Factors associated to usual physical activity in women

Abstract

Introduction: attention has been focused on investigating the prevalence of physical activity (PA) in different populations. Objective: to analyze factors associated with the usual practice of PA in women from areas of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Methods: the cross-sectional study enrolled a sample of 2750 women with a mean age of 32.97±10.9 years. PA was assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The sample was divided into six groups: (Southern Region; Itajaí Valley; Northern Region; Western Region; Highlands Region and the Greater Florianópolis Region, SC, Brazil). Statistical analysis was descriptive and inferential.Results: approximately 68.3% of women were considered sufficiently active (active + very active), in particular the Greater Florianópolis Region, SC, Brazil. In the practice of moderate and moderate + vigorous activity, the women of Western Region presented the highest averages (65±64 min/d; 105±102 min/d), respectively, and those in the range of 20-32 years old showed 61% chance of being considered active compared with women in the range of 46-59 years old. As for the body mass index (BMI), women with normal weight of the South Region and Itajaí Valley regions had 2.24 (95% CI;1.15-4.35) and 1.76 (95% CI; 1.14-2.73) times more chances to be active when compared to the overweight women. Conclusion: women in the regions of Santa Catarina were considered sufficiently active. Moderate + vigorous PA was the most prevalent in the six regions studied.

Physical Activity and Quality of Life in Women With Breast Cancer – A Cross-Sectional Study

“…x -mean; sd -standard deviation. This fact, in healthy women is corroborated by the literature in population studies in Brazil, 24 and specifically in Santa Catarina, 25 where walking is also the most form of PA practiced. This high rate of adhesion to walking, occurs because it is an activity that presents the lowest incidence of musculoskeletal lesions, 26 and is considered pleasurable, with possibilities of practice in groups, is easily accessible, has low impact and low monetary cost.…”