Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Time Differ According to Education Level in Young Adults

PLoS One. 2016 Jul 12;11(7):e0158902. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158902. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

This study examined the association of education level with objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time in young adults. Data from the Finnish ESTER study (2009-2011) (n = 538) was used to examine the association between educational attainment and different subcomponents of physical activity and sedentary time measured using hip-worn accelerometers (ActiGraph GT1M) for seven consecutive days. Overall physical activity, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), light-intensity physical activity and sedentary time were calculated separately for weekdays and weekend days. A latent profile analysis was conducted to identify the different profiles of sedentary time and the subcomponents of physical activity. The educational differences in accelerometer-measured physical activity and sedentary time varied according to the subcomponents of physical activity, and between weekdays and weekend days. A high education level was associated with high MVPA during weekdays and weekend days in both sexes, high sedentary time during weekdays in both sexes, and a low amount of light-intensity physical activity during weekdays in males and during weekdays and weekend days in females. The results indicate different challenges related to unhealthy behaviours in young adults with low and high education: low education is associated with a lack of MVPA, whereas high education is associated with a lack of light-intensity physical activity and high sedentary time especially during weekdays.

MeSH terms

  • Accelerometry*
  • Educational Status*
  • Exercise*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Regression Analysis
  • Sedentary Behavior*
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

This study was funded by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture (OKM/123/626/2012) and the Academy of Finland (grant 273971). The Ester study was supported by grants from the Academy of Finland (grants 127437, 129306, 130326, 134791, and 263924), Doctoral Programme in Public Health (DPPH), Emil Aaltonen Foundation, Finnish Foundation for Pediatric Research, Jalmari and Rauha Ahokas Foundation, Juho Vainio Foundation, National Graduate School of Clinical Investigation, Novo Nordisk Foundation, Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation, Sigrid Jusélius Foundation, and Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.