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Leisure-time physical activity and sedentary behavior clusters and their associations with overweight in middle-aged French adults

International Journal of Obesity volume 34, pages 1293–1301 (2010)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective:

To identify leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and sedentary behavior patterns, as well as to investigate their relationships with overweight.

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Subjects:

Men (n=2206) and women (n=2476) aged >45 years, living in France, enrolled in the SU.VI.MAX (Supplémentation en VItamines et Minéraux AntioXydants) study.

Measurements:

LTPA and sedentary behavior were assessed using the Modifiable Activity Questionnaire whereas weight and height were measured from study participants. Clusters were defined, by gender, with multiple correspondence analysis and cluster analysis successively, taking into account the type (walking, gardening, etc.) and duration of each physical activity performed, as well as the time spent watching television (TV) as typical sedentary behavior. Logistic regression models were used to assess associations with overweight.

Results:

Four physical activity and sedentary behavior clusters were identified among men and three among women. We chose as referent cluster the cluster associating ‘walking and gardening-low TV’ in men and the cluster associating ‘walking and gardening-high TV’ in women. Compared with the referent cluster and after adjustment for age, education level, smoking status and place of residence, the likelihood of overweight (defined as body mass index ⩾25 kg m−2) in women was lower for a ‘multiple activity-low TV’ cluster (odds ratio (OR)=0.66, 95% confidence interval=0.54–0.81) and for a cluster associating ‘endurance physical activity-low TV’ (OR=0.42 (0.29–0.60)). Compared with the referent cluster and after adjustment, the likelihood of overweight in men was decreased for the ‘endurance physical activity’ cluster (OR=0.66, (0.52–0.84)), whereas no significant association was found with the other clusters.

Conclusions:

Patterns combining specific types of physical activity and sedentary behavior were identified and differed in their relations to overweight in adults. The identification of global patterns of activity allows us to go beyond a simple decreased activity-increased body weight approach and adds to our understanding of the associations of specific forms and grouping of activity with overweight in adults.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the staff of the SU.VI.M.AX study and also the volunteers who participated in this cohort. This study is part of the ELIANE (Environmental LInks to physical Activity, Nutrition and hEalth) study. ELIANE is a project supported by the French National Research Agency (Agence Nationale de la Recherche, ANR-07-PNRA-004).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UREN INSERM U557/INRA U1125/Cnam/Paris13 University, CRNH Ile-de-France, Bobigny, France

    H Charreire, E Kesse-Guyot, M Touvier & J-M Oppert

  2. Lyon University, INSERM U870, INRA U1235, CRNH Rhône-Alpes, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France

    R Casey & C Simon

  3. ERL7230 CNRS Image, Ville, Environnement Strasbourg University, Strasbourg, France

    P Salze, A Banos, D Badariotti & C Weber

  4. INSERM U707, Paris, France

    B Chaix

  5. Department of Nutrition, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital (AP-HP), University Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris6, CRNH Ile-de-France, Paris, France

    J-M Oppert

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  1. H Charreire
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  2. R Casey
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Correspondence to H Charreire.

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Charreire, H., Casey, R., Salze, P. et al. Leisure-time physical activity and sedentary behavior clusters and their associations with overweight in middle-aged French adults. Int J Obes 34, 1293–1301 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2010.39

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