BACKGROUND: Physical activity had a protective effect against chronic diseases and cardiovascular risk factors; however, the caloric expenditure necessary to promote diabetes prevention remains speculative. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the caloric expenditure of different domains of physical activity (work, commuting, household, leisure time and total physical activity) as predictors of the absence of diabetes in adults of both sexes. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study in the town of Lauro de Freitas, Bahia, Brazil (2007 - 2008) with a sample of 522 individuals over 18 years of age; 302 female and 220 male. Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves (ROC) were constructed and the areas below them were compared. Additionally, the sensitivity and specificity to identify the best cutoff points among the different domains of physical activity and the absence of diabetes were verified. Confidence interval at 95% was used. RESULTS: Among the different domains of physical activity analysed, statistical significance was only found in the areas under the ROC curve for leisure time, commuting and total physical activity. Additionally, it was observed that the caloric expenditure in total physical activity ranging from 830 kcal/week and 1.774 kcal/week were the best cutoff points for predicting the absence of diabetes. CONCLUSION: Physical activity should be suggested at appropriate levels for individuals of both sexes to contribute to diabetes prevention.
motor activity; health care; predictive value; ROC curve; adult
