PERCEIVED BARRIERS TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PRACTICE IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL: SCOPING REVIEW

Abstract

To identify the main perceived barriers to physical activity (PA) among children and adolescents of the southern Brazil, we conducted a scoping review. Targeting studies published until July 2022, seven electronic databases and reference lists were searched looking for original scientific articles that analyzed perceived barriers to PA among samples of children and adolescents (aged six to 19 years), with no restrictions on research design, sample representativeness, sex, contextual status of participants and strategies used for data collection and analysis. Eleven articles were included, representing nine original studies carried out in ten different cities of the three states of the southern region. Overall, we observed the involvement of adolescents enrolled in public schools and great variation between the instruments used to assess PA and the perceived barriers. We identified 30 perceived barriers to PA practice, 18 of which were classified as intrapersonal (60%). Among the most frequently reported barriers, the following stood out: "lack of interest/motivation" (n = 5), "laziness/tiredness/lack of energy" (n = 4) and "lack of time" (n = 4) (intrapersonal), "lack of appropriate climate" (n = 4) (environmental) and "lack of company" (n = 3) (interpersonal). The recognition of the perceived barriers to PA practice is important both for further debate and for decision making in strategies and actions to promote PA for children and adolescents living in the southern region of the country.