Table 1.
Sample distribution and prevalence of the stages of change for physical activity according to the covariates§. Pelotas, Brazil, 2005.
| Variable | N | Precontemplation (%) | Contemplation (%) | Preparation (%) | Action (%) | Maintenance (%) |
| Sex | p = 0.5* | p = 0.002* | p = 0.001* | p = 0.004* | p < 0.001* | |
| Male | 1378 | 39.0 | 10.8 | 16.6 | 3.9 | 29.7 |
| Female | 1758 | 37.7 | 14.8 | 21.7 | 6.2 | 19.6 |
| Skin color | p = 0.03* | p = 0.5* | p = 0.4* | p = 0.3* | p = 0.6* | |
| White | 2634 | 37.3 | 13.3 | 19.7 | 5.4 | 24.3 |
| Non-white | 502 | 43.2 | 11.8 | 17.9 | 4.2 | 22.9 |
| Age (years) | p < 0.001** | p < 0.001** | p = 0.01** | p < 0.001** | p = 0.9** | |
| 20–29 | 747 | 27.2 | 16.1 | 20.6 | 8.0 | 28.1 |
| 30–39 | 611 | 38.6 | 15.9 | 19.2 | 6.7 | 19.6 |
| 40–49 | 661 | 41.6 | 11.2 | 23.8 | 3.9 | 19.5 |
| 50–59 | 520 | 39.4 | 12.3 | 17.3 | 3.1 | 27.9 |
| 60–69 | 342 | 40.9 | 12.9 | 16.1 | 3.5 | 26.6 |
| ≥ 70 | 255 | 55.7 | 3.9 | 14.5 | 2.8 | 23.1 |
| Marital status | p = 0.002* | p = 0.2* | p = 0.7* | p = 0.2* | p = 0.05* | |
| Without a partner | 1168 | 34.4 | 13.9 | 19.8 | 5.9 | 26.0 |
| With a partner | 1968 | 40.6 | 12.5 | 19.3 | 4.7 | 22.9 |
| Education level (years) | p < 0.001** | p < 0.001** | p < 0.001** | p < 0.001** | p < 0.001** | |
| 0 | 209 | 59.3 | 5.7 | 16.3 | 1.9 | 16.8 |
| 1–4 | 574 | 53.1 | 11.7 | 12.4 | 2.8 | 20.0 |
| 5–8 | 1005 | 45.7 | 12.1 | 18.4 | 4.7 | 19.1 |
| 9–11 | 824 | 26.8 | 15.8 | 21.6 | 6.7 | 29.1 |
| ≥ 12 | 522 | 17.4 | 14.9 | 27.2 | 7.7 | 32.8 |
| Economic status† | p < 0.001** | p = 0.1** | p < 0.001** | p < 0.001** | p < 0.001** | |
| A (wealthiest) | 161 | 15.5 | 14.3 | 23.6 | 9.9 | 36.7 |
| B | 824 | 26.2 | 14.4 | 24.2 | 7.4 | 27.8 |
| C | 1295 | 41.3 | 12.9 | 18.3 | 4.5 | 23.0 |
| D | 762 | 50.4 | 11.4 | 16.2 | 3.0 | 19.0 |
| E | 73 | 47.9 | 12.3 | 11.0 | 4.1 | 24.7 |
| Family income (quintiles) | p < 0.001** | p = 0.04** | p = 0.007** | p = 0.02** | p < 0.001** | |
| 1 (lower) | 577 | 48.0 | 10.2 | 16.5 | 5.2 | 20.1 |
| 2 | 621 | 47.8 | 11.4 | 18.7 | 3.4 | 18.7 |
| 3 | 676 | 38.8 | 15.4 | 17.6 | 3.8 | 24.4 |
| 4 | 581 | 34.9 | 13.3 | 20.7 | 6.0 | 25.1 |
| 5 | 660 | 23.7 | 14.2 | 23.5 | 7.4 | 31.2 |
| Smoking | p < 0.001* | p = 0.3* | p = 0.05* | p = 0.09* | p < 0.001* | |
| Non-smoker | 1634 | 33.8 | 13.5 | 20.6 | 6.1 | 26.0 |
| Former smoker | 664 | 36.9 | 11.3 | 19.9 | 3.9 | 28.0 |
| Current smoker | 838 | 48.1 | 13.5 | 16.8 | 4.4 | 17.2 |
| BMI (kg/m2)‡ | p = 0.001** | p = 0.08** | p < 0.001** | p = 0.7** | p = 0.3** | |
| < 18.5 | 75 | 62.6 | 14.7 | 6.7 | 2.7 | 13.3 |
| 18.5 a 24.9 | 1393 | 39.3 | 11.9 | 17.7 | 5.5 | 25.6 |
| 25.0 a 29.9 | 1092 | 34.6 | 13.8 | 21.4 | 4.7 | 25.5 |
| ≥ 30.0 | 471 | 34.4 | 15.1 | 24.6 | 5.9 | 20.0 |
| Self-reported health status | p < 0.001** | p = 0.2** | p = 0.4** | p = 0.02** | p < 0.001** | |
| Excellent | 412 | 27.7 | 11.4 | 19.9 | 4.8 | 36.2 |
| Very good | 419 | 27.0 | 13.1 | 20.3 | 9.1 | 30.5 |
| Good | 1428 | 40.3 | 13.0 | 19.5 | 4.7 | 22.5 |
| Regular | 723 | 44.0 | 13.5 | 19.5 | 4.7 | 18.3 |
| Poor | 154 | 52.6 | 14.9 | 15.6 | 2.0 | 14.9 |
| Total | 3136 | 38.3 | 13.0 | 19.5 | 5.2 | 24.0 |
§ Percent values in the rows must add 100%.
† Criterion of Brazilian Economic Classification [17].
‡ BMI had 3.3% of missing values; the other variables had less than 1%.
* Wald test for heterogeneity.
** Wald test for linear trend.