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Physical activity behaviours of adults in the Greater Green Triangle region of rural Australia
journal contribution
posted on 2008-04-01, 00:00 authored by C Vaughan, A Kilkkinen, Benjamin Philpot, J Brooks, A Schoo, Tiina Laatikainen, A Chapman, Edward Janus, James DunbarJames DunbarObjective: To assess physical activity (PA) behaviours of adults in rural Australia.
Design and setting: Three cross-sectional surveys in the Greater Green Triangle area covering the south-east of South Australia (Limestone Coast), and south-west (Corangamite Shire) and north-west (Wimmera) of Victoria during 2004–2006.
Participants: A total of 1546 persons, aged 25– 74 years, randomly selected from the electoral roll.
Main outcome measures: Overall PA, leisure-time PA, occupational PA, active commuting and moderate-to-vigorous PA.
Results: Approximately 80% of participants, more women than men, engaged in 30 minutes or more of daily PA. Only 30% (95% CI 26.3, 33.0) of men and 21% (95% CI 18.3, 23.9) of women did moderate-to-vigorous PA for at least 20–30 minutes four or more times a week. In leisure time, most participants were moderately active; almost one-fifth were inactive and another fifth highly active. Two-thirds of men engaged in high-level occupational PA, compared with one-sixth of women. Only 30% of participants actively commuted to work. There was a tendency for a positive association between income level and leisure-time PA.
Conclusions: One-fifth of adults in rural Australia were inactive. While there was a high prevalence of participants who engaged in daily PA, few did so at moderate-to-vigorous intensity to achieve health benefits. As occupational PA is difficult to change, improvements in levels of PA are more likely during leisure-time and for some people by engaging in commuting PA.
Design and setting: Three cross-sectional surveys in the Greater Green Triangle area covering the south-east of South Australia (Limestone Coast), and south-west (Corangamite Shire) and north-west (Wimmera) of Victoria during 2004–2006.
Participants: A total of 1546 persons, aged 25– 74 years, randomly selected from the electoral roll.
Main outcome measures: Overall PA, leisure-time PA, occupational PA, active commuting and moderate-to-vigorous PA.
Results: Approximately 80% of participants, more women than men, engaged in 30 minutes or more of daily PA. Only 30% (95% CI 26.3, 33.0) of men and 21% (95% CI 18.3, 23.9) of women did moderate-to-vigorous PA for at least 20–30 minutes four or more times a week. In leisure time, most participants were moderately active; almost one-fifth were inactive and another fifth highly active. Two-thirds of men engaged in high-level occupational PA, compared with one-sixth of women. Only 30% of participants actively commuted to work. There was a tendency for a positive association between income level and leisure-time PA.
Conclusions: One-fifth of adults in rural Australia were inactive. While there was a high prevalence of participants who engaged in daily PA, few did so at moderate-to-vigorous intensity to achieve health benefits. As occupational PA is difficult to change, improvements in levels of PA are more likely during leisure-time and for some people by engaging in commuting PA.
History
Journal
Australian journal of rural healthVolume
16Issue
2Pagination
92 - 99Publisher
Wiley-Blackwell Publishing AsiaLocation
Carlton, Vic.Publisher DOI
ISSN
1038-5282eISSN
1440-1584Language
engNotes
Published Online: 4 Mar 2008Publication classification
C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2008, The Authors & National Rural Health Alliance Inc. (Journal Compilation)Usage metrics
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