Abstract
Background: Evidence on the association between social support and leisure time physical activity (LTPA) is scarce and mostly based on cross-sectional data with different types of social support collapsed into a single index. The aim of this study was to investigate whether social support from the closest person was associated with LTPA. Methods: Prospective cohort study of 5395 adults (mean age 55.7 year 3864 men) participating in the British Whitehall II study. Confiding/emotional support and practical support were assessed at baseline in 1997-99 using the Close Persons Questionnaire. LTPA was assessed at baseline and follow-up in (2002-04). Baseline covariates included socio-demographic self-rated healt long-standing illnesse physical functioning and common mental disorders. Results: Among participants who reported recommended levels of LTPA at baselin those who experienced high confiding/emotional support were more likely to report recommended levels of LTPA at follow-up [odds ratio (OR): 1.39, 95 confidence interval (CI): 1.12-1.70 in a model adjusted for baseline covariates]. Among those participants who did not meet the recommended target of LTPA at baselin high confiding/emotional support was not associated with improvement in activity levels. High practical support was associated with both maintaining (OR: 1.34, 95 CI: 1.10-1.63) and improving (OR: 1.25, 95 CI: 1.02-1.53) LTPA levels. Conclusion: These findings suggest that emotional and practical support from the closest person may help the individual to maintain the recommended level of LTPA. Practical support also predicted a change towards a more active lifestyle. 2011. The Author(s)2011This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0), which permits unrestricted non-commercial us distributio and reproduction in any mediu provided the original work is properly cited.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 514-518 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | European Journal of Public Health |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 2012 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Cite this
Social support and the likelihood of maintaining and improving levels of physical activity : The Whitehall II Study. / Kouvonen, Anne; De Vogli, Roberto; Stafford, Mai; Shipley, Martin J.; Marmot, Michael G.; Cox, Tom; Vahtera, Jussi; Väänänen, Ari; Heponiemi, Tarja; Singh-Manoux, Archana; Kivimäki, Mika.
In: European Journal of Public Health, Vol. 22, No. 4, 08.2012, p. 514-518.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Social support and the likelihood of maintaining and improving levels of physical activity
T2 - The Whitehall II Study
AU - Kouvonen, Anne
AU - De Vogli, Roberto
AU - Stafford, Mai
AU - Shipley, Martin J.
AU - Marmot, Michael G.
AU - Cox, Tom
AU - Vahtera, Jussi
AU - Väänänen, Ari
AU - Heponiemi, Tarja
AU - Singh-Manoux, Archana
AU - Kivimäki, Mika
PY - 2012/8
Y1 - 2012/8
N2 - Background: Evidence on the association between social support and leisure time physical activity (LTPA) is scarce and mostly based on cross-sectional data with different types of social support collapsed into a single index. The aim of this study was to investigate whether social support from the closest person was associated with LTPA. Methods: Prospective cohort study of 5395 adults (mean age 55.7 year 3864 men) participating in the British Whitehall II study. Confiding/emotional support and practical support were assessed at baseline in 1997-99 using the Close Persons Questionnaire. LTPA was assessed at baseline and follow-up in (2002-04). Baseline covariates included socio-demographic self-rated healt long-standing illnesse physical functioning and common mental disorders. Results: Among participants who reported recommended levels of LTPA at baselin those who experienced high confiding/emotional support were more likely to report recommended levels of LTPA at follow-up [odds ratio (OR): 1.39, 95 confidence interval (CI): 1.12-1.70 in a model adjusted for baseline covariates]. Among those participants who did not meet the recommended target of LTPA at baselin high confiding/emotional support was not associated with improvement in activity levels. High practical support was associated with both maintaining (OR: 1.34, 95 CI: 1.10-1.63) and improving (OR: 1.25, 95 CI: 1.02-1.53) LTPA levels. Conclusion: These findings suggest that emotional and practical support from the closest person may help the individual to maintain the recommended level of LTPA. Practical support also predicted a change towards a more active lifestyle. 2011. The Author(s)2011This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0), which permits unrestricted non-commercial us distributio and reproduction in any mediu provided the original work is properly cited.
AB - Background: Evidence on the association between social support and leisure time physical activity (LTPA) is scarce and mostly based on cross-sectional data with different types of social support collapsed into a single index. The aim of this study was to investigate whether social support from the closest person was associated with LTPA. Methods: Prospective cohort study of 5395 adults (mean age 55.7 year 3864 men) participating in the British Whitehall II study. Confiding/emotional support and practical support were assessed at baseline in 1997-99 using the Close Persons Questionnaire. LTPA was assessed at baseline and follow-up in (2002-04). Baseline covariates included socio-demographic self-rated healt long-standing illnesse physical functioning and common mental disorders. Results: Among participants who reported recommended levels of LTPA at baselin those who experienced high confiding/emotional support were more likely to report recommended levels of LTPA at follow-up [odds ratio (OR): 1.39, 95 confidence interval (CI): 1.12-1.70 in a model adjusted for baseline covariates]. Among those participants who did not meet the recommended target of LTPA at baselin high confiding/emotional support was not associated with improvement in activity levels. High practical support was associated with both maintaining (OR: 1.34, 95 CI: 1.10-1.63) and improving (OR: 1.25, 95 CI: 1.02-1.53) LTPA levels. Conclusion: These findings suggest that emotional and practical support from the closest person may help the individual to maintain the recommended level of LTPA. Practical support also predicted a change towards a more active lifestyle. 2011. The Author(s)2011This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0), which permits unrestricted non-commercial us distributio and reproduction in any mediu provided the original work is properly cited.
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U2 - 10.1093/eurpub/ckr091
DO - 10.1093/eurpub/ckr091
M3 - Article
VL - 22
SP - 514
EP - 518
JO - European Journal of Public Health
JF - European Journal of Public Health
SN - 1101-1262
IS - 4
ER -