title: Prevalence of physical activity in European adults - Compliance with the World Health Organization's physical activity guidelines.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adults are recommended to engage in at least 150 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (PA).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to examine the level of compliance with PA recommendations among European adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using data from European Social Survey round 6, PA self-report data was collected from 52,936 European adults from 29 countries in 2012. Meeting PA guidelines was assessed using World Health Organization criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  61.47% (60.77% male, 62.05% female) of European adults reported to be engaged in moderate to vigorous PA at least 30 min on 5 or more days per week. The likelihood of achieving the PA recommended levels was higher among respondents older than 18-24. For those aged 45-64 years the likelihood increased 65% (OR=1.65, 95% CI: 1.51-1.82, p<0.001) and 112% (OR=2.12, 95% CI: 1.94-2.32, p<0.001) for males and females, respectively. Those who were high school graduates were more likely to report achieving the recommended PA levels than those with less than high school education (males: OR=1.19, 95% CI: 1.12-1.27, p<0.001; females: OR=1.13, 95% CI: 1.06-1.20, p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although about 60% of European adults reported achieving the recommended levels of PA, there is much room for improvement among European adults, particularly among relatively inactive subgroups.
authors.affiliation: Centro Interdisciplinar de Estudo da Performance Humana, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; ISAMB, Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal. Electronic address: amarques@fmh.ulisboa.pt.
authors.forename: Adilson
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Study of Education, Technologies and Health, CI&DETS, School of Education, Polytechnic of Viseu, Viseu, Portugal; Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development, CIDESD, University Institute of Maia, ISMAI, Maia, Portugal.
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sarmento
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; Unidade de Investigação e Desenvolvimento em Educação e Formação, Instituto de Educação, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Saboga Nunes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005060:Europe; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health; D014944:World Health Organization; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cross-sectional study; Europe; Lifestyle; Physical activity guidelines