Men raised in rural areas more physically active as adults than city-raised peers, study finds

Men who grew up in rural areas with higher socioeconomic backgrounds are physically active about half an hour more per day as adults than their city-raised counterparts, a study by the University of Oulu and ODL Liikuntaklinikka has found.

The difference was seen in total movement and light physical activity, and remained even after researchers adjusted for factors such as weight, occupational physical strain, and adult place of residence, according to the study published in the journal Health and Place.

No such difference was found among women.

The research used data from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 and tracked more than 800 people from childhood up to age 35. Participants were included only if they had lived in the same environment for at least five years before starting school, allowing comparison between those raised in rural and urban settings.

Adult physical activity was measured with Oura rings over two weeks. The families’ socioeconomic status was determined based on parents’ education and labour-market position.

The findings suggest that the foundations for an active lifestyle may be built in early childhood, the researchers said. The study also highlights the importance of considering how a person moved as a child when promoting physical activity later in life.

Doctoral researcher Ulla-Maija Luoma said the data does not reveal why the differences exist and that more longitudinal studies are needed to better understand what factors help develop physical activity habits.