Abstract
Our aim was to identify prenatal, biological and environmental correlates of child to adolescence physical activity maintenance in 1,186 Brazilian youth (525 boys) aged between 10 and 16 years. Current and former physical activity levels were obtained cross-sectionally through questionnaires. As potential correlates, parent's activity levels, socioeconomic status and offspring's birth weight were self-reported by parents. Somatic maturation was estimated by the peak of height velocity. Logistic regression analyses revealed that, regardless of chronological age, males were more likely to be active in childhood (OR = 1.73 [CI 95% = 1.33 to 2.27]) and to maintain physical activity (adjusted by chronological age, sex, birth weight and mother's physical activity) (OR = 3.58 [CI 95% = 2.32 to 5.54]), as well as late maturing adolescents (OR = 2.52 [CI 95% = 1.02 to 6.22]). Adolescents whose mother was inactive (OR = 0.31 [CI 95% = 0.11 to 0.86]) also had a lower probability of maintaining physical activity. Thus, girls, adolescents born with low weight and those with inactive mother are less likely to maintain physical activity levels from childhood to adolescence.
Highlights
The benefits of physical activity are well established, a high prevalence of physical inactivity has been observed in different population groups[1]
Somatic maturation was estimated by the peak of height velocity
Logistic regression analyses revealed that, regardless of chronological age, males were more likely to be active in childhood (OR = 1.73 [CI 95% = 1.33 to 2.27]) and to maintain physical activity (OR = 3.58 [CI 95% = 2.32 to 5.54]), as well as late maturing adolescents (OR = 2.52 [CI 95% = 1.02 to 6.22])
Summary
The benefits of physical activity are well established, a high prevalence of physical inactivity has been observed in different population groups[1]. Health promotion efforts based on ecological models, which act on different levels of correlates and determinants of physical activity in specific groups, have been recommended[2]. Early-life factors such as prenatal development and birth weight, and their interaction with environmental factors have been studied to provide a better understanding of habitual physical activity patterns[3,4,5]. Experience of physical activity has been identified as an important correlate of physical activity throughout life[6,7]. An active lifestyle in childhood is associated with health in adulthood[8,9,10] through several direct pathways involving body fat and the methylation of some genes[10] and/or indirectly by tracking effects 7
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