title: Non-occupational sedentary behaviors: population changes in The Netherlands, 1975-2005.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evidence is accumulating that sedentary behaviors have detrimental health effects. Comprehensive data on population changes in various sedentary behaviors over time are scarce.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to determine changes in non-occupational sedentary behaviors in the Dutch adult population between 1975 and 2005.
  
  
  METHODS
  The National Time Use Survey of the Netherlands was used, which has been collected in 5-year intervals since 1975 (seven time points, n range=1017-2845). Adult participants completed a 7-day time-use diary in which they recorded their primary activity in 15-minute intervals throughout or at the end of the day. A validated method was used to determine time spent in various non-occupational sedentary behaviors. Population-weighted analyses determining changes over time in various sedentary behaviors were carried out in 2011 and 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 1975 and 2005, the proportion of non-occupational time spent sedentary remained relatively constant at ~60%. However, absolute time decreased, because of a 4.7-hour/week increase in occupational time. Sedentary occupational time could not be studied but has likely increased over these 3 decades. Most non-occupational sedentary behavior was during leisure, and the proportion of sedentary leisure time that comes from screen time increased from 26% in 1975 to 43% in 2005. Between 1975 and 2005, sedentary transport increased by 2 hours/week.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The nature and distribution of sedentary behaviors in the Dutch adult population changed substantially over 3 decades. Screen-based activities are playing an increasingly dominant role.
authors.affiliation: Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: hp.vanderploeg@vumc.nl.
authors.forename: Hidde P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: van der Ploeg
authors.affiliation: Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Kamalesh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Venugopal
authors.affiliation: Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Josephine Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chau
authors.affiliation: Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mireille N M
authors.initials: MNM
authors.lastname: van Poppel
authors.affiliation: Mulier Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Breedveld
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical and Health Services, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Dafna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Merom
authors.affiliation: Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Adrian E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Bauman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003201:Computers / Q000639:trends*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D013690:Television / Q000639:trends*; D013997:Time Factors