Physical Activity of the Population of the Most Obese Country in Europe, Hungary

Abstract

Introduction: Physical activity is inversely proportional to mortality, so it has an important role in disease prevention. The aim of our study was to characterize the physical activity of Hungarians, the most obese population in Europe. Materials and methods: In a cross-sectional study the physical activity of the Hungarian population was characterized in a sample (n = 1,295) which was representative of the sex, age and geographical location of the adult population aged 18 years and above by using the long form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaires (IPAQ) as an instrument. Based on the metabolic equivalent (MET) rates three categories of physical activity (low, moderate, and high) were defined. Two-step cluster analysis was used to explore physical activity characteristics of participants using sex, age, settlement type and BMI categories as categorical variables, and MET values related to the Work, Transportation, Domestic and Garden, and Leisure Time domains of physical activity as continuous variables. Results: The study showed that 63.39% of the adult Hungarian population took part in high, and 24.78% in moderate activity, and only 11.73% of the sample belonged to the category of low physical activity. By cluster analysis six clusters of people with typical lifestyles could be identified in the Hungarian adult population. In all the six groups participants achieved moderate or high activity levels through work and housework. Physical activity in relation to transportation is very low, similarly to leisure-time sporting activities. In the case of elder people, severe overweight/obesity problems can be detected in married city-dwellers. Discussion: Although Hungary has the highest obesity rate in Europe our research has proved that Hungarians lead physically active lives. The dominant forms of their physical activity are linked to work and housework. Our findings draw attention to the need to examine other risk factors in addition to physical inactivity. Our findings also suggest that the type of physical activity should be more severely considered when defining factors protective against obesity.

Physical Activity in the Southern Great Plain Region of Hungary: The Role of Sociodemographics and Body Mass Index

“…Living in small towns and villages was found to result in lower odds to participate in a moderate and high level of physical activity, which is inconsistent with previous studies on the Hungarian population [ 14 , 17 ]. These findings reinforce research findings that emphasize the correlation between urbanization and higher levels of physical activity [ 36 ].…”

“…It seems that the population in this region had a relatively lower level of physical activity compared to the results of other Hungarian studies, but this is also due to the different sampling procedure. As reported, the participants showed 39.7% high, 41.1% moderate, and 19.2% low levels of physical activity in our study, while Bácsné [ 14 ] reported a 63.40% high level of physical activity in a large Hungarian sample. Makai and her colleagues [ 13 ] also found a high value of vigorous PA by surveying the adult population in two counties.…”

“…Thus, it seems the Hungarian population engages less in easier exercise, but people who regularly take part in some form of physical activity do this at a higher intensity and more frequently than the European average. Previous Hungarian studies showed a relatively high level of vigorous physical activity (over 61–63%), but these studies might not present a realistic picture of the population due to their data collection [ 13 , 14 ]. Even though there is some improvement in physical activity, the Hungarian population is still one of the most overweight countries in the European Union.…”

The Contributions of Food Groups to the Daily Caloric Intake in Mongolian Population: A Mon-Timeline Study

“…Furthermore, in 2019, the European Journal of Data Analysis published an article on the extremely low consumption of some European fruits and vegetables, in which Hungary ranked lower than any other European country [26]. It was also the fourth most obese country in the world in the same year, with one in five adults being obese [27,28]. Lifestyle diseases and NCDs accounted for the majority of deaths in Hungary.…”

Changes in the Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components as Well as in Relevant Preventive Medication between 2006 and 2018 in the Northeast Hungarian Population

“…One in five adults was obese in 2017, and the situation is further aggravated by the very high rate of obesity not only among the adult population but also among children and adolescents [ 9 ]. Seventy percent of adults reported not consuming any vegetables on a daily basis, and 60% indicated they did not eat fruit daily in Hungary [ 10 ], and although they lead physically active lives, the dominant forms of their physical activity are linked to work and housework [ 11 ].…”