Food consumption and its association with leisure-time physical activity and active commuting in Brazilian workers.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: An in-depth understanding of the relationship between food consumption and physical activity is relevant since these behaviours could influence each other, while both have an effect on obesity and chronic diseases. In this context, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of various combinations of food consumption (fruits, vegetables, sweets and snacks) on the associations with PA domains (leisure and commute) among Brazilian industrial workers. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This is part of a cross-sectional national survey developed in Brazil using data from the "Lifestyle and Leisure Habits of Industrial Workers" project. A total of 52,774 workers (response rate: 90.6%) responded to a validated questionnaire about the frequency of their consumption of fruit, vegetables, sweets and snacks, their practice of LTPA and active commuting. The answers were analysed by multilevel regression, controlled by sociodemographic behaviour and the presence of hypertension, diabetes and overweight. RESULTS: Workers with a simultaneously adequate consumption of fruit, vegetables, sweets and snacks were 2.29 (1.74; 2.99 p-value < 0.001) more likely to perform LTPA. In the full model, there was no association among any of the combinations of food consumption and active commuting. CONCLUSION: A better food consumption behaviour was reported among workers who practiced leisure physical activity when compared to those who did not.

Moderating effect of gross family income on the association between demographic indicators and active commuting to work in Brazilian adults.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the moderating effect of gross family income on the association between demographic indicators and active commuting to work in Brazilian adults. METHODS: Secondary analysis of the survey "Lifestyle and leisure habits of industry workers" (n=46,981), conducted in 24 Brazilian states (2006-2008). Self-reported information was collected with a previously tested questionnaire. Crude and adjusted logistic regression models were applied to analyze the association between sociodemographic variables (sex, age, marital status, number of children, education, country area and company size) and active commuting to work in different strata of gross family income. To test the moderating effect, an interaction analysis was applied. RESULTS: The proportion of active commuters among low-, medium- and high-income workers was 40.7% (95%CI:40.0%;41.5%), 27.0% (95%CI:26.3;27.6%) and 11.1%, (95%CI:10.5%;11.7%), respectively. The moderating effect of gross family income was confirmed. Men were more likely (OR:1.22 95%CI:1.12;1.32) to commute actively than women among low-income individuals. Active commuting was less likely among older workers in low-(OR30-39:0.90 95%CI: 0.83;0.98; OR≥40: 0.76 95%CI: 0.68;0.85) and medium-income strata (OR30-39:0.87 95%CI:0.80;0.95; OR≥40:0.84 95%CI:0.76;0.93) and among married individuals in high-income strata (OR:0.72 95%IC:0.61;0.84). Adults with lower education (ORhigh:10.80 95%CI:8.47;13.77), working in the south (ORhigh:1.93 95%CI:1.53;2.44) and in small companies (ORlow:2.50 95%CI:2.28;2.74) were more likely to commute actively; however, the magnitude of these associations differed at each income strata. CONCLUSION: There was an inverse association between gross family income and active commuting. Gross family income acts as a moderator of the association between demographic indicators and active commuting.

Clustering of unhealthy behaviors in a Brazilian population of industrial workers.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clustering of four unhealthy behaviors (tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and low consumption of fruits and vegetables) and their association with sociodemographic factors among adult industrial workers in Brazil. METHODS: Data from 23 Brazilian states and the Federal District were collected via questionnaire from 2006 to 2008. Clustering of risk behaviors was identified using the ratio between the observed and expected percentages of each combination of unhealthy behaviors. RESULTS: Among the 44,477 workers surveyed, 18.0% of men and 11.4% of women accumulated three or four unhealthy behaviors. The most frequent combination was physical inactivity and low consumption of fruits and vegetables. The concurrent presence of all four behaviors was 86% higher in men and 148% higher in women than would be predicted if the frequency of these behaviors were independent. Presence of one or more negative behaviors was more frequent in men, younger individuals and in those with lower levels of education and family income than subjects without these characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: There was a strong tendency for unhealthy behaviors to assume combinatorial patterns, mainly in men, people with less education, income, and age, suggesting important disparities.