Ambiente do bairro e prática de atividade física de lazer em adultos residentes da zona urbana do município de Iranduba, Amazonas

Abstract

Introduction: The physical and social environments can be crucial for the adoption and maintenance of healthy behaviors, such as leisure-time physical activity. To understand the influence of environments on leisure-time physical activity, it is essential to investigate their spatial distribution and the quality of their structures. Furthermore, the distance between these locations and homes can represent a significant limiting factor, reinforcing the need to analyze accessibility. Another aspect to be considered is individuals' perception of the environment in which they live. Characteristics such as safety, traffic, sidewalk conditions, and visual stimuli directly influence leisure-time physical activity. Objective: To analyze the relationship between neighborhood environmental characteristics and leisure-time physical activity among adults living in the urban area of the municipality of Iranduba, Amazonas. Methodology: This observational, cross-sectional study is part of a larger study entitled "Intervention led by community health agents for the management of type 2 diabetes in the interior of Amazonas." Data for this research were collected in the municipality of Iranduba, Amazonas (38.1 km by car from the capital). Results: Among the 274 participants, 53.3% lived within a 500-meter radius of some space for leisure-time physical activity. The results showed no association between leisure-time physical activity and the presence, quantity, or quality of public/community spaces. However, there was an association between the perception of the neighborhood environment and leisure-time physical activity. The results follow an ascending order, possibly indicating a linear association between environmental perception and motivation to engage in leisure-time physical activity. The higher the perceived quality of the environment, the greater the engagement of these individuals in leisure-time physical activity. Demonstrating that people who walk ten or more minutes per week and perceive the quality of the environment as average are 2.44 (1.01-5.88) times more likely to engage in leisure-time physical activity, this number increases to 3.00 (1.22-7.33) in the third tertile with high perceived environmental quality. Conclusion: The physical presence of leisure-time EPCs did not, by itself, prove to be a motivating factor, but a positive association was identified between the subjective perception of environmental quality and the practice of physical activity in leisure time, indicating that individuals who consider the environment more favorable tend to be more active.