Living with a Smoker and Physical Inactivity: An Unexplored Health Behavior Pathway

Purpose. The present study investigated an unexplored health behavior pathway: the association between living with a smoker and physical inactivity. Design. The study performed an analysis of cross-sectional data from the second wave of the Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (2004–2006). Subjects. The sample included 1050 women and 945 men, ages 30 to 84 years (mean, 56.5 years). Measures. In addition to control variables, survey items indexed presence of a smoker in the respondent's home, and physical inactivity and low health commitment on the part of the respondent. Analysis. Analysis employed multiple logistic regression analyses, controlling for sociodemographic factors as well as health restrictions on physical activity and respondents current smoking status. Results. Living with a smoker was linked to 56% higher odds of physical inactivity. Low health commitment mediated this association. Living with a smoker was linked to lower health commitment (B = .31), and low health commitment was linked in turn to increased odds of physical inactivity (odds ratio, 1.36). Conclusions. The increased health risk among individuals living with a smoker is assumed to be a function of exposure to secondhand smoke. We demonstrate an unexplored behavioral pathway involving a link between living with a smoker and physical inactivity. These findings suggest that household smoking bans may have broad health behavior effects beyond reducing smoking.