Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

LIVE: Thursday 27th June 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)
Join our expert panel to discover why you need to understand the drivers of non-adherence in your patients, and how you can optimize medication adherence in your clinics to drastically improve patient outcomes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
International Journal of Public Health
Published in: International Journal of Public Health 2/2014

01-04-2014 | Original Article

Gender-specific changes in physical activity pattern in Iran: national surveillance of risk factors of non-communicable diseases (2007–2011)

Authors: Jalil Koohpayehzadeh, Koorosh Etemad, Mehrshad Abbasi, Alipasha Meysamie, Sara Sheikhbahaei, Fereshteh Asgari, Sina Noshad, Nima Hafezi-Nejad, Ali Rafei, Mostafa Mousavizadeh, Elias Khajeh, Maryam Ebadi, Manouchehr Nakhjavani, Alireza Esteghamati

Published in: International Journal of Public Health | Issue 2/2014

Login to get access

Abstract

Objectives

This study describes the gender-specific pattern of physical activity (PA) in Iran 2011. The 4-year changes in PA levels (domains) are also determined according to the Iran’s national surveys conducted on 2007 and 2011.

Methods

Physical activity assessed based on the global physical activity questionnaire. In all, 4,121 (2007), and 7,436 (2011) adults were analyzed.

Results

Based on 2011 survey, 56.4 %, 39.2 %, and 74.4 % of participants were physically inactive at work, commuting and recreation, respectively. In all domains of PA, males showed a higher degree of activity (min/day) than females (P value <0.001). The overall prevalence of physical inactivity was increased from 15 % (2007) to 21.5 % (2011) (P value <0.001). Over the 4 years, a significant decline in total physical activity (MET × min/week) and the duration of commuting activity were noted in both genders. Work-related activity was dramatically decreased in females. However, the time spent in recreational activity remained relatively constant.

Conclusions

This report indicating that the Iranian population, particularly females, have become less active during the survey period. Physical inactivity should receive more attention as a public health issue.
Literature
Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Whitt MC, Irwin ML, Swartz AM, Strath SJ, O’Brien WL, Bassett DR Jr, Schmitz KH, Emplaincourt PO, Jacobs DR Jr, Leon AS (2000) Compendium of physical activities: an update of activity codes and MET intensities. Med Sci Sports Exerc 32:S498–S504PubMedCrossRef
Allender S, Foster C, Hutchinson L, Arambepola C (2008) Quantification of urbanization in relation to chronic diseases in developing countries: a systematic review. J Urban Health 85:938–951PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRef
Allender S, Wickramasinghe K, Goldacre M, Matthews D, Katulanda P (2011) Quantifying urbanization as a risk factor for noncommunicable disease. J Urban Health 88:906–918PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRef
Amin TT, Al Khoudair AS, Al Harbi MA, Al Ali AR (2012) Leisure time physical activity in Saudi Arabia: prevalence, pattern and determining factors. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 13:351–360PubMedCrossRef
Armstrong T, Bull F (2006) Development of the World Health Organization global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ). J Public Health 14:66–70CrossRef
Azizi F, Ghanbarian A, Momenan AA, Hadaegh F, Mirmiran P, Hedayati M, Mehrabi Y, Zahedi-Asl S (2009) Prevention of non-communicable disease in a population in nutrition transition: Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study phase II. Trials 10:5PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRef
Barengo NC, Nissinen A, Tuomilehto J, Pekkarinen H (2002) Twenty-five-year trends in physical activity of 30- to 59-year-old populations in eastern Finland. Med Sci Sports Exerc 34:1302–1307PubMedCrossRef
Bauman A, Armstrong T, Davies J, Owen N, Brown W, Bellew B, Vita P (2003) Trends in physical activity participation and the impact of integrated campaigns among Australian adults, 1997–99. Aust N Z J Public Health 27:76–79PubMedCrossRef
Bauman A, Bull F, Chey T, Craig CL, Ainsworth BE, Sallis JF, Bowles HR, Hagstromer M, Sjostrom M, Pratt M (2009) The International Prevalence Study on physical activity: results from 20 countries. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 6:21PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRef
Bauman A, Ma G, Cuevas F, Omar Z, Waqanivalu T, Phongsavan P, Keke K, Bhushan A (2010) Cross-national comparisons of socioeconomic differences in the prevalence of leisure-time and occupational physical activity, and active commuting in six Asia-Pacific countries. J Epidemiol Community Health 65:35–43PubMedCrossRef
Brownson RC, Boehmer TK, Luke DA (2005) Declining rates of physical activity in the United States: what are the contributors? Annu Rev Public Health 26:421–443PubMedCrossRef
Bull FC, Maslin TS, Armstrong T (2009) Global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ): nine country reliability and validity study. J Phys Act Health 6:790–804PubMed
Caspersen CJ, Powell KE, Christenson GM (1985) Physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness: definitions and distinctions for health-related research. Public Health Rep 100:126–131PubMedCentralPubMed
de Nazelle A, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Anto JM, Brauer M, Briggs D, Braun-Fahrlander C, Cavill N, Cooper AR, Desqueyroux H, Fruin S, Hoek G, Panis LI, Janssen N, Jerrett M, Joffe M, Andersen ZJ, van Kempen E, Kingham S, Kubesch N, Leyden KM, Marshall JD, Matamala J, Mellios G, Mendez M, Nassif H, Ogilvie D, Peiro R, Perez K, Rabl A, Ragettli M, Rodriguez D, Rojas D, Ruiz P, Sallis JF, Terwoert J, Toussaint JF, Tuomisto J, Zuurbier M, Lebret E (2011) Improving health through policies that promote active travel: a review of evidence to support integrated health impact assessment. Environ Int 37:766–777PubMedCrossRef
Drygas W, Kwasniewska M, Kaleta D, Pikala M, Bielecki W, Gluszek J, Zdrojewski T, Pajak A, Kozakiewicz K, Broda G (2009) Epidemiology of physical inactivity in Poland: prevalence and determinants in a former communist country in socioeconomic transition. Public Health 123:592–597PubMedCrossRef
Dumith SC, Hallal PC, Reis RS, Kohl HW 3rd (2011) Worldwide prevalence of physical inactivity and its association with human development index in 76 countries. Prev Med 53:24–28PubMedCrossRef
Esteghamati A, Meysamie A, Khalilzadeh O, Rashidi A, Haghazali M, Asgari F, Kamgar M, Gouya MM, Abbasi M (2009) Third national surveillance of risk factors of non-communicable diseases (SuRFNCD-2007) in Iran: methods and results on prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, obesity, central obesity, and dyslipidemia. BMC Public Health 9:167PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRef
Esteghamati A, Khalilzadeh O, Mohammad K, Meysamie A, Rashidi A, Kamgar M, Abbasi M, Asgari F, Haghazali M (2010) Secular trends of obesity in Iran between 1999 and 2007: national surveys of risk factors of non-communicable diseases. Metab Syndr Relat Disord 8:209–213PubMedCrossRef
Esteghamati A, Khalilzadeh O, Rashidi A, Kamgar M, Meysamie A, Abbasi M (2011a) Physical activity in Iran: results of the third national surveillance of risk factors of non-communicable diseases (SuRFNCD-2007). J Phys Act Health 8:27–35PubMed
Esteghamati A, Noshad S, Nazeri A, Khalilzadeh O, Khalili M, Nakhjavani M (2011b) Patterns of fruit and vegetable consumption among Iranian adults: a SuRFNCD-2007 study. Br J Nutr 108:177–181PubMedCrossRef
Ghassemi H, Harrison G, Mohammad K (2002) An accelerated nutrition transition in Iran. Public Health Nutr 5:149–155PubMedCrossRef
Guthold R, Ono T, Strong KL, Chatterji S, Morabia A (2008) Worldwide variability in physical inactivity a 51-country survey. Am J Prev Med 34:486–494PubMedCrossRef
Hallal PC, Andersen LB, Bull FC, Guthold R, Haskell W, Ekelund U (2012) Global physical activity levels: surveillance progress, pitfalls, and prospects. Lancet 380:247–257PubMedCrossRef
Heath GW, Parra DC, Sarmiento OL, Andersen LB, Owen N, Goenka S, Montes F, Brownson RC (2012) Evidence-based intervention in physical activity: lessons from around the world. Lancet 380:272–281PubMedCrossRef
Kahn EB, Ramsey LT, Brownson RC, Heath GW, Howze EH, Powell KE, Stone EJ, Rajab MW, Corso P (2002) The effectiveness of interventions to increase physical activity. A systematic review. Am J Prev Med 22:73–107PubMedCrossRef
Kohl HW 3rd, Craig CL, Lambert EV, Inoue S, Alkandari JR, Leetongin G, Kahlmeier S (2012) The pandemic of physical inactivity: global action for public health. Lancet 380:294–305PubMedCrossRef
Lee IM, Shiroma EJ, Lobelo F, Puska P, Blair SN, Katzmarzyk PT (2012) Effect of physical inactivity on major non-communicable diseases worldwide: an analysis of burden of disease and life expectancy. Lancet 380:219–229PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRef
Lindstrom M, Isacsson SO, Merlo J (2003) Increasing prevalence of overweight, obesity and physical inactivity: two population-based studies 1986 and 1994. Eur J Public Health 13:306–312PubMedCrossRef
Patel RB, Burke TF (2009) Urbanization—an emerging humanitarian disaster. N Engl J Med 361:741–743PubMedCrossRef
Roman-Vinas B, Serra-Majem L, Ribas-Barba L, Roure-Cuspinera E, Cabezas C, Vallbona C, Plasencia A (2007) Trends in physical activity status in Catalonia, Spain (1992–2003). Public Health Nutr 10:1389–1395PubMedCrossRef
Sigmundova D, Sigmund E, Fromel K, Suchomel A (2011) Gender differences in physical activity, sedentary behavior and BMI in the Liberec region: the IPAQ study in 2002–2009. J Hum Kinet 28:123–131
Steffen LM, Arnett DK, Blackburn H, Shah G, Armstrong C, Luepker RV, Jacobs DR Jr (2006) Population trends in leisure-time physical activity: Minnesota Heart Survey, 1980–2000. Med Sci Sports Exerc 38:1716–1723PubMedCrossRef
Trinh OT, Nguyen ND, Dibley MJ, Phongsavan P, Bauman AE (2008) The prevalence and correlates of physical inactivity among adults in Ho Chi Minh City. BMC Public Health 8:204PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRef
Warren JM, Ekelund U, Besson H, Mezzani A, Geladas N, Vanhees L (2010) Assessment of physical activity—a review of methodologies with reference to epidemiological research: a report of the exercise physiology section of the European association of cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil 17:127–139PubMedCrossRef
Metadata
Title
Gender-specific changes in physical activity pattern in Iran: national surveillance of risk factors of non-communicable diseases (2007–2011)
Authors
Jalil Koohpayehzadeh
Koorosh Etemad
Mehrshad Abbasi
Alipasha Meysamie
Sara Sheikhbahaei
Fereshteh Asgari
Sina Noshad
Nima Hafezi-Nejad
Ali Rafei
Mostafa Mousavizadeh
Elias Khajeh
Maryam Ebadi
Manouchehr Nakhjavani
Alireza Esteghamati
Publication date
01-04-2014
Publisher
Springer Basel
Published in
International Journal of Public Health / Issue 2/2014
Print ISSN: 1661-8556
Electronic ISSN: 1661-8564
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-013-0529-3

Other articles of this Issue 2/2014

International Journal of Public Health 2/2014 Go to the issue

Original Article

Differences in health-related quality of life between Roma and non-Roma coronary heart disease patients: the role of hostility

Original Article

Cannabis and traffic collision risk: findings from a case-crossover study of injured drivers presenting to emergency departments

Original Article

Innovations in health care and mortality trends from five cancers in seven European countries between 1970 and 2005

Original Article

Correlates of objectively measured physical activity in adults and older people: a cross-sectional study of population-based sample of adults and older people living in Norway

Original Article

Social inequality and smoking in young Swiss men: intergenerational transmission of cultural capital and health orientation

Original Article

Non-therapeutic male circumcision performed on immigrant children from Africa in Spain