Published in:
Open Access
01-12-2022 | Research
Relationship between socio-demographic correlates and human development index with physical activity and sedentary time in a cross-sectional multicenter study
Authors:
Gerson Ferrari, Claudio Farías-Valenzuela, Juan Guzmán-Habinger, Clemens Drenowatz, Adilson Marques, Irina Kovalskys, Georgina Gómez, Attilio Rigotti, Lilia Yadira Cortés, Martha Cecilia Yépez García, Rossina G. Pareja, Marianella Herrera-Cuenca, Priscila Marconcin, Javiera Lobos Chávez, Mauro Fisberg
Published in:
BMC Public Health
|
Issue 1/2022
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Abstract
Background
Socio-demographic correlates and human development index (HDI) are associated with self-reported physical activity, but only a few studies have focused on device-measured physical activity and sedentary time in Latin America. We examined the relationship between socio-demographic correlates and HDI with physical activity and sedentary time in a cross-sectional study.
Methods
We based our analyses on 2522 (53.1% women; 18–65 years [mean age 38.3 years]) adults drawn from the eight Latin America countries. Physical activity (light, moderate, vigorous, and moderate-to-vigorous intensity and steps) and sedentary time were assessed using Actigraph GT3X + accelerometers. Sex, age, and race/ethnicity were self-reported. The HDI country information was obtained from the United Nations Development Program.
Results
For the age, ethnicity, vigorous physical activity and steps/day, there were significant differences between high and very high HDI countries. Women and younger age presented lower sedentary time than men and older. In moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, we found lower duration in women (-13.4 min/week), younger age (-0.1 min/week), and white/caucasian (-2.7 min/week) than men, older ages and mixed ethnicity. Women (-1266.5 steps/week) and very high HDI (-847.3 steps/week) presented lower steps than men and high HDI. Black (2853.9 steps/week), other (1785.4 steps/week), and white/caucasian ethnicity (660.6 steps/week) showed higher steps than mixed ethnicity.
Conclusions
Different socio-demographic correlates are associated with physical activity intensity; however, HDI is associated with vigorous physical activity and steps in the Latin American region, which can in turn guide policies to promote physical activity in the region.