People living in rural areas are diagnosed and die from cancer at higher rate than people living in cities. Physical activity has been shown to decrease the risk and occurrence of a variety of cancers, including bladder, breast, colon, endometrial, gastric, kidney, and prostate cancers. Being inactive can cause over 10% of breast and colon cancer cases.~Compared to people living in cities, people living in rural areas tend to be less physically active. They're also more likely to be overweight/obese or have diabetes. Adults who are overweight, obese, or diabetic often have changes in the way their bodies deal with insulin, glucose metabolism, and inflammation. Physical activity is thought to reduce the risk of cancer by improving these issues over time.~Primary care providers and their staff can identify a patient's need for more physical activity, but may not have the time or resources to give advice or assistance. We have set up a telephone-based physical activity coaching program, called the MoveLine, to give inactive patients advice and assistance in becoming more physically active.~The purpose of this study is to determine if referring inactive patients to the MoveLine will help them to be more physically active over time. Approximately 880 people will take part in this research in rural areas of Pennsylvania.
The purpose of this study is to address physical inactivity in rural populations in Pennsylvania.