Association between the type of physical activity and osteoarthritis in adults: a cross-sectional study

We investigated the prevalence of osteoarthritis according to type of physical activity and analyzed related factors. This study used data from the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2019-2021). We included 16,632 adults and investigated physical activity using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and the prevalence of osteoarthritis. Of the study population, 8.5% were diagnosed with osteoarthritis by a physician. For overall physical activity, including work-, leisure-, and transport-related physical activity, 32.2% did not perform any physical activity, 23.0% engaged in insufficient physical activity (< 600 metabolic equivalents of task [METs]) per week, and 44.8% engaged in sufficient physical activity (≥ 600 METs per week). The likelihood of osteoarthritis was lower in those who engaged in high-intensity leisure-related physical activity (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.57, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.39-0.85), in those who engaged in more than 600 METs per week of high-intensity leisure-related physical activity (aOR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.34-0.91), and in those who engaged in a sufficient level of overall physical activity (aOR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.75-0.99). Those who spent more time sitting were more likely to have osteoarthritis (aOR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.05-1.88). Individuals who engaged in physical activity or performed more than the recommended level of exercise were more likely to have osteoarthritis.