Associations Between Demographic Factors and Muscle-Strengthening Activity Participation Among Individuals With Disabilities

The purpose of the current study was to examine the association between muscle-strengthening activity (MSA) participation and demographic characteristics among individuals with disabilities, using a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults with disabilities. Adults with disabilities from the 2017-2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were included in the analysis. Participants self-reported weekly MSA, which was used to classify MSA engagement and adherence to current guidelines (≥2 times/week). Demographic characteristics, including age, sex, race, body mass index, marital status, education, employment, and income, were examined for associations with MSA participation. Survey-weighted quasi-Poisson regression was used to analyze MSA frequency, while logistic regression was used to assess engagement in any MSA and meeting MSA guidelines. Among 184,720 participants with disabilities, the average MSA frequency was 1.26 times per week (95% CI [1.26, 1.28]). Overall, 63.32% (95% CI [62.84, 63.79]) of participants did not engage in any MSA, and 73.15% (95% CI [72.71, 73.59]) did not meet the MSA guideline. All examined demographic characteristics were significantly associated with MSA participation, though the observed effects were modest in magnitude (<i>p</i> < .05). While the cross-sectional design limits the ability to establish temporal relationships, a large proportion of adults with disabilities reported not engaging in MSA. Similar to patterns observed in the general population, multiple demographic factors were found to be associated with MSA participation among individuals with disabilities.