Physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic: A population-based cross-sectional study in a city of south Brazil

Abstract

This study aimed to describe leisure-time physical activity (LPA) during the COVID-19 pandemic in a municipality of Rio Grande do Sul state, southern Brazil, according to gender, level of education, and adherence to social distancing. A population-based and cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in Bagé (RS), Brazil. LPA during the pandemic, place of activity, and Physical Education professional’s supervision, were described. The sample included 377 adults, and 24.4% reported LPA during the pandemic. Marked inequalities were observed. LPA prevalence among men was 20 percentage points (pp) higher than women and 40 pp higher among those with higher schooling than those with lower schooling. Among those reporting LPA, 53.5% practiced at home, and 64.8% did not report Physical Education professional supervision. No differences were observed between LPA and level of social distancing. Besides the recurrent discourse that people should include physical activity in the pandemic context, in the light of the marked inequalities observed, this study addressed sociocultural aspects and emphasized that LPA promotion initiatives require humanized approaches that consider the unequal living conditions of Brazilians.