title: Association between leisure-time physical activity and C-reactive protein levels in adults, in the city of Salvador, Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Leisure time physical activity (LTPA), defined as any type of bodily movement performed during leisure time, is associated with a reduction in the risk for many cardiovascular injuries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the existence of an association between leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in adults, in the city of Salvador, State of Bahia, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study, with a sample of 822 men and women, aged > 20 years. Active in leisure time were those with a self-reported practice of physical activities in leisure time; high serum CRP levels were those with values > 3.0 mg/l. Logistic regression analysis was used to compute the odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using multivariate analysis to adjust for potential confounders, we found an OR of 0.73 (0.68-0.79) among the men which shows the existence of an association between LTPA and high CRP levels only in male individuals. After a stratification by gender, obesity, diabetes and smoking habit, we found an association between LTPA and high CRP in non-obese and non-diabetic male smokers or former smokers; and in obese and non-smoking females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study may bring contributions to public health, since they can be used to raise awareness of the importance of LTPA as a prospective strategy for population health improvement.
authors: Departamento de Educação Física, Faculdade de Educação, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil. fpitanga@unime.com.br
authors: Francisco
authors: F
authors: Pitanga
authors: Ines
authors: I
authors: Lessa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein