Relationship between socio-demographic correlates and human development index with physical activity and sedentary time in a cross-sectional multicenter study

• Published in: BMC public health 2022-04, Vol.22 (1), p.669-669, Article 669
• Main Authors: Ferrari, Gerson, Farías-Valenzuela, Claudio, Guzmán-Habinger, Juan, Drenowatz, Clemens, Marques, Adilson, Kovalskys, Irina, Gómez, Georgina, Rigotti, Attilio, Cortés, Lilia Yadira, Yépez García, Martha Cecilia, Pareja, Rossina G, Herrera-Cuenca, Marianella, Marconcin, Priscila, Chávez, Javiera Lobos, Fisberg, Mauro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accelerometers; Adult; Age; Cross-Sectional Studies; Demographics; Ethics; Ethnicity; Exercise; Female; Health aspects; Human Development Index; Human growth; Humans; International study; Life expectancy; Luminous intensity; Male; Men; Minority & ethnic groups; Physical activity; Physiological aspects; Psychological aspects; Public health; Sedentary Behavior; Sedentary time; Social aspects; Sociodemographics; Software; Standard of living; White people; Whites; Women
• ISSN: 1471-2458; 1471-2458
• DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13117-9

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. 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. 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. 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. ClinicalTrials.Gov NCT02226627 . Retrospectively registered on August 27, 2014.