INTRODUCTION:
Since implementing the National Health Promotion Policy, Brazil has developed various initiatives promoting physical activity within the primary care sector of the Unified Health System (SUS). Brazil is a geographically vast country with a socially complex history of slavery, violence, and inequality. Nevertheless, Brazil maintains a health system based on universality and equity. This study aimed to present the inclusion of physical activity in primary care in Brazil in 2024.

METHODS:
In 2024, the Ministry of Health conducted a census-type, cross-sectional study with 44938 primary care units distributed across 5570 cities (1). One health professional from each unit was selected to respond to an online questionnaire that included questions about the physical activity available to the population. Data on primary care coverage and the social vulnerability index were obtained.

RESULTS:
A total of 44938 units participated in the study, with the highest prevalence occurring in the northeastern and southeastern regions of the country. Of these units, 52.07% offer physical activity, primarily through health promotion initiatives (44.24%) and the Health Academy Program (50.86%). Cities with a very high HDIm had 72.69% of the offers, while cities with low social vulnerability had 54.61%. Physical activity initiatives primarily target women in prenatal care (72.07%), systemic arterial hypertension (51.1%), and diabetes mellitus (50.55%).

CONCLUSIONS:
Brazil has established itself as a country that offers physical activity at half of its health facilities, but there is room for improvement. Regional inequality exists, as does inequality in terms of primary care coverage and social vulnerability (2).