title: Physical activity levels in public school teachers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the level of physical activity in public school teachers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study conducted with 1,681 teachers from the city of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, in 2009. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire short version was applied and the level of physical activity was categorized as low, moderate or high. The study sample was stratified by age, gender and area of the city (south and east). The chi-square test was used for comparisons at a 5% level of significance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of low, moderate and high levels of physical activity was 46.3%, 42.7% and 11%, respectively. Low physical activity was more prevalent among those aged 31 to 42 years (19.5%) and less prevalent among those aged 55 to 66 (5.7%). Moderate and high levels of physical activity were less prevalent among older teachers. A greater proportion of teachers showed low and high levels of physical activity in the east compared to the south of the city (50.5% vs. 48.6%; 11.4% vs. 8.1%, respectively). The proportion of teachers reporting moderate physical activity was significantly lower in the east (38.1%) compared to the south of the city (43.3%). Low and high levels of physical activity were significantly higher in men than women (53% vs. 42.9%; 14.1% vs. 9.4%, respectively). The prevalence of moderate level of physical activity was significantly lower in men (32.9%) than women (47.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of low physical activity was strikingly high. Variables such as age, gender and city area should be taken into account while planning and targeting campaigns aimed at promoting increased physical activity in this population.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Reabilitação, Departamento de Educação Física, Universidade Nove de Julho, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Wellington Fabiano
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: Carolina Lemes dos
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Alessandra do Amaral
authors.initials: Ado A
authors.lastname: Marcolongo
authors.forename: Marcelo Dias
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: Danilo Sales
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Bocalini
authors.forename: Ednei Luiz
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Antonio
authors.forename: José Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Silva Junior
authors.forename: Paulo José Ferreira
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Tucci
authors.forename: Andrey Jorge
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Serra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005178:Faculty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017150:Public Sector; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult