Prevalence of physical activity during leisure time in the European Union

Purpose: To estimate the prevalence of physical activity during leisure tim e in adults from the 15 member states of the European Union and the relatio nship with sociodemographic variables. Methods: A representative sample, wi th approximately 1000 adults. aged 15 and upward, was selected from each me mber state to complete a questionnaire on attitudes to physical activity, b ody weight. and health by a face-to-face interview, summing a total of 15,2 39 subjects. The amount of leisure-time physical activity was quantified by assigning metabolic equivalents (METs) to each activity. Multiple linear r egression models with MET-h wk(-1);ls the dependent variable were fitted. R esults: Northern European countries showed higher levels of physical activi ty than southern ones. The highest prevalence (91.9%) was found in Finland, and the lowest (40.7%) in Portugal. A higher percentage of men practiced a ny leisure-time physical activity and also showed higher mean of MET-h.wk(- 1). In both genders, the multivariate models showed it significant trend to higher leisure time activity in participants with higher educational level s and in nonsmokers. Also. an inverse association between body mass index a nd leisure-time physical activity was found. Conclusion: The prevalence of any physical activity during? leisure time in the adult European population was similar to the U.S. estimates. Nevertheless. the amount of activity is low, and a wide disparity between countries exists. To our knowledge, this is the: first study determining the prevalence and amount of leisure-time physical activity, which is the first step to define strategies to persuade populations to increase their physical activity.