title: Social context of neighborhood and socioeconomic status on leisure-time physical activity in a Brazilian urban center: The BH Health Study.
abstract: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of leisure-time physical activity and investigate its association with contextual characteristics of the social and physical environment in different socioeconomic statuses, using a household survey in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil (2008-2009). Leisure-time physical activity was measured by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire; and the social and physical environment by scales arising from perception of neighborhood attributes. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was performed separately for each socioeconomic status stratum. The overall prevalence of leisure-time physical activity was 30.2%, being 20.2% amongst participants of low socioeconomic status, 25.4% in the medium and 40.6% in the high socioeconomic status group. A greater perception of social cohesion was associated with increased leisure-time physical activity only amongst participants of the lowest socioeconomic status even after adjusting for individual characteristics. The results demonstrate the importance of social cohesion for the promotion of leisure-time physical activity in economically disadvantaged groups, supporting the need to stimulate interventions for enhancing social relationships in this population.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brasil.
authors.forename: Amanda Cristina de Souza
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Brasil.
authors.forename: Sérgio Viana
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Peixoto
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brasil.
authors.forename: Amélia Augusta de Lima
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Friche
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brasil.
authors.forename: Janaína Lavalli
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Goston
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brasil.
authors.forename: Cibele Comini
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: César
authors.affiliation: Observatório de Saúde Urbana de Belo Horizonte, Belo Horizonte, Brasil.
authors.forename: César Coelho
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Xavier
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Brasil.
authors.forename: Fernando Augusto
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Proietti
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Ana V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Diez Roux
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brasil.
authors.forename: Waleska Teixeira
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Caiaffa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health; D014505:Urban Population