title: Social support and the likelihood of maintaining and improving levels of physical activity: the Whitehall II Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evidence on the association between social support and leisure time physical activity (LTPA) is scarce and mostly based on cross-sectional data with different types of social support collapsed into a single index. The aim of this study was to investigate whether social support from the closest person was associated with LTPA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study of 5395 adults (mean age 55.7 years, 3864 men) participating in the British Whitehall II study. Confiding/emotional support and practical support were assessed at baseline in 1997-99 using the Close Persons Questionnaire. LTPA was assessed at baseline and follow-up in (2002-04). Baseline covariates included socio-demographics, self-rated health, long-standing illnesses, physical functioning and common mental disorders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among participants who reported recommended levels of LTPA at baseline, those who experienced high confiding/emotional support were more likely to report recommended levels of LTPA at follow-up [odds ratio (OR): 1.39, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.12-1.70 in a model adjusted for baseline covariates]. Among those participants who did not meet the recommended target of LTPA at baseline, high confiding/emotional support was not associated with improvement in activity levels. High practical support was associated with both maintaining (OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.10-1.63) and improving (OR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.02-1.53) LTPA levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that emotional and practical support from the closest person may help the individual to maintain the recommended level of LTPA. Practical support also predicted a change towards a more active lifestyle.
authors.affiliation: Warsaw School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Wroclaw Faculty, Wroclaw, Poland. anne.kouvonen@gmail.com
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kouvonen
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Vogli
authors.forename: Mai
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stafford
authors.forename: Martin J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Shipley
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Marmot
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: Jussi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vahtera
authors.forename: Ari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Väänänen
authors.forename: Tarja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heponiemi
authors.forename: Archana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singh-Manoux
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kivimäki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004644:Emotions; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007899:Leisure Activities; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D011446:Prospective Studies; D057566:Self Report; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom