Active Transportation and Obesity Indicators in Adults from Latin America: ELANS Multi-Country Study.

Juan Guzmán Habinger, Javiera Lobos Chávez, Sandra Mahecha Matsudo, Irina Kovalskys, Georgina Gómez, Attilio Rigotti, Lilia Yadira Cortés Sanabria, Martha Cecilia Yépez García, Rossina G Pareja, Marianella Herrera-Cuenca, Ioná Zalcman Zimberg, Viviana Guajardo, Michael Pratt, Cristian Cofre Bolados, Claudio Farías Valenzuela, Adilson Marques, Miguel Peralta, Ana Carolina B Leme, Mauro Fisberg, André Oliveira Werneck, Danilo Rodrigues da Silva, Gerson Ferrari

Journal: International journal of environmental research and public health 2021;17(19):6974

PMID: 32987637

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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.

Address: Sports Medicine and Physical Activity Specialty, Science Faculty, Universidad Mayor, Santiago 8580745, Chile.; Datrics, Santiago 7500000, Chile.; Science Faculty, Universidad Mayor, Santiago 8580745, Chile.; Academic Unit, MEDS Clinic, Santiago 7550000, Chile.; Nutrition Career, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina, AAZ Buenos Aires C1107, Argentina.; Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 11501-2060, Costa Rica.; Department of Nutrition, Diabetes and Metabolism, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica, Santiago 8330024, Chile.; Department of Nutrition and Biochemistry, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, Colombia.; College of Health Sciences, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito 17-1200-841, Ecuador.; Nutrition Research Institute, Lima 15026, Peru.; Centro de Estudios del Desarrollo, Universidad Central de Venezuela (CENDES-UCV)/Fundación Bengoa, Caracas 1053, Venezuela.; Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil.; Nutrition, Health and Wellbeing Area, International Life Science Institute (ILSI) Argentina, Santa Fe Av. 1145, CABA C1059ABF, Argentina.; Institute for Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0021, USA.; Laboratory of Sciences of Physical Activity, Sports and Health, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, USACH, Santiago 7500618, Chile.; Institute of Sports Sciences, School of Sports Sciences and Physical Activity, Universidad Santo Tomas Santiago de Chile, Santiago 8370003, Chile.; Laboratory of Sciences of Physical Activity, Sports and Health, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, USACH, Santiago 7500618, Chile.; CIPER, Faculty of Human Motricity, Universidade de Lisboa, 1499-002 Lisbon, Portugal.; ISAMB, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal.; Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-904, Brazil.; Department of Pediatrics, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-061, Brazil.; Instituto Pensi, Fundação José Luiz Egydio Setubal, Hospital Infantil Sabará, São Paulo 01227-200, Brazil.; Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 01246-904, Brazil.; Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Sergipe-UFS, São Cristóvão 49100-000, Brazil.

DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17196974

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MeSH Terms: Adult, Body Mass Index, Cross-Sectional Studies, Ecuador, Female, Humans, Latin America, Male, Obesity, Transportation, Waist Circumference