Sociodemographic and geographic correlates of meeting current recommendations for physical activity in middle-aged French adults: the Supplémentation en Vitamines et Minéraux Antioxydants (SUVIMAX) Study.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the characteristics of French subjects meeting current public health recommendations for physical activity.


METHODS
We assessed leisure-time physical activity cross-sectionally in 7404 adults aged 45 to 68 years with applied logistic regression models.


RESULTS
Meeting the recommended physical activity levels was more likely in subjects aged 60 years and older and in women with higher education levels or living in rural areas and was less likely in smokers. No association was found with time spent watching television. The contribution of vigorous activity to total time spent being active was approximately 2 times higher in subjects meeting recommendations.


CONCLUSIONS
Participation in some vigorous activity may be viewed as a "facilitator" to attain physical activity recommendations. Relationships with physical environment variables in Europe need further investigation.
Bertrais
Sandrine
S
Unité Mixte de Recherche, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U557), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA U1125), Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (CNAM EA 3200-MR), Paris, France.
Preziosi
Paul
P
Mennen
Louise
L
Galan
Pilar
P
Hercberg
Serge
S
Oppert
Jean-Michel
JM
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011998:Recreation; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data