Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Intra-national variation in trends in overweight and leisure time physical activities in The Netherlands since 1980: stratification according to sex, age and urbanisation degree

International Journal of Obesity volume 31, pages 515–520 (2007)Cite this article

A Corrigendum to this article was published on 12 September 2006

Abstract

Objective:

To investigate time trends in overweight and Leisure Time Physical Activities (LTPA) in The Netherlands since 1980. Intra-national differences were examined stratified for sex, age and urbanisation degree.

Subjects and methods:

We used a random sample of about 140 000 respondents aged 20–69 years from the Health Interview Survey (Nethhis) and subsequent Permanent Survey on Living Conditions (POLS). Self-reported data on weight and height and demographic characteristics were gathered through interviews (every year) and data on LTPA were collected by self-administered questionnaires (1990–1997, 2001–2004). Linear regression analysis was performed for trend analyses.

Results:

During 1981–2004, mean body mass index (BMI) increased significantly by 1.0 kg/m2 (average per year=0.05 kg/m2). Trends were similar across sex and different degrees of urbanisation, but varied across age groups. In 20-to 39-year-old women, mean BMI increased by 1.7 kg/m2, which was more than in older age groups (P⩽0.05). With respect to LTPA, no clear trend was observed during 1990–1997 and 2001–2004. The (absence of) trends were similar across sex and urbanisation degrees, but varied across age groups. During 2001–2004, 20-to 39-year-old women spent ≈150 min/week less on LTPA compared to older women, while this difference was smaller during 1990–1997.

Conclusions:

Mean BMI increased more in younger women, which is consistent with the observation that this group spent less time on LTPA during recent years. Although the overall increase in overweight could not be explained by trends in LTPA, the younger women should be considered as a target group for future physical activity interventions. The influence of the ‘obesogenic environment’ seems to be similar across different degrees of urbanisation.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Kuczmarski RJ, Johnson CL . Overweight and obesity in the United States: prevalence and trends, 1960–1994. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1998; 22: 39–47.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Sundquist K, Qvist J, Johansson SE, Sundquist J . Increasing trends of obesity in Sweden between 1996/97 and 2000/01. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2004; 28: 254–261.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Seidell JC, Verschuren WM, Kromhout D . Prevalence and trends of obesity in The Netherlands 1987–1991. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1995; 19: 924–927.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Prentice AM, Jebb SA . Obesity in Britain: gluttony or sloth? BMJ 1995; 311: 437–439.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Field AE, Coakley EH, Must A, Spadano JL, Laird N, Dietz WH et al. Impact of overweight on the risk of developing common chronic diseases during a 10-year period. Arch Intern Med 2001; 161: 1581–1586.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Hill JO, Peters JO . Environmental contribution to the obesity epidemic. Science 1998; 280: 1371–1374.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Livingstone MB, Black AE . Markers of the validity of reported energy intake. J Nutr 2003; 133 (Suppl 3): 895S–920S.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Wendel-Vos GC, Schuit AJ, Saris WH, Kromhout D . Reproducibility and relative validity of the short questionnaire to assess health-enhancing physical activity. J Clin Epidemiol 2003; 56: 1163–1169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Schmitz KH, Jacobs Jr DR, Leon AS, Schreiner PJ, Sternfeld B . Physical activity and body weight: associations over ten years in the CARDIA study. Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2000; 24: 1475–1487.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Vioque J, Torres A, Quiles J . Time spent watching television, sleep duration and obesity in adults living in Valencia, Spain. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2000; 24: 1683–1688.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Pratt M, Macera CA, Sallis JF, O'Donnell M, Frank LD . Economic interventions to promote physical activity: application of the SLOTH model. Am J Prev Med 2004; 27: 136–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Health Council of the Netherlands. Overweight and Obesity (in Dutch). Health Council of the Netherlands: The Hague, 2003. (Report No.: 2003/07).

  13. Egger G, Swinburn B . An ‘ecological’ approach to the obesity pandemic. BMJ 1997; 315: 477–480.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Sturm R . The economics of physical activity: societal trends and rationales for interventions. Am J Prev Med 2004; 27: 126–135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Reddy KS, Prabhakaran D, Shah P, Shah B . Differences in body mass index and waist: hip ratios in North Indian rural and urban populations. Obes Rev 2002; 3: 197–202.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. van der Lucht FVH . Health in the Cities (in Dutch). National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, RIVM: The Netherlands, 2002. (Report No.: 270555003).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Statistics Netherlands. Netherlands Health Interview Survey 1981–1995. SDU Publishers/CBS-Publications: The Hague, 1996.

  18. Riele S . Vertekening door non-respons: Hoe nauwkeurig zijn de uitkomsten van persoonsenquêtes? Soc Econ Maandstat 2002; 4: 20–25.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Rowland ML . Self-reported weight and height. Am J Clin Nutr 1990; 52: 1125–1133.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Boström G, Diderichsen F . Socioeconomic differentials in misclassification of height, weight and body mass index based on questionnaire data. Int J Epidemiol 1997; 26: 860–866.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Kuskowska-Wolk A, Bergstrom R . Trends in body mass index and prevalence of obesity in Swedish men 1980–1989. J Epidemiol Community Health 1993; 47: 103–108.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Kuskowska-Wolk A, Bergstrom R . Trends in body mass index and prevalence of obesity in Swedish women 1980–1989. J Epidemiol Community Health 1993; 47: 195–199.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Hoffmeister H, Mensink GB, Stolzenberg H . National trends in risk factors for cardiovascular disease in Germany. Prev Med 1994; 23: 197–205.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Lahti-Koski M, Vartiainen E, Männistö S, Pietinen P . Age, education and occupation as determinants of trends in body mass index in Finland from 1982 to 1997. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2000; 24: 1669–1676.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Gutiérrez-Fisac JL, Banegas Banegas JR, Artalejo FR, Regidor E . Increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity among Spanish adults, 1987–1997. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2000; 24: 1677–1682.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Rütten A, Vuillemin A, Ooijendijk WT, Schena F, Sjostrom M, Stahl T et al. Physical activity monitoring in Europe. The European Physical Activity Surveillance System (EUPASS) approach and indicator testing. Public Health Nutr 2003; 6: 377–384.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. World Health Organization. The World Health Report 2002: Reducing Risks, Promoting Healthy Life. World Health Organisation: Geneva 2002.

  28. Brownson RC, Smith CA, Pratt M, Mack NE, Jackson-Thompson J, Dean CG et al. Preventing cardiovascular disease through community-based risk reduction: the Bootheel Heart Health Project. Am J Public Health 1996; 86: 206–213.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Luepker RV, Murray DM, Jacobs Jr DR, Mittelmark MB, Bracht N, Carlaw R et al. Community education for cardiovascular disease prevention: risk factor changes in the Minnesota Heart Health Program. Am J Public Health 1994; 84: 1383–1393.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Heliövaara M, Aromaa A . Parity and obesity. J Epidemiol Community Health 1981; 35: 197–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Brown JE, Kaye SA, Folsom AR . Parity-related weight change in women. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1992; 16: 627–631.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Tavani A, Negri E, La Vecchia C . Determinants of body mass index: a study from northern Italy. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1994; 18: 497–502.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Williamson DF, Madans J, Pamuk E, Flegal KM, Kendrick JS, Serdula MK . A prospective study of childbearing and 10-year weight gain in US white women 25–45 years of age. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1994; 18: 561–569.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Prevention and Health Services Research, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands

    G-C M Gast, L A T M van Leest, G C W Wendel-Vos & W J E Bemelmans

  2. Division Social and Spatial Statistics, Statistics Netherlands, Heerlen, The Netherlands

    F J M Frenken

Authors
  1. G-C M Gast
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. F J M Frenken
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. L A T M van Leest
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. G C W Wendel-Vos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. W J E Bemelmans
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to W J E Bemelmans.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gast, GC., Frenken, F., van Leest, L. et al. Intra-national variation in trends in overweight and leisure time physical activities in The Netherlands since 1980: stratification according to sex, age and urbanisation degree. Int J Obes 31, 515–520 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803429

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803429

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links