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Health life-styles, health concern and social position in Germany and the Netherlands.
Stevens, F.C.J., Diederiks, J.P.M., Loschen, G., Zee, J. van der. Health life-styles, health concern and social position in Germany and the Netherlands. European Journal of Public Health: 1995, 5(1), p. 46-49
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Based on a telephone survey of 1352 adults in Germany and The Netherlands 3 health life-style dimensions were distinguished and labelled as: i) sobriety (not smoking, healthy food habits and abstinence from alcohol), ii) activity (participation in sports and exercise and low body mass index) and iii) free-living (alcohol consumption, unhealthy food habits and the (un)importance of physical appearance). Gender, age and level of education were much more important predictors of health life-styles than people's concern about their health. In both nations, women compared to men have a more sober, more active and less free-living life-style. In Germany, older persons are more sober, less active and less free-living. In The Netherlands, older persons were less active. A comparison of the results for Germany and The Netherlands suggests that the structural and cultural embeddedness of health life-styles is somewhat different in both nations.
Based on a telephone survey of 1352 adults in Germany and The Netherlands 3 health life-style dimensions were distinguished and labelled as: i) sobriety (not smoking, healthy food habits and abstinence from alcohol), ii) activity (participation in sports and exercise and low body mass index) and iii) free-living (alcohol consumption, unhealthy food habits and the (un)importance of physical appearance). Gender, age and level of education were much more important predictors of health life-styles than people's concern about their health. In both nations, women compared to men have a more sober, more active and less free-living life-style. In Germany, older persons are more sober, less active and less free-living. In The Netherlands, older persons were less active. A comparison of the results for Germany and The Netherlands suggests that the structural and cultural embeddedness of health life-styles is somewhat different in both nations.