title: Eleven-year physical activity trends in a Swiss urban area.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Regular physical activity is a major health determinant. Little is known about physical activity trends. We evaluated whether adult physical activity levels are changing in a Swiss urban state (Geneva).
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 11-year trends of physical activity indicators, including 3+MET-minutes per week and physical activity outside working hours, in population representative adults (n=9320, aged 35-74years, 50% women), relating declared physical activity to socioeconomic status, lifestyle, and clinical and blood markers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Combining yearly cohorts from 1999 to 2009, we found a significant trend for increased physical activity levels. Weekly age and sex adjusted 3+MET-minutes per week increased from 3023 to 3752, between 1999 and 2009 (P=0.02). The increase also concerned physical activity outside working hours (+18kcal/day/year). There was a shift from low levels of physical activity levels towards higher activities. Physical activity indicators were associated with socioeconomic status, comorbidities, and biological and anthropometric measures. The trend for increased physical activity was more prominent over the latter 5years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that physical activity levels have increased in an urban Swiss state. The increase is significant but small, and further efforts to promote physical activity are therefore warranted.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of primary care medicine, Department of Community Medicine, Primary Care and Emergency Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland; Community Prevention Unit, Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address: Idris.Guessous@hcuge.ch.
authors.forename: Idris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Guessous
authors.affiliation: Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of primary care medicine, Department of Community Medicine, Primary Care and Emergency Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland. Electronic address: Jean-Michel.Gaspoz@hcuge.ch.
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gaspoz
authors.affiliation: Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of primary care medicine, Department of Community Medicine, Primary Care and Emergency Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland. Electronic address: Jean-Marc.Theler@hcuge.ch.
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Theler
authors.affiliation: Institute of sports sciences, University of Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address: Bengt.Kayser@unil.ch.
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kayser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D055686:Metabolic Equivalent; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012923:Social Class; D012928:Social Desirability; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*
keywords: Physical activity; Population; Trends