Intervenções em ambientes comunitários: efeito da presença de um programa de promoção da atividade física em um centro urbano

Abstract

Physical inactivity is a complex and prevalent behavior in the Brazilian population and expressed major inequities in health, especially in the leisure domain. Community interventions based on physical activity in public spaces have stood out in the scenario management and design of incentive to practice policies. This intervention model was established as a primary means of coping with physical inactivity in Belo Horizonte through the City Academies Programme (AC). Health impact evaluations of these interventions on users and non-users have been a pressing demand of public officials and an important gap in the literature. Therefore, the objectives of this study were: a) describe and compare the sociodemographic profile, the practice of physical activity during leisure time, habits and health behaviors (some health indicators) of users of a pole of the AC in Belo Horizonte City and non-user residents in two health districts of the municipality; b) evaluate the effect of the program on the presence of physical activity in leisure physical activity among non-users living in households located at different distances from AC. The data are from the household survey called Health Beagá, conducted by Belo Horizonte Observatory Urban Health, between 2008 and 2009. The survey was probabilistic sampled designed, stratified in threestage cluster (census tract home and an adult). 4,048 residents and 319 users of one functioning AC were interviewed. The level of leisure physical activity was obtained based on the long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and classified according to the cutoff point of 150 minutes per week. Individual data were compared by socio- demographic, economic, lifestyle and health variables. Social and physical environment information was obtained from the perception of the neighborhood attributes by interviewers. For the first objective, a descriptive study was designed for comparing health indicator proportions and physical activity levels among users and non-users. There were statistically significant differences in sociodemographic characteristics, physical activity and health profile between groups in favor of the program users. For the second goal, we defined a distance of 1,500 meters in the geographical area of the three AC sites sampled. Dwellers living surrounding the functioning AC were considered exposed and those living surrounding the others two poles without a constructed AC, as unexposed. Residents living in target areas up to 500 meters surrounding the Polo in operation, were 1.16 likely to be active during leisure time as compared to residents living in the other surroundings at this distance, even adjusted for sociodemographic features and the sector's income. This effect was not observed in areas without an intervention, i.e constructed AC.