Data Sheet 6_Associations of access to exercise opportunities and physical inactivity with cardiovascular–kidney–metabolic mortality: a nationwide ecological study.pdf

Greater access to exercise opportunities was inversely associated with total CKM mortality [Q4 vs. Q1, RR,0.89 (0.87–0.90)], but this benefit was not uniform across CKM components—while cardiovascular mortality decreased with better access (RR, 0.89), diabetes and renal failure mortality showed unexpectedly higher rates in high-access counties. Regarding physical inactivity, higher levels were associated with an overall elevation in total CKM mortality [Q4 vs. Q1, RR 1.23 (1.22–1.25)], primarily driven by cardiovascular disease (RR 1.24).

However, the associations with the other two components were less consistent: diabetes mortality showed a modest increase (RR 1.23) but with a non-monotonic gradient across quartiles, while renal failure mortality unexpectedly decreased in the highest inactivity quartile. These general patterns were observed across most demographic and geographic subgroups, although the effect magnitudes varied by sex, race, and urbanization.</p>Conclusion<p>Our findings demonstrate that limited access to exercise opportunities and higher physical inactivity are associated with elevated total CKM mortality, with cardiovascular disease being the predominant driver.

While the associations with diabetes and renal failure showed some heterogeneity, these results support population-wide efforts to reduce physical inactivity and targeted environmental investments in underserved communities as potential strategies to alleviate the combined burden of cardiovascular, diabetic, and renal mortality.</p>