Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Physical activity and its association with other lifestyle factors

  • Published:
European Journal of Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The association of several lifestyle factors with leisure-time physical activity was examined from 1990 to 1991 in a representative sample of 2623 men and 2688 women, ages 25–69, in Germany. Active persons during leisure time were less likely to live in small villages, to smoke and generally had a lower body mass index as compared to sedentary. Men and women with high socioeconomic status were, respectively, four and three times more likely to have an active leisure time than those with low socioeconomic status. After adjustment for age, body mass index, urbanization, socioeconomic status, smoking and average monthly temperature, they less often felt the need to sleep early, consumed more often fruit, salad, whole grain bread and vitamin supplements, less often white bread and meat and a higher amount of fluids as compared to sedentary persons. They were more likely to be single and to eat breakfast regularly. Higher levels of leisure-time physical activity were associated with a general healthier lifestyle.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Powell KE, Thompson PD, Caspersen CJ, Kendrick JS. Physical activity and the incidence of coronary heart disease. Ann Rev Public Health 1987; 8: 253–287.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Leon AS, Connett J, Jacobs DR, Rauramaa R. Leisure-time physical activity levels and risk of coronary heart disease and death: The multiple risk factor intervention trial. JAMA 1987; 258: 2388–2395.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Rotevatn S, Akslen LA, Bjelke E. Lifestyle and mortality among Norwegian men. Prev Med 1989; 18: 433–443.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Jensen G, Nyboe J, Appleyard M, Schnohr P. Risk factors for acute myocardial infarction in Copenhagen II: Smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity, obesity, oral contraception, diabetes, lipids, and blood pressure. Eur Heart J 1991; 12: 298–308.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Blair SN, Kohl HW, Gordon NF. How much physical activity is good for health? Ann Rev Public Health 1992; 13: 99–126.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Paffenbarger RS, Hyde RT, Wing AL, Lee IM, Jung DL, Kampert JB. The association of changes in physical activity level and other lifestyle characteristics with mortality among men. N Engl J Med 1993; 328: 538–545.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Abbott RD, Rodriguez BL, Burchfiel CM, Curb JD. Physical activity in older middle-aged men and reduced risk of stroke: The Honolulu Heart Program. Am J Epidemiol 1994;139:881–93.

    Google Scholar 

  8. LaFontaine T, Dabney S, Brownson R, Smith C. The effect of physical activity on all cause mortality compared to cardiovascular mortality: A review of research and recommendations. Missouri Medicine 1994; 91: 188–194.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Mensink GBM, Deketh M, Mul MDM, Schuit AJ, Hoffmeister H. Physical activity and its association with cardiovascular risk factors and mortality. Epidemiol 1996; 7: 1–7.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Fentem PH. Benefits of exercise in health and disease. Brit Med J 1994; 308: 2–6.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Hinkle LE, Thaler HT, Merke DP, Renier-Berg D, Morton NE. The risk factors for arrhythmic death in a sample of men followed for 20 years. Am J Epidemiol 1988; 127: 500–515.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Helmert U, Herman B, Shea S. Moderate and vigorous leisure-time physical activity and cardiovascular disease risk factors in West Germany, 1984–1991. Int J Epidemiol 1994; 23: 285–292.

    Google Scholar 

  13. White CC, Powell KE, Hogelin GC, Gentry EM, Forman MR. The behavioral risk factor surveys: IV. The descriptive epidemiology of exercise. Am J Prev Med 1987; 3: 304–310.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Sallis JF, Hovell MF, Hofstetter CR, Faucher P, Elder JP, Blanchard J, Caspersen JC, Powell KE, Christenson GM. A multivariate study of determinants of vigorous exercise in a community sample. Prev Med 1989; 18: 20–34.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Johnson NA, Boyle CA, Heller RF. Leisure-time physical activity and other health behaviours: Are they related? Aust J Public Health 1995; 19: 69–75.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Deurenberg, P. Sporten: Enkele leef-en eetgewoonten (in Dutch). Voeding 1983; 44: 278–282.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Sallis JF, Haskell WL, Wood PD, Fortmann SP, Rogers T, Blair SN, Paffenbarger Jr RS. Physical activity assessment methodology in the Five-City Project. Am J Epidemiol 1985; 121: 91–106.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Hoffmeister H, Mensink GBM, Stolzenberg H. National trends in risk factors for cardiovascular disease in Germany. Prev Med 1994; 23: 197–205.

    Google Scholar 

  19. German Cardiovascular Prevention Study Group. German Cardiovascular Prevention Study: Design and methods. Eur Heart J 1988; 9: 1058–1066.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Hoffmeister H, Mensink GBM, Stolzenberg H, Hoeltz J, Kreuter H, Laaser U, Nüssel E, Hülleman KD, v. Troschke J. Reduction of Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors in the German Cardiovascular Prevention Study. Prev Med 1996; 25: 135–145.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Taylor HL, Jacob DR, Schucker B, Knudsen J, Leon AS, Debacker G. The Questionnaire for the Assessment of Leisure Time Physical Activities. J Chron Dis 1978; 31: 741–755.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Leon AS, Jacobs Jr DR, Montoye HJ, Sallis JF, Paffenbarger Jr RS. Compendium of physical activities: Classification of energy costs of human physical activities. Med Sci Sports Exercise 1992; 25: 71–80.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Hoffmeister H, Hüttner H, Stolzenberg H, Lopez H, Winkler J. Sozialer Status und Gesundheit (in German). München: MMV Medizin Verlag, 1992 (bga-Schriften 2/92).

    Google Scholar 

  24. SAS Institute, Inc. SAS/STAT User's guide, release 6.03 Edition, SAS Institute Inc. Cavy, NC, USA, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Lamb KL, Roberts K, Brodie DA. Self-perceived health among sports participants and non-sports participants. Soc Sci Med 1990; 31: 963–969.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Heath GW, Kendrick JS. Outrunning the risks: A behavioral risk profile of runners. Am J Prev Med 1989; 5: 347–352.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Løchen MJ, Rasmussen K. The Tromsø study: Physical fitness, self reported physical activity, and their relationship to other coronary risk factors. J Epidemiol Commun Health 1992; 26: 103–107.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Voorrips LE, van Staveren WA, Hautvast JGAJ. Are physically active elderly women in a better nutritional condition than their sedentary peers? Eur J Clin Nutr 1991;45:545–552.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Høstmark AT, Berg J, Brudal S, Berge SR, Kierulf P, Bjerkedal T. Coronary risk factor in middle-aged men as related to smoking, coffee intake and physical activity. Scand J Soc Med 1992;20:196–203.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Wankel LM, Sefton JM. Physical activity and other lifestyle behaviors. In: Bouchard C, Shephard RJ, Stephens T (eds), Physical activity, fitness, and health — International proceedings and consensus statement. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers, 1994: 530–550.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Millar WJ, Stephens T. Social status and health risks in Canadian adults: 1985 and 1991. Health Reports 1993; 5: 143–156.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Lewis CE, Raczynski JM, Heath GW, Levinson R, Cutter GR. Physical activity of public housing residents in Birmingham, Alabama. Am J Public Health 1993; 83: 1016–1020

    Google Scholar 

  33. Stephens T, Caspersen CJ. The demography of physical activity. In: Bouchard C, Shephard RJ, Stephens T (eds), Physical activity, fitness, and health — International proceedings and consensus statement. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers, 1994: 204–213.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Klesges RC, Eck LH, Isbell TR, Fulliton W, Hanson CL. Smoking status: Effects on the dietary intake, physical activity, and body fat of adult men. Am J Clin Nutr 1990; 51: 784–789.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Stephens T. Physical activity and mental health in the United States and Canada: Evidence from four population surveys. Prev Med 1988; 17: 35–47.

    Google Scholar 

  36. US Department of Health and Human Services. Physical activity and health. A report of the surgeon general. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Heinemann L, Zerbes H. Physical activity, fitness, and diet: Behavior in the population compared with elite athletes in the GDR. Am J Clin Nutr 1989; 49: 1007–1016.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Nieman D, Butler J, Pollett L, Dietrich S, Lutz R. Nutrient intake of marathon runners. J Am Diet Assoc 1989; 89: 1273–1278.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Pate R, Sargent R, Baldwin C, Burgess M. Dietary intake of women runners. Int J Sports Med 1990; 11: 461–466.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Hollmann W, Liesen H, Rost R, Heck H, Satomi J. Präventive Kardiologie: Bewegungsmangel und körperliches Training aus epidemiologischer und experimenteller Sicht. Z Kardiol 1985; 74: 46–54.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany

    Gert B.M. Mensink

  2. Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Agricultural University Wageningen, the Netherlands

    Nienke Loose & Claudia M. Oomen

Authors
  1. Gert B.M. Mensink
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nienke Loose
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Claudia M. Oomen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mensink, G.B., Loose, N. & Oomen, C.M. Physical activity and its association with other lifestyle factors. Eur J Epidemiol 13, 771–778 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007474220830

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007474220830

Search

Navigation