CORRELATES OF CHANGES IN LEISURE-TIME PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY OVER 2 YEARS - THE HEALTHY WORKER PROJECT

Background This study is the first to examine associations between con current changes in demographics, health behaviors, and physical activi ty in a free-living cohort of adults. Methods. Surveys were conducted at 32 worksites (n = 3,672 workers) before and after a a-year health p romotion intervention. Associations between concurrent changes in soci odemographics, health, health behaviors, and physical activity were ex amined. Characteristics of individuals were also examined in four extr eme physical activity change groupings: consistently very active, cons istently very inactive, and changing from one extreme to the other ove r time. Results. Among women, being married was associated with consis tently low levels of physical activity, and increases in education wer e associated with increases in physical activity. Among both men and w omen, maintenance of single marital status was associated with increas ed physical activity levels, and increases in BMI were associated with decreases in physical activity. Increases in high-fat/calorie food in take were associated with increases in physical activity among men, bu t not among women. Conclusion. The observed associations indicate fact ors that may be important for understanding decreases in physical acti vity. The dynamic associations between changes in sociodemographics an d physical activity demonstrate the need to examine changes in sociode mographics over time, rather than at only a Single time point. (C) 199 7 Academic Press.