Levels of domain-specific physical activity at work, in the household, for travel and for leisure among 327 789 adults from 104 countries

Abstract

Objective: To compare the country-level absolute and relative contributions of physical activity at work and in the household, for travel, and during leisure-time to total moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).

Methods: We used data collected between 2002 and 2019 from 327 789 participants across 104 countries and territories (n=24 low, n=34 lower-middle, n=30 upper-middle, n=16 high-income) from all six World Health Organization (WHO) regions. We calculated mean min/week of work/household, travel and leisure MVPA and compared their relative contributions to total MVPA using Global Physical Activity Questionnaire data. We compared patterns by country, sex and age group (25-44 and 45-64 years).

Results: Mean MVPA in work/household, travel and leisure domains across the 104 countries was 950 (IQR 618-1198), 327 (190-405) and 104 (51-131) min/week, respectively. Corresponding relative contributions to total MVPA were 52% (IQR 44%-63%), 36% (25%-45%) and 12% (4%-15%), respectively. Work/household was the highest contributor in 80 countries; travel in 23; leisure in just one. In both absolute and relative terms, low-income countries tended to show higher work/household (1233 min/week, 57%) and lower leisure MVPA levels (72 min/week, 4%). Travel MVPA duration was higher in low-income countries but there was no obvious pattern in the relative contributions. Women tended to have relatively less work/household and more travel MVPA; age groups were generally similar.

Conclusion: In the largest domain-specific physical activity study to date, we found considerable country-level variation in how MVPA is accumulated. Such information is essential to inform national and global policy and future investments to provide opportunities to be active, accounting for country context.

Keywords: epidemiology; physical activity; surveillance.

Figure 1

The mean total min/week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) by domain, across 104 countries, ordered by total MVPA. H=high-income, LM=lower-middle-income, UM=upper-middle-income, L=low-income according to the World Bank Classification 2020. Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Madagascar, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Micronesia Fed. Sts. and Pakistan are subnational surveys. See online supplemental file 6 for the mean and median domain-specific min/week.

Figure 2

Ternary plot of the relative contributions of work/household, travel and leisure moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) to total MVPA. Mean relative contributions should be read following the direction of the arrows for each axis. For example, in the USA, relative contributions are 52% from work/household, 11% from travel, 37% from leisure. Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Madagascar, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Micronesia Fed. Sts. and Pakistan are subnational surveys.

Figure 3

Ternary plots of the relative contributions of work/household, travel and leisure moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) to total MVPA by sex and age group. Mean relative contributions should be read following the direction of the arrows for each axis. Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Madagascar, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Micronesia Fed. Sts. and Pakistan are subnational surveys.

Figure 4

An exploratory analysis of trends in the domain-specific moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in four African countries. World Bank Income 2020 classifications used.