title: Prevalence and correlates of leisure-time physical activity among Nigerians.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physical inactivity levels are rising in many countries with major implications for the prevalence of non-communicable diseases and the general health of the population worldwide. We conducted this study to examine leisure-time physical activity levels among African adults in an urban setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional study among a random sample of 1,058 adults at a government worksite, in Abuja, an urban Nigerian city. We used log-binomial regression models to estimate the multivariable-adjusted associations of correlates of physical activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the study population was 42 ± 9.3 years, 60% were men and 40% were women. The mean metabolic equivalent hours per week for all the participants was 6.8 ± 7.2. In univariate analysis comparing the lowest to highest tertiles of physical activity, the prevalence ratio (PR) and (95% confidence interval, CI) was 0.95 (0.81-1.11) p = 0.49, comparing women to men; compared to those aged <30 years the PR (95% CI) was 0.70 (0.57-0.86), 0.70 (0.58-0.85) and 0.78 (0.63-0.96) for age 30-39, 40-49 and ≥50 years respectively, p for trend = 0.03; compared to those who were normal weight, the PR was 0.93 (0.79-1.10) and 0.90 (0.74-1.09) for overweight and obese persons respectively, p = 0.26. The PR for age was attenuated to non-significant levels in multivariable analyses. Being married was a statistically significant correlate of higher physical activity levels, the PR comparing unmarried to married persons in multivariate analysis was 0.81 (0.67-0.97), p = 0.03.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More than 80% of urban, professional Nigerian adults do not meet the WHO recommendations of physical activity. Urbanized Africans in this study population had low levels of leisure-time physical activity, independent of age, sex and body-mass index. This has major implications for the prevalence of non-communicable diseases in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston MA 02115, USA. sna094@mail.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Sally N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Akarolo-Anthony
authors.forename: Clement A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Adebamowo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population