A multilevel analysis of social stratification patterns of leisure-time physical activity among Europeans

Introduction. - Physical activity (PA) is an important public health issue and its benefits in relation to health have been strongly emphasized in recent years in Europe. Facts. - This article examines the social stratification of leisure-time PA among Europeans (EU-27) in 2005. Based on the Eurobarometer 64.3 survey, the results of our Hierarchical Linear Modeling Bernoulli model show that 4 out of 10 Europeans are not exposed to PA in their leisure time. In addition, leisure-time PA in the EU-27 is socially stratified according to sex, age, occupation, and geographical status. Moreover, with respect to both overall leisure-time PA and the social stratification of leisure-time PA, there are substantial between-country variations that should be scrutinized in future research. Conclusion. - The current findings show that it is important for EU member states to draw up national plans in support of leisure-time PA that take account of the customs and cultural characteristics of a country. (C) 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.