Objective: To compare the results of physical activity (PA) classification according to five international guidelines (American College of Sports Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Advisory Committee on International Physical Activity Questionnaire, World Health Organization, and European Union).
Methods: Cross-sectional study with 52 779 adults of both sexes, living in state capitals and the Federal District, selected using probability sampling. Data about duration, intensity, and frequency of weekly PA were obtained from a yearly survey conducted by the Health Ministry of Brazil (Risk and Protection Factors for Chronic Diseases Telephone Surveillance System-VIGITEL).
Results: The percent of participants classified as inactive by the five recommendations was similar. Among those who reported having engaged in PA, 45% were classified in the same activity level by all five guidelines (24.8% as insufficiently active, 10.6% as active, and 9.1% as very active). For the additional 55% who reported having engaged in PA, different classifications were obtained, ranging from insufficiently active to very active depending on the guideline.
Conclusions: Nuances in the criteria used for each guideline translated into differences in classification of PA. Even though the overall goals of all guidelines are the same, the lack of agreement regarding the minimum recommended amount of PA impacts the development of policies to promote PA.