The Berne-Munich Lifestyle Panel - Background and baseline results from a longitudinal health lifestyle survey

The Berne-Munich Lifestyle Panel (BMLP) studies health relevant lifestyles among some 2000 adults in Switzerland and Germany. This paper introduces th e theoretical background and empirical concept of the BMLP Sociological the ory provided the guidelines for the development of an empirical model that measures structures and dynamics of health lifestyles. Health lifestyles ar e explained as the product of the complex interplay between health related behaviours, orientations and social resources. Resident of Berne (Switzerla nd) and Munich (Germany) in the age between 55 and 65 years were contacted in 12 months periods and interviewed by telephone (CATI). The questionnaire comprised some 200 questions on selected aspects of health lifestyles and health status. In Interviews were conducted in two waves in Munich (1996 an d 1997) and three waves in Berne (1996/97/98). The paper reports findings f rom baseline data analysis and explores cultural differentiations with resp ect to the distribution of 1. health relevant behaviours, orientations and social resources, 2. triggers of lifestyle change (life event), 3. mediatin g factors (Health Locus of Control, Sense of Coherence). Initial results fr om the search for patterns of health behaviours are also reported. The find ings show considerable differences but also impressive similarities in heal th lifestyle elements across the two samples. There is also preliminary evi dence for meaningful patterns of health behaviours in the cohort under inve stigation. Moreover, the findings clearly demonstrate the need for a gender specific approach in the analysis of cultural differences in health behavi ours and lifestyles.