Abstract
BackgroundBased on the 2014 survey of physical activity and physical fitness data of 20 − 69 year old Chinese, this study aims to investigate the relationship between economic development and people’s physical activity in China.MethodsA total of 43,389 adults from 30 different regions in mainland China were recruited. The GDP per capita of the 30 regions were determined based on the 2013 annual statistical report released by the national bureau of statistics of China and provincial level statistics bureaus. A questionnaire was used to determine the participants’ exercise frequency, duration, and intensity.ResultsFor the 30 regions surveyed, the correlation coefficients between GDP per capita and weekly activity were 0.23 for men and 0.15 for women. The correlation coefficients between GDP per capita and obesity rates were 0.52 for men and 0.39 for women.ConclusionsAlthough people in economically advanced regions in China currently engage in more physical activities than those in less economically developed regions, overweight and obesity persist as serious problems.
Highlights
Based on the 2014 survey of physical activity and physical fitness data of 20 − 69 year old Chinese, this study aims to investigate the relationship between economic development and people’s physical activity in China
Similar sampling methods were applied in some national physical activity and fitness survey in China, which were introduced in detail in a previous study [16]
The comparison results of the body mass index (BMI) and physical activity scores showed that participants from Category I regions have increased physical activity levels and weights than their counterparts in Categories II and III regions (Table 3)
Summary
Based on the 2014 survey of physical activity and physical fitness data of 20 − 69 year old Chinese, this study aims to investigate the relationship between economic development and people’s physical activity in China. Research has shown that in 2014, 14.7% adults above 20 years old exercise regularly (i.e., at least thrice per week for at least 30 min per session at moderate intensity). The manner in which the physical activity levels of Chinese adults can be increased is imperative to prevent chronic diseases and improve overall quality of life. Environmental factors include physical, economic, political, and cultural environments. These factors can be studied at the micro- (family and school), meso- (community), and macro-levels (city and state) [6]. Most studies have adapted the micro-level perspective, whereas comparatively few have addressed this issue on a macro-level [7, 8]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call