10-years of gender inequalities in leisure-time physical activity among Brazilian adults (2010-2019)

This study aimed to measure the absolute and relative differences in the recommended practice of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) of Brazilian men and women between 2010 and 2019. The sample consisted of 512,968 subjects from ten cross-sectional telephone surveys carried out in the 27 Brazilian capitals. The gap in the prevalence of LTPA practice between genders was calculated by measures of absolute inequality, calculated in percentage points, and relative inequality, calculated by the adjusted prevalence ratio (PR), with a trend analyzed by the Joinpoint regression method, obtaining the annual percentage change (APC). The analyses were stratified by age group and education levels. Relative inequality was higher among younger individuals (18 to 24 years) and lower among those aged 45 to 64. In education, the difference was higher at the intermediate level. In the first three years of the study, reduction was found in the inequality trend in the overall sample (APC=-14.6%), and between 2010 and 2014 for individuals with higher education (APC=-3.5%). Irrespective of these results, absolute inequality remained higher among the young and those with intermediate level education. The promotion of LTPA should be aimed at reducing inequalities, especially where they were greater.