Physical Activity In Brazilian Adolescents Research Articles

Prevalence and incidence of insufficient physical activity in Brazilian adolescents during the pandemic: data from ConVid Adolescents

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar a prevalência e a incidência de atividade física insuficiente em adolescentes brasileiros e identificar os subgrupos mais afetados durante a pandemia. Métodos: Este estudo utilizou dados da ConVid Adolescentes - Pesquisa de Comportamentos, que avaliou, por meio de um questionário online autopreenchido, o comportamento de 9.470 adolescentes brasileiros no período de restrição social, em virtude da pandemia da COVID-19 em 2020. Os participantes foram convidados por meio de um procedimento de amostragem em cadeia denominado “bola de neve” virtual. Foram relatadas informações sobre a frequência de atividade física antes e durante a pandemia. As variáveis de exposição utilizadas foram sexo, faixa etária, raça/cor da pele, região do Brasil, tipo de escola, escolaridade materna, dificuldades financeiras durante a pandemia e restrições sociais. Foram utilizados modelos de regressão logística. Resultados: Os adolescentes praticaram menos atividade física durante a pandemia, visto que a prevalência de atividade física insuficiente aumentou de 71,3% no período anterior para 84,3% durante a pandemia. A incidência de atividade física insuficiente durante a pandemia foi de 69,6%. Os subgrupos de adolescentes mais afetados foram os que se autodeclararam da raça/cor da pele preta, que relataram dificuldades financeiras durante a pandemia, residentes nas regiões Sudeste e Sul do país e que realizaram restrição social intensa e total. Conclusão: Altas incidências de atividade física insuficiente foram observadas entre adolescentes brasileiros durante a pandemia da COVID-19. Recomenda-se que novos estudos explorem períodos posteriores aos analisados para identificar a dinâmica comportamental dos adolescentes a partir do retorno das atividades presenciais.

Temporal trend of physical activity in Brazilian adolescents: analysis of the Brazilian National Survey of School Health from 2009 to 2019

This study aimed to analyze the physical activity trend of Brazilian schoolchildren and the associations with demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral variables by using the Brazilian National Survey of School Health (PeNSE) in its four editions - 2009, 2012, 2015, and 2019. Data from students (13-17 years old) participating in the four editions of the PeNSE (n = 392,922) were used. We describe the percentage of active, mean, and percentile values of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity in minutes/week. Poisson's regression was adjusted for gender, age, skin color, goods score, and sedentary behavior (≥ 2 hours/day watching TV and ≥ 3 hours/day sitting time). As a limitation, the PeNSE/2009 sample refers only to the Brazilian capital cities. The percentage of active students decreased from 43.1% in 2009 to 18.2% in 2019. The mean moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity of PeNSE/2009 (mean = 318.4 minutes/week; 95%CI: 313.4-323.4) decreased 50% in 2019. In physical education, the weekly average in moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity of girls is less than 50 minutes and boys is greater than 60 minutes in the four editions of PeNSE, also 22.7% of girls reported (PeNSE/2019) not having taken physical education classes whereas the same thing is reported by 19.7% of boys. Sedentary behavior reduced regarding time watching TV, but sitting time increased by 50.1% (95%CI: 48.9-51.3) and 54% (95%CI: 53.1-54.9) between PeNSE/2009 and PeNSE/2019. As a consequence of the drop in physical activity levels, public policies that promote physical activity are necessary, including increasing physical education classes at school to at least three times a week.

Prevalência e incidência da prática insuficiente de atividade física em adolescentes brasileiros durante a pandemia: dados da ConVid Adolescentes

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and incidence of insufficient physical activity in Brazilian adolescents and identify the most affected subgroups during the pandemic. Methods: This study used data from the “ConVid Adolescents - Behavior Survey”, which evaluated the behavior of 9,470 Brazilian adolescents during the period of social restriction due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, through a self-administered online questionnaire. Participants were invited through a virtual “snowball” sampling procedure. Information was reported on the frequency of physical activity before and during the pandemic. The exposure variables used were gender, age group, race/skin color, region of Brazil, type of school, maternal education, financial difficulties during the pandemic, and social restrictions. Logistic regression models were used. Results: Adolescents engaged in less physical activity during the pandemic, as the prevalence of insufficient physical activity increased from 71.3% in the previous period to 84.3% during the pandemic. The incidence of insufficient physical activity during the pandemic was 69.6%. The subgroups of adolescents most affected were those who self-declared as black or with dark skin color, reported financial difficulties during the pandemic, lived in the Southeast and South regions of the country, and practiced intense or complete social distancing. Conclusion: High incidences of insufficient physical activity were observed among Brazilian adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is recommended that further studies explore periods after those analyzed to identify the behavioral dynamics of adolescents upon returning to in-person activities.

Sleep, sedentary behavior, and physical activity in Brazilian adolescents: Achievement recommendations and BMI associations through compositional data analysis.

Physical activity, sedentary behavior (SB), and sleep are habitual human behaviors (HHB) which are modifiable throughout the different life phases. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze how the time distribution throughout the day among HHB may be associated with body mass index (BMI). These results could provide inferences which can guide interventions that trigger changes in adolescent behaviors in favor of their health. The objective of this study was to verify the proportion of adolescents who meet the recommendation of sleep, moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and screen time (ST); to analyze the associations between HHB and BMI, and to determine possible changes in BMI associated with time reallocation between different HHB. Daily HHB recommendations (yes/no) were analyzed by frequency distribution. Compositional data analyses were used to examine the association between HHB and the BMI z-score (zBMI) with covariates (sex, age, and socioeconomic status). Compositional isotemporal substitution models estimated the change in zBMI associated with HHB reallocations from 15 to 120 minutes. A total of 185 adolescents were included (15 to 18 years, 50.8% boys). Thus, total sleep time, SB, light physical activity (LPA) and MVPA were measured by 24-hour accelerometry for seven consecutive days. ST, demographic characteristics, and socioeconomic status were assessed using a questionnaire. Sleep, MVPA, and ST recommendations were achieved by 32.97%, 8.10%, and 1.08% of the sample, respectively. No adolescent was able to achieve all of the daily recommendations. Age was significantly and positively associated with zBMI (p<0.001). Simply replacing 75, 90, and 120 minutes of MVPA by LPA led to an estimated significant increase in zBMI (95CI% z-value, 0.01 to 1.49). The HHB relocation estimates in 24h did not show positive effects on zBMI, nor did it increase the time engaged in MVPA, which may raise the hypothesis that other parameters related to obesity and their related interactions need to be better understood.

Adductor pollicis muscle thickness in Brazilian adolescents and associations with nutritional status, sexual maturation and physical activity (EVA-JF Study)

Objective: The present study aims to assess the associations of adductor pollicis muscle thickness (APMT) with age, skin color, sexual maturation, anthropometric indicators and physical activity in Brazilian adolescents. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study of adolescents aged 14-19 years. Weight, height, body mass index (BMI), arm circumference (AC), APMT, body fat, fat-free mass (FFM), fat-free mass index (FFMI), sexual maturation, time of physical activity and skin color were evaluated. APMT was associated with categorical variables using Mann-Whitney or Kruskal-Wallis tests and correlated with anthropometric variables using Spearman’s correlation. Linear regression was used with APMT as a dependent and the other variables as predictors. Data analysis was carried out in SPSS® software (version 17.0) with a 5% significance level. Results: 828 adolescents were evaluated, 57.6% female, with a mean age of 16.13 ± 1.20 years. APMT had an average value of 18.0 mm in females and 21.0 mm in males. The measure was greater in males, in more advanced stages of sexual maturation, overweight and physical activity. It presented a moderate correlation with FFM, FFMI, body fat and AC. In the final model of multiple linear regression for females, the variables AC and body fat explain 20.1% of the APMT variability. For men, the variables AC and FFMI explain 30.5% of the APMT variability. Conclusion: It is recommended that APMT be used in a complementary manner in the nutritional assessment of adolescents.

DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF THE BRAZILIAN WEIGHT TEASING DURING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SCALE

Weight-related teasing is associated with loneliness, depression, eating disorders, and less physical activity. The purpose of the study was to develop the Brazilian Weight Teasing during Physical Activity scale (WTPAS-BR) and gather validity evidence to support its use in Brazilian adolescents. In phase 1, the prototype scale was adjusted. In phase 2, the prototype scale was cross-culturally adapted into the WTPAS-BR. In phase 3, the WTPAS-BR was psychometrically assessed. Adjustments to the prototype scale qualified items to measure weight-related teasing. A rigorous and systematic cross-cultural adaptation process translated, and assessed the content and adequacy of the WTPAS-BR among Brazilian adolescents. Based on the factorial assessment of WTPAS-BR, a one-factor model with four items was adopted. The WTPAS-BR showed adequate internal consistency, convergent validity, and test-retest reliability. Strong validity evidence supports the use of the WTPAS-BR to measure weight-related teasing occurring during physical activity in Brazilian adolescents.

School environment and practice of accumulated physical activity in young Brazilian students

The aim of this study was to verify the association between school environment and accumulated physical activity in Brazilian adolescents. This is a study with secondary data from sample 1, from the third edition of the National School Health Survey, a study carried out with 102.072 children and adolescents enrolled in the ninth school grade. Questions about characteristics of the school environment and the offer of opportunities for physical activity practices were addressed, focusing on information regarding the structure for physical activity and about the regular practice of accumulated physical activities. Variables were organized from the structure of schools and opportunities for the practice of physical activities, while accumulated physical activity was used as the outcome variable. Data were analyzed from a binary logistic regression model, organized in crude and adjusted models, with a significance level of 5%. Data were analyzed from SPSS for Windows, version 22.0. Results indicate that, from the adjustment of variables, there was an association between the practice of accumulated physical activity and the existence of a sports court under conditions of use (OR=1.22, 95%CI=1.18-1.26), or presence of courtyard for use of physical education classes (OR=1.04, 95%CI=1.01-1.06). Association between the offer of varied physical activities, except for physical education classes, and the practice of accumulated physical activity (OR=1.05, 95%CI=1.02-1.08) was identified. Existence of a sports court/courtyard in schools and the offer of extracurricular physical activities are associated with the practice of accumulated physical activity in young Brazilian students.

Correlates of sports practice, occupational and leisure‐time physical activity in Brazilian adolescents

To analyze the relationship between different physical activity (PA) domains and sociodemographic, psychological, behavioral and biological factors in Brazilian adolescents. 1,220 adolescents (55.1% female) aged between 10 and 16 years-old participated in this study. The Baecke questionnaire was used to evaluate different PA domains, namely occupational, sports and leisure-time. Socioeconomic status, number of siblings, friendships satisfaction, mother's and father's PA level and previous experience with sports were self-reported. Cardiorespiratory fitness, waist circumference, and somatic maturity were estimated by objective indicators. Linear regression was used for the main statistical analysis. The variables consistently related to all of the PA domains were gender (boys more active), friendship satisfaction (positive with sports and leisure-time PA and negative with occupational PA) and cardiorespiratory fitness (positive). There were also domain-specific relationships for occupational (number of siblings [β = 0.02] and father's PA [β = 0.13]), sport practice (previous experience with sports [β = 0.33], waist circumference [β = 0.01] and somatic maturity [β = -0.12]) and leisure-time PA (chronological age [β = -0.15], mother's PA [β = 0.47] and previous experience with sports [β = 0.17]). The different domains of PA are related to specific variables in adolescence. This information may be helpful in formulating strategies for physical activity promotion, particularly in adolescents from low-to-middle income countries.

Sociodemographic and behavioral factors associated with physical activity in Brazilian adolescents.

BackgroundPhysical activity in adolescents is associated with short- and long-term health benefits. Physical activity can occur in various domains and is influenced by a complex network of factors. The aims of this study are 1) to describe the physical activity of Brazilian adolescents in physical education classes, during leisure time, and during active commuting and 2) to investigate the socio-demographic and behavioral factors associated with physical activity.MethodsThe representative sample included 109,104 Brazilian students in the final year of elementary school from 2,842 schools. The weekly frequency and duration of physical activity were assessed. A variety of socio-demographic and behavioral factors were studied. A multiple Poisson regression analysis was used to test for associations between physical activity and the socio-demographic and behavioral variables.ResultsMost of the students (97.0%) engaged in physical activity in at least one of the domains studied, especially physical education at school (81.7%) and leisure time physical activity (67.5%). However, only 29% of the adolescents reached the recommended level of physical activity. Among the adolescents who reached the minimum recommended time for physical activity, the various domains contributed the following proportions to total physical activity: leisure time physical activity (PR 12.5; 95% CI 11.17-13.97), active commuting (PR 1.63; 95% CI 1.59-1.67), and physical education at school (PR 1.36; 95% CI 1.29-1.44). The weekly frequency of all activities was greater among boys than among girls. Moreover, nearly two-thirds (61.8%) of students spent more than two hours per day engaging in sedentary behaviors; the prevalence of sedentary behaviors was similar between boys and girls (59.0 and 64.5%, respectively).Total level of physical activity, leisure time physical activity, and active commuting were associated with higher nutritional scores.ConclusionsPhysical activity is important in any health promotion program. Therefore, it is necessary to invest in policies and interagency initiatives that promote all domains and to ensure that the general population helps determine the scope and design of such policies.

Objectively measured physical activity in the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort

Introduction: Data on physical activity levels of adolescents are mostly derived from self-reported instruments, and the vast majority of studies using objective measures are from high-income countries. The aim of this study was to describe the patterns of objectively measured physical activity in Brazilian adolescents.

A Longitudinal Evaluation of Physical Activity in Brazilian Adolescents: Tracking, Change and Predictors

This study aimed to: 1) describe the change in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) during early-to-mid adolescence; 2) analyze the tracking of LTPA; 3) identify the predictors of LTPA change. 4,120 adolescents were from 11 to 15 years old. Outcome was self-reported LTPA (min/wk). Boys increased their LTPA level over the four years (mean: 75 min/wk; 95%CI: 49,100), whereas a decrease was observed among girls (mean: -42 min/wk; 95%CI: -57,-28). Likelihood to be active at 15 years of age was 50% higher (95%CI: 39-62) among those who were active at 11 years. The main predictor of LTPA change was the number of physical activities performed at baseline. Regular physical activity early in life can predict this behavior afterward.

Level of physical activity in adolescents from Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

This study focused on levels of physical activity (PA) in adolescents from Niterói, Rio de Janeiro. Adolescents (n = 325) from the public school system filled out the physical activity questionnaire (PAQ-C) developed by Crocker et al. (1997). Anthropometric data (body mass, stature, and body mass index) and television (TV) viewing time were also assessed. Mean PAQ-C scores were 2.3+/-0.6 and 2.0+/-0.6 for males and females, respectively (p < 0.01). Mean TV times were 4.4 h/day and 4.9 h/day for males and females, respectively. The most popular PA was soccer for boys and soccer and walking for girls. Adolescents in the sample tended to be more active on weekends as compared to weekdays. PAQ-C scores classified 85% of boys and 94% of girls as inactive individuals. These results pose a concern as to the high prevalence of inactivity in this age group, which increases the probability of inactive adults. However, other studies are needed to investigate PA throughout adolescence and the determinants of PA in Brazilian adolescents.