Promoting Physical Activity Among Communities in Brazil

Saint Louis University: Prevention Research Center

Topics:
Community Health | Nutrition & Physical Activity for Adults | Nutrition & Physical Activity for Youth

As a result of urbanization and economic changes, people in many Latin American communities, such as Brazil, are experiencing chronic illnesses related to physical inactivity, such as heart disease and diabetes. Recommendations for implementing intervention strategies to promote physical activity have not been established in Brazil as they have in the United States (see CDC’s Guide to Community Preventive Services). Researchers at the Saint Louis University Prevention Research Center are collaborating with their counterparts at academic centers in Brazil and with experts at the World Health Organization, CDC, and other local and international organizations to review interventions and recommendations in the community guide and other literature that focus on increasing physical activity among children or adults. The researchers are determining which interventions might apply to Brazil’s public health approaches to promoting individual and community health behaviors. The research partners will involve Brazilian health professionals, community leaders, and residents in adapting at least one intervention, implementing it in one or more community settings in Brazil, and evaluating the outcomes. The collaboration among the partners will also be evaluated to determine the effectiveness and value of a cross-national university collaboration in developing a country-specific public health strategy.

The project is among the first to systematically adapt recommendations from the Community Guide for use in a Latin American country and may serve as a model for similar projects in other parts of the world. If the intervention is successful, the partners will collaborate with Brazilian public health institutions in creating a plan to disseminate it and developing recommendations for promoting physical activity in Brazil and other Latin American countries.

 

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