Levels of physical activity and sedentary behaviors in different universities of Bogotá

Abstract

Abstract The global recommendations for physical activity (PA) advised by the World Health Organization WHO (2012) are 150 minutes of moderate intensity (at least 600 MET-min/week) or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity per week (at least 3000 MET-min/week). The objective were determine the levels of PA and sedentary behaviors (SB) in people at different universities in Bogotá (students, administrative personal). The dimensions IPAQ was applied (PA in the transportation PAT, PA in Leisure Time PALT and auto evaluation of sedentary behaviors ASB). Study was descriptive, correlational, with simple random sampling. The project had ethics considerations aproved by Ethic Comitee of Libre University. The data were analyzed with Rversion 4.2.3. Results were n = 717 distributed in 442 (61.6%) women and 275 (38.4%) men. 100 men (36.4%) with 120.9 ± 185.9 MET-min/week and 161 women (36.4%) with 313.9 ± 198.8 MET-min/week did not fulfill PAT recommendations. 109 men (36.5%) with 193.6 ± 217.0 MET-min/week and 141 women (31.9%) with 186.4 ± 194.5 MET-min/week did not fulfill PALT recommendations. 75 men (27.3%) report sedentary time (ASB) greater than 2 hour/day (2311.2 min/week ± 1487.7) and 104 women (23.5%) report 2255.1 min/week (±1316.4). Instead, people fewer than 2 hours were 200 men (72.7%) with 323.6 min/week (±320.7) and 338 women (76.5%) with 312.4 min/week (±308.8). Statistical tests for association were applied for the variables PAT and PALT which did not have significant statistical differences but between PALT and ASB were found significant statistical differences (p-value < 2.2e–16, CI 1032.740–1608.664), so they were related. Universities must promote and maintain recommended PA levels through strengthening programs and infrastructure oriented to PA in population, especially promoting forms of transportation such as bicycles and different forms of active leisure time differentiated between genders. However, sedentary times are a threat to health, due to its great increase in this population. Key messages • The global recommendations for physical activity (PAG) recommended by the WHO (2012) is 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity per week.