Research Findings: Social class: Social patterning of health behaviours over time Summary papers


Impact of retirement on physical activity

Most adults do not achieve the levels of physical activity currently recommended for a healthy lifestyle.  Population surveys suggest that as we get older our physical activity levels decline, yet keeping both physically and mentally active has many health benefits in later life.  

This study examined the patterns of physical activity among the oldest cohort when they were 63 years.  It was found that knowledge of the association of being active with a healthier lifestyle and socioeconomic factors had little impact on the level of actual physical activity taken.  We found that levels of physical activity attained at work were not maintained once that person had retired.  Despite those now not working being more active at home or at leisure, the level of physical activity outside work did not compensate for the loss of work-based activity.  Our findings led us to recommend targeted health promotion for older people, especially on retirement.

Berger, U., G. Der, et al. (2005). "The impact of retirement on patterns of physical activity." Ageing and Society 25: 181-195.
open access
 


Are adults in the West of Scotland doing enough exercise?

Public health promotion strategy recommends that adults do at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week to reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, strokes and cancers and improve mental health. 

This project identified the various forms of physical activity that help achieve current recommendations for adults in the West of Scotland and determined whether patterns of physical activity varied between males and females, all three age cohorts and social class.

We found that around a third of participants in the Study achieved the recommended levels of physical activity.  Most of this activity occurred in leisure time, although activity at work and at home did make a contribution.  Women and older adults did the least amount of activity.  More men in manual classes achieved the recommendations than those men in non-manual classes mainly through work based activity rather than leisure.  Walking was the most favoured leisure activity.  We suggest a better understanding of reported physical activity levels could be gained from improved measures of activity in different settings such as in the home, at work and at leisure.  Our findings suggest physical activity promotion strategies should target women and older adults, and encourage walking, since this activity is most accessible to all ages.

Mutrie, N. and M. K. Hannah (2004). "Some work hard while others play hard: The achievement of current recommendations for physical activity levels at work, at home, and in leisure time in the West of Scotland." International Journal of Health Promotion & Education 42(4): 109-117.
 


Strenuous housework makes women more depressed

Current evidence suggests that physical activity may prevent depression and can be used in some cases as an effective treatment for depression.  In cross-sectional studies increasing levels of exercise have been found to lower depression.  However, when physical activity is defined more broadly the results are less clear. 

The aim of this study was to investigate further the relationship between different types of physical activity and levels of mild depression among participants from all three age cohorts of the Twenty-07 Study.  Participants told us how active they were at work, at home and during leisure and how depressed they felt.  Being active at work was found to have no effect on their level of depression.  However, women were found to be increasingly depressed with more strenuous housework.  Future recommendations to help improve people’s mental health may need to consider not only the intensity, duration and frequency of physical activity but also setting.

Mutrie, N., M. K. Hannah, et al. (2003). "The relationship among different modes of physical activity and non-clinical depression." Journal of Sport Sciences 21(4): 355.
 
 

Is sport for all? 

Recent evidence shows that any form of physical activity, not just aerobic activity to improve cardiovascular fitness, can have significant health benefits. However, physical inactivity is increasingly widespread. Recent health promotion has emphasised the value of integrating activity into daily life, yet popular attention continues to focus on sporting excellence and team sports.  Findings from the Twenty-07 Study of people in early and late middle age living in the West of Scotland showed that sporting and team activities are rarely undertaken throughout adult life, especially among women and people from more disadvantaged circumstances. The activities that are most commonly taken up and sustained throughout later adult life are walking, swimming, social dancing, keep fit/aerobics and golf.  These findings led us to suggest that physical activity promotion strategies should focus on activities which are the most likely to be sustained into adulthood.

Hunt, K., G. Ford, et al. (2001). "Is sport for all? Exercise and physical activity patterns in early and late middle age in the West of Scotland." Health Education 101(4): 151-158.

 

Socioeconomic influences on women’s smoking habits

Smoking has been identified as the single most important contributor to poor health and deaths in Scotland.  Smoking among both men and women in Scotland is higher than in the rest of the UK.  Previous studies that have looked at socioeconomic factors which may affect smoking behaviour have focused mainly on young people and men.  In the mid 1990s, 29% of Scottish women aged 16 and over were regular smokers compared to 25% in the England.

This study explored the socioeconomic aspects across the life course that may affect the smoking habits of women among a sample aged 35 years from the Twenty-07 Study.
 
We found that smoking was strongly associated with more disadvantaged socioeconomic status in adolescence and adulthood.  Respondents were more likely to be smokers if they left school at 15 or younger; had no educational qualifications; were from manual social class; rented rather than owned their home; did not have a car; had a weekly household income less than £100; felt financially very insecure; lived without a partner; and if they did have a partner who was a smoker.  A person’s own socioeconomic status during adolescence, measured by school leaving age, rather than their parent’s socioeconomic status had a more powerful influence on smoking.  Further exposure to socioeconomic disadvantage in adulthood increased the odds of being a smoker further.  This study makes clear, it is women who are exposed to the health damaging influences of disadvantage throughout their life course that are most likely to face the added health risks associated with smoking.  These results highlight the need for health promotion interventions that target the socioeconomic pathways associated with high smoking rates.

Graham, H. and K. Hunt (1998). "Socioeconomic influences on women's smoking status in adulthood: insights from the West of Scotland Twenty-07 study." Health Bulletin 56(4): 51-58.