Inflammatory bowel diseases patients suffer from significant low levels and barriers to physical activity: The “BE-FIT-IBD” study

Table 1 Sample characteristics concerning the type of inflammatory bowel disease

Variable	Crohn’s disease(n = 92)	Ulcerative colitis(n = 127)	P value1
Age	43.5 (29-53)	41 (30-55)	0.871
BMI	23.8 (20.8-26.4)	23.8 (21.4-25.9)	0.787
Gender			0.1572
Male	44 (47.8%)	73 (57.5%)
Female	48 (52.5%)	54 (42.5%)
Education			0.192
Primary school	32 (24.8%)	27 (21.3%)
Secondary school	52 (56.5%)	78 (61.4%)
Degree	8 (8.7%)	22 (17.3%)
Job			0.009
Unemployed	56 (60.9%)	51 (40.2%)
Employee	16 (17.4%)	38 (29.9%)
Entrepreneur	8 (8.7%)	16 (12.6%)
Worker	4 (4.3%)	7 (5.5%)
Student	8 (8.7%)	15 (11.8%)
Smoking status			0.003
Active smoker	16 (17.4%)	20 (15.7%)
Past smoker	32 (34.8%)	16 (12.6%)
Non-smoker	44 (47.8%)	91 (71.7%)
Alcohol consumer			0.8272
Yes	8 (8.7%)	10 (7.9%)
No	84 (91.4%)	117 (92.1%)
Comorbidity			0.256
Diabetes	8 (8.7%)	4 (3.1%)
Hypertension	20 (21.7%)	10 (7.9%)
Recurrent UTI	2 (2.2%)	4 (3.1%)
Chronic renal failure	1 (1.1%)	2 (1.6%)
Nephrolithiasis	3 (3.3%)	1 (0.8%)
Asthma	3 (3.3%)	-
COPD	2 (2.2%)	1 (0.8%)
Previous pneumonia	1 (1.1%)	1 (0.8%)
Dyslipidaemia	12 (13%)	35 (27.6%)
Arthritis	32 (34.8%)	34 (26.8%)
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis	7 (7.6%)	15 (11.8%)
Partner			0.3222
Yes	68 (73.9%)	86 (67.7%)
No	24 (26.1%)	41 (32.3%)
Biologics (yes)	76 (82.6%)	78 (61.4%)	0.0012
Steroids (yes)	4 (4.3%)	8 (6.3%)	0.5312

¹The P value was calculated by checking the difference in the distribution of different variables between the two identified groups (i.e., Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis).

²The Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test was employed for evaluation.

BMI: Body mass index; COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Data are expressed for continuous variables as median (interquartile range) and, for categorical and ordinal variables, as numerosity (%). Significant P values are indicated in bold.

Table 2 Sample characteristics concerning the levels of physical activity

Variable	Physically active(n = 125)	Physically inactive(n = 94)	P value1
IBD			0.8922
Crohn’s disease	53 (42.4%)	39 (41.5%)
Ulcerative colitis	72 (57.6%)	55 (58.5%)
Age	39 (29.5-52)	44 (29-55.25)	0.506
BMI	24.25 (21.47-26.28)	22.72 (20.95-25.71)	0.185
Gender			0.9522
Male	67 (53.6%)	50 (53.2%)
Female	58 (46.4%)	44 (46.8%)
Education			0.903
Primary school	34 (27.2%)	25 (26.6%)
Secondary school	75 (60%)	55 (58.5%)
Degree	16 (12.8%)	14 (14.9%)
Job			0.432
Unemployed	59 (47.2%)	48 (51.1%)
Employee	30 (24%)	24 (25.5%)
Entrepreneur	15 (12%)	9 (9.6%)
Worker	6 (4.8%)	5 (5.3%)
Student	15 (12%)	8 (8.5%)
Smoking status			0.607
Active smoker	21 (16.8%)	15 (16%)
Past smoker	29 (23.2%)	19 (20.2%)
Non-smoker	75 (60%)	60 (63.8%)
Alcohol consumer			0.8922
Yes	10 (8%)	4 (4.3%)
No	115 (92%)	90 (95.7%)
Comorbidity			0.899
Diabetes	8 (6.4%)	4 (4.3%)
Hypertension	20 (16%)	10 (10.6%)
Recurrent UTI	3 (3.2%)	2 (2.1%)
Chronic renal failure	-	1 (1.1%)
Nephrolithiasis	3 (2.4%)	2 (2.1%)
Asthma	2 (1.6%)	2 (2.1%)
COPD	1 (0.8%)	1 (1.1%)
Previous pneumonia	2 (1.6%)	-
Dyslipidaemia	28 (22.4%)	19 (20.2%)
Arthritis	32 (25.6%)	34 (36.2%)
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis	12 (9.6%)	10 (10.6%)
Partner			0.5702
Yes No	86 (68.8%) 39 (31.2%)	68 (72.3%) 26 (27.7%)
Biologics(yes)	91 (72.8%)	63 (67%)	0.3542
Steroids(yes)	10 (8%)	2 (2.1%)	0.0592

¹The P value was calculated by checking the difference in the distribution of different variables between the two identified groups (i.e., physically active or inactive).

²The Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test was employed for evaluation.

BMI: Body mass index; COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; UTI: Urinary tract infections. Data are expressed for continuous variables as median (interquartile range) and, for categorical and ordinal variables, as numerosity (%).

Table 3 Physical activity concerning the type of inflammatory bowel disease

PA variable	Crohn’s disease(n = 92)	Ulcerative colitis(n = 127)	P value1
Intense activities (Met min/wk)	0 (0-192)	0 (0-240)	0.099
Moderate activities (Met min/wk)	208 (0-536)	140 (0-540)	0.590
Mild activities (Met min/wk)	293.75 (158.12-711.6)	350 (120-840)	0.940
Sitting time at work (min)	210 (113-292.5)	215 (125-292)	0.719
Sitting time at home (min)	174 (118.75-221.75)	177 (115-229)	0.855
Total score (Met min/wk)	828.25 (339.37-1343.5)	839 (390-1451)	0.678
PA level			0.995
Inactive	39 (42.4%)	55 (43.3%)
Sufficiently active	50 (54.3%)	66 (52%)
HEPA active	3 (3.3%)	6 (4.7%)

¹The P value was calculated by checking the difference in the distribution of different variables between the two identified groups (i.e., Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis).

HEPA: Health enhancing physical activity; PA: Physical activity. Data are expressed for continuous variables as median (interquartile range) and, for categorical and ordinal variables, as numerosity (%).

Table 4 Disease activity and physical activity levels expressed as total International Physical Activity Questionnaire score

PA variable	n (%)	PA active (Met min/wk)	PA inactive (Met min/wk)	P value1
PRO-2 CD	n = 92	n = 53	n = 39
Remission	27 (29.3%)	1353 (1026.5-2064)	210.75 (101.25-313.75)	0.303
Mild	24 (26.1%)	1213.65 (1039.52-1534.75)	346.25 (229.62-566.37)
Moderate	41 (44.6%)	1240.75 (879.67-1950)	352.5 (45-468.75)
Overall	92 (100%)	1234 (981.75-1769.25)	280 (157.5-465)
PRO-2 UC	n = 127	n = 72	n = 55
Remission	74 (58.3%)	1345.35 (1057.5-1766.75)	321.25 (204.25-535.87)	0.994
Active	53 (41.7%)	1457 (952-1964.75)	350 (0-574)
Overall	127 (100%)	1373.35 (990-1792.62)	325 (111.5-538.5)

¹The P value was calculated by checking the difference in the distribution of different variables between the two identified groups (i.e., active and inactive patients).

PRO: Patient reported outcome; CD: Crohn’s disease; UC: Ulcerative Colitis; IPAQ: International Physical Activity Questionnaire; PA: Physical activity. Data are expressed for continuous variables as median (interquartile range) and, for categorical and ordinal variables, as numerosity (%).

Table 5 Beliefs about physical activity of patients included

Question (n = 219)	Completely agree	I think it is irrelevant	Partially agree	Partially disagree	Completely disagree	P value1
I think my IBD is a block to doing regular PA	12 (5.5%)	65 (29.7%)	58 (26.5%)	28 (12.8%)	56 (25.6%)	0.957
The treatment I am taking for my IBD is a block to performing regular PA	5 (2.3%)	78 (35.6%)	15 (6.8%)	16 (7.3%)	105 (47.9%)	0.520
I believe that engaging in regular PA may reactivate my IBD or, if already active, make it worse	61 (27.9%)	43 (19.6%)	18 (8.2%)	19 (8.7%)	78 (35.6%)	< 0.001
I believe that performing regular PA may result in complications in my IBD (e.g., fistula formation, abscesses or other)	13 (5.9%)	45 (20.5%)	21 (9.6%)	26 (11.9%)	114 (52.1%)	0.527
I believe that performing regular PA can improve my IBD	28 (12.8%)	55 (25.1%)	87 (39.7%)	6 (2.7%)	43 (19.6%)	0.942
I believe that performing regular PA can protect me from new IBD recurrence	25 (11.4%)	74 (33.8%)	87 (39.7%)	18 (8.2%)	15 (6.8%)	0.538
My family doctor adequately informed me regarding the possibility of performing regular PA	52 (23.7%)	45 (20.5%)	51 (23.3%)	18 (8.2%)	53 (24.2%)	0.936
My gastroenterologist adequately informed me regarding the possibility of performing regular PA	76 (34.7%)	26 (11.9%)	80 (36.5%)	10 (4.6%)	27 (12.3%)	0.871
People close to me (e.g., relatives and friends) have repeatedly urged me to conduct a regular PA	91 (41.6%)	22 (10%)	69 (31.5%)	18 (8.2%)	19 (8.7%)	0.795
People close to me (relatives, friends) have repeatedly advised/banned me from conducting regular PA	0 (%)	35 (16%)	29 (13.2%)	24 (11%)	131 (59.8%)	0.291
Before receiving the diagnosis of IBD, I was more inclined to perform regular PA, but now, upon receiving the diagnosis, I feel less convinced to perform PA	41 (18.7%)	45 (20.5%)	45 (20.5%)	13 (5.9%)	75 (34.2%)	< 0.001

¹The P value was calculated by checking the difference in the distribution of different variables between the two identified groups (i.e., active and inactive patients).

IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease; PA: Physical activity. Data are expressed as numerosity (%). Significant P values are indicated in bold.

Table 6 Predictors of physical inactivity analysis among clinical and demographic variables evaluated by binary logistic regression

Variable	Exp (B)/Odds ratio	95%CI	P value
Age (yr)	0.996	0.976-1.018	0.743
Weight (Kg)	1.017	0.992-1.041	0.180
Height (cm)	1.018	0.989-1.048	0.231
BMI (Kg/m2)	0.999	0.998-1.001	0.867
IBD (CD)	0.931	0.503-1.721	0.819
IBD (UC)	1.074	0.581-1.987
Gender (Male)	1.196	0.642-2.225	0.573
Gender (Female)	0.836	0.449-1.556
Partner (Yes)	1.343	0.681-2.652	0.395
Partner (No)	0.744	0.377-1.469
Biologics (Yes)	0.816	0.430-1.549	0.534
Biologics (No)	1.225	0.646-2.325
Arthritis (Yes)	1.710	0.892-3.278	0.106
Arthritis (No)	0.585	0.305-1.121
Dyslipidaemia (Yes)	0.747	0.343-1.627	0.463
Dyslipidaemia (No)	1.338	0.615-2.913
Diabetes (Yes)	1.074	0.209-5.517	0.932
Diabetes (No)	0.931	0.181-4.786
Hypertension (Yes)	0.622	0.204-1.893	0.403
Hypertension (No)	1.608	0.528-4.893
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (Yes)	1.121	0.462-2.717	0.800
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (No)	0.892	0.368-2.162
Importance PA discussion (Likert 10-point scale)	0.911	0.823-1.008	0.072
Employed	0.857	0.501-1.464	0.571
Unemployed	1.167	0.683-1.994

Risk is expressed as the exponential value of B, or Exp(B), presented in odds ratio with a relative 95% confidence interval and relative P value. 95%CI: 95% confidence interval; IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease; CD: Crohn’s disease; UC: Ulcerative Colitis; PA: Physical activity.