Higher Total Physical Activity Research Articles

Twenty-five-year trends in lifestyle and socioeconomic characteristics in Eastern Finland

Little is known about changes in lifestyle and socioeconomic characteristics among physical activity subgroups over time. This study aimed at assessing whether the lifestyle and the socioeconomic profile of people with either low total physical activity (TPA) or high TPA changed during 1972-97. Six independent cross-sectional surveys were carried out among a middle-aged population at five-year intervals in Eastern Finland, 1972-97. The participation rates varied from 71% to 95% (n = 33,712). Physical activity during leisure time (LTPA) and occupational physical activity (OPA) were determined by a self-administered questionnaire. TPA was calculated by combining LTPA and OPA. Men with low TPA were older, smoked more, and had a higher BMI than men with high TPA. The increase in BMI was almost fourfold in sedentary men (trend 0.4%/5 years, p = 0.023 for trend) than in highly active men (trend 0.1%/5 years, p = 0.044 for trend). Education no longer accounted for the socioeconomic difference after 1977. Sedentary women had a higher BMI and smoking prevalence than those with high TPA. The difference in age, education, and marital status disappeared between those two groups after 1977. The lifestyle and the socioeconomic profiles of people with both low TPA and high TPA have changed during 1972-97.

Re: Diabetes Mellitus and Risk of Colorectal Cancer in the Singapore Chinese Health Study

The incidence of colorectal cancer is highest in populations that consume an energy-dense diet, have low intakes of vegetables and fruit, or lead a sedentary lifestyle. These factors may influence colorectal carcinogenesis via insulin pathways. We examined whether diabetes mellitus was associated with colorectal cancer in Singapore Chinese, whose body type and lifestyle profiles are distinct from those of Western populations. Between April 1993 and December 1998, 63,257 Singapore Chinese men and women aged 45 to 74 years were enrolled in a prospective study of diet and cancer. Each subject provided dietary, medical, and lifestyle information through an in-person interview. As of December 31, 2002, 636 incident colorectal cancer cases had been diagnosed. A history of physician-diagnosed diabetes was statistically significantly associated with colorectal cancer risk in both men (relative risk [RR] = 1.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2 to 2.1) and women (RR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.0 to 1.9). In stratified analyses, this association remained statistically significant among the subset of diabetics with high total calorie intake and low physical activity levels. Our results support the hypothesis that hyperinsulinemia may play a role in colorectal carcinogenesis, even in a relatively lean population.

Physical activity according to ethnic origin in Finnmark county, Norway. The Finnmark Study

Study objective: Is there a difference in self-reported physical activity between the Norse and Sami population, and could the activity levels have been differently reported in the two ethnic groups? Design: Cross-sectional, population-based study. In addition, we performed interviews to validate the questions used in the survey to measure physical activity. Setting: Finnmark County, Norway. Participants: 866 men and 860 women of Sami origin, and 4105 men and 3948 women of Norse origin. Attendance rate 77.7%. In addition, we interviewed ten Samispeaking and seven Norwegian-speaking persons about physical activity. Main results: Among men, the two ethnic groups differed in leisure time physical activity (χ˝= 11.462, p= 0.009). Sami women were less active than Norse women in leisure time (χ˝= 21.568, p < 0.001). Both Sami men and women were significantly more active during work than Norse persons (χ˝ = 93.819, p < 0.001 for men and χ˝ = 59.323, p< 0.001 for women). Conclusions: Sami men and women were more physically active at work and had a higher total physical activity score than Norse men and women. The variables used to measure different aspect of physical activity seem to be valid in a diverse ethnic population.