Association between characteristics of physical activity in leisure time and obesity in Brazilians adults and elderly.

Objective: To verify the association of obesity with volume, intensity and types of physical activity in leisure time among Brazilian adults and elderly.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study, with a secondary analysis of data from "Surveillance of Risk Factors and Protection for Chronic Diseases by Telephone Survey".

Methods: The target population comprised adults aged ≥18 years. The outcome was obesity (BMI≥30.0 ​​kg/m²) and the exposures were the volume, intensity, and main type of physical activity in leisure time. Binary logistic regression was used and the results were expressed as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI95%), with a significance level of 5%.

Results: Compared to inactive, the highest volume of leisure time physical activity (≥300min/week) had a lower occurrence of obesity in adults (OR=0.76; CI95%: 0.63, 0.92; p=0.001) and elderly (OR=0.62; CI95%: 0.46, 0.82; p=0.001). In adults, vigorous activities (OR=0.65; CI95%: 0.55, 0.78; p<0.001) and, in the elderly, light/moderate activities (OR=0.75; CI95%: 0.62, 0.89; p<0.001) and vigorous (OR=0.54; CI95%: 0.37, 0.78; p<0.001) presented protective effect for obesity. Among the types of physical activity, running was the most strongly associated with a lower occurrence of obesity in adults (OR=0.54; CI95%: 0.32, 0.92; p=0.024) and elderly (OR=0.27; CI95%: 0.10, 0.69; p=0.006). In adults, strength training (p<0.001), gymnastics (p=0.032) and sports (p=0.013) and in elderly, walking (p=0.001) and sports (p=0.003) also had protective effect.

Conclusion: A greater volume, vigorous intensity and physical activities of a structuring character and intensity progression, such as running, were associated with the lower occurrence of obesity.