Sedentary behavior in the city of São Paulo, Brazil: ISA-Capital 2015.

INTRODUCTION

The excessive sitting time involved in activities of low energy expenditure (sedentary behavior) can contribute to the development of chronic diseases. Assessing factors related to this behavior in a population is important to identify its most vulnerable segments.

OBJECTIVE

To describe sitting time distribution in the adult population of São Paulo City according to sociodemographic and environmental characteristics and health conditions.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study involving 2,512 individuals, aged 20 to 65 years, who participated in the Health Survey in the City of São Paulo (Inquérito de Saúde no Município de São Paulo - ISA-Capital) 2015. Data relating to sitting time were collected using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), initially analyzed continuously, and, afterward, dichotomized by the median to analyze categorical variables.

RESULTS

The total sitting time median in the sample was 180 min/day. The variables that, after adjustments, remained related to sedentary behavior were: schooling (prevalence ratio - PR = 1.41; 95% confidence interval - 95%CI 1.35 - 1.48); marital status (PR = 1.05; 95%CI 1.02 - 1.08); neighborhood safety (PR = 0.96; 95%CI 0.93 - 0.99); age (PR = 0.91; 95%CI 0.87 - 0.95); income (PR = 1.07; 95%CI 1.00 - 1.15); self-rated health (PR = 1.03; 95%CI 1.01 - 1.07), and gender (PR = 0.96; 95%CI 0.94 - 0.99).

CONCLUSION

The most vulnerable groups to sedentary behavior in this population are: younger males, with higher schooling and income, who live in neighborhoods considered safe, unmarried, and with negative self-rated health.