[The use of sports facilities for physical activity: a public health and equity perspective]. / El uso de instalaciones deportivas para promover la actividad física: una perspectiva de salud pública y equidad.

Introduction: Background: despite multimillion-dollar investments in sports facilities, there is little information on their contribution to energy expenditure of the population. In this study, participation in 71 physical activities (PAs) and 31 different types of spaces was examined. Objectives: to evaluate which types of spaces are more effective from a public health perspective. Methods: a cross-sectional sample was designed, stratified and proportional to the adult population of Gran Canaria (n = 3,000, ≥ 18 years). PA was evaluated using a validated questionnaire. The spaces used were grouped into two categories: public open spaces and sport facilities. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results: the open public spaces accumulated a volume of hours for PA between 1.6 and 28.4 times higher than the sport facilities depending on the socio-demographic group analyzed. The indoor sport facilities were the ones that expressed the greatest associative strength with the achievement of PA recommendations (OR = 5.45, 95 % CI: 4.01; 7.40). Conclusion: a dilemma was posed from a public health perspective because the urban open public spaces reached more population and supported most of the population's energy expenditure, particularly in the groups with the highest health risk, but the indoor sport facilities were the ones that best contributed to achieving a healthy level of physical activity. This study suggests changes in the polices of construction and management of sport facilities and open public spaces to increase PA in groups at higher health risk.

Introducción: Introducción: pese a las inversiones multimillonarias en instalaciones para la actividad física-deportiva, hay poca información acerca de su contribución en el gasto energético poblacional. En este estudio examinamos la participación en 71 actividades físicas (AF) y 31 tipos de espacios diferentes. Objetivo: valorar qué tipos de espacios son más eficaces desde una perspectiva de salud pública y equidad. Método: muestra transversal aleatoria, estratificada y proporcional en género y edad a la población de adultos de Gran Canaria (n = 3.000, ≥ 18 años). La AF fue evaluada mediante cuestionario validado. Los espacios de AF fueron agrupados en dos categorías: espacios públicos abiertos (EPA) e instalaciones deportivas. Para analizar los datos se emplearon estadística descriptiva y regresión logística múltiple. Resultados: los EPA acumularon un volumen de horas de AF entre 1,6 y 28,4 veces mayor que las instalaciones deportivas dependiendo del grupo sociodemográfico analizado. Las instalaciones deportivas cubiertas fueron las que expresaron la mayor fuerza asociativa con el logro de las recomendaciones de AF (OR = 5,45, IC 95 %: 4,01; 7,40). Conclusiones: se planteó un dilema desde una perspectiva de salud porque los EPA urbanos llegaron a más población y dieron soporte a la mayor parte del gasto energético poblacional, particularmente, en los grupos de mayor riesgo de salud, pero las instalaciones deportivas cubiertas fueron las que mejor contribuyeron a lograr un nivel saludable de actividad física. Este estudio sugiere cambios en las políticas de construcción y gestión de instalaciones deportivas y EPA para aumentar la AF en los grupos de mayor riesgo de salud.

Stable Gender Gap and Similar Gender Trend in Chronic Morbidities between 1997-2015 in Adult Canary Population.

There is little information about the trend of the gender gap in chronic morbidities and whether the trend of expansion occurs equally in the age and gender groups. The objectives were to examine the consistency and stability of the gender gap in the main self-reported chronic morbidities in the general population, and, likewise, to analyze the trend of major chronic morbidities between 1997 and 2015 in men and women across age groups. The data were extracted from the Canary Health Survey, which uses a probabilistic sampling in the population >16 years of age, for the years 1997 (n = 2167), 2004 (n = 4304), 2009 (n = 4542), and 2015 (n = 4560). The data for the twelve most frequent chronic morbidities were analyzed using logistic regression, estimating the annual change ratio between 1997 and 2015, adjusting for age and educational level. The interaction of age with the period (1997−2015) was examined to analyze the rate of change for each morbidity in the age groups. Musculoskeletal diseases, headaches, anxiety and depression, and peripheral vascular diseases showed a stable gender gap across observed years. High cholesterol and high blood pressure tended to a gap reduction, while heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory disease did not show a significant gender gap along the period. The trend of the main chronic morbidities increased similarly in men and women in all age groups, but significantly in women older than 60 years and in men older than 45 years. Aging explained a substantial part of the trend of increasing prevalence of the main chronic morbidities, but not totally. Factors other than age and education are driving the increase in chronic morbidity in older age groups.

Impact of COVID-19 Confinement on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour in Spanish University Students: Role of Gender.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, entire populations were instructed to live in home-confinement to prevent the expansion of the disease. Spain was one of the countries with the strictest conditions, as outdoor physical activity was banned for nearly two months. This study aimed to analyse the changes in physical activity and sedentary behaviours in Spanish university students before and during the confinement by COVID-19 with special focus on gender. We also analysed enjoyment, the tools used and motivation and impediments for doing physical activity. An online questionnaire, which included the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form and certain "ad hoc" questions, was designed. Students were recruited by distributing an invitation through the administrative channels of 16 universities and a total of 13,754 valid surveys were collected. Overall, university students reduced moderate (-29.5%) and vigorous (-18.3%) physical activity during the confinement and increased sedentary time (+52.7%). However, they spent more time on high intensity interval training (HIIT) (+18.2%) and mind-body activities (e.g., yoga) (+80.0%). Adaptation to the confinement, in terms of physical activity, was handled better by women than by men. These results will help design strategies for each gender to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour during confinement periods.

Greater Reduction in Abdominal Than in Upper Arms Subcutaneous Fat in 10- to 12-Year-Old Tennis Players: A Volumetric MRI Study.

Background: Little is known about the impact of long term participation in sports and subcutaneous fat volume in children. This study aimed at determining whether tennis participation is associated with lower subcutaneous adipose tissue volume (SATv) in the abdominal and upper extremities in children. Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to determine the SATv stored in the abdominal region and upper arms in seven tennis players and seven inactive children matched by height and age (147 cm and 10.9 years). All participants were in Tanner stage 1 or 2. Results: Playing tennis was associated with 48% (P = 0.001) lower abdominal SATv and 17-18% (P > 0.05) lower upper arms SATv compared to controls. The ratio between abdominal/upper arms SATv was larger in the controls vs. tennis players (69% P = 0.001). The SATv was similar in the dominant and non-dominant arm within each group. Conclusion: Playing tennis during childhood is associated with reduced SATv in the abdominal region and a more favorable regional distribution of fat. Despite the large amount of contractile activity of the playing (dominant) arm, there was no indication of between-arms differences in SATv.

Contribution of individual and environmental factors to physical activity level among Spanish adults.

BACKGROUND: Lack of physical activity (PA) is a major risk for chronic disease and obesity. The main aims of the present study were to identify individual and environmental factors independently associated with PA and examine the relative contribution of these factors to PA level in Spanish adults. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A population-based cross-sectional sample of 3,000 adults (18-75 years old) from Gran Canaria (Spain) was selected using a multistage stratified random sampling method. The participants were interviewed at home using a validated questionnaire to assess PA as well as individual and environmental factors. The data were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. One demographic variable (education), two cognitive (self-efficacy and perceived barriers), and one social environmental (organized format) were independently associated with PA in both genders. Odds ratios ranged between 1.76-2.07 in men and 1.35-2.50 in women (both p<0.05). Individual and environmental factors explained about one-third of the variance in PA level. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Self-efficacy and perceived barriers were the most significant factors to meet an adequate level of PA. The risk of insufficient PA was twofold greater in men with primary or lesser studies and who are employed. In women, living in rural environments increased the risk of insufficient PA. The promotion of organized PA may be an efficient way to increase the level of PA in the general population. Improvement in the access to sport facilities and places for PA is a prerequisite that may be insufficient and should be combined with strategies to improve self-efficacy and overcome perceived barriers in adulthood.