Understanding the contribution of public- and restricted-access places to overall and domain-specific physical activity among Mexican adults: A cross-sectional study

• Published in: PloS one 2020-02, Vol.15 (2), p.e0228491
• Main Authors: Jáuregui, Alejandra, Salvo, Deborah, Medina, Catalina, Barquera, Simón, Hammond, David
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adults; Age; Aged; Bicycling - physiology; Biology and Life Sciences; Cities; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cycling; Environment Design; Exercise; Exercise - physiology; Female; Humans; International organizations; Latin Americans; Leisure; Leisure Activities; Male; Medical research; Medicine and Health Sciences; Mexico - epidemiology; Middle Aged; Museums; Nightclubs; Nutrition; Outdoors; Parks; Parks, Recreational - statistics & numerical data; People and places; Physical activity; Physical fitness; Polls & surveys; Private Facilities - statistics & numerical data; Public Facilities - statistics & numerical data; Public health; Public spaces; Questionnaires; Regression analysis; Regression models; Residence Characteristics - statistics & numerical data; Setting (Literature); Shopping centers; Social Sciences; Socioeconomic Factors; Sports complexes; Sports facilities; Streets; Studies; Surveys; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time; Travel; Traveltime; Variables; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228491

Latin Americans engage in physical activity (PA) in unique ways and use a wider range of places for PA than those commonly studied in high-income settings. We examined the contribution of a variety of places and domains of PA to meeting PA recommendations among a sample of adults (18-65 y) from all over Mexico. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 2017 (n = 3 686). Overall and domain-specific PA was measured using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Use of places for PA was self-reported. Places were classified as private or public. In 2018, associations between specific places and meeting PA recommendations (≥150 mins/week) were estimated using multivariate logistic regression models. In total 72.1% met PA recommendations. The proportion meeting recommendations through domain-specific PA was highest for leisure-time PA (50.0%), followed by travel-related (39.1%) and work-related (24.9%) PA. The most commonly reported places for PA were home (43%), parks (40.7%) and streets (39.4%) (public). Use of most public places was positively associated with meeting PA recommendations, mainly through travel-related PA (Streets OR 2.05 [95% CI 1.71-2.45]; Cycling paths OR 1.91 [1.37-2.68]). Using private places was more strongly associated with PA, mainly leisure-time PA (Gyms OR 9.66 [7.34-12.70]); Sports facilities OR 5.03 [3.27-7.74]). In conclusion, public and private places were important contributors to PA. While public places may be a powerful setting for PA promotion, increasing the equitable access for all to private places may also represent an effective strategy to increase PA among Mexican adults.