Physical activity of adults aged 50 years and older in Switzerland.
OBJECTIVE
This study explores the prevalence of guideline-compliant physical activity (PA) behavior based on socio-demographic, health-related and environmental variables.


METHODS
Cross-sectional data of the Swiss Health Survey 2002 were used in a Swiss population segment aged 50+. Four categories of PA were created with respect to Swiss and US guidelines: "moderate sports/exercise", "vigorous sports/exercise", "habitual PA", and "optimal PA" (i.e. combined variable used when both "vigorous sports/exercise" and "habitual PA" apply). Sedentary lifestyle was a fifth category.


RESULTS
In the total sample considered for analysis (N = 8405) the prevalence of guideline-compliant PA was: 9.1% moderate sports/exercise; 18.2% vigorous sports/exercise; 45% habitual PA; 8.7% optimal PA. Almost 50% of the age groups 65-79 and 80+ were involved in habitual PA. Higher socio-economic status was associated with involvement in moderate sports/exercise, vigorous sports/exercise, or optimal PA. In contrast, lower socioeconomic status was associated with habitual PA. While living in an urban or rural environment had no differentiating effect on sports/exercise, living in rural areas was associated with a sedentary lifestyle and little involvement in habitual PA and/or optimal PA. Self-reported good health and/or health orientation were associated with vigorous sports/exercise, habitual PA and optimal PA, regardless of whether the person had chronic health problems or not.


CONCLUSIONS
Habitual PA seems to have the greatest potential for increasing overall guideline-compliant activity levels. A behavioral/cognitive and political/environmental approach to improving PA is suggested.
Meyer
Katharina
K
Swiss Health Observatory Neuchâtel, Switzerland. meyer.katharina@bluewin.ch
Rezny
Linda
L
Breuer
Christoph
C
Lamprecht
Markus
M
Stamm
Hans Peter
HP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000523:psychology; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013557:Switzerland