Prevalence of physical inactivity and associated socioeconomic indicators in indigenous Xavante communities in Central Brazil

Abstract

Background: Among numerous factors linked to nutrition transition globally, physical inactivity has been identified as a key triggering factor. At present, little is known about physical activity patterns among the Indigenous population in Brazil, which exhibits higher prevalence rates of excess weight than the non-Indigenous population. The present study aims to characterize physical inactivity and associated socioeconomic factors among members of two Xavante villages in Central Brazil. Methods: This study population included individuals ≥ 18 years of age residing in Pimentel Barbosa and Etênhiritipá villages, Pimentel Barbosa Indigenous Reserve, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. Physical activity data were collected in February 2011 using an adaptation of the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess associations between variables. Results: Of a total eligible population of 256 adults, 82.4 % participated in the study. The overall prevalence of physical inactivity was 17.5 %, markedly lower than has been described using similar methods for the global and overall Brazilian populations. The prevalence rates of overweight and obesity were 52.1 and 21.8 %, respectively. Physical inactivity was more prevalent among males (22.4 %) than females (14.4 %), although this difference was not statistically significant. In the final multivariate model, physical inactivity was more prevalent among individuals ≥ 60 years of age (PR 2.00, CI95% 1.02-3.92) and members of households with a television (PR 1.76, CI95% 1.01-3.05). Individuals in households that planted a garden the prior year were less likely to be physically inactive, although the level of significance was slightly greater than 0.05 (PR 0.55, CI95% 0.29-1.01). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the Xavante pattern of physical inactivity differs from the country’s non-Indigenous population in that age-related increases appear later in life and subsistence activities contribute importantly. Physical inactivity among Indigenous peoples in Brazil deserves greater attention due to indications it is not always related to nutrition transition in the same manner as in non-Indigenous populations.