TY - JOUR
T1 - Prolonged sitting in cars
T2 - Prevalence, socio-demographic variations, and trends
AU - Sugiyama, Takemi
AU - Merom, Dafna
AU - van der Ploeg, Hidde P.
AU - Corpuz, Grace
AU - Bauman, Adrian
AU - Owen, Neville
PY - 2012/10/1
Y1 - 2012/10/1
N2 - Background: Prolonged sitting is detrimentally associated with health outcomes. However, the prevalence and characteristics of those who sit in cars for long periods are not well understood. This study examined the population prevalence, socio-demographic variations, and trends for prolonged sitting in cars among adults. Methods: Using the Sydney Greater Metropolitan Area Household Travel Survey, the prevalence of prolonged sitting time in cars (≥ 2. h/day) was calculated for four 3-year periods (1997-99, 2000-02, 2003-05, and 2006-08) for each population subgroup. Trends were calculated as the mean change in prevalence between adjacent survey periods. Results: Cars were used for 66% of the total trips recorded (n = 336,505). The prevalence of prolonged sitting time in cars was 16-18% in men, and 10-12% in women. Relatively higher prevalence rates were found among middle-age groups (men: 20-22%, women: 12-15%), full-time workers (men: 21-24%, women: 14-15%), those with higher income (men: 21-25%, women: 14-16%), couples with children (men: 20-21%, women: 12-14%), and those living in outer suburbs (men: 20-23%, women: 12-13%). Trends were stable in men, but increasing in women. Several subgroups (older age; living in regional suburbs) also showed increasing trends. Conclusions: These findings provide evidence to inform integrated approaches to measurement and policy development on prolonged car use among the public health, urban planning, and transport sectors.
AB - Background: Prolonged sitting is detrimentally associated with health outcomes. However, the prevalence and characteristics of those who sit in cars for long periods are not well understood. This study examined the population prevalence, socio-demographic variations, and trends for prolonged sitting in cars among adults. Methods: Using the Sydney Greater Metropolitan Area Household Travel Survey, the prevalence of prolonged sitting time in cars (≥ 2. h/day) was calculated for four 3-year periods (1997-99, 2000-02, 2003-05, and 2006-08) for each population subgroup. Trends were calculated as the mean change in prevalence between adjacent survey periods. Results: Cars were used for 66% of the total trips recorded (n = 336,505). The prevalence of prolonged sitting time in cars was 16-18% in men, and 10-12% in women. Relatively higher prevalence rates were found among middle-age groups (men: 20-22%, women: 12-15%), full-time workers (men: 21-24%, women: 14-15%), those with higher income (men: 21-25%, women: 14-16%), couples with children (men: 20-21%, women: 12-14%), and those living in outer suburbs (men: 20-23%, women: 12-13%). Trends were stable in men, but increasing in women. Several subgroups (older age; living in regional suburbs) also showed increasing trends. Conclusions: These findings provide evidence to inform integrated approaches to measurement and policy development on prolonged car use among the public health, urban planning, and transport sectors.
KW - Commuting
KW - Sedentary behavior
KW - Transport
KW - Travel survey
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84867399696&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ypmed.2012.07.026
DO - 10.1016/j.ypmed.2012.07.026
M3 - Article
C2 - 22890022
AN - SCOPUS:84867399696
VL - 55
SP - 315
EP - 318
JO - Preventive Medicine
JF - Preventive Medicine
SN - 0091-7435
IS - 4
ER -