Leisure time physical activity in Estonian population: adherence to physical activity recommendations and relationships with overweight

BACKGROUND: Sufficient physical activity (PA) is a key element for the prevention of non-communicable diseases. Considering leisure time physical activity (LTPA), the purpose of the survey was to provide descriptive data for LTPA, find the proportion of the study population meeting the recommended WHO PA criteria, and to detect the possible relationship between LTPA and overweight. METHODS: The National Physical Activity Survey was carried out in autumn 2015 in the Estonian population (n = 914) aged 15–69 years. For LTPA assessment, the LTPA domain of IPAQ-L interview version was used. LTPA was analysed in regard to fulfilment of the WHO PA recommendations and in association with BMI. RESULTS: Seventy-three percent of study participants reported any LTPA in the preceding 7 days. 22 % (26 % of men, 20 % of women) met WHO PA recommendations. 50 % of the study participants were considered overweight (48 % of men, 51 % of women) with BMI > 25.0 kg/m(2), whereas 20 % of the total study population was obese (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m(2)). Lower adherence to WHO PA recommendations was associated with older age in men, and obesity in both men and women. CONCLUSIONS: A strikingly low proportion of people met WHO PA recommendations and a relatively high proportion of overweight people were detected in the study group. Obesity had significant inverse associations with LTPA.