Factors associated with leisure-time physical activity among residents of urban areas from a municipality.

Resumen

The objective of this study was to analyze factors associated with leisure-time physical activity among residents of urban areas. A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted on a representative sample of the urban population of Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil, aged 15 years or older. The sample consisted of 3,597 subjects, including 71.4% females and 28.6% males. A questionnaire containing sociodemographic data, self-reported diseases, and leisure-time physical activity was applied. Prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated, adopting a level of significance of p ? 0.05. The frequency of subjects considered to be active during leisure time was 27.7%. Sociodemographic characteristics (gender, income, and educational level) were associated with a higher frequency of physical activity. In conclusion, the frequency of leisure-time inactivity was high in the population from the municipality of Feira de Santana, especially among women, low-income subjects, and subjects with low educational level. These findings contribute to the discussion about the need to implement public health policies and to create spaces for active leisure-time activity.