Skip to main content
Log in

Monitoring physical activity in Baltic countries: the FINBALT study, HBSC and other surveys in young people

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Public Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Aim: The promotion of health through increased physical activity (PA) has become a national public health objective for both adults and children. To achieve this aim a good and comparable monitoring system of PA and its determinants is needed. The aim of the current review paper is to describe how PA is monitored and what the trends are in PA among adults and children in Baltic countries and Finland as well as the association between PA, body mass index (BMI) and socio-economic determinants. Subjects and methods: Data from two relevant surveys at the moment were used to make comparisons in PA trends between Baltic countries and Finland: FINBALT Health Monitor for adults aged 16–64 years and Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) for 11-, 13- and 15-year-old schoolchildren. Results and conclusions: The percentage of adults involved in PA twice a week in Baltic countries is remarkably lower than in Finland. Among schoolchildren no clear country difference is obvious in the participation in leisure time PA between Baltic countries and Finland. After graduating school, involvement in organised PA decreases in young people remarkably. Both overweight and obese adults and children tend to be less physically active than normal weight persons. Adults and young people from more affluent families are more physically active than those in less affluent families. In order to better explain the changes in PA trends and the effectiveness of preventive work, more and better indicators that determine the involvement in PA and the effectiveness of interventions have to be added to the survey questionnaires.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Cole T, Bellizzi M, Flegal K, Dietz W (2000) Establishing a standard definition for child overweight and obesity worldwide: international survey. BMJ 320:1240–1243

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Craig CL, Marshall AL, Sjöström M, Bauman AE, Booth ML, Ainsworth BE, Pratt M, Ekelund U, Yngve A, Sallis JF, Oja P (2003) International physical activity questionnaire: 12-country reliability and validity. Med Sci Sports Exerc 35:1381–1395

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Currie C, Hurrelmann K, Settertobulte W, Smith R, Todd J (eds) (2000) 1997/98 International report: health and health behaviour among young people. WHO policy series: health policy for children and adolescents issue 1. WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen

  • Currie C, Hurrelmann K, Settertobulte W, Smith R, Todd J (eds) (2004) 2001/02 International report: young people’s health in context: international report from the HBSC 2001/02 survey. WHO policy series: health policy for children and adolescents issue 4, WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen http://www.euro.who.int/eprise/main/who/InformationSources/Publications/Catalogue/20040601_1

  • Dominguez-Berjon F, Borrell C, Rodriguez-Sanz M, Pastor V (1999) Physical activity assessment in population surveys: can it really be simplified? Int J Epidemiol 28:53–57

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grabauskas V, Zaborskis A, Klumbiene J, Petkeviciene J, Zemaitiene N (2004) Changes in health behaviour of Lithuanian adolescents and adults over 1994–2002. Medicina (Kaunas) 40:884–890

    Google Scholar 

  • Harro M, Riddoch C (2000) Physical activity. In: Armstrong N, van Mechelen W (eds) Paediatric exercise science and medicine. University Press, Oxford, p 77–84

    Google Scholar 

  • Harro M (2001) Laste ja noorukite kehalise aktiivsuse ning kehalise võimekuse mõõtmise käsiraamat. Tartu Ülikooli Kirjastus, Tartu

  • Harro M, Voist J, Tomberg E, Jürimäe T (2004) Eesti kooliõpilaste liikumisaktiivsus 2001/2002. Uuringu raport, Tallinn

  • Heath GW, Pate RR, Pratt M (1993) Measuring physical activity among adolescents. Public Health Rep 108:42–46

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Helakorpi S, Prättälä R, Uutela A, Puska P (1998) Health behaviour among Finnish adult population, spring 1998. Publications of the National Public Health Institute B 10/1998

  • Helakorpi S, Patja K, Prättälä R, Aro A, Uutela A (2002) Health behaviour and health among Finnish adult population, spring 2002. Publications of the National Public Health Institute B 12/2002

  • King A, Wold B, Tudor-Smith C, Harel Y (1996) 1993/94 International report: the health of youth: a cross-national survey. WHO Regional Publications, European Series No. 69

  • Kasmel A, Lipand A (2002) Dietary habits, physical activity, smoking, self-reported health. In: Kiivet R, Harro J (eds) Eesti rahva tervis 1991–2000. Health of Estonian population 1991–2000. Ministry of Health of Estonia, Tartu, p 38–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Kasmel A, Lipand A, Kasmel K, Traat U, Markina A, Uutela A, Helakorpi S, Puska P (1997) Eesti täiskasvanud elanikkonna tervisekäitumise uuring, kevad 1996. Health behaviour among Estonian adult population, spring 1996. Publications of the National Public Health Institute B2/1997

  • Kasmel A, Lipand A, Kasmel K, Markina A, Prättälä R, Uutela A, Helakorpi S, Puska P (1999) Eesti täiskasvanud elanikkonna tervisekäitumise uuring, kevad 1998. Health behaviour among Estonian adult population, spring 1998. Publications of the National Public Health Institute B2/1999

  • Kasmel A, Lipand A, Kasmel K, Markina A (2001) Eesti täiskasvanud elanikkonna tervisekäitumise uuring, kevad 2000. Health behaviour among Estonian adult population, spring 2000. Estonian Centre for Health Education and Promotion, Tallinn

    Google Scholar 

  • Kasmel A, Lipand A, Markina A (2003) Eesti täiskasvanud elanikkonna tervisekäitumise uuring, kevad 2002. Health behaviour among Estonian adult population, spring 2002. Estonian Centre for Health Education and Promotion, Tallinn

    Google Scholar 

  • Lipand A, Kasmel A, Kivilo M, Tasa E, Berg MA, Peltoniemi J, Puska P (1992) Eesti täiskasvanud elanikkonna tervisekäitumise uuring, 1990.a. kevadel. Health behaviour among Estonian adult population, spring 1990. Publications of the National Public Health Institute B1/1992

  • Lipand A, Kasmel A, Tasa E, Puska P, Berg MA (1993) Eesti täiskasvanud elanikkonna tervisekäitumise uuring, 1992.a. kevadel. Health behaviour among Estonian adult population, spring 1992. Publications of the National Public Health Institute B3/1993

  • Lipand A, Kasmel A, Tasa E, Leinsalu M, Uutela A, Puska P, Helakorpi S (1995) Eesti täiskasvanud elanikkonna tervisekäitumise uuring, Kevad 1994. Health behaviour among Estonian adult population, spring 1994. Publications of the National Public Health Institute B5/1995

  • Lõhmus L, Trummal A, Harro M (2003) HIV/AIDS-i temaatikaga seotud teadmised, hoiakud ja käitumine Eesti noorte hulgas. Uurimusraport. Tervise Arengu Instituut, Tallinn

  • Pomerleau J, Pudule I, Grinberga D, Kadziauskiene K, Abaravicius A, Bartkeviciute R, Vaask S, Robertson A, Mckee M (1999) Patterns of body weight in the Baltic republics. Public Health Nutr 3:3–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Pomerleau J, McKee M, Robertson A, Vaask S, Kadziauskiene K, Abaravicius A, Bartkeviciute R, Pudule I, Grinberga D (2000) Physical inactivity in Baltic countries. Prev Med 31:665–672

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Puska P, Helasoja V, Prättälä R, Kasmel A, Klumbiene J (2003) Health behaviour in Estonia, Finland and Lithuania in 1994–1998: standardized comparison. Eur J Public Health 13:11–17

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Prättälä R, Helasoja V, Finbalt Group (2003) Finbalt health monitor. Monitoring health behaviour in Finland and the Baltic countries. In: McQueen D, Puska P (eds) Global behaviour risk factor surveillance. Kluwer, New York, pp 57–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Roche AF, Heymsfield SB, Lohman TG (eds) (1996) Human body composition. Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL, pp 350–351

    Google Scholar 

  • Sallis JF, Patrick K (1994) Physical activity guidelines for adolescents: consensus statement. Pediatr Exerc Sci 6:302–314

    Google Scholar 

  • Sallis JF, Patterson TL, Buono MJ, Nader PR (1988) Relation of cardiovascular fitness and physical activity to cardiovascular disease risk factors in children and adults. Am J Epidemiol 127:933–941

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tervise Arengu Instituut. National Institute for Health Development (2005) Eesti täiskasvanud rahvastiku tervisekäitumise uuring, 2004. Health behaviour among Estonian adult population, 2004. Tervise Arengu Instituut, Tallinn

  • Volozh OI, Kal’iuste TI, Solodkaia ES, Zhukovskii GS, Olfer’ev AM, Deev AD, Burlutskii GI (1993) Significance of basic risk factors for ischemic heart disease in mortality of men 35 to 59 years old based on data from a prospective epidemiologic study. Kardiologija 33:53–54

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Welk GJ, Corbin CB, Dale D (2000) Measurement issues in the assessment of physical activity in children. Res Q Exerc Sport 71:59–73

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organisation (1995) Physical status: use and interpretation of anthropometry. Report of a WHO expert committee. WHO Tech Rep Ser 854:1–452

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO Regional Office for Europe (2004) Young people’s health in context http://www.euro.who.int/eprise/main/WHO/InformationSources/Publications/Catalogue/200406 01_1

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Harro.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Harro, M., Oja, L., Tekkel, M. et al. Monitoring physical activity in Baltic countries: the FINBALT study, HBSC and other surveys in young people. J Public Health 14, 103–109 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-006-0025-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-006-0025-9

Keywords

Navigation