BACKGROUND: Being active has been shown to have beneficial effects for the health of individuals with chronic diseases. However, data on the association between multimorbidity and physical activity are limited. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between chronic diseases, multimorbidity and insufficient physical activity among older adults in southern Brazil, according to sex. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional population-based and household-based study derived from the second wave (2013-2014) of the EpiFloripa Aging Cohort Study. METHODS: Insufficiency of physical activity (outcome) was ascertained using the long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (≤ 150 minutes/week). Eleven self-reported chronic diseases were identified. Multimorbidity was defined from the number of chronic diseases (none; 2 or 3; or 4 or more). The adjustment variables were age, schooling, marital status, income, smoking, alcohol consumption and cognition. Additionally, each chronic disease was adjusted for the others. Associations were tested using logistic regression (crude and adjusted). RESULTS: Among the 1197 participants (≥ 63 years), women (54.0%) were more likely than men (39.6%) to be insufficiently active. In the adjusted analysis, women and men with depressive symptoms, and men with diabetes, were more likely to be insufficiently active than those without symptoms. Multimorbid women were more likely to be insufficiently active, and the magnitude of the effect was strongest for 4 or more diseases. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that the associations were sex-specific. Depressive symptoms and multimorbidity were associated with insufficient physical activity among women, while diabetes was associated with insufficient physical activity among men.

Summary This study aims to analyse the association between perceived presence of public spaces near residences and practice of physical activity during leisure time by adults in the state capitals of Brazil, based on sociodemographic characteristics. Participants were individuals aged ≥18 years living in the 27 state capitals of Brazil (n = 52 929, 53.9% female) who responded to a national survey called VIGITEL in 2013. Physical activity during leisure time (≥1 time/week), perception of space, population and sociodemographic variables (sex, age, years of study and geographic region) were self-reported. The adjusted binary logistic regression analysis was used. Among adults, the prevalence of physical activity during leisure was 45.1% (95% CI [44.2; 46.0]), and 71.1% (95% CI [70.2, 71.8]) perceived public space near their residence. A direct association between perceiving public space and physical activity ([OR] = 1.43; 95% CI [1.32; 1.55]) was observed. No significant difference was observed in the population groups (men and women, younger and older adults, and those with more and fewer years of study). Thus, even with the possible regional differences in Brazilian state capitals, the presence of public spaces increases the practice of physical activity during leisure time, independent of sociodemographic variables.