Neighborhood safety and physical inactivity in adults from Curitiba, Brazil.
BACKGROUND
Neighborhood safety is one of the environmental aspects that can influence physical activity. We analyzed the association between perceived neighborhood safety and physical inactivity (PI) in adults and examined effect modification according to sociodemographic variables.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,261 adults (62% women), age 18-69 years from Curitiba, Brazil.


RESULTS
The perception of unsafe neighborhood was higher among women, older participants, those classified in the high socioeconomic (SES) group, overweighed and also among those reporting to have PA equipments and children. The association between perception safety of walking during the day and walking for leisure (women PR=1.12 CI95%=1.02-1.22; men PR=0.82 CI95%=0.64-1.05; interaction term PR=1.38 CI95%=1.03-1.83) and safe perception was associated with PI, just in the highest SES group (PR=1.09; CI95%=1.00-1.19; p trend=0.032) when compared with their counterparts (low SES PR=0.99; CI95%=0.90-1.04; p trend=0.785; interaction term PR=1.09; CI95%=1.03-1.15; p trend=0.007).


CONCLUSIONS
The perception of safety in the neighborhood was associated with PI in transport, but this association varies across of sociodemographic variables.
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, School of Health and Biosciences, Physical Activity and Quality of Life Research Group (GPAQ), Curitiba, Brazil. crrech@hotmail.com
Cassiano Ricardo
CR
Rech
Rodrigo Siqueira
RS
Reis
Adriano Akira Ferreira
AA
Hino
Ciro Romélio
CR
Rodriguez-Añez
Rogério Cesar
RC
Fermino
Priscila Bezerra
PB
Gonçalves
Pedro Curi
PC
Hallal
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004779:Environment Design; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D010465:Perception; D011788:Quality of Life; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012449:Safety; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016138:Walking; D055815:Young Adult