Análisis de actividad físico-deportiva en la población de Cartagena

Abstract

Scientific evidence proves the importance of physical activity and sports in decreasing morbidity and mortality rates and health-related costs. Keeping people active through physical and sporting exercise will promote a society with healthy lifestyle habits that will be reflected in a future elderly population with an independent life, ensuring more years of good health and well-being, following the recommendations made by the World Health Organization, which promotes intervention to encourage citizens to adopt an active lifestyle, motivating them towards more active lifestyles and incorporating physical activity and sport into their daily agenda. The aim of this study is to identify the levels of physical activity and sports habits of the population of the city Cartagena (Spain) in order to know the degree of adherence to the practice habits according to the recommendations of healthy practice of the World Health Organization and to obtain data on the value they consider this type of practice generates in society, in order to adopt measures that allow the improvement and correct implementation of the plans and programmes of the city, leading to the achievement of an improvement in the quality of life. The short version of the International Questionnaire of Physical Activity was used (IQPA) and a virtual questionnaire on sports habits was sent to 1450 citizens. Responses from 248 people (162 men and 86 women), with ages ranging from 18 to 77 years old. According to the result of the IPAQ questionnaire, individuals can be classified into: low level of activity, moderate level of activity and high level of activity. The sports habits of the participants were assessed by means of the Physical Activity-Sports Habits Virtual Survey. The instrument consists of 9 questions that assess participants' sport habits through their participation in events, media coverage of events, expenditure and consumption in sport, etc. measured on a dichotomous scale and with response questions on a Likert-type scale with 4 response options. The data were analysed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test to check the normality of the sample. Differences in the level of physical activity and sports habits between men and women and between young and adult population were tested using Pearson's Chi-Square test, subsequent Z-tests for comparison of proportions according to Bonferroni. The size of the effect was calculated from Crammer's V and the Spearman's Ranks statistical test was used to calculate the correlations between variables. The results showed moderate to low levels of physical activity with no significant differences between men and women in the population of Cartagena. Women have a higher percentage of high intensity practice and it is men who have a more regular practice and significantly more participation in attending sporting events, both free and with ticket purchase, and in following events in the media. No significant differences in physical activity levels were found between the young population (under 35 years) and the adult population (over 35 years), with the older population being more likely to subscribe to supervised sporting activities. This information can help to develop effective policy actions to promote physical activity and sport in local settings.