Carlos M. Arango

Association between the perceived environment and physical activity among adults in Latin America: a systematic review

BackgroundActivity friendly environments have been identified as promising strategies to increase physical activity levels in the population. Associations between perceived environmental attributes and physical activity in Latin America may vary from those observed in high income countries. The objective of this systematic review is to identify which perceived environmental attributes are associated with physical activity in Latin America.MethodsSystematic literature search of articles published in English, Portuguese, and Spanish in four databases was conducted (PubMed, Virtual Health Library, EBSCO, and Web of Science). Associations with environmental attributes were analyzed separately for physical activity domains. Fifteen articles were included in the analysis.ResultsAll studies had cross-sectional designs. The majority of associations were statistically non-significant, and only four associations were found in the unexpected direction. Leisure-time and transport-related physical activity were the domains most frequently included in the studies and had higher number of associations in the expected direction. Leisure-time physical activity showed a convincing association in the expected direction with safety during the day. Transport-related physical activity had a convincing association with presence of street lighting.ConclusionsThis study shows that perceived environmental attributes and their relationship with physical activity appears to be domain, and context specific. In addition, findings from this study show inconsistencies with the information gathered from high-income countries.

Walking or Bicycling to School and Weight Status Among Adolescents From Montería, Colombia

BACKGROUND Active school transport (AST) is a recommended strategy to promote physical activity (PA) and prevent overweight (OW) in school-aged children. In many developing countries, such as Colombia, this association has not been well characterized. OBJECTIVE To determine the association between AST and weight status in a representative sample of adolescents from Montería, Colombia. METHODS Participants were 546 adolescents (278 boys) aged 11 to 18 years old from 14 randomly selected schools in Montería, Colombia in 2008. The PA module of the Global School Health Survey (GSHS-2007) was used to determine the prevalence of AST. To identify OW, participants were classified according to CDC 2000 criteria (BMI ≥85th percentile). Association between AST and OW was determined by binomial logistic regression. RESULTS Odds ratios adjusted for age, sex, location of school, compliance with PA, and screen time recommendations showed that adolescents who reported AST had a significantly lower likelihood to be OW compared with adolescents who reported nonactive transportation (OR = 0.5, 95% CI 0.3-0.8, P < .05). CONCLUSIONS These results support the importance of AST as a useful PA domain with potential implications for overweight prevention, in rapidly developing settings. Further epidemiologic and intervention studies addressing AST are needed in the region.

Screen time, cardiorespiratory fitness and adiposity among school-age children from Monteria, Colombia

OBJECTIVES To explore the association between electronic media exposure (television viewing time, personal computer/video game use, total screen time), and waist circumference and body mass index, and study whether this association is independent of cardiorespiratory fitness, in a representative sample of adolescents from Montería, Colombia. DESIGN Cross-sectional study analyzing data from 546 students aged 11-18 years, from fourteen randomly selected schools. Z-scores for WC and BMI were calculated. METHODS The physical activity module of the Global School Health Survey 2007 was used to determine EME, and the shuttle run test was used to assess CRF. Linear regression models adjusted by age, school location, physical activity level, type of institution (public or private), consumption of sweetened beverages, fast food, and fried food were used. RESULTS Among boys, independently of cardiorespiratory fitness, high television viewing time (≥ 2 h/day) (β=+0.22; p<0.02), was positively associated with waist circumference. High total screen time (>3h/day) was positively associated with waist circumference (β=+0.34; p<0.01), and body mass index (β=+0.39; p<0.01). Among girls, sedentary behavior was not associated with adiposity, but cardiorespiratory fitness (β=-0.04; p<0.02) was negatively associated with body mass index. CONCLUSIONS These findings support the evidence on the negative impact of excessive electronic media exposure and low cardiorespiratory fitness, and highlight the need for interventions and prevention strategies.

Associations between time spent traveling in motor vehicles and physical activity in Colombian adults from urban areas

Comportamentos sedentarios estao associados com menos atividade fisica. Pouca evidencia existe sobre esta associacao relacionada ao tempo de viagem na America Latina. Este estudo analisou a associacao entre o tempo gasto viajando em veiculos a motor e os niveis de atividade fisica, nos dominios e atividade fisica de lazer e transporte entre adultos Colombianos em areas urbanas. Uma analise secundaria da Pesquisa Nacional de Nutricao de 2010 foi realizada. O tempo gasto viajando em veiculos a motor e atividade fisica foram avaliados utilizando Questionario Internacional de Atividade Fisica. Regressoes logisticas binarias foram realizados. O tempo gasto viajando em veiculos a motor por 120 minutos ou mais foi relatado em 27,6% da amostra. A prevalencia de caminhar ou andar de bicicleta para o transporte de pelo menos 150 minutos por semana foi de 34,0% e 4,4%, respectivamente. Alcancar pelo menos 150 minutos de atividade fisica de lazer em uma semana foi relatado em 18,4% da amostra. Este estudo sugere associacoes negativas entre tempo gasto viajando em veiculos a motor e transporte ativo, com associacoes significativas de tendencias na analise estratificada. Nao houve diferencas significativas encontradas entre tempo gasto viajando em veiculos a motor e atividade fisica de lazer.Sedentary behaviors are associated with less physical activity. Little evidence exists about this association and its relation with commuting time in Latin America. This study examined the association between time spent traveling in motor vehicles and physical activity levels in the domains of leisure time physical activity and transportation, among Colombian adults in urban areas. A secondary data analysis of the 2010 National Nutrition Survey was conducted. Time spent traveling in motor vehicles and physical activity were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Binary logistic regressions were conducted. Time spent traveling in motor vehicles for 120 minutes or more was reported among 27.6% of the sample. The prevalence of walking and bicycling as a means of transportation for at least 150 minutes per week was 34% and 4.4%, respectively. Achieving at least 150 minutes of leisure time physical activity a week was reported by 18.4% of the sample. This study suggests negative associations between time spent traveling in motor vehicles and active transport, with significant trend associations in stratified analyses. No significant associations were found between time spent traveling in motor vehicles and leisure time physical activity.

Alimentación no saludable, inactividad física y obesidad en la población infantil colombiana: un llamado urgente al estado y la sociedad civil para emprender acciones efectivas

Resumen Colombia, al igual que la mayoría de los países de América Latina, ha experimentado una rápida transición nutricional, la cual se ha dado en un contexto caracterizado por altos niveles de pobreza, inequidad y exclusión social; sumado a acelerados procesos de globalización y una creciente influencia política y mediática de las grandes corporaciones de bebidas y alimentos ultra-procesados. Esta situación tiene un impacto potencialmente negativo en la salud infantil, al afectar sus patrones de actividad física y alimentación. Existen acciones poblacionales efectivas para la promoción de la actividad física y la alimentación saludable en niños, niñas y adolescentes, que podrían implementarse en Colombia si se contara con la voluntad política del gobierno y la participación activa de la sociedad civil.http://ped.sagepub.com/content/19/3/87 The online version of this article can be found at: DOI: 10.1177/1757975912453861 2012 19: 87 Global Health Promotion Yazmín Cadena, Viviana Erazo and Diana Celmira Parra Luis Fernando Gómez, Marian Lorena Ibarra, Diego Iván Lucumí, Carlos Mario Arango, Angela Parra, un llamado urgente al estado y la sociedad civil para emprender acciones efectivas Alimentación no saludable, inactividad física y obesidad en la población infantil colombiana:

Associações entre o tempo gasto em viagens em veículos motorizados e atividade física em adultos colombianos de áreas urbanas

Comportamentos sedentarios estao associados com menos atividade fisica. Pouca evidencia existe sobre esta associacao relacionada ao tempo de viagem na America Latina. Este estudo analisou a associacao entre o tempo gasto viajando em veiculos a motor e os niveis de atividade fisica, nos dominios e atividade fisica de lazer e transporte entre adultos Colombianos em areas urbanas. Uma analise secundaria da Pesquisa Nacional de Nutricao de 2010 foi realizada. O tempo gasto viajando em veiculos a motor e atividade fisica foram avaliados utilizando Questionario Internacional de Atividade Fisica. Regressoes logisticas binarias foram realizados. O tempo gasto viajando em veiculos a motor por 120 minutos ou mais foi relatado em 27,6% da amostra. A prevalencia de caminhar ou andar de bicicleta para o transporte de pelo menos 150 minutos por semana foi de 34,0% e 4,4%, respectivamente. Alcancar pelo menos 150 minutos de atividade fisica de lazer em uma semana foi relatado em 18,4% da amostra. Este estudo sugere associacoes negativas entre tempo gasto viajando em veiculos a motor e transporte ativo, com associacoes significativas de tendencias na analise estratificada. Nao houve diferencas significativas encontradas entre tempo gasto viajando em veiculos a motor e atividade fisica de lazer.Sedentary behaviors are associated with less physical activity. Little evidence exists about this association and its relation with commuting time in Latin America. This study examined the association between time spent traveling in motor vehicles and physical activity levels in the domains of leisure time physical activity and transportation, among Colombian adults in urban areas. A secondary data analysis of the 2010 National Nutrition Survey was conducted. Time spent traveling in motor vehicles and physical activity were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Binary logistic regressions were conducted. Time spent traveling in motor vehicles for 120 minutes or more was reported among 27.6% of the sample. The prevalence of walking and bicycling as a means of transportation for at least 150 minutes per week was 34% and 4.4%, respectively. Achieving at least 150 minutes of leisure time physical activity a week was reported by 18.4% of the sample. This study suggests negative associations between time spent traveling in motor vehicles and active transport, with significant trend associations in stratified analyses. No significant associations were found between time spent traveling in motor vehicles and leisure time physical activity.

Asociaciones entre el tiempo de viaje en vehículos motorizados y la actividad física en adultos colombianos de zonas urbanas

Comportamentos sedentarios estao associados com menos atividade fisica. Pouca evidencia existe sobre esta associacao relacionada ao tempo de viagem na America Latina. Este estudo analisou a associacao entre o tempo gasto viajando em veiculos a motor e os niveis de atividade fisica, nos dominios e atividade fisica de lazer e transporte entre adultos Colombianos em areas urbanas. Uma analise secundaria da Pesquisa Nacional de Nutricao de 2010 foi realizada. O tempo gasto viajando em veiculos a motor e atividade fisica foram avaliados utilizando Questionario Internacional de Atividade Fisica. Regressoes logisticas binarias foram realizados. O tempo gasto viajando em veiculos a motor por 120 minutos ou mais foi relatado em 27,6% da amostra. A prevalencia de caminhar ou andar de bicicleta para o transporte de pelo menos 150 minutos por semana foi de 34,0% e 4,4%, respectivamente. Alcancar pelo menos 150 minutos de atividade fisica de lazer em uma semana foi relatado em 18,4% da amostra. Este estudo sugere associacoes negativas entre tempo gasto viajando em veiculos a motor e transporte ativo, com associacoes significativas de tendencias na analise estratificada. Nao houve diferencas significativas encontradas entre tempo gasto viajando em veiculos a motor e atividade fisica de lazer.Sedentary behaviors are associated with less physical activity. Little evidence exists about this association and its relation with commuting time in Latin America. This study examined the association between time spent traveling in motor vehicles and physical activity levels in the domains of leisure time physical activity and transportation, among Colombian adults in urban areas. A secondary data analysis of the 2010 National Nutrition Survey was conducted. Time spent traveling in motor vehicles and physical activity were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Binary logistic regressions were conducted. Time spent traveling in motor vehicles for 120 minutes or more was reported among 27.6% of the sample. The prevalence of walking and bicycling as a means of transportation for at least 150 minutes per week was 34% and 4.4%, respectively. Achieving at least 150 minutes of leisure time physical activity a week was reported by 18.4% of the sample. This study suggests negative associations between time spent traveling in motor vehicles and active transport, with significant trend associations in stratified analyses. No significant associations were found between time spent traveling in motor vehicles and leisure time physical activity.