Time trends in physical activity in the Tromsø study: An update

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Exercise Science

Background:

• Physical activity is crucial for health, yet many populations do not meet recommended guidelines.
• Effective public health policies require ongoing surveillance of physical activity trends.
• Previous research indicates varying physical activity patterns within the Norwegian population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze long-term trends in leisure-time and occupational physical activity in a Norwegian general population.
• To provide updated data on physical activity prevalence from 1979 to 2016.
• To assess changes in exercise habits and sedentary work over several decades.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 40,690 participants in the population-based Tromsø Study (1979-2016).
• Employed age-standardized prevalences and trends derived from multiple questionnaires across six surveys.
• Analyzed leisure-time physical activity and occupational physical activity, including sedentary work.

Main Results:

• Leisure-time exercise prevalence significantly increased from 16% in 2001 to 28% in 2015-16.
• Daily exercise reporting rose from 19% (2007-08) to 28% (2015-16).
• Sedentary occupational activity prevalence increased from 36% (1979-80) to 57% (2015-16).

Conclusions:

• Regular leisure-time exercise has increased in Norway over the past three decades.
• The rise in leisure-time physical activity may partially mitigate the growing prevalence of sedentary occupations.
• Continued monitoring of physical activity trends is vital for public health interventions.