Trajetória de atividade física na vida e obesidade abdominal em trabalhadoras de turnos de uma empresa do sul do Brasil

Abstract

Introduction: The practice of regular physical activity, especially during adolescence, may result in a physically active lifestyle in adulthood, as well as reduce the occurrence of cardiometabolic problems. Objective: To investigate the association between physical activities performed in different periods of life, from adolescence to adulthood, and abdominal obesity in women working shifts. Methods: A non-matched case-control study carried out in 2011 with 541 women (215 cases, 326 controls) from 18 to 53 years of age, of an industry in southern Brazil. Women with waist circumference ≥88cm were considered cases. Exposure to physical activity was assessed by a questionnaire with information on leisure-time, transport, housework and rural work in four periods of life. The non-conditional logistic regression was used for analysis. Results: The mean of the waist circumference was 97.5cm (standard deviation [SD]: ±8.5cm) in cases and 78.7 (SD: ±5.7cm) in controls, and for age, the average was 35.2 years (SD: ±8.6 years) and 32.6 years (SD: ±8.4 years), respectively. Leisure-time physical activities were most prevalent during adolescence with a significant reduction in adulthood for both cases and controls. After adjustment for demographic, socioeconomic and occupational factors, it was found that women with abdominal obesity had a 50% lower chance (Odds Ratio [OR]=0.50; 95% Confidential Interval [95% CI]: 0.27 to 0.93; p-value=0.029) of having practiced five or more physical activities than those who practiced of one or no physical activity. No difference was observed in the physical activities of transport, housework and rural work between cases and controls. Conclusions: Exposure to a greater number of leisure-time physical activities in adolescence may provide protection for abdominal obesity in adulthood, even with reduced of physical activity throughout life.