Abstract
Background: Population studies gathering measured data on fitness and physical behavior, covering physical activity, standing, sedentary behavior, and time in bed, are scarce. This article describes the protocol of the FINFIT 2021 study that measures fitness and physical behavior in a population-based sample of adults and analyzes their associations and dose–response relationships with several health indicators. Methods: The study comprises a stratified random sample of 20–69-year-old men and women (n = 16,500) from seven city-centered regions in Finland. Physical behavior is measured 24/7 by tri-axial accelerometry and analyzed with validated MAD-APE algorithms. Health and fitness examinations include fasting blood samples, measurements of blood pressure, anthropometry, and health-related fitness. Domains of health, functioning, well-being, and socio-demographics are assessed by a questionnaire. The data are being collected between September 2021 and February 2022. Discussion: The study provides population data on physical fitness and physical behavior 24/7. Physical behavior patterns by intensity and duration on an hour-by-hour basis will be provided. In the future, the baseline data will be assessed against prospective register-based data on incident diseases, healthcare utilization, sickness absence, premature retirement, and death. A similar study will be conducted every fourth year with a new random population sample.
Highlights
Global disease burden has continued to shift away from communicable to noncommunicable diseases and from premature death to years lived with disability [1]
The present approach allows the evaluation of differences among these factors in demographically different population groups, and for the first time, it will elaborate on their possible synergistic associations with health
It has been hypothesized that a combination of decreased SB and increased physical activity (PA), resulting in improved cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), is the most beneficial for health [63]
Summary
Global disease burden has continued to shift away from communicable to noncommunicable diseases and from premature death to years lived with disability [1]. According to a recent report, there is a curvilinear dose–response between the time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and the risk of all-cause mortality, with a lower risk associated with a higher time spent in MVPA [4] Despite these established benefits of PA, a significant proportion of adults do not adhere to MVPA recommendations [5–7]. When measured by an accelerometer, the compliance is substantially lower than according to self-reports [6] Both the economic costs and disease burden (disability-adjusted life years) of physical inactivity are substantial [8]. This article describes the protocol of the FINFIT 2021 study that measures fitness and physical behavior in a population-based sample of adults and analyzes their associations and dose–response relationships with several health indicators. A similar study will be conducted every fourth year with a new random population sample
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
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 callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
