Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health logoLink to Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
. 2001 Feb;55(2):139–146. doi: 10.1136/jech.55.2.139

Self reported physical activity, public health, and perceived environment: results from a comparative European study

A Rutten 1, T Abel 1, L Kannas 1, T von Lengerke 1, G Luschen 1, J Diaz 1, J Vinck 1, J van der Zee 1
PMCID: PMC1731821  PMID: 11154254

Abstract

STUDY OBJECTIVE—The focus of physical activity promotion is moving from methods for increasing health enhancing physical activity on the individual level to higher level strategies including environmental and policy approaches. Scientific inquiry, traditionally related to individual-based strategies, requires adaptation and refinement when environmental and policy changes become more relevant. The objective of this study is to investigate the significance for behaviour and health of community-based environments that encourage physical activity.
DESIGN AND SETTING—The article presents data and results from a cross sectional comparative survey of the general population in six European countries (Belgium, Finland, Germany (East and West), Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland). Specifically, the relation between perceived community-based opportunities for physical activity, self reported physical activity, and self rated health status is investigated.
PARTICIPANTS—Representative samples of general populations (adults 18 years or older). Overall response rate: 53.5%. Sample sizes realised: Belgium: n = 389; Finland: n = 400; Germany (East): n = 913; Germany (West): n = 489; Netherlands: n = 366; Spain: n = 380; Switzerland: n =406.
MAIN RESULTS—Analyses show that best opportunities are reported by people who are lightly to moderately physically active. People's self rated health is moderately, but significantly associated with both perceived opportunities, and physical activity itself. These predictors interact in that especially for women, the health impact of physical activity is more pronounced in case of good opportunities.
CONCLUSIONS—The paper shows the potential of opportunities within residential and community environments with regard to physical activity, both for behaviour and health. Opportunities may enable the population, especially women, to develop an active lifestyle, and thus improve their health. Future studies with objective indicators for physical activity related environments should test the findings that are based on perceptions.


Keywords: physical activity; environment; health promotion

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (173.6 KB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Ainsworth B. E., Jacobs D. R., Jr, Leon A. S. Validity and reliability of self-reported physical activity status: the Lipid Research Clinics questionnaire. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1993 Jan;25(1):92–98. doi: 10.1249/00005768-199301000-00013. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Aneshensel C. S., Sucoff C. A. The neighborhood context of adolescent mental health. J Health Soc Behav. 1996 Dec;37(4):293–310. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Berkman L. F., Syme S. L. Social networks, host resistance, and mortality: a nine-year follow-up study of Alameda County residents. Am J Epidemiol. 1979 Feb;109(2):186–204. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112674. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Berkman L. F. The role of social relations in health promotion. Psychosom Med. 1995 May-Jun;57(3):245–254. doi: 10.1097/00006842-199505000-00006. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Berlin J. A., Colditz G. A. A meta-analysis of physical activity in the prevention of coronary heart disease. Am J Epidemiol. 1990 Oct;132(4):612–628. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a115704. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Blair S. N., Booth M., Gyarfas I., Iwane H., Marti B., Matsudo V., Morrow M. S., Noakes T., Shephard R. Development of public policy and physical activity initiatives internationally. Sports Med. 1996 Mar;21(3):157–163. doi: 10.2165/00007256-199621030-00001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Blair S. N., Kohl H. W., 3rd, Paffenbarger R. S., Jr, Clark D. G., Cooper K. H., Gibbons L. W. Physical fitness and all-cause mortality. A prospective study of healthy men and women. JAMA. 1989 Nov 3;262(17):2395–2401. doi: 10.1001/jama.262.17.2395. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Brownson R. C., Schmid T. L., King A. C., Eyler A. A., Pratt M., Murayi T., Mayer J. P., Brown D. R. Support for policy interventions to increase physical activity in rural Missouri. Am J Health Promot. 1998 Mar-Apr;12(4):263–266. doi: 10.4278/0890-1171-12.4.263. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. DiPietro L., Williamson D. F., Caspersen C. J., Eaker E. The descriptive epidemiology of selected physical activities and body weight among adults trying to lose weight: the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey, 1989. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1993 Feb;17(2):69–76. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Ennett S. T., Flewelling R. L., Lindrooth R. C., Norton E. C. School and neighborhood characteristics associated with school rates of alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use. J Health Soc Behav. 1997 Mar;38(1):55–71. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Erben R., Franzkowiak P., Wenzel E. Assessment of the outcomes of health intervention. Soc Sci Med. 1992 Aug;35(4):359–365. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(92)90328-n. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Idler E. L., Benyamini Y. Self-rated health and mortality: a review of twenty-seven community studies. J Health Soc Behav. 1997 Mar;38(1):21–37. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kickbusch I. Life-styles and health. Soc Sci Med. 1986;22(2):117–124. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(86)90060-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. King A. C. Community and public health approaches to the promotion of physical activity. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1994 Nov;26(11):1405–1412. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. King A. C. How to promote physical activity in a community: research experiences from the US highlighting different community approaches. Patient Educ Couns. 1998 Apr;33(1 Suppl):S3–12. doi: 10.1016/s0738-3991(98)00004-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. King A. C., Jeffery R. W., Fridinger F., Dusenbury L., Provence S., Hedlund S. A., Spangler K. Environmental and policy approaches to cardiovascular disease prevention through physical activity: issues and opportunities. Health Educ Q. 1995 Nov;22(4):499–511. doi: 10.1177/109019819502200407. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Lindheim R., Syme S. L. Environments, people, and health. Annu Rev Public Health. 1983;4:335–359. doi: 10.1146/annurev.pu.04.050183.002003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Linenger J. M., Chesson C. V., 2nd, Nice D. S. Physical fitness gains following simple environmental change. Am J Prev Med. 1991 Sep-Oct;7(5):298–310. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Link B. G., Phelan J. Social conditions as fundamental causes of disease. J Health Soc Behav. 1995;Spec No:80–94. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Martin B. W., Marti B. Bewegung und Sport: eine unterschätzte Gesundheitsressource. Ther Umsch. 1998 Apr;55(4):221–228. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Milio N. Priorities and strategies for promoting community-based prevention policies. J Public Health Manag Pract. 1998 May;4(3):14–28. doi: 10.1097/00124784-199805000-00003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Paffenbarger R. S., Jr, Hyde R. T., Wing A. L., Hsieh C. C. Physical activity, all-cause mortality, and longevity of college alumni. N Engl J Med. 1986 Mar 6;314(10):605–613. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198603063141003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Powell K. E., Thompson P. D., Caspersen C. J., Kendrick J. S. Physical activity and the incidence of coronary heart disease. Annu Rev Public Health. 1987;8:253–287. doi: 10.1146/annurev.pu.08.050187.001345. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Rütten A. The implementation of health promotion: a new structural perspective. Soc Sci Med. 1995 Dec;41(12):1627–1637. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(95)00013-w. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Sallis J. F., Hovell M. F., Hofstetter C. R., Elder J. P., Hackley M., Caspersen C. J., Powell K. E. Distance between homes and exercise facilities related to frequency of exercise among San Diego residents. Public Health Rep. 1990 Mar-Apr;105(2):179–185. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Sallis J. F., Johnson M. F., Calfas K. J., Caparosa S., Nichols J. F. Assessing perceived physical environmental variables that may influence physical activity. Res Q Exerc Sport. 1997 Dec;68(4):345–351. doi: 10.1080/02701367.1997.10608015. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Schmid T. L., Pratt M., Howze E. Policy as intervention: environmental and policy approaches to the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Am J Public Health. 1995 Sep;85(9):1207–1211. doi: 10.2105/ajph.85.9.1207. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Stokols D. Establishing and maintaining healthy environments. Toward a social ecology of health promotion. Am Psychol. 1992 Jan;47(1):6–22. doi: 10.1037//0003-066x.47.1.6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Syme S. L. Social epidemiology and the work environment. Int J Health Serv. 1988;18(4):635–645. doi: 10.2190/LLYB-QCND-G5VB-JP9Y. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Taylor S. E., Repetti R. L., Seeman T. Health psychology: what is an unhealthy environment and how does it get under the skin? Annu Rev Psychol. 1997;48:411–447. doi: 10.1146/annurev.psych.48.1.411. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Wallace R. Urban desertification, public health and public order: 'planned shrinkage', violent death, substance abuse and AIDS in the Bronx. Soc Sci Med. 1990;31(7):801–813. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(90)90175-r. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Wallerstein N. Powerlessness, empowerment, and health: implications for health promotion programs. Am J Health Promot. 1992 Jan-Feb;6(3):197–205. doi: 10.4278/0890-1171-6.3.197. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES