Are people in more affluent countries in Europe more likely to be physically active during leisure time?

Socioeconomic inequalities in physical activity at the individual level are well reported; in the more affluent countries, people who are relatively less well off are less likely to engage in leisure time physical activities. Whether inequalities in economic development and other macro-environmental variables between countries are also related to physical activity at the country-level is less well documenten.

In a study that was recently published in e-pub -with Dr. Adrian Cameron from Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia, as first author- in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, we examined the relationship between country-level data on macro-economic environmental factors (Gross Domestic Product (GPD) per capita, public sector expenditure on health, percent living in urban areas and cars per 1000 population) with country-level physical activity prevalence obtained from previous pan-European studies. Studies that assessed leisure-time physical activity (n=3 studies including 27 countries in adults, n=2 studies including 28 countries in children) and total physical activity (n=3 studies in adults including 16 countries) were analysed separately.

We found strong and consistent positive correlations between leisure-time physical activity and country GDP per capita in adults. No such associations were found for children, nor for total physical activity.
Differences in national leisure-time physical activity levels in adults throughout Europe may this be a consequence of economic development. relative lack of economic development of some countries in Europe may make increasing leisure-time physical activity there more difficult, while these countries may be most in need of physical activity promotion.