Abstract
ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to establish cutoff points for the number of steps/day and minutes/day of moderate to vigorous physical activity in relation to the risk of childhood overweight and obesity and their respective associations. In addition, we aim to identify the amount of steps/day needed to achieve the recommendation of moderate to vigorous physical activity in children from São Caetano do Sul.METHODS In total, 494 children have used an accelerometer to monitor steps/day and the intensity of physical activity (min/day). The moderate to vigorous physical activity has been categorized according to the public health recommendation (≤ 60 versus > 60 min/day). Overweight or obesity is defined as body mass index > +1 SD, based on reference data from the World Health Organization. The data on family income, education of parents, screen time, diet pattern, and sedentary time have been collected by questionnaires. Logistic regression and Receiver Operating Characteristic curves have been constructed.RESULTS On average, boys walked more steps/day (1,850) and performed more min/day of moderate to vigorous physical activity (23.1) than girls. Overall, 51.4% of the children have been classified as eutrophic and 48.6% as overweight or obese. Eutrophic boys walked 1,525 steps/day and performed 18.6 minutes/day more of moderate to vigorous physical activity than those with overweight/obesity (p < 0.05). The same has not been found in girls (p > 0.05). The cutoff points to prevent overweight and obesity in boys and girls were 10,500 and 8,500 steps/day and 66 and 46 min/day of moderate to vigorous physical activity, respectively. The walking of 9,700 steps/day for boys and 9,400 steps/day for girls ensures the scope of the recommendation of moderate to vigorous physical activity.CONCLUSIONS In boys, steps/day and moderate to vigorous physical activity have been negatively associated with body mass index, regardless of race, family income, education of parents, screen time, diet pattern, and sedentary time. We suggest, for steps/day and moderate to vigorous physical activity, studies with different ages and populations, with different designs, so as to inform the cause and effect relationship with various health parameters.
Highlights
The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in children around the world is a critical public health problem that has encouraged Governments to consider different strategies to reduce obesity in the population[1]
The walking of 9,700 steps/day for boys and 9,400 steps/day for girls ensures the scope of the recommendation of moderate to vigorous physical activity
In boys, steps/day and moderate to vigorous physical activity have been negatively associated with body mass index, regardless of race, family income, education of parents, screen time, diet pattern, and sedentary time
Summary
The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in children around the world is a critical public health problem that has encouraged Governments to consider different strategies to reduce obesity in the population[1]. The beneficial effect of regular physical activity on the health of children is well established[3,4]. The objective measurement of physical activity using accelerometers is important, both for surveillance purposes and in the evaluation of the effectiveness of public health interventions, because it provides detailed data, such as the number of steps/day and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). The use of accelerometers has become more common in research studies on physical activity in childhood in high-income countries[3,5]. There are relatively few studies that have used this technology in low-and middle-income countries, such as Brazil[6]
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