Physically active lifestyles are regularly associated with improved health and quality of life. Differences in lifestyles in society can partly be understood through the differences in the social and physical environment. This study examines the relationships between reported physical activity, and the extent of perceived support for physical activity in the physical and policy environment (e.g. facilities, programmes and other opportunities), and in the social environment. The data for the study come from a cross-cultural health policy study called MAREPS. In total, 3342 adults, 18 years or older, from six countries (Belgium, Finland, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland) were interviewed via telephone. Respondents were categorised as active or inactive according to self-reported physical activity. Social environmental factors and physical and policy environmental factors were also assessed. The analysis of the data was informed by social cognitive theory, although the study was not originally designed for this purpose. Sixty-eight percent of females and 70% of males were active. The proportions of active and inactive varied by countries to a great extent. The strongest independent predictor of being physically active was social environment. Those who perceived low social support from their personal environment (i.e. family, friends, school and workplace) were more than twice as likely to be sedentary compared to those who reported high social support from their personal environment. Specific knowledge of the programmes and actions for physical activity and sport was also a strong predictor of being active. A supportive physical and policy environment was not associated with participation in physical activity as strongly as had been anticipated. The variation between countries was stronger predictor of being active than the physical and policy environment variables. This study generates the hypotheses and raises the questions that in a preliminary way, there appears to be some relationships between aspects of physical and social environment and physical activity participation. However, future research is needed to refine and clarify this.
The pattern of tobacco smoking in well-educated young adults appears to conform with wider international patterns of tobacco use. Awareness of specific health risks is poor, and modifying attitudes must be a central element in modifying tobacco use world-wide.
The relationship between healthy lifestyle and personality and attitudinal variables was analyzed with data collected from 809 men and 996 women aged 18-30 years in England, Belgium, Finland and Norway as part of the European Health and Behaviour Survey. A health practices index was constructed on the basis of performance of sixteen behaviours including smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise, sleep time and a variety of dietary and preventive practices. Scores on the health practices index were higher in women than men, but in both sexes the index was normally distributed. Consistently healthy practices were positively correlated with extraversion and optimism, and negatively associated with neuroticism, psychoticism and chance locus of control beliefs. These effects were maintained after controlling for social desirability, but together accounted for only a modest proportion of the variance in the health practices index. The results are discussed in relation to the factors characterising health conscious and unhealthy lifestyles.
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. Towards a paradigm shift in physical activity research The benefits of physical activity for public health are widely accepted by both experts and lay people. There are few other issues where policymakers, scientists, and the population are so congruent in their belief that "it's good for your health". Specifically, physical activity can be related to health promotion, disease prevention, and rehabilitation. It has a positive impact on traditional public health indicators such as mortality and morbidity as well as on psychosocial well being and quality of life. Participants-Representative
This study examined the role of work-related, psychosocial and psychological factors in predicting functional and social disability in working employees. In a cross-sectional design, 890 working employees (reporting at least 1 day of back pain during the past year) completed self-report measures of back pain, disability, pain-related fear, negative and positive affectivity, job satisfaction, job stress and physical work load. Regression analyses revealed that pain intensity was a strong predictor of functional (beta = .69, p < .001) and social disability (beta = .67, p < .001). Fear of (re)injury due to movement (beta = .25, p < .001; beta = .28, p < .001) had additional predictive value in both models. Further, (singular) mediation tests indicated that fear for (re)injury partially mediated the relation between pain intensity and disability, and between negative affectivity and disability. Finally, path analyses revealed both fear and pain intensity as mediators between negative affectivity and disability. Overall, our findings point at the relevance of the cognitive-behavioral model of avoidance in occupational settings.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.