Physical activity in the rural population of Pelotas, Brazil

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the level of physical activity in general and by domains of practice in the rural area of Pelotas, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, as well as their associated factors.METHODS This is a population-based, cross-sectional study with adults living in the rural area of Pelotas. The questionnaire used to measure the prevalence of physical activity was the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Individuals who reported at least 150 minutes of weekly physical activity were considered as active. The demographic, economic, labor, and crime safety aspects were evaluated as independent variables. Poisson regression was used for the crude and adjusted analyses.RESULTS Final sample consisted of 1,447 individuals. Overall prevalence of physical activity was 83.7% (95%CI 81.3–86.2). Regarding the different domains, 74.9% (95%CI 71.3–78.6) of the participants reached the recommendations of physical activity specifically with work, 25.2% (95%CI 22.4–28.0) with transport, and 15.1% (95%CI 12.2–18.1) with leisure. Men were more active than women in all domains. Individuals with rural work were more active in work and transport. Crime variables were not associated with outcomes.CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of general physical activity was high, and was mostly practiced at work. On the other hand, leisure activities were not very prevalent and the associated factors varied in direction and magnitude according to the domains of physical activity evaluated.

Socio-demographic Determinants of Low Physical Activity in Peruvian Adults: Results of a Population-based Survey Performed in 2017-2018

“…Likewise, it was found that residing in rural areas of the Peruvian jungle and highlands decreased the probability of having low PA. This finding is consistent with those reported in populations from Brazil [ 16 ], Chile [ 25 ], and South Africa [ 36 ], in which residing in a rural area was associated with a reduced risk of having low PA compared to living in urban areas. In Peru, two population-based studies—one in cities such as Puno (highlands region), a district of Lima (coast region) and Tumbes (coast region), and the other conducted in the entire Peruvian territory—found that people residing in rural areas were less likely to have physical inactivity than people residing in urban areas [ 17 , 19 ].…”

“…In Peru, two population-based studies—one in cities such as Puno (highlands region), a district of Lima (coast region) and Tumbes (coast region), and the other conducted in the entire Peruvian territory—found that people residing in rural areas were less likely to have physical inactivity than people residing in urban areas [ 17 , 19 ]. This association between residing in a rural area and a low probability of physical inactivity is due to the fact that people (especially young male) residing in rural areas have higher levels of occupational activity related to active and manual farm work, and engage in more PA due to extensive walking because of the lack of motorized transportation and well-defined roads [ 15 , 16 ]. In addition, rural areas lack built-up spaces such as sidewalks, bike paths, public parks, street lighting, and recreational centers, leading to a decrease in leisure PA, which is beneficial for mental health [ 16 ].…”

“…This association between residing in a rural area and a low probability of physical inactivity is due to the fact that people (especially young male) residing in rural areas have higher levels of occupational activity related to active and manual farm work, and engage in more PA due to extensive walking because of the lack of motorized transportation and well-defined roads [ 15 , 16 ]. In addition, rural areas lack built-up spaces such as sidewalks, bike paths, public parks, street lighting, and recreational centers, leading to a decrease in leisure PA, which is beneficial for mental health [ 16 ]. Although the population residing in rural areas has a high level of work-related PA, leisure activities should be encouraged, specific spaces should be created for PA, and trained personnel should be available to promote healthy lifestyles in this population.…”

“…In Peru, there are different patterns of physical inactivity due to the characteristics of the areas or regions where people live. Thus, in urban areas, it has been reported that people have a higher prevalence of physical inactivity due to the greater amount of motorized transport and higher consumption of carbohydrates and sugary foods compared to residents of rural areas, who have a high prevalence of PA related to manual labor [ 15 , 16 ] and transportation on foot due to the lack of paved roads, bicycle paths, and recreational spaces [ 15 ]. In addition, it has been observed that the female population—with associations with low socioeconomic level and overweight—has a higher prevalence of physical inactivity, regardless of the region in which the individual resides [ 17 , 18 ].…”

Fontes de acesso e utilização de medicamentos na zona rural de Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, em 2016: estudo transversal de base populacional

“…Finally, there is yet another hypothesis, namely that of prevalence of medication use in rural areas being lower in rural areas compared to urban areas as a natural result of healthier lifestyles in the countryside in relation to lifestyles in cities. 23,24 Higher prevalence of medication use by women, older people, those with poorer self-perceived health and those with a greater number of chronic diseases corroborates the literature. [2][3][4] Having found lower prevalence of medication use among those who did not have a partner raises the hypothesis of partners providing more attention and care, thus leading to someone with a partner using health services more and thus increasing the chances of diagnosis of health problems requiring medication.…”