Individual, Social, and Neighborhood Associations with Sitting Time among Veterans

Background: Sedentary behavior is an increasingly recognized health risk factor, independent of physical activity. Although several correlates of sedentary behavior are known, little research has identified them among U.S. veterans, a population that faces disproportionate chronic disease burden. Method: A survey was mailed to 1,997 randomly selected veterans at a large urban Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center in 2012 and re-mailed in 2013 to non-responders, resulting in a 40% response rate. We examined individual-, social-, and neighborhood-level factors in association with self-reported sitting time. Factors correlated with sitting time at p<.05 were included in a multiple linear regression model. Results: In the multivariate model, higher depression (B=7.8), BMI (B=5.1), functional impairment (B=4.2), and self-rated health (B=68.5) were significantly associated with higher sitting time, and leisure time physical activity (B=-.10) and being employed (B=-71.3) were significantly associated with lower sitting time. Conclusions: Individual-level, but not social- and neighborhood-level, variables were associated with sitting time in this population. This study identified individual-level targets for reducing sitting time and improving overall health among veterans.