Sociodemographic characterization and barriers to physical activity in university extension participants

Abstract

Engagement in physical activity (PA), as well as access and perceived barriers, may be associated with sociodemographic and behavioral factors, and university extension can seek to meet the demands of the community. This descriptive and cross-sectional study, with a quantitative approach, aimed to characterize the participants in the extension projects of a university in the interior of São Paulo and to investigate the barriers to the practice of PA. A total of 158 adults and elderly people active in the projects took part. Data was collected using an online form, including sociodemographic information, economic status (Brazilian Economic Classification Criteria) and an instrument for perceived barriers to PA. Participants were predominantly self-declared white (76.0%), female (65.8%), young adult (36.7%) or middle-aged (38.6%), from economic classes A-B (80.0%) and had completed high school or undergraduate studies at the University (91.1%). The most frequently reported barriers were long working hours (60.8%) and family commitments (47.5%). The latter was associated with gender, being more frequent among men. The results indicate that the fact that the projects are free of charge does not guarantee wider access to the population from lower socio-economic backgrounds. In addition, the barriers reinforce the importance of a support network to enable regular PA practice.