The Impact of the Change of Leisure Time Physical Activities on Body Weight

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The risk of overweight and obesity to health is well known. Physical activity is important in the treatment of obesity in terms of healthy body composition and maintenance of body function. This study is a follow-up study to identify the impact of changes of leisure time physical activities on body weight. METHODS: The study subjects were people who visited a health examination center in Seoul at least twice between 1995 and 2000. Seven hundred people who completed physical activity questionnaires each time they visited were included. Three hundred eighty two of them were men, and 318 were women. The questionnaire was Baecke physical activity questionnaire, consisted of items for work activities, sports activities, and non-sports leisure activities. Each index of activities was calculated. RESULTS: Ninety seven people (13.9%) reduced their weights more than 5% of initial body weights. Twenty eight people (4.0%) gained their weights more than 5% of initial body weights. In five hundred and seventy five people (82.1%) their body weights were changed within 5% of initial body weights. Non-sports leisure time indices increased greatly and were significantly more than sports indices in reduced weight group. Non-sports leisure time indices were not changed significantly in gained weight group. The dose-response relationship existed between changed body weight (kg) and difference of leisure time indices. The multivariate analysis showed that female was a significant factor related to reducing weight (odds ratio=4.5, 95% confidence interval 2.7-7.5). Increase of non-sports leisure indices showed borderline significance (odds ratio=1.4, 95% confidence interval 0.9-2.0). CONCLUSION: To increase non-sports leisure activities for the purpose of reducing body weight is actively recommendable. Such activities performed on a daily basis may have impact on reducing weight through repeatability and ease of access.