Prevalence of Physical Activity and its Relationship to Sociodemographic Variables and Lifestyles in the Age 18-65 Population of Pamplona, Spain

Abstract

Background: Current scientific knowledge upholds the possibility of considering a cause-effect relationship to exist between the degree of physical activity and the onset of different diseases. Despite this, physical activity is not a very well-rooted practice among the population, which is progressively becoming more sedentary. This study is aimed at describing the prevalence of sedentarism among the population of Pamplona, as well as ascertaining what factors have the greatest bearing thereon. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted by means of a postal survey on a significant sample of the age 18-65 population of Pamplona. The survey used included an evaluation of the degree of physical activity based on the Paffenbarger physical activity questionnaire. A bivariate and multivariate analysis was made using logic regression. Results: A total of 76.6% of the females have a sedentary lifestyle, whilst this percentage drops to 56.7% among males. Sedentarism increases with age, up to 80.3% of males and 86.3% of females being respectively sedentary in the oldest age group. Conclusions: The sociodemographic factors such as sex, age, formal education, occupation and marital status seem to be determining factors of the sedentary lifestyle, while smoking and being overweight or obese are not. Among the young, the females not having a college education and married men who are smokers seem to be target populations for promoting physical activity.