Living near the port area is associated with physical inactivity and sedentary behavior.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE:: The impact of the port of Santos, Brazil, on the population's health is unknown. We aimed to evaluate the association between living near the port area and physical inactivity and sedentary behavior.

DESIGN AND SETTING:: Cross-sectional study developed at a university laboratory and a diagnostic clinic.

METHODS:: 553 healthy adults were selected and their level of physical activity in daily life was assessed using accelerometers. Multiple linear and logistic regressions were performed using physical inactivity and sedentary behavior as the outcomes and living near the port area as the main risk factor, with adjustments for the main confounders.

RESULTS:: Among all the participants, 15% were resident near the port area. They took 699 steps/day and presented, weekly, 2.4% more sedentary physical activity, 2.0% less time in standing position and 0.9% more time lying down than residents of other regions. Additionally, living near the port area increased the risk of physical inactivity by 2.50 times and the risk of higher amounts of sedentary behavior (≥ 10 hours/day) by 1.32 times.

CONCLUSION:: Living near the port of Santos is associated with physical inactivity and higher sedentary behavior among adults, regardless of confounders. The reasons for this association should be investigated in longitudinal studies.