Correlates of Changes in Leisure Time Physical Activity over 2 Years: The Healthy Worker Project

doi:10.1006/pmed.1997.0178

Preventive Medicine

Volume 26, Issue 4, July 1997, Pages 570-579

https://doi.org/10.1006/pmed.1997.0178 Get rights and content

Abstract

Background.This study is the first to examine associations between concurrent changes in demographics, health behaviors, and physical activity in a free-living cohort of adults.

Methods.Surveys were conducted at 32 worksites (n= 3,672 workers) before and after a 2-year health promotion intervention. Associations between concurrent changes in sociodemographics, health, health behaviors, and physical activity were examined. Characteristics of individuals were also examined in four extreme physical activity change groupings: consistently very active, consistently very inactive, and changing from one extreme to the other over time.

Results.Among women, being married was associated with consistently low levels of physical activity, and increases in education were associated with increases in physical activity. Among both men and women, maintenance of single marital status was associated with increased physical activity levels, and increases in BMI were associated with decreases in physical activity. Increases in high-fat/calorie food intake were associated with increases in physical activity among men, but not among women.

Conclusion.The observed associations indicate factors that may be important for understanding decreases in physical activity. The dynamic associations between changes in sociodemographics and physical activity demonstrate the need to examine changes in sociodemographics over time, rather than at only a single time point.

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^☆: The Healthy Worker Project was funded by NHLBI Grant 3R01-HL34740 to Dr. Robert W. Jeffery.

^☆☆: C, BouchardR, J, ShephardT, Stephens, editors

²: To whom correspondence and reprint requests should be addressed. Fax: (612) 626-7700. E-mail: [email protected].

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Regular ArticleCorrelates of Changes in Leisure Time Physical Activity over 2 Years: The Healthy Worker Project☆,☆☆

Abstract

Lancet

Am J Clin Nutr

Community Health Stud

Prev Med

Am J Prev Med

Soc Sci Med

J Nutr Educ

Med Clin North Am

Physical activity, fitness, and health: the model and key concepts

Physical activity, fitness, and health

Leisure-time physical activity levels and risk of coronary heart disease risk and death: the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial

JAMA

Physical activity, all-cause mortality, and longevity of college alumni

N Engl J Med

Exercise, bone mineral density and osteoporosis

Exerc Sport Sci Rev

Supervised fitness walking in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee

Ann Intern Med

Physical activity and reduced occurrence of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

N Engl J Med

Psychological changes accompany aerobic exercise in healthy middle-aged adults

Psychosom Med

Physical fitness and all-cause mortality: a prospective study of healthy men and women

JAMA

Physical activity, diet, and risk of colon cancer in Utah

Am J Epidemiol

Trends in physical activity patterns in young adults: the behavioral risk factor surveillance system, 1986–1990

Med Sci Sports Exerc

Health promotion and disease prevention: United States, 1990

Vital and health statistics, Series 10, No. X

Health consequences of physical activity: understanding and challenges regarding dose–response

Med Sci Sports Exerc

Determinants of physical activity and interventions in adults

Med Sci Sports Exerc

Regular Article
Correlates of Changes in Leisure Time Physical Activity over 2 Years: The Healthy Worker Project☆,☆☆