Abstract
BackgroundThe high educated live longer and healthier lives when compared to the low educated. Physical fitness as a health indicator reflects the level of physical activity along with other health-influencing factors such as obesity, smoking, chronic diseases and individual training effects. Studies support that self-rated physical fitness correlates with objectively measured physical fitness well. However, the educational differences in self-rated physical fitness are not known.MethodsOur aim was to study educational differences in self-rated physical fitness in Finnish population. The data were collected in 2007 for a cross-sectional population based National FINRISK Study. The analyzed data included 2722 men and 3108 women aged 25 to 74 years. Statistical method was ordinal logistic regression.ResultsLonger educational career was associated with better self-rated physical fitness. The educational differences in self-rated physical fitness were largely explained by health behavior. Leisure-time physical activity explained fully and body mass index partly the educational differences in self-rated physical fitness among men. The combination of body mass index, history of chronic diseases and smoking explained the differences fully among men and partly among women. Leisure-time, occupational and commuting physical activities, body mass index, history of chronic diseases and smoking together explained all educational differences in self-rated physical fitness among both genders.ConclusionsAlthough educational differences in self-rated physical fitness were found, they were explained by health behavior related factors. Leisure-time physical activity offered the strongest single explanation for the educational differences in self-rated physical fitness. Thus, possibilities for leisure-time physical activity should be increased especially among the low educated.
Highlights
The high educated live longer and healthier lives when compared to the low educated
Poor Physical fitness (PF) was more than 17 times (OR 17.82, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 14.17–22.44) more likely for women with low leisuretime PA (LTPA) than those with high LTPA levels
Even with medium LTPA levels the odds of reporting poor self-rated PF (SRPF) was higher among women and men, when compared to those with high LTPA levels
Summary
Physical fitness as a health indicator reflects the level of physical activity along with other health-influencing factors such as obesity, smoking, chronic diseases and individual training effects. The educational differences in self-rated physical fitness are not known. In this article the social stratification is described with SEP, since it reflects both Marxian and Weberian traditions [2]. Physical fitness (PF) is “a set of health or skill related attributes that people have or can achieve” [3]. As a result PF enables “to carry out daily tasks with vigour and alertness without undue fatigue and ample energy to enjoy leisure-time pursuits and meet unforeseen emergencies” and “to achieve the optimal quality of life” [4] Physical activity (PA) is defined as “any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles, that results in energy expenditure” [3]
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