Prevalence of physical inactivity and associated factors among transgender people: a cross-sectional study, Baixada Santista, Brazil, 2023Objective To estimate prevalence of physical inactivity and investigate associated factors among self-identified transgender (trans) people.
Methods This was a cross-sectional study using data from the Baixada Santista Transgender Population Mapping survey. Trans people aged ≥18 years who lived, studied or worked that region in 2023 were recruited using a non-probabilistic sample. Those who reported not practicing physical activity were considered inactive. The independent variables were sociodemographic and variables related to well-being, described by relative and absolute frequencies, along with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). In order to verify associations, Pearson’s chi-square test was applied with a 5% significance level, and logistic regression analyses with odds ratio (OR) estimation were performed.
Results Of the 237 participants, 40.9% were classified as inactive. The likelihood of leisure-time physical inactivity was higher among those with lower levels of education (OR 3.32; 95%CI 1.23; 8.94; p-value 0.018), those who had used mental health services in the last 12 months (OR 2.26; 95%CI 1.24; 4.09; p-value 0.007), and those with low quality of life (OR 2.39; 95%CI 1.32; 4.32; p-value 0.004). Physical inactivity was lower among people who experienced high levels of everyday discrimination (OR 0.45; 95%CI 0.21; 0.96; p-value 0.038).
Conclusion Physical inactivity in the population studied was associated with lower levels of education, use of mental health services and low quality of life. More active transgender people tended to suffer greater everyday discrimination, suggesting that adherence to physical activity is not only an individual choice but also a reflection of historical, social and environmental determinants.
Keywords
Physical Inactivity; Prevalence; Transgender Persons; Social Vulnerability; Cross-Sectional Studies