Leisure Time Physical Inactivity Among Brazilian Ragpickers

Ragpickers are informal workers who collect recyclable materials to earn a small wage. Their life and working conditions are extremely difficult. We examined leisure time physical inactivity (PI) among a cohort of ragpickers in Pelotas, a city in southern Brazil. Ragpickers were matched by gender, age, and years of schooling with a sample of nonragpickers from the same poor neighborhoods. The cross-sectional study gathered data by interview on 990 individuals. PI were assessed using a leisure time physical activities section from a standard self-reporting questionnaire (IPAQ long version). The prevalence of PI among ragpickers and non-ragpickers were 70.3% and 65.9, respectively (p=0.16). Among ragpickers PI was more common among females and those with higher ages, and among non-ragpickers with females, lower economic level and positivity to minor psychiatric disorders. Ragpickers report similar PI than other poor workers living in the same neighborhoods, with many of the same life conditions. Provide appropriate places to the practice of physical activities and organized and attractive activities could be alternatives to minimize physical, mental and emotional disorders of these workers.

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