CONDITIONING LEISURE-TIME PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY AND CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS IN SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS OF MIDDLE-AGED MEN IN EASTERN FINLAND

Background. Physical inactivity and poor cardiorespiratory fitness hav e been found to be associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitu s and cancer. Methods. To characterize the least active and the least fit sociodemographic groups of middle-aged males, we investigated cond itioning leisure time physical activity and maximal oxygen uptake (VO( 2)max) in a population sample of 2589 men aged 42-60 years in Eastern Finland. Results. In covariate models, younger (P=0.004), rural (P<0.0 01), married or engaged (P=0.04), lower income (P=0.009), and employed men (P<0.001), as well as farmers (P<0.001) had a shorter duration of physical activity, whereas older (P<0.001), urban (P=0.05), single (P <0.001), less educated (P<0.001), lower income (P<0.001), and unemploy ed or retired men (P<0.001), as well as blue-collar workers (P<0.001) had a lower mean intensity of physical activity than others. Older (P< 0.001), single (P<0.001), less educated (P<0.001), lower income (P<0.0 01), and unemployed or retired men (P<0.001), as well as blue-collar w orkers and farmers (P<0.001) had lower VO(2)max than others. Conclusio n. On the basis of our data, for health promotion regarding physical a ctivity, special attention should be paid to people in a lower socioec onomic position.