Physical Activity Patterns in Adults Taking Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists: An All of Us Cross-sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE

Treatment with a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) is an effective pharmacotherapy for obesity and diabetes care, but physical activity patterns among adults taking this class of medication have not been well described. Thus, the objective of this study was to characterize physical activity patterns in U.S. adults taking a GLP-1RA and identify sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with low activity levels.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the National Institutes of Health All of Us Research Program (2018-2022). Adults aged ≥18 years who were taking a GLP-1RA and had valid fitness tracker data were included. Outcomes of interest were daily total and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity time, step count, and sedentary time. Covariates included age, sex, race, education, income, diabetes status, and GLP-1RA type.

RESULTS

Among 298 participants (mean ± SD age 52.6 ± 12.6 years), daily total physical activity time was 204 ± 76 min, including 24 ± 21 min of moderate-to-vigorous activity. More than half of participants (57.7%) did not meet the recommended ≥150 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous activity. Mean step count/day ± SD was 5,944 ± 2,699 steps and sedentary time/day was 947 ± 189 min. Injectable semaglutide was associated with a greater amount of physical activity, whereas older age, female sex, lower income, and diabetes were associated with less activity.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of adults taking a GLP-1RA did not meet recommended levels of physical activity. Findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to promote physical activity among adults taking a GLP-1RA and suggest a beneficial relationship between semaglutide and a more active lifestyle, which will need to be explored in future studies.