[Danish exercise habits in the 1980's. Attitude and behavior in relation to prevention of cardiovascular disease]

The results concerning exercise habits from four Danish health investigations among school pupils in the sixth and eight forms in the Municipality of Frederiksberg, adults aged 20-65 years in the County of Vejle and in Glostrup and the surrounding district and persons aged 70-75 years in the County of Roskilde, respectively, are compared. 70-80% of the Danish population take part in sports in their leisure time. Men of all ages take part in more strenuous exercise than women. The physically most active are those who have the best education and who live in their own houses. In the course of the nineteen eighties, the population has become more aware of the significance of exercise for cardiovascular disease. Similarly, during the same period, the proportion who take part in exercise has apparently increased by approximately 15%. The attitude that exercise is of significance for cardiovascular disease was connected with personal participation in sport. The knowledge that too little exercise constituted a risk factor for cardiovascular disease was increasingly realised although the connection was not definite. The social differences in exercise habits may be an explanation of the corresponding differences which have been observed in several western countries during the past decades in the mortality from cardiovascular disease.