Characteristics associated with recent recreational exercise among women 20 to 44 years of age

Data on 1,501 control women from a multi-center, population-based, case-con trol study of breast cancer were used to examine characteristics associated with; recreational exercise during the year prior to the interview among w omen 20 to 44 years of age. In a univariate analysis, higher levels of recr eational exercise were associated with: higher education; higher family inc ome; white race; previous participation in recreational exercise above the median level at ages 12 to 13 and at age 20; being nulliparous; ever lactat ing; being a never or past smoker; having a low current Quetelet's index (Q I: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared); and living in Atlanta or Seattle (compared to New Jersey). In a multiple linear regressio n model, independent predictors of higher levels of recreational exercise w ere: participation in higher levels of exercise at 20 years of age; having a low current QI; and never having smoked. Though all women should be encou raged to participate in exercise, these findings identity subgroups of wome n that may need targeting when developing exercise intervention programs.