Time trends of physical activity and television viewing time in Brazil: 2006-2012 (International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity)

Background: Despite recent advances in surveillance of physical activity, data on time trends of physical activity in low and middle-income countries are lacking. This study describes time trends in physical activity and television viewing between 2006 and 2012 among Brazilian adults. Methods: Data from 371,271 adult participants (18?+?years) in the Surveillance System for Risk and Protective Factors for Chronic Illnesses using Telephone Survey (VIGITEL) were analysed. Time trends in leisure-time physical activity (?5?days/wk; ? 30?min/day), transportation physical activity (using bicycle or walking for???30?minutes per day as a means of transportation to/from work) and proportion of participants spending more than three hours per day watching television were analysed. Annual changes according to sex, age and years of schooling were calculated. Results: There was an increase in leisure-time physical activity from 12.8% in 2006 to 14.9% in 2012 (annual increase of 1.9%; p?