Gender differences in the association between body weight-perception and leisure time physical activity among Colombian adults

Background: Although it has been documented associations between body weight perception (BWP) and leisure time physical activity (LTPA), little is known about this topic in Latin American countries. Therefore the objective of this study is to examine the association between BWP and LTPA among adults living in urban settings in Colombia. Methods: This study was based on data from 8,911 Colombian adults aged 18 to 64 years old from the National Nutritional Survey. BWP was defined based on self-report and LTPA was determined using the LTPA module of the long form of IPAQ. Logistic regression analysis were conducted for different subgroups and adjusted for potential confounders. Results: Nineteen percent of participants reported a BWP as slender or very slender, 24.13% as fat and 18.81% as very fat. The prevalence of having met LTPA was 24.58%. Women who perceived themselves as slender or very slender and those who perceived as very fat were less likely of having met LTPA recommendations (OR: 0.64 95% CI: 0.45-0.90 and OR: 0.64 95% CI: 0.46-0.88, respectively). These associations remained only in women aged 30 to 49 years. None of the associations were significant among men. Conclusions: BWP was associated with LTPA among middle-age women. Unawareness about LTPA benefits and body social stigmas should be considered in designing strategies for physical activity promotion. Further studies should be conducted to better understand the potential influences of BWP on LTPA in Latin American Countries.