening activities (MSA) and cancer mortality.

Methods

We pooled data from the 1998 to 2009 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which were linked to records in the National Death Index. Mortality follow-up was through 31 December 2011. Based on U.S. federal guidelines for physical activity, we dichotomized MSA and compared those who performed MSA twice a week or more to others with lower MSA. We also examined dose–response relationship of MSA frequency with cancer mortality. Hazard ratios (HR) from Cox regression were computed to estimate the association of MSA with the risk of cancer mortality. Mean follow-up was 7.9 years and the analysis sample size was 310,282.

Results

Covariate-adjusted results showed that meeting the MSA guideline was associated with a 19% lower risk of cancer mortality (HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.73, 0.90). We found no evidence of a dose–response relationship between the frequency of performing MSA and cancer mortality.

Conclusion

Adhering to the U.S. federal guideline for MSA is associated with lower cancer mortality. Public health programs and policy for cancer prevention and control should promote MSA to further reduce cancer mortality.

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Data availability

Secondary data that are publically available were used in this paper.

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Funding

This study was not funded by any grants or funding agencies.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Promotion, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 984340 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-4340, USA

    Mohamamd Siahpush & Dejun Su

  2. Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 984395 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, USA

    Paraskevi A. Farazi

  3. Department of Health Services Research and Administration, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 984395 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, USA

    Hongmei Wang

  4. Department of Sociology & Anthropology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE, 68182-0213, USA

    Regina E. Robbins

  5. Office of Health Equity, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Rockville, MD, 20857, USA

    Gopal K. Singh

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  1. Mohamamd Siahpush
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  2. Paraskevi A. Farazi
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Correspondence to Mohamamd Siahpush.

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Siahpush, M., Farazi, P.A., Wang, H. et al. Muscle-strengthening physical activity is associated with cancer mortality: results from the 1998–2011 National Health Interview Surveys, National Death Index record linkage. Cancer Causes Control 30, 663–670 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-019-01169-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-019-01169-z

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