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Cross-National Comparisons of Socioeconomic Differences in the Prevalence of Leisure-Time and Occupational Physical Activity, and Active Commuting in Six Asia-Pacific Countries

Bauman, Adrian; Ma, Guan-sheng; Cuevas, Frances; Omar, Zainal; Waqanivalu, Temo; Phongsavan, Philayrath; Keke, Kieren; & , Anjana Bhushan for the Equity and Non-Communicable Diseases Risk Factors Project Collaborative Group. (2011). Cross-National Comparisons of Socioeconomic Differences in the Prevalence of Leisure-Time and Occupational Physical Activity, and Active Commuting in Six Asia-Pacific Countries. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 65(1), 35-43.

Bauman, Adrian; Ma, Guan-sheng; Cuevas, Frances; Omar, Zainal; Waqanivalu, Temo; Phongsavan, Philayrath; Keke, Kieren; & , Anjana Bhushan for the Equity and Non-Communicable Diseases Risk Factors Project Collaborative Group. (2011). Cross-National Comparisons of Socioeconomic Differences in the Prevalence of Leisure-Time and Occupational Physical Activity, and Active Commuting in Six Asia-Pacific Countries. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 65(1), 35-43.

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Background This study describes physical activity patterns and their association with socioeconomic factors in six countries in the Asia-Pacific region, and examines whether physical activity associations with socioeconomic status follow similar patterns across the six countries. Methods Population-wide representative surveys of non-communicable disease risk factors and socioeconomic factors conducted in Australia, China, Fiji, Malaysia, Nauru and the Philippines between 2002 and 2006 were used. Survey respondents aged 18-64 years who provided information on their socioeconomic status (age, education, income, area of residence) and physical activity level in three domains (leisure-time, occupation, commuting) were included in the study (Australia N = 15 786; China N = 142 693; Fiji N = 6763; Malaysia N = 2572; Nauru N = 2085; Philippines N = 3307). Results Leisure-time physical activity increased with age in China, showed inverse associations for Fiji and Nauru men, and there were no age relationships in other countries. Individuals in China, Fiji and Malaysia living in urban areas, with higher educational attainment and affluence were physically active during leisure time but less active at work and during commuting compared to those in rural areas, with lower educational attainment and lower income. Conclusion There is a link between types of physical activity participation and socioeconomic factors in developing countries. Associations with socioeconomic indicators are likely to reflect economic growth. The findings strongly support the need for a comparable noncommunicable risk factors surveillance system in developing countries.




JOUR



Bauman, Adrian
Ma, Guan-sheng
Cuevas, Frances
Omar, Zainal
Waqanivalu, Temo
Phongsavan, Philayrath
Keke, Kieren
, Anjana Bhushan for the Equity and Non-Communicable Diseases Risk Factors Project Collaborative Group



2011


Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health

65

1

35-43






0143-005X

10.1136/jech.2008.086710



1884