title: Low vigorous physical activity at ages 15, 19 and 27: childhood socio-economic position modifies the tracking pattern.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study examines (i) if the level of vigorous physical activity (VPA) at age 15 predicts low VPA at ages 19 and 27 and (ii) whether the observed prediction pattern differs by childhood socio-economic position (SEP). In this way, prediction analyses are applied to study tracking behaviour.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data are from The Danish Longitudinal Health Behaviour Study. The baseline survey was conducted in 1990 at age 15, the first follow-up in 1994 at age 19, and the second follow-up in 2002 at age 27, n = 561. The study population was a random sample of the Danish population selected from the National Civic Registration System, and data were collected by anonymous postal questionnaires. The indicator of childhood SEP was family occupational social class. Prediction analyses are conducted by stratified logistic regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant and marked predictive power of low levels of VPA in mid adolescence (aged 15) for low VPA in late adolescence (age 19) [odds ratio (OR)=4.95 (2.83-8.66)], from late adolescence (age 19) into early adulthood (age 27) [OR = 2.71 (1.61-4.55)] and also over the full study period from age 15 to age 27 [2.91 (1.72-4.94)]. Analyses stratified by SEP revealed that the predictive power of VPA at age 19 for low VPA at age 27 was only significant among participants from low SEP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that low VPA tracks through adolescence while tracking into adulthood only occurs among individuals with low childhood SEP.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Camilla Hiul
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Suppli
authors.forename: Pernille
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Due
authors.forename: Pia Wichmann
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Henriksen
authors.forename: Signe Lynne Boe
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Rayce
authors.forename: Bjørn Evald
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Holstein
authors.forename: Mette
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult