Abstract

Background: Physical activity (PA) practice reduces the adverse effects of COVID-19. PA counseling promotes healthy lifestyles and prevents cardiometabolic diseases. Aim: To assess the trend in cases of PA counseling and the cardiometabolic disease between 2012 and 2019 (before COVID-19) in a southern Chilean region. Material and Methods: Records of Maule Region Health Service for 731.163 men, and 829.097 women aged < 10 to >= 65 years were analyzed. The average annual percentage change (AAPC) during the study period and the annual percentage change (APC) during intermediate periods, were calculated. Results: There was a significant decrease in PA counseling in women in the study period (AAPC: -13.6%). In the 2012-2017 period a significant decrease in counseling for total, men and women were observed (APC: -18.1, -16.5 and -19.1%, respectively). Obesity increased significantly in total, men and women in the 2012-2019 period (AAPC: 10.1, 8.5 and 10.7%, respectively). The same trend was observed for hypertension (AAPC: 8.1, 8.5 and 7.6% respectively) and elevated blood glucose (AAPC: 10, 11.5 and 9.6%, respectively). Conclusions: In the study period PA counseling decreased along with an increase in obesity, hypertension and high blood glucose. Increasing PA counseling is a mainstay in the prevention of cardiometabolic diseases and probably to prevent contagion and complement the treatment of COVID-19.