Introduction:

The fast pace of life of workers exposes them to the increase in sedentary levels, which are influenced by sociodemographic, biological, economic and environmental factors that represent a higher risk of developing chronic diseases.

Objective:

To determine the prevalence of the practice of global physical activity and of psychological and health benefits and barriers in workers of a company of promotion of social security and recreation of Villavicencio during the first quarter of 2017.

Methodology:

Cross-sectional, observational study. The short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire and the scale of perception of benefits and barriers to physical activity practice were used.

Results:

The prevalence of physical activity (moderate and vigorous) was 33.7% (CI 95%: 28.1-39.6%). The main health barriers were to present osteoarticular problems, dizziness and precordial pain when exercising. The high perception of benefits and psychological barriers were 92.8% and 6.9%, respectively. The main psychological benefits perceived were those related to health and self-perception of the image, while the main barriers were fatigue and lack of time. The opportunity of being physically inactive in women was two times greater than in men.

Conclusions:

There is a low prevalence of physical activity in the studied population, especially in women. The psychological benefits were oriented to the perception of a better state of health and of the corporal image and the main barriers identified were physical exhaustion and lack of time.