Abstract

The purpose of this report is to describe the general aim and design of the Finnish-German study on physical activity, fitness and health, the FINGER - study, and to present the descriptive data of the basic analyses from the comparable Finnish and German cross-sectional study materials. This international study addresses the interrelationships of physical activity, fitness and health with the aim of providing more definite knowledge of the health potential of physical activity and fitness. More specifically, the study focuses on health-related components of fitness and on health-protective behavioral, personal and social factors. The general objective is to study how the different types of exercise and fitness are related to health, and to determine the role of personal, behavioral andsocial attributes as health-protective factors. One of the main goals is to develop relevant methodology for fitness assessment in field conditions. The content validity of the fitness test battery will be evaluated on the basis of the interrelationships between physical activity and fitness on one hand, and fitness and health on the other, first in the cross-sectional studies which have been conducted in Tampere, Finland and in Bad Schoenborn, Germany. Follow-up studies will take place in 1995 in both countries for the purpose of assessing these interrelationships longitudinally. Aus der Einleitung