title: Physical activity patterns in the French 18-74-year-old population: French Nutrition and Health Survey (Etude Nationale Nutrition Santé, ENNS) 2006-2007.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe detailed physical activity and sedentary behaviour in French adults across physical activity categories.
  
  
  METHODS
  The French Nutrition and Health Survey (Etude Nationale Nutrition Santé, ENNS), conducted in 2006-2007, was a national cross-sectional survey based on three-stage random sampling. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to classify participants into three physical activity categories. Time spent in a sitting position and time spent in front of a screen were used as markers of sedentary behaviour.
  
  
  METHODS
  France.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adults (n 2971) aged 18 to 74 years were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 29·5 % of men and 23·6 % of women were classified into the high-IPAQ category, while 36·1 % of men and 37·5 % of women were in the low-IPAQ category. For each intensity level of physical activity (vigorous intensity, moderate intensity or walking), the number of active days per week decreased from the high- to the low-IPAQ category and daily duration of physical activity was longer in the high-IPAQ category than in the other two categories; 6 % of adults declared neither vigorous nor moderate nor walking activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For most adults in the low-IPAQ category, an increasing number of active days per week would be sufficient to attain the moderate-IPAQ category. This should be taken into account in public health initiatives aimed at promoting physical activity.
authors.affiliation: Université Paris 13 Sorbonne Paris Cité, Unité de surveillance et d'épidémiologie nutritionnelle, Bobigny Cedex, France. benoit.salanave@univ-paris13.fr
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Salanave
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vernay
authors.forename: Emmanuelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Szego
authors.forename: Aurélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malon
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Deschamps
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hercberg
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Castetbon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011187:Posture; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D016138:Walking; D055815:Young Adult