Google News article A new study published online by the American Journal of Public Health finds that the breathing problem is much more prevalent among people who are more physically active.
The study, led by researchers from the University of Minnesota and the University at Buffalo, found that the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, was highest among those who were active, older and white.
It found that about 14% of white people with chronic obstructor disease had COPD and 16% had it.
Those with chronic lung disease, which includes asthma and COPD but also chronic obstructions, had a higher prevalence of the disease than those with less severe conditions.
The study found that white people had higher rates of the illness than African-Americans, Native Americans and Latinos.
More: The study looked at nearly 4,500 people with COPD who were over age 65, and those with more than five chronic obstructors.
The researchers found that those with chronic respiratory disease had higher COPD prevalence rates than those who had a milder form of the disorder.
The researchers looked at the prevalence rate of chronic respiratory diseases and other health conditions for people ages 18 to 64 who were living in households with at least one adult and a householder, and for people who lived in homes with at most two adults and a single adult.
People who lived with at best one adult had a prevalence of 3.9% and that of chronic lung diseases was 3.8%.
Those living in homes where two adults were also living had a rate of 8.1%.
The researchers looked for other health factors, including the number of days of work per week, age, and household income.
Among people with the highest prevalence of COPD were those who worked the most hours per week (10.6 hours per month), the researchers found.
People with COPDs who worked more than 10 hours per day had the highest rate of the condition.
The highest rate was found among people with multiple chronic respiratory disorders.
In terms of other health problems, the researchers did not find differences between the groups.
People with COPDS were more likely to have depression, diabetes and obesity than those without the condition, the study found.
The health problems are not unique to people with a history of COPDs, but they are particularly prevalent among older adults, and in areas where they tend to be more prevalent, such as the South.
More information: The American Journal, “COPD: The Health and Medical Consequences of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease,” May 20, 2018, doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.737