Effectiveness of a scaled up physical activity intervention in Brazil: A natural experiment.
Physical inactivity causes 5.3 million deaths annually worldwide. We evaluated the impact on population leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) of scaling up an intervention in Brazil, Academia das Cidades program (AC-P). AC-P is a health promotion program classified as physical activity classes in community settings which started in the state of Pernambuco state in 2008. We surveyed households from 80 cities of Pernambuco state in 2011, 2012 and 2013, using monitoring data to classify city-level exposure to AC-P. We targeted 2370 individuals in 2011; 3824 individuals in 2012; and 3835 individuals in 2013. We measured participation in AC-P and whether respondents had seen an AC-P activity or heard about AC-P. We measured LTPA using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. We estimated the odds of reaching recommended LTPA by levels of exposure to the three AC-P measures. For women, the odds of reaching recommended LTPA were 1.10 for those living in cities with AC-P activity for less than three years, and 1.46 for those living in cities with AC-P activity for more than three years compared to those living in cities that had not adopted AC-P. The odds of reaching recommended LTPA increased with AC-P participation and knowledge about AC-P. AC-P exposure is associated with increased population LTPA. Extending AC-P to all cities could potentially impact non-communicable diseases in Brazil.
Health Management and Informatics, University of Missouri School of Medicine, CE707 CS&E Bldg., One Hospital Drive, Columbia, MO 65212, USA. Electronic address: simoese@health.missouri.edu.
Eduardo J
EJ
Simões
Federal University of Pelotas, R. Mal. Deodoro, 960, Centro, Pelotas, RS 96020-220, Brazil. Electronic address: prchallal@terra.com.br.
Pedro C
PC
Hallal
Federal University of Pelotas, R. Mal. Deodoro, 960, Centro, Pelotas, RS 96020-220, Brazil. Electronic address: fcvsiqueira@uol.com.br.
Fernando V
FV
Siqueira
Health Management and Informatics, University of Missouri School of Medicine, CE707 CS&E Bldg., One Hospital Drive, Columbia, MO 65212, USA. Electronic address: schmaltzc@health.missouri.edu.
Chester
C
Schmaltz
Institute of Integral Medicine Prof. Fernando Figueira, 300, Boa Vista, 50070550 Recife, PE, Brazil. Electronic address: danielle.menor@imip.org.br.
Danielle
D
Menor
Departamento de Vigilância de Doenças e Agravos Não Transmissíveis e Promoção da Saúde, DANTPS SAF Sul, Trecho 2, Lote 5/6, Bloco F, Torre 1, Edifício Premium, Térreo, Sala 16, Brasília, DF CEP: 70.070-600, Brazil. Electronic address: deborah.malta@saude.gov.br.
Deborah C
DC
Malta
Institute of Integral Medicine Prof. Fernando Figueira, 300, Boa Vista, 50070550 Recife, PE, Brazil. Electronic address: hebeduarte@imip.org.br.
Hebe
H
Duarte
School of Health and Biosciences, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Parana, Parana, Brazil. Electronic address: akira_manaca@yahoo.com.br.
Adriano Akira
AA
Hino
Federal University of Pelotas, R. Mal. Deodoro, 960, Centro, Pelotas, RS 96020-220, Brazil. Electronic address: gregore.mielke@gmail.com.
Gregore I
GI
Mielke
Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1520 Clifton Road NE, Suite 234, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. Electronic address: mpratt@cdc.gov.
Michael
M
Pratt
School of Health and Biosciences, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Parana, Parana, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Physical Education, Federal University of Parana, Rua XV de Novembro, 1299, Centro, Curitiba, PR 80060-000, Brazil. Electronic address: reis.rodrigo@pucpr.br.
Rodrigo S
RS
Reis
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D003256:Community Participation; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
Effect; Impact; Leisure-time physical activity; Odds ratio; Physical activity classes in community settings