title: Physical activity patterns in Mozambique: urban/rural differences during epidemiological transition.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the socio-demographic determinants of physical activity, by intensity and domain, across urban and rural areas in Mozambican adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  A national representative sample (n=3323) of subjects aged 25-64 years was evaluated in 2005 following the World Health Organization (WHO) Stepwise Approach to Chronic Disease Risk Factor Surveillance (STEPS), which includes the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. We computed prevalences, and age- and education-adjusted prevalence ratios (PR), with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the Mozambicans reported a high physical activity level, according to the WHO criteria (urban women: 83.2%, 95%CI 77.4, 89.0; rural women: 93.2%, 95%CI 89.0, 97.3; urban men: 78.9%, 95%CI 74.7, 83.1; rural men: 91.6%, 95%CI 85.5, 97.6). The prevalences of <75 min/week of vigorous activities were higher in urban settings (women: PR=2.21; men: PR=2.28) and increased with education, regardless of place of residence (PR ranging between 1.75 and 5.72 for more vs. less educated subjects). Work activities were the most important contributor to the overall physical activity, followed by transport.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most of the Mozambicans reported to be physically active. Vigorous activities were less common in urban areas and among the more educated subjects, depicting an ongoing shift to more sedentary behaviours in this setting.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, University of Porto (ISPUP), Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Padrão
authors.forename: Albertino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Damasceno
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Silva-Matos
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prista
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lunet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys; D019456:Health Transition; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009073:Mozambique / Q000453:epidemiology; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012424:Rural Population; D014505:Urban Population