Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations University of Queenlsand Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations

Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations

 
 


Physical activity

ALSWH research has found that overweight and obesity are consistent risk factors for chronic health problems (1), and physical inactivity is associated with weight gain.(2) The ALSWH allows for the examination of changing patterns of physical activity among Australian women, for example, the mosaic plot shows changes in physical activity between two surveys: only 36.4% of the younger women were categorised as doing ‘moderate to high activity’ at both surveys, with 16.3% remaining in the ‘low activity’ and 2.6% remaining in the ‘no activity’ category at both surveys. Almost a quarter (22.3%) of the younger women moved into a higher physical activity category during this period (from ‘no activity’ to either ’low activity’ or ‘moderate to high activity’, or from ‘low activity’ to ‘moderate to high activity’) while 22.4% moved into a lower category of physical activity. These descriptions of change in activity levels for individuals would not be possible in multiple cross-sectional studies. The ALSWH website offers access to reports that have examined women’s levels of physical activity, and to papers that have covered this topic in more detail.

Mosaic plot of change in physical activity in the Younger cohort
between Survey 2 and Survey 3.

References
1. Brown W, Byles J, Carrigan G, et al. Trends in women’s health: Results from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health Chronic conditions, risk factors and health behaviours. Report to the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, October 2006.
2. Adamson L, Brown W, Byles J, et al. Women’s weight: Findings from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health. Report to the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, May 2007.

For further information on physical activity, see our other publications:

Reports

  • ALSWH. Australian women and their weight – a growing problem. Summary report prepared for the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health, University of Newcastle & University of Queensland. April 2005.
  • Brown W & the ALSWH team. Health Activity, Healthy Weight, Health Women. Summary report prepared for the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health, University of Newcastle & University of Queensland. August 2003.
  • Brown W, Ball K, Trost S & Dobson A. Physical activity, Body Mass Index & health in Australian women: Selected findings of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health. Report prepared for the Australian Government Department of Health & Ageing. Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health, University of Newcastle & University of Queensland. June 2003.


Papers

  • Brown WJ, Dobson AJ & Mishra G. What is a healthy weight for middle aged women? International Journal of Obesity, 1998; 22: 520-528.
  • Brown WJ, Fuller B, Lee C, Cockburn J & Adamson L. Never too late: Older people's perceptions of physical activity. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 1999; 9(1): 55-63.
  • Lee C & Russell A. Effects of Physical Activity on Emotional Well-Being Among Older Australian Women: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analyses. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 2003; 54: 155-160.
  • Brown WJ & Trost SG. Life transitions and changing physical activity patterns in young women. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2003; 25(2): 140-143.
  • Brown WJ, Ford JH, Burton NW, Marshall AL & Dobson AJ. Prospective study of physical activity and depressive symptoms in mid-age women. American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 2005; 29(4): 265-272.
  • Bell S & Lee C. Emerging adulthood and patterns of physical activity among young Australian women. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 2005; 12(4): 227-235.
  • Heesch K, Miller Y & Brown W. Relationship between physical activity and stiff or painful joints in mid-aged and older women: a 3 year prospective study. Arthritis Research and Therapy, 2007; 9(2): 1-13.




 
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Last updated: 20th December 2007 by Cath Chojenta © Copyright