Physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are health risk factors in various population groups. In the case of academic communities, high study and workloads can negatively impact physical activity levels. Since there are few studies involving students and staff, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of physical inactivity and excessive sitting time in an academic community in Northeastern Brazil. Ninety-one students and staff from a public university in Northeastern Brazil participated. They were male and female, with a mean age of 32.3 ± 10.2 years. Physical activity and sitting time were assessed using the IPAQ-short version. Independent samples t-tests and chi-square (or Fisher's exact) tests were used to analyse associations between variables, with a significance level of 5%. The prevalence of physical inactivity and excessive sitting time was 25.3% and 27.5%, respectively. Among students, the prevalence rates for physical inactivity and excessive sitting time were 24.6%. Among university staff, the prevalence rates were 26.5% and 32.4%, respectively. Sports participation was reported by 71.4% of the sample, with prevalence rates of 63.2% among students and 85.3% among civil servants. The findings suggest a high prevalence of physical inactivity and excessive sitting time, particularly among public university staff. Despite the prevalence of sports participation, the data show a need for strategies to promote physical activity and reduce sitting time.
Ohara et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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