Tomi E. Mäkinen

Twenty-five year socioeconomic trends in leisure-time and commuting physical activity among employed Finns

The trend of socioeconomic differences in physical activity is largely unknown in Finland. In this study, we examined socioeconomic trends in leisure‐time and commuting physical activity among Finns in 1978–2002. Nationwide data were derived from an annually repeated cross‐sectional Finnish Adult Health Behavior Survey. People under the age of 25, students, the unemployed, and retirees were excluded from the analysis. The final data set included 25 513 women and 25 302 men. Socioeconomic variables included education, occupation, and household income. Odds ratios for being physically active and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. People with the lowest income were less leisure‐time and commuting physically active. Among women, low occupational status was associated with high commuting physical activity whereas among men such an association was not found. No educational differences among men in leisure‐time and commuting physical activity over time were found. Some indications were found that educational differences in leisure‐time physical activity among women might have been reversed. Our data suggest that socioeconomic differences in leisure‐time and commuting physical activity are quite small and have remained similar between 1978 and 2002.

The effects of adolescence sports and exercise on adulthood leisure-time physical activity in educational groups

BackgroundPhysical inactivity has become a major public health problem and clear educational differences in physical activity have been reported across Europe and USA. The origins of adulthood physical activity are suggested to be in childhood and adolescence physical activity. Hardly any studies have, however, examined if the educational differences in physical activity might also be due to educational differences in early experiences in physical activity. Thus, our aim was to examine how competitive sports in youth, and exercise in late adolescence, and opinions on physical education (PE) in childhood determined adulthood leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) in different educational groups.MethodsWe used cross-sectional population-based National FINRISK 2002 data for 1918 men and 2490 women aged 25 to 64 years. Competitive sports in youth, exercise in late adolescence, and opinions on PE in childhood were assessed retrospectively via self-reports. Adulthood LTPA was collected with 12-month recall. In 2008, we calculated structural equation models including latent variables among the low- (<12 years) and high- (≥12 years) educated.ResultsMen more often than women reported that their experience of PE was interesting and pleasant as well as having learned useful skills during PE classes. Men, compared to women, had also been more active in the three selected competitive sports in youth and exercised in late adolescence. Participation in competitive sports in youth among the low-educated and exercise in late adolescence among the high-educated had a direct effect on adulthood LTPA. Among the low-educated, opinions on PE in childhood had an indirect effect on adulthood LTPA through participation in competitive sports in youth whereas among the high-educated, the indirect effect went through exercise in late adolescence. The effects were mainly similar between genders.ConclusionsOur study answers to a strong need to assess the determinants of leisure-time physical activity to promote physical activity in low-educated individuals. The pathways of physical activity from childhood to adulthood LTPA may be different depending on the pursued educational career. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm our results.

Effects of childhood socio-economic conditions on educational differences in leisure-time physical activity

BACKGROUND Our purpose was to assess the direct and indirect contribution of childhood socio-economic conditions to educational differences in leisure-time physical activity among women and men. METHODS Population-based data were derived from a representative sample of Finns aged >or=30 years (N = 7112) as part of Health 2000 Survey. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was applied. Leisure-time physical activity was divided into inactivity, moderate and high activity. RESULTS Childhood socio-economic conditions had both a direct and indirect effect through adulthood socio-economic conditions on educational differences in leisure-time physical activity. The direct effect of childhood socio-economic conditions on educational differences in inactivity was stronger than its indirect effects through adulthood socio-economic conditions and other health behaviours and related factors. Adulthood socio-economic conditions had a considerable indirect effect on educational differences in leisure-time physical activity through other adulthood health behaviours and related factors among men. CONCLUSIONS In order to narrow educational differences in leisure-time physical activity, we should secure a childhood environment that enables a physically active lifestyle, support leisure-time physical activity in diverse occupational groups, guarantee equal physical activity possibilities across different educational careers and support those with insufficient material resources.

Leisure time physical activity in a 22-year follow-up among Finnish adults

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to explore long-term predictors of leisure time physical activity in the general population.MethodsThis study comprised 718 men and women who participated in the national Mini-Finland Health Survey from 1978–1980 and were re-examined in 2001. Participants were aged 30–80 at baseline. Measurements included interviews, health examinations, and self-administered questionnaires, with information on socioeconomic position, occupational and leisure time physical activity, physical fitness, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical functional capacity. Analyses included persons who were working and had no limitations in functional capacity at baseline.ResultsThe strongest predictor of being physically active at the follow-up was participation in physical activity at baseline, with an OR 13.82 (95%CI 5.50-34.70) for 3 or more types of regular activity, OR 2.33 (95%CI 1.22-4.47) for 1–2 types of regular activity, and OR 3.26 (95%CI 2.07-5.15) for irregular activity, as compared to no activity. Other determinants for being physically active were moving upwards in occupational status, a high level of baseline occupational physical activity and remaining healthy weight during the follow-up.ConclusionsTo prevent physical inactivity among older adults, it is important to promote physical activity already in young adulthood and in middle age and to emphasize the importance of participating in many types of physical activity.

Twenty-five year trends in body mass index by education and income in Finland

BackgroundThe socioeconomic gradient in obesity and overweight is amply documented. However, the contribution of different socioeconomic indicators on trends of body mass index (BMI) over time is less well known. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations of education and income with (BMI) from the late 1970s to the early 2000s.MethodsData were derived from nationwide cross-sectional health behaviour surveys carried out among Finns annually since 1978. This study comprises data from a 25-year period (1978–2002) that included 25 339 men and 25 330 women aged 25–64 years. BMI was based on self-reported weight and height. Education in years was obtained from the questionnaire and household income from the national tax register. In order to improve the comparability of the socioeconomic position measures, education and income were divided into gender-specific tertiles separately for each study year. Linear regression analysis was applied.ResultsAn increase in BMI was observed among men and women in all educational and income groups. In women, education and income were inversely associated with BMI. The magnitudes of the associations fluctuated but stayed statistically significant over time. Among the Finnish men, socioeconomic differences were more complicated. Educational differences were weaker than among the women and income differences varied according to educational level. At the turn of the century, the high income men in the lowest educational group had the highest BMI whereas the income pattern in the highest educational group was the opposite.ConclusionNo overall change in the socio-economic differences of BMI was observed in Finland between 1978 and 2002. However, the trends of BMI diverged in sub-groups of the studied population: the most prominent increase in BMI took place in high income men with low education and in low income men with high education. The results encourage further research on the pathways between income, education, living conditions and the increasing BMI.

Explaining educational differences in leisure-time physical activity in Europe: the contribution of work-related factors

Although educational differences in leisure‐time physical activity (LTPA) exist across Europe, the independent effect of educational level on leisure‐time physical activity has rarely been explored. This study examines the relative contribution of occupational class, employment status, and educational level to LTPA across 12 European countries. The data were obtained from 12 European health surveys conducted at the turn of the century and identified in the EUROTHINE project. All information was self‐reported. Logistic regression was applied and relative inequality index (RII) was calculated. Analyses were limited to those in the prime working‐age (age 30–59; total N=137 646) men and women. In all 12 European countries, LTPA was more common in the high‐educated than in the low‐educated. The association between education and LTPA remained mostly unchanged after adjusting for marital status, urbanization, and self‐rated health. After further adjusting for occupational class and employment status, the educational differences in LTPA were only slightly attenuated. An inverse association was found between educational level and LTPA across almost all 12 European countries. Occupational class and employment status had only a modest effect on educational differences in LTPA in most of the examined countries, suggesting that education remains an important predictor of LTPA.

Explaining educational differences in leisure-time physical activity in Europe: the contribution of work-related factors: Educational differences in LTPA

Although educational differences in leisure‐time physical activity (LTPA) exist across Europe, the independent effect of educational level on leisure‐time physical activity has rarely been explored. This study examines the relative contribution of occupational class, employment status, and educational level to LTPA across 12 European countries. The data were obtained from 12 European health surveys conducted at the turn of the century and identified in the EUROTHINE project. All information was self‐reported. Logistic regression was applied and relative inequality index (RII) was calculated. Analyses were limited to those in the prime working‐age (age 30–59; total N=137 646) men and women. In all 12 European countries, LTPA was more common in the high‐educated than in the low‐educated. The association between education and LTPA remained mostly unchanged after adjusting for marital status, urbanization, and self‐rated health. After further adjusting for occupational class and employment status, the educational differences in LTPA were only slightly attenuated. An inverse association was found between educational level and LTPA across almost all 12 European countries. Occupational class and employment status had only a modest effect on educational differences in LTPA in most of the examined countries, suggesting that education remains an important predictor of LTPA.

Explaining educational differences in leisure-time physical activity in Europe

Although educational differences in leisure‐time physical activity (LTPA) exist across Europe, the independent effect of educational level on leisure‐time physical activity has rarely been explored. This study examines the relative contribution of occupational class, employment status, and educational level to LTPA across 12 European countries. The data were obtained from 12 European health surveys conducted at the turn of the century and identified in the EUROTHINE project. All information was self‐reported. Logistic regression was applied and relative inequality index (RII) was calculated. Analyses were limited to those in the prime working‐age (age 30–59; total N=137 646) men and women. In all 12 European countries, LTPA was more common in the high‐educated than in the low‐educated. The association between education and LTPA remained mostly unchanged after adjusting for marital status, urbanization, and self‐rated health. After further adjusting for occupational class and employment status, the educational differences in LTPA were only slightly attenuated. An inverse association was found between educational level and LTPA across almost all 12 European countries. Occupational class and employment status had only a modest effect on educational differences in LTPA in most of the examined countries, suggesting that education remains an important predictor of LTPA.