Sex differences in the association between educational level and specific domains of physical activity: a Brazilian cross-national survey

OBJECTIVE: To identify the association between educational level and physical activity (PA) in specific domains according to sex, among residents of 26 Brazilian state capitals and the Federal District. METHODS: This is a cross-national survey, with data obtained from the Telephone-based Surveillance of Risk and Protective Factors for Chronic Diseases (VIGITEL), in 2017, conducted with individuals ≥ 18 years old (n = 53,034). The education level (classified as ≤ 4 years, 5 to 8 years, 9 to 11 years, and ≥ 12 years of education) and PA of participants (meeting PA recommendations and performing this active behaviour) in the commuting, domestic, leisure, and work domains were self-reported. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the data obtained from the survey. RESULTS: Males and females with higher education were less likely to meet PA recommendations (males: OR = 0.68 [95% CI 0.52–0.91]; females: OR = 0.41 [0.34–0.48]) and perform the active behaviour (males: OR = 0.73 [0.57–0.93]; females: OR = 0.27 [0.23–0.32]) in the domestic domain. In the work domain, the two outcomes were associated with education only for males, indicating that those with more years of education had less chance of meeting PA recommendations (OR(9 to 11 years) = 0.61 [0.46–0.83]; OR(≥12 years) = 0.21 [0.15–0.30]) and performing it (OR(9 to 11 years) = 0.64 [0.49–0.84]; OR(≥12 years) = 0.25 [0.18–0.34]). However, more years of education seemed to positively influence meeting PA recommendations (males: OR(9-11 years) = 2.26 [1.79–2.87]; OR(≥12 years) = 2.91 [2.28–3.72]; females: OR(5-8 years) = 1.26 [1.04–1.54]; OR(9-11 years) = 1.81 [1.52–2.16]; OR(≥12 years) = 2.69 [2.25–3.22]) and practicing this behaviour (males: OR(5-8 years) = 1.29 [1.01–1.63]; OR(9-11 years) = 2.54 [2.04–3.17]; OR(≥12 years) = 3.31 [2.64–4.16]; females: OR(5-8 years) = 1.23 [1.03–1.46]; OR(9-11 years) = 1.75 [1.51–2.01]; OR(≥12 years) = 2.94 [2.53–3.40]) in leisure time for both sexes. CONCLUSION: Education level appears to be an important determinant in the relationship with PA in its different domains, especially in the leisure and domestic domains, for both sexes. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.17269/s41997-021-00594-5.