Patterns of Physical Activity and Associated Factors in Cubans Aged 15-69 Years.

Patricia Varona-Pérez,Jesús Fernández-González,Karen Alfonso-Sagué,Rosa M García-Pérez,Dianellys Pérez-Jiménez,Mariano Bonet-Gorbea

doi:10.37757/mr2016.v18.n4.5

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Systematic measurement of population physical activity levels is an important component of public health surveillance. OBJECTIVES Describe patterns of physical activity in the Cuban population aged 15-69 years and identify factors associated with regular physical activity. METHODS A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a complex sampling design, representative of urban and rural areas, sex and age groups, including 7915 individuals. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (short format) was applied. The population was classified as active, irregularly active and sedentary, according to sex, age, marital status, education, skin color, employment and perception of health risk related to physical inactivity or overweight. Percentages, odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated and a multinomial regression model was fitted with active persons as the reference category. RESULTS Approximately 71% of the population self-classified as active, 23% as sedentary and 5.9% as irregularly active. Women had a higher probability of being sedentary (OR 2.51, CI 2.12-2.98) and irregularly active (OR 2.56, CI 95% 1.87-3.49). The probability of being sedentary increased with age (OR 1.19, CI 1.12-1.26), and also with the condition of being a homemaker, retired, or unemployed. Perceiving overweight as a high risk to health reduced likelihood of inactivity (OR 0.49, CI 0.29-0.83). CONCLUSIONS Some 7 of 10 Cubans are physically active. The groups with the highest probability of inactivity and irregular activity and associated factors have been identified through national application (for the first time) of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The results should be taken into account for implementation of specialized strategies to promote systematic physical activity. KEYWORDS Physical activity, physical exercise, sedentary lifestyle, health behavior, risk factors, chronic disease, women's health, surveillance, Cuba.

Highlights

Systematic measurement of population physical activity levels is an important component of public health surveillance
The groups with the highest probability of inactivity and irregular activity and associated factors have been identified through national application of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire
The results should be taken into account for implementation of specialized strategies to promote systematic physical activity

Summary

Introduction

Systematic measurement of population physical activity levels is an important component of public health surveillance. Systematic measurement of physical activity in populations constitutes an important component in public health surveillance.[1] Physical activity is defined as any body movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires more energy expenditure than resting.[2,3] There is growing scientific evidence on the protective effect of regular physical activity in relation to risk of non-communicable chronic diseases (NCD), including heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases, hypertension, non–insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, colon cancer, anxiety and depression, and on the benefits for cognitive capacity, mood and health-related quality of life.[2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]. The Global Burden of Disease study estimated that physical inactivity is responsible for more than 2 million deaths annually and 1% of total disease burden (measured as disability-adjusted years of life lost, or DALY). Estimated global prevalence is 17% in adults (higher in women than in men).[11,12]

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