Prevalence and correlates of physical inactivity in adults across 28 European countries

Abstract

Background: Physical activity/inactivity is impacted by a plethora of intertwined factors. There are a limited number of studies on physical activity/inactivity that provide a European cross-country perspective. This study aims to present the prevalence and correlates of physical activity in adults across the 28 European Union (EU) member states. Methods: This is a secondary dataset analysis of the Special Eurobarometer 472 data on physical activity. The cross-sectional survey was conducted during December 2 11 in 2017 across 28 European countries. The data consisted of 1000 respondents aged 15 years per country. The current analysis was restricted to adults aged 18 64 years (n = 19 645). Results: More than one in three (36.2%, 95% CI: 35.1 37.3) adults in the EU were physically inactive, with substantial cross-country differences noted. Women were less likely than men to be adequately or highly physically active (aOR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.78 0.95). Similarly, adults at the age of 40 54 (aOR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.52 0.81) and 55 64 (aOR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.49 0.77) were less likely to have moderate or high levels of physical activity in comparison with those 18 24 years of age. Finally, high SES was positively associated with physical activity (aOR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.16 1.69). Conclusions: A notable percentage of adults in Europe are physically inactive. Further research is needed to elucidate the factors behind the cross-country differences and identify potential policy actions that may support adopting a physically active lifestyle and decrease the inequalities related to physical activity across Europe.