ABSTRACT
The health benefits of physical activity are widely recognised and there is now considerable evidence that physical activity has a role to play in maintenance of good health as well as in the prevention of ill-health (Fentem, Bassey and Turnbull, 1988). Despite this evidence, it appears that individuals in western countries are resistant to public health messages aimed at encouraging physical activity and participation rates are generally low (Casperson, Christenson and Pollard, 1986; Eammons et al., 1994). Population based surveys in the UK have indicated the relatively sedentary nature of large numbers of the adult population (Allied Dunbar National Lifestyle Survey, Health Survey in England, 1993; Health Education Authority, 1993). Furthermore, the relationships between inactivity and lifestyle factors such as smoking (Conway and Cronan, 1992) alcohol consumption (Goldberg et al., 1994) and diet (Hallfrish et al., 1994) remain a cause for public health concern. The present study had two objectives: firstly, to compare a recent generalised activity target of 30 minutes accumulated activity on most days of the week for health maintenance (American College of Sport Medicine, 1993) with an alternative target of an age/sex “optimal” level of activity for health benefit (Allied Dunbar National Fitness Survey, 1993) and, secondly, to examine the relationships between extreme levels of physical activity (optimal activity versus sedentary status) and selected lifestyle factors which are known to influence health status.
