Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Social Support Among Brazilian Adults

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between family and friends' social support and leisure-time physical activity (PA) in adults. METHODS: Cross-sectional population-based study, conducted in Pelotas, Brazil. Leisure-time PA was measured with the long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Those who reported PA practice ≥ 150 minutes on the week before the interview were considered active. Social support was evaluated through the Social Support Scale for PA and classified according to the type of PA. For analyzing the association between social support and PA, Poisson regression model was used. Analyses were stratified by sex and interactions with socioeconomic level and age were explored. RESULTS: Men and women who received social support from family and friends simultaneously were about 3 times more active than their counterparts. Friends' social support presented, in all analyses, stronger associations with PA than family support. Interactions with socioeconomic level and age were observed. CONCLUSION: Interventions targeting individuals and their social environment are likely to have greater effectiveness than those targeted on one of these aspects only.