Active Transportation and Obesity Indicators in Adults from Latin America: ELANS Multi-Country Study.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020;
17:ijerph17196974. [PMID:
32987637 PMCID:
PMC7579005 DOI:
10.3390/ijerph17196974]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to determine the association between active transportation and obesity indicators in adults from eight Latin American countries.
METHODS
Data from the ELANS study, an observational multi-country study (n: 8336; 18-65 years), were used. Active transportation (walking and cycling) and leisure time physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (long version). The obesity indicators considered were: body mass index, and waist and neck circumference.
RESULTS
In the total sample, the average time dedicated to active transportation was 24.3 min/day, with the highest amount of active transportation being Costa Rica (33.5 min/day), and the lowest being Venezuela (15.7 min/day). The countries with the highest proportion of active transportation were Ecuador (71.9%), and the lowest was Venezuela (40.5%). Results from linear regression analyses suggest that active transportation was significantly and independently associated with a lower body mass index (β: -0.033; 95% CI: -0.064; -0.002), but not with waist circumference (β: -0.037; 95% CI: -1.126; 0.390 and neck circumference (β: -0.007; 95% CI: -0.269; 0.130).
CONCLUSIONS
Active transportation is significantly associated with a lower body mass index. Governments should incentivize this type of transportation as it could help to reduce the obesity pandemic in Latin America.
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