Macroeconomic and Social Indicators Are Associated With Prevalence and Gender Inequalities in Physical Activity Among...

We aimed to analyze the association of macroeconomic and social indicators with the prevalence and gender inequalities in physical activity (PA) among adolescents.

An ecological study with data from 135 countries. Human Development Index (HDI), Gender Inequality Index (GII), and Gini coefficient (wealth inequality) were retrieved from official websites. Prevalence of adolescents who reported ≥1 day per week of ≥60 minutes per day of moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA) (some MVPA), and compliance with 2010 PA guidelines were calculated.

Prevalence of some MVPA and compliance with PA guidelines were higher in countries with the highest HDI than those with the lowest (low: 69.0% vs very high: 90.0% and low: 14.0% vs very high: 18.0%, respectively). Prevalence was higher in countries with the lowest GII (tertile 3: 69.0% vs tertile 1: 94.0%, and tertile 3: 15.0% vs tertile 1: 19.0%, respectively) and the lowest Gini (tertile 3: 74.0% vs tertile 1: 86.0%, and tertile 3: 15.0% vs tertile 1: 19.0%, respectively). Countries with lower HDI and higher GII and Gini had higher gender inequalities in completing some MVPA, whereas higher gender inequalities in compliance with PA guidelines were observed among countries with higher HDI and lower GII. Associations between country-context variables and completing some MVPA tended to be consistent after stratification by income, whereas associations with PA compliance were more consistent in the Global South.

Countries with better macroeconomic and social indicators had higher prevalence of some MVPA and adherence to the PA guidelines; however, their relationship with gender inequalities is inconsistent.