title: [Occupational and leisure time physical activity: trend in the Italian population].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Over the last decades a change in physical activity habits of the Italian population has been observed. The aim of this study was to compare occupational and leisure-time physical activity, to assess the relationship between physical activity and cardiovascular risk factors and the variation in cardiovascular risk profile measured 20 years apart in the Italian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  In two populations aged 35-69 years (MATISS 1984-1987: 2041 men, 2424 women; OEC 1998-2002: 4214 men, 4206 women) gender-specific levels of occupational (occupational physical activity [OPA]-light, OPA-moderate, OPA-heavy) and leisure-time (leisure-time physical activity [LTPA]-low, LTPA-moderate, LTPA-high) physical activity were compared. Relationship between physical activity and cardiovascular risk factors was evaluated in the two samples using logistic regression models adjusted for age, heart rate, educational level and other possible confounding variables in men and women separately. The 10-year cardiovascular risk was assessed in the two periods and in different physical activity strata using the Progetto CUORE risk score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparing the two studies, prevalence of OPA-low had decreased, whereas the prevalence of LTPA-low had increased. With increasing LTPA blood pressure, heart rate and glycemia decreased, whereas high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol increased with a positive effect on obesity, smoking habit and cardiovascular risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Over the last 20 years, physical activity apparently changed: currently men and women dedicate more time to physical activity during leisure-time, and are less active at work. More active people have lower levels of major cardiovascular risk factors. Societal efforts are needed to increase physical activity levels in the population.
authors.affiliation: Centro Nazionale di Epidemiologia, Sorveglianza e Promozione della Salute, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma. michelat@iss.it
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trojani
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Palmieri
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vanuzzo
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Donfrancesco
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Panico
authors.forename: Lorenza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pilotto
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dima
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lo Noce
authors.forename: Patrizia De Sanctis
authors.initials: Pde S
authors.lastname: Caiola
authors.forename: Pantaleo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giannuzzi
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giampaoli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009790:Occupations; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires