Steptoe A, Wardle J, Fuller R, Holte A, Justo J, Sanderman R, Wichstrøm L
University of London, United Kingdom.
Prev Med. 1997 Nov-Dec;26(6):845-54. doi: 10.1006/pmed.1997.0224.
Increasing leisure time physical exercise is a major target of public health programs throughout the developed world, but few international comparisons of exercise habits among people from diverse cultures have been published. The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of exercise among young adults from 21 European countries, to analyze associations with health beliefs and risk awareness, and to investigate relationships among exercise, other health-related behaviors, and emotional well-being.
The European Health and Behaviour Survey, a questionnaire survey of 7,302 male and 9,181 female university students ages 18-30 years from 21 countries, was analyzed.
Age-adjusted prevalence of physical exercise in the past 2 weeks averaged 73.2% among men and 68.3% among women, but varied markedly from more than 80% to less than 60% across country samples. Beliefs in the health benefits of exercise were consistently associated with physical exercise, as was desire to lose weight. Awareness of the influence of exercise on heart disease averaged 52% among men and 54% among women, but was not strongly associated with engagement in exercise. Associations among exercise, lack of smoking, and sleep time were observed, but results for alcohol consumption were inconsistent. Social support and depression were independently associated with physical exercise.
Physical exercise levels are highly variable across samples of relatively privileged young Europeans from different countries. Associations with other health behaviors and with emotional well-being suggest that regular physical exercise is consistent with a healthy lifestyle. Links with health beliefs are consistent despite sociocultural differences, but deficient knowledge of the health consequences of a sedentary lifestyle remains a cause for concern.
增加休闲时间进行体育锻炼是整个发达国家公共卫生项目的主要目标，但关于不同文化背景人群运动习惯的国际比较研究鲜有发表。本研究的目的是评估来自21个欧洲国家的年轻人的运动流行率，分析其与健康观念和风险意识的关联，并调查运动、其他与健康相关行为以及情绪健康之间的关系。
对欧洲健康与行为调查进行了分析，该调查是一项针对来自21个国家的7302名年龄在18 - 30岁的男大学生和9181名女大学生的问卷调查。
在过去两周内，年龄调整后的体育锻炼流行率男性平均为73.2%，女性平均为68.3%，但在不同国家样本中差异显著，从超过80%到低于60%不等。对运动有益健康的信念始终与体育锻炼相关，减肥愿望也是如此。男性对运动对心脏病影响的知晓率平均为52%，女性为54%，但与运动参与度的关联并不强烈。观察到运动、不吸烟和睡眠时间之间存在关联，但饮酒方面的结果不一致。社会支持和抑郁与体育锻炼独立相关。
来自不同国家的相对优越的年轻欧洲人的运动水平在样本间差异很大。与其他健康行为和情绪健康的关联表明，定期体育锻炼与健康的生活方式相符。尽管存在社会文化差异，但与健康观念的联系是一致的，不过对久坐生活方式健康后果的认识不足仍然令人担忧。
