PREVALENCE OF LEISURE-TIME PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ACCORDING TO SOCIOECONOMIC POSITION IN BRAZILIAN ADULTS

Introduction: Physical activity contributes to the prevention and treatment of various pathologies. However, part of the world's population remains inactive. Socioeconomic position is an essential determinant in adherence to active leisure behavior. Objective: To investigate the prevalence of leisure-time physical activity according to the socioeconomic situation of Brazilian adults. Methods: Population-based cross-sectional study with data from the 2019 National Health Survey, containing 40,573 individuals with an average age (39.8±10.5). Leisure-time physical activity was assessed using a dichotomous question from the last 12 months as a reference. Socioeconomic position was evaluated by family income, education, occupation, and geographic location. Prevalences were described according to socioeconomic position stratified by sex, age, and confidence intervals (95%CI). Results: Regarding family income, the highest prevalence was in individuals with income greater than five minimum wages, 67.2% (95%CI=64.9-69.4). Regarding education, the highest prevalence was among individuals with complete secondary education, 62.6% (95%CI=60.5-64.7). In occupation, the highest prevalences were among the military, 77.2% (95%CI=68.5-84.5). The highest prevalence was in the Central-West region, 46.8% (95%CI=45.3-48.4). Conclusion: Individuals with a higher socioeconomic position tend to perform more physical activity during leisure time. In this way, it is possible to affirm that social and economic factors guide this behavior.