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

Author

Listed:
  • Juan Guzmán Habinger

    (Sports Medicine and Physical Activity Specialty, Science Faculty, Universidad Mayor, Santiago 8580745, Chile)

  • Javiera Lobos Chávez

    (Datrics, Santiago 7500000, Chile)

  • Sandra Mahecha Matsudo

    (Science Faculty, Universidad Mayor, Santiago 8580745, Chile
    Academic Unit, MEDS Clinic, Santiago 7550000, Chile)

  • Irina Kovalskys

    (Nutrition Career, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina, AAZ Buenos Aires C1107, Argentina)

  • Georgina Gómez

    (Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 11501-2060, Costa Rica)

  • Attilio Rigotti

    (Department of Nutrition, Diabetes and Metabolism, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica, Santiago 8330024, Chile)

  • Lilia Yadira Cortés Sanabria

    (Department of Nutrition and Biochemistry, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, Colombia)

  • Martha Cecilia Yépez García

    (College of Health Sciences, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito 17-1200-841, Ecuador)

  • Rossina G. Pareja

    (Nutrition Research Institute, Lima 15026, Peru)

  • Marianella Herrera-Cuenca

    (Centro de Estudios del Desarrollo, Universidad Central de Venezuela (CENDES-UCV)/Fundación Bengoa, Caracas 1053, Venezuela)

  • Ioná Zalcman Zimberg

    (Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil)

  • Viviana Guajardo

    (Nutrition, Health and Wellbeing Area, International Life Science Institute (ILSI) Argentina, Santa Fe Av. 1145, CABA C1059ABF, Argentina)

  • Michael Pratt

    (Institute for Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0021, USA)

  • Cristian Cofre Bolados

    (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)

  • Claudio Farías Valenzuela

    (Laboratory of Sciences of Physical Activity, Sports and Health, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, USACH, Santiago 7500618, Chile)

  • Adilson Marques

    (CIPER, Faculty of Human Motricity, Universidade de Lisboa, 1499-002 Lisbon, Portugal
    ISAMB, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Miguel Peralta

    (CIPER, Faculty of Human Motricity, Universidade de Lisboa, 1499-002 Lisbon, Portugal
    ISAMB, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Ana Carolina B. Leme

    (Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-904, Brazil)

  • Mauro Fisberg

    (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)

  • André Oliveira Werneck

    (Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 01246-904, Brazil)

  • Danilo Rodrigues da Silva

    (Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Sergipe—UFS, São Cristóvão 49100-000, Brazil)

  • Gerson Ferrari

    (Laboratory of Sciences of Physical Activity, Sports and Health, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, USACH, Santiago 7500618, Chile)

  • on behalf of the ELANS Study Group

    (Membership of the ELANS Study Group is provided in the Acknowledgments section of the manuscript.)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • 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. Pare, 2020. "Active Transportation and Obesity Indicators in Adults from Latin America: ELANS Multi-Country Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-12, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:19:p:6974-:d:418240
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Erik Berglund & Per Lytsy & Ragnar Westerling, 2016. "Active Traveling and Its Associations with Self-Rated Health, BMI and Physical Activity: A Comparative Study in the Adult Swedish Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-11, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. David Berrigan & Andrew L. Dannenberg & Michelle Lee & Kelly Rodgers & Janet R. Wojcik & Behram Wali & Calvin P. Tribby & Ralph Buehler & James F. Sallis & Jennifer D. Roberts & Ann Steedly & Binbin P, 2021. "The 2019 Conference on Health and Active Transportation: Research Needs and Opportunities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-15, November.
    2. Diego Herreros-Irarrázabal & Juan Guzmán-Habinger & Sandra Mahecha Matsudo & Irina Kovalskys & Georgina Gómez & Attilio Rigotti & Lilia Yadira Cortés & Martha Cecilia Yépez García & Rossina G. Pareja , 2021. "Association between Active Transportation and Public Transport with an Objectively Measured Meeting of Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity and Daily Steps Guidelines in Adults by Sex from Eight Lat," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-12, November.
    3. Nuno Loureiro & Adilson Marques & Vânia Loureiro & Margarida Gaspar de Matos, 2021. "Active Transportation to School. Utopia or a Strategy for a Healthy Life in Adolescence," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-9, April.

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