Leisure-time physical activity and sports in the Brazilian population: A social disparity analysis.

Margareth Guimarães Lima,Lhaís De Paula Barbosa Medina,Marilisa Berti De Azevedo Barros,Deborah Carvalho Malta,Sheila Rizzato Stopa,Neuciani Ferreira Da Silva Sousa,Camila Nascimento Monteiro,Brecht Devleesschauwer

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0225940

Abstract

ObjectivesTo estimate the prevalence of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) or sports in the Brazilian population according to demographic and income variables.MethodsData from 60,202 Brazilian individuals (18 years and over) were analyzed, belonging to the National Health Survey 2013 sample. The prevalence of different modalities of LTPA and sports was estimated according to age, sex, skin color and income. The adjusted prevalence ratios were estimated by Poisson regression.ResultsOf every thousand Brazilians, 695 do not practice LTPA or sports. Walking is the most practiced LTPA (98/1000), followed by soccer (68/1000) and weight training (45/1000). For poor and black men, the most frequent LTPA was soccer, and, for women, gymnastics and walking. The prevalence of weight training and gymnastics was higher for white people compared with black people. All LTPA practices were more prevalent in individuals with higher income, except for soccer. Running on a treadmill and weight training had, respectively, 24.7 and 6.4 times higher prevalence in the richer quartile.ConclusionsThe study allowed identifying the type of LTPA and sport reported as the most frequent by the Brazilian population according to age, sex, skin color, and income, detecting strong social disparities in these practices.

Highlights

Several studies [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8] analyzed the levels of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) based on information about duration and intensity of the practices, and some of them, providing results on the classification of the individuals in active, insufficiently active and inactive
The prevalence of weight training and gymnastics was higher for white people compared with black people
All LTPA practices were more prevalent in individuals with higher income, except for soccer

Summary

Introduction

Several studies [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8] analyzed the levels of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) based on information about duration and intensity of the practices, and some of them, providing results on the classification of the individuals in active, insufficiently active and inactive. The guides and recommendations for physical exercise, aimed at promoting health, consider the type of physical activities in addition to levels, duration, frequency and intensity [14,15]. Knowledge on the type of LTPA practiced by the population is important, considering that different dimensions of physical capacity, such as the cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and neuromotor function exert particular influences in the various aspects of health. Exercises as Yoga, Pilates and dance, in their turn, contribute to improve neuromotor functions [14,15,16]

Objectives

Results

Conclusion