Physical activity in Brazil: lessons from ELSA-Brasil. Narrative review

Abstract

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) was conducted among civil servants at six higher education institutions located in six Brazilian state capitals. The objective of this review was to identify the publications produced within the scope of ELSA-Brasil that analyzed the participants' physical activity. DESIGN AND SETTING: Review study using baseline data from ELSA-Brasil. METHODS: Narrative review of Brazilian studies on physical activity produced using data from ELSA-Brasil participants. RESULTS:The prevalence of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) among ELSA-Brasil participants was low (44.1% among men and 33.8% among women). The main factors associated were social (higher schooling and family income), environmental (living in places with conditions and opportunities for physical activity) and individual (not being obese, being retired, not smoking and positive perception of body image). The perception of facilities for walking in the neighborhood was positively associated with both LTPA and commuting-related physical activity. An active lifestyle was a protective factor against several cardiometabolic variables (hypertension, diabetes, lipid abnormalities and cardiovascular risk over the next 10 years).Comparison between LTPA and commuting-related physical activity showed that only LTPA had a protective effect against arterial hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of physical activity among ELSA-Brasil participants was low. The main determinants were social, environmental and personal. LTPA had a greater protective effect on cardiometabolic outcomes than did commuting-related physical activity. RESULTADOS: A prevalência da atividade física no tempo livre (AFTL) em participantes do ELSA-Brasil foi baixa, (44,1% em homens e 33,8% em mulheres). Os principais fatores associados foram de ordem social (maior escolaridade e renda familiar), ambiental (viver em locais com condições e oportunidades para prática de atividade física) e individual (não ser obeso, ser aposentado/a, não ser tabagista, e ter percepção positiva da imagem corporal). A percepção de facilidades para caminhar na vizinhança foi positivamente associada tanto a AFTL quanto a atividade física no deslocamento (AFD). O estilo de vida ativo fisicamente foi fator de proteção para diversas variáveis cardiometabólicas (hipertensão arterial, diabetes, alterações lipídicas e risco cardiovascular nos próximos 10 anos). Após comparação entre AFTL e AFD, observou-se que apenas a AFTL apresenta efeito protetor para hipertensão arterial. CONCLUSÃO: A prevalência da atividade física em participantes do ELSA-Brasil foi baixa, os principais determinantes foram de ordem social, ambiental e pessoal. A AFTL apresentou maior efeito de proteção para desfechos cardiometabólicos do que a AFD. RESUMO

Relationship between total physical activity and physical activity domains with body composition and energy expenditure among Brazilian adults

“…Our study confirms (Tables and ) that the prevalence of low PA levels is higher in women than in men, both worldwide (Althoff et al, ; Guthold et al, ; Hughes, Baker, Kim, & Valdes, ) and in Brazil (da Silva et al, ; Pitanga, Almeida, Queiroz, Aquino, & Matos, ), including among adolescents (Silva et al, ). Women were 6% more physically inactive than men in 2001 and 8% more in 2016.…”

“…Previous studies have shown that individuals with higher education and socioeconomic status from low to middle‐income countries had lower PA levels, probably related with a high grade of work‐related technology and highly sedentary professions (Koyanagi, Stubbs, & Vancampfort, ). Socioeconomic status was also positively associated with leisure‐time PA (da Silva et al, ; Pitanga et al, ) and negatively associated with work‐related PA (da Silva et al, ) in two Brazilian surveys. In a Chinese survey (Du et al, ), total PA was negatively associated with educational level, mainly because of the low occupational PA among Chinese with high academic degrees.…”

Promotion of physical activities and healthy eating habits in Primary Care: maintenance of benefits

“…In addition, the studies included in the systematic reviews were conducted in developed countries that have socioeconomic and environmental conditions that favor the maintenance of healthier lifestyles [16,20]. In developing countries, such as Brazil, low educational, socioeconomic levels [21] and unfavorable environments contribute to explain the low prevalence of physical activities among the population [22]. Also, Salvo et al [23] ratify the importance of positive environment perception for the practice of leisure-time physical activities among Brazilian adults.…”

High intensity resistance training causes muscle damage and increases biomarkers of acute kidney injury in healthy individuals

“…Nevertheless, the frequency of individuals performing regular exercise remains low in developed and developing countries [ 4 , 5 ]. One of the main causes reported worldwide by individuals for physical inactivity is a lack of time to perform an exercise program [ 6 ].…”