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

“When You Move You Have Fun”: Perceived Barriers, and Facilitators of Physical Activity From a Child's Perspective

In Northern Ireland (NI), many children do not meet the recommended levels of physical activity (PA). To reduce the prevalence of physical inactivity and associated health conditions, it is important to understand the influences on children's PA, which in turn has the potential to inform future intervention design. The purpose of this formative study was to examine the current views, barriers, facilitators, experiences, and perceptions of children in relation to PA in the classroom, school, and home environments, and to assess the acceptability of components for a school-based intervention. Write and draw tasks and semi-structured focus groups (n = 10) were conducted with 50 children aged 7–9 years (22 boys, 28 girls) from six primary schools. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed thematically. Pen profiles were constructed from the transcripts in a deductive manner and represent key emergent themes. Results indicated that children's perception and knowledge of PA was mainly structured and sport-based, while some referred to fun, play and health. Fun, social support and outdoor activity were identified as key facilitators. Barriers included parental restrictions, lack of time and space in the different environments. The acceptability of intervention components was examined, children recognized the potential benefits of additional movement in the classroom, but opinions differed on the sit-to-stand desks. Findings contribute to a more detailed understanding of children's perceptions of context specific PA, the barriers they face, in addition to factors that support them to lead a physically active lifestyle, which may inform future PA promotion strategies.

Relationship between total physical activity and physical activity domains with body composition and energy expenditure among Brazilian adults

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of total physical activity (PA) and its different domains with sex, weight, body mass index, body composition, and resting energy expenditure (REE) among Brazilian adults. The secondary aim was to assess if the Baecke Habitual Physical Activity Questionnaire (BHPAQ) could be used to screen fat mass excess.

METHODS

Three hundred and sixty-six volunteers participated. PA was assessed with the BHPAQ, body composition with multifrequency bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy, and REE with indirect calorimetry.

RESULTS

Total PA and sports/exercise PA were lower in women than men. The participants most active for sports/exercise and leisure-time/locomotion PA domains had higher fat free mass and phase angle, and lower fat mass and weight than the least active subjects. The occupational PA domain was associated with higher fat mass and weight. REE was associated only with the exercise/sports PA domain. The BHPAQ could discriminate subjects with excess body fat with a 9.375 cutoff point for total PA.

CONCLUSION

Exercise/sports and leisure-time/locomotion are PA domains associated with a better body composition. A gender gap still exists in PA, as women are less active than men. The BHPAQ could screen subjects with excess fat mass.

Difference in Objectively Measured Physical Activity and Obesity in Children With and Without Siblings

Background/Context: Children without siblings (singletons) have higher rates of obesity than do children with siblings (nonsingletons). Higher moderate to vigorous physical activity (PA) and less sedentary behavior (SB) are associated with lower childhood obesity.

PURPOSE

To examine the difference in PA and SB between singleton and nonsingleton children.

METHODS

Mothers of children ages 5.0-7.9 years old who were singletons or nonsingletons with a sibling between the ages of 2.0 and 4.9 years old were recruited. Height, weight, and waist circumference of the 5.0- to 7.9-year-old children were measured, and age and sex percentiles were calculated. Accelerometry measured SB and PA, including light PA, moderate to vigorous PA, and counts per minute.

RESULTS

Fifty-six mother-child dyads (23 singletons and 33 nonsingletons) with an average child age of 5.7 (0.7) years participated. More singletons were classified as overweight or obese than were nonsingletons (49% vs 17%, P = .04). In adjusted linear models, singletons had less light PA per day (β = -38.1, SE = 19.2, P = .001) and more SB (β = 38.0, SE = 16.5, P = .02) than did nonsingletons, with no difference in moderate to vigorous PA or counts per minute.

CONCLUSION

In this sample, singletons had higher obesity and lower light PA than did nonsingleton children. Investigation into differences in singleton/nonsingleton families, including family health behaviors, may help assess sibling influence in early behavior development.

Identifying children who are susceptible to dropping out from physical activity and sport: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Although the benefits of physical activity are clear, adherence to physical activity programs is a challenge, especially during transitional phases of life.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to identify adolescents who were more likely to drop out from physical activity and sports participation, from childhood to adolescence.

DESIGN AND SETTING

This was a cross-sectional study on retrospective data regarding childhood activity among 803 Brazilian adolescents. The study was conducted at public schools in Londrina, Paraná, in 2011.

METHODS

Habitual physical activity, sports participation during childhood, parental physical activity, socioeconomic status and perception of social relationships were self-reported. Cardiorespiratory fitness was estimated via a 20-m shuttle-run test and somatic maturation was estimated from the age at peak height velocity.

RESULTS

Our results provided evidence that girls (physical activity: odds ratio, OR: 4.37 [95% confidence interval, CI: 1.86-10.3]; sports: OR: 2.65 [95% CI: 1.39-5.05]) and adolescents with low cardiorespiratory fitness (physical activity: OR: 1.77 [95% CI: 1.13-2.78]; sports: OR: 1.62 [95% CI: 1.15-2.26]) were more likely to drop out from active behaviors. Children with inactive mothers and inactive fathers (OR: 3.55 [95% CI: 1.12-11.3]) also showed a higher dropout rate from physical activity. Adolescents with negative perceptions of friendships (OR: 2.33 [95% CI: 1.21-4.47]) were more likely to drop out from sports.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher dropout rates from active lifestyles during childhood were observed among girls and adolescents with low cardiorespiratory fitness. Parental inactivity and negative perceptions of friendships were also potential risk factors for discontinuation of childhood physical activity and sports.

Biocultural approach of the association between maturity and physical activity in youth

OBJECTIVE

To test the biocultural model through direct and indirect associations between biological maturation, adiposity, cardiorespiratory fitness, feelings of sadness, social relationships, and physical activity in adolescents.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study conducted with 1,152 Brazilian adolescents aged between 10 and 17 years. Somatic maturation was estimated through Mirwald's method (peak height velocity). Physical activity was assessed through Baecke questionnaire (occupational, leisure, and sport contexts). Body mass index, body fat (sum of skinfolds), cardiorespiratory fitness (20-m shuttle run test), self-perceptions of social relationship, and frequency of sadness feelings were obtained for statistical modeling.

RESULTS

Somatic maturation is directly related to sport practice and leisure time physical activity only among girls (β=0.12, p<0.05 and β=0.09, respectively, p<0.05). Moreover, biological (adiposity and cardiorespiratory fitness), psychological (sadness), and social (satisfaction with social relationships) variables mediated the association between maturity and physical activity in boys and for occupational physical activity in girls. In general, models presented good fit coefficients.

CONCLUSION

Biocultural model presents good fit and emotional/biological factors mediate part of the relationship between somatic maturation and physical activity.

Sibling influence on children's objectively measured physical activity: a meta-analysis and systematic review

Abstract

Children without siblings (only children) have higher rates of obesity than children with siblings. Childhood obesity may be prevented by minimising sedentary behaviour and accumulating sufficient physical activity in young children. A growing number of articles have examined the influence of siblings on physical activity and sedentary behaviour, yet these articles have not been synthesised.

Objective

To synthesise literature and describe the influence of siblings on objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour of children (ages 2–18 years).

Design

Outcomes were analysed in a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data sources

PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Medline OVID were searched for articles related to siblings, physical activity, sedentary behaviour and obesity outcomes from 1947 to March 2018.

Eligibility criteria

Articles that evaluated sibling status on physical activity objectively measured by accelerometer or pedometer were included.

Results

Nineteen articles, representing 17 independent datasets, were included in the review. Nine were included in the quantitative analysis. Pooled data from nine articles indicated children with siblings had higher moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) relative to only children, with a potential dose response for higher number of children in household and higher MVPA (Mean Difference=3.13, 95% CI 1.90 to 4.35, p=0.001). Findings were mixed for the influence of siblings on sedentary behaviour and light physical activity.

Summary/Conclusion

Children with siblings had healthier physical activity patterns, as measured by accelerometer or pedometer, than did only children. Suggested mechanisms include peer modelling, encouraging active transport and sports participation, opportunity for playmate and serving as additional caregivers.

Trial registration number

CRD42017055463.

How Consistent are Genetic Factors in Explaining Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Sport Participation? The Portuguese Healthy Families Study

This study investigates how consistent genetic factors are, as measured by heritability estimates (h2), in the leisure-time physical activity index (LTPAI) and sport participation index (SPI) from early (10-14 yrs) to late adolescence (15-19 yrs). The sample comprises 12,385 subjects from 3,378 Portuguese nuclear families. Height and weight were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated, and the LTPAI and SPI were estimated by questionnaire. Socioeconomic status (SES) was assessed by parental occupation. Analyses were done using S.A.G.E. software. Our results showed that h2 estimates for the LTPAI and SPI in the two age groups (10-14 yrs and 15-19 yrs) were stable: for the LTPAI, h2 = 0.297 and 0.322, respectively; and for the SPI, h2 = 0.413 and 0.428, respectively. Sibling correlations and environmental correlations are higher in the younger age group for both the LTPAI and the SPI. Spousal correlations are higher in the younger age group for the LTPAI and lower for the SPI than the older group. Parent-offspring correlations are similar in both age groups for the LTPAI and SPI. In conclusion, the influence of genetic factors on physical activity and sport participation remains stable across age in adolescence. However, variation in sibling correlations - in particular, environmental correlations - was observed. These findings suggest that shared/non-shared environmental factors express different degrees of importance across age. Future intervention programs aiming to promote change in behaviors need to consider these results to bring about positive changes in physical activity and sport participation behaviors within the family setting.

Perception of freedom in leisure among substance users and nonusers

Abstract The aim of this study was to verify that substance use among adolescents would be linked to perceptions of freedom in leisure. It was selected for convenience sampling 186 adolescents at Projeto Quixote in a public school in Guarulhos. It used as questionnaire Data Sociodemographic and Leisure, The Leisure Diagnostic Battery, version B (PLL) to measure Perceived Freedom in Leisure and Drug Use Screening Inventory for classification of substance use, all self-administered. Based on 165 reviews analyzed, the frequency of use of ecstasy and marijuana in the last month were related to higher rates of PLL. The number of substances used in the last month had no significant effect. These data suggest specific components of leisure related to the frequency of substance use, such as perceived control and need at leisure.

Resemblance in physical activity levels: The Portuguese sibling study on growth, fitness, lifestyle, and health

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the relationships of biological, behavioral, familial, and environmental characteristics with siblings´ physical activity (PA) levels as well as the intrapair resemblance in PA.

METHODS

The sample comprises 834 (390 females) biological siblings [brother-brother (BB), sister-sister (SS), brother-sister (BS)] aged 9 to 20 years. Total PA index (TPAI) was estimated by questionnaire. Information on potential behavioral, familial, and environmental correlates was obtained by self-report; body mass index (BMI), biological maturation, and physical fitness were measured. Multilevel models were used to analyze siblings´ clustered data, and sibling resemblance was estimated with the intraclass correlation (ρ).

RESULTS

On average, younger sibs, those more physically fit, and those with more parental support had greater TPAI. Further, BB pairs had higher TPAI levels than SS or BS pairs, but also had greater within-pair variance. When adjusted for all covariates, SS pairs demonstrated greater resemblance in TPAI (ρ = 0.53, 95%CI = 0.38-0.68) than BS (ρ = 0.26, 95%CI = 0.14-0.43) or BB pairs (ρ = 0.18, 95%CI = 0.06-0.44).

CONCLUSIONS

Age, physical fitness, and parental support were the best predictors of TPAI levels. A moderate level of resemblance in TPAI was observed in SS pairs, while lower resemblance was found for BS and BB pairs. These findings may be due to differences in the roles of shared genetic factors, familial, and environmental characteristics across different sibling types.

Birth weight, biological maturation and obesity in adolescents: a mediation analysis

This study was aimed to investigate associations between birth weight and multiple adiposity indicators in youth, and to examine potential mediating effects by biological maturation. This was a school-based study involving 981 Brazilian adolescents aged between 10 and 17 years. Birth weight was reported retrospectively by mothers. Maturation was estimated by age of peak height velocity. Adiposity indicators included body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and percent body fat estimated from triceps and subscapular skinfolds. Multilevel mediation analyses were performed using the Sobel test, adjusted for chronological age, gestational age, cardiorespiratory fitness and socio-economic status. Except for body fat in girls, biological maturation partly or fully mediated (P<0.05) positive relationships between birth weight with all other obesity indicators in both sexes with their respective values of indirect effects with 95% confidence intervals: BMI [boys: 0.44 (0.06–0.82); girls: 0.38 (0.13–0.64)], waist circumference [boys: 1.14 (0.22–2.05); girls: 0.87 (0.26–1.48)] and body fat [boys: 0.60 (0.13–1.07)]. To conclude, birth weight is associated with elevated obesity risk in adolescence and biological maturation seems to at least partly mediate this relationship.

Cardiorespiratory fitness is related to metabolic risk independent of physical activity in boys but not girls from Southern Brazil

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to determine the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and metabolic risk in adolescents from Southern Brazil.

METHODS

We performed a school-based cross-sectional study in 1,037 adolescents (436 boys) aged 10-16 years from Londrina, PR, Brazil. CRF was determined by 20-m shuttle run test. A continuous metabolic risk score was obtained from the mean of fasting glucose, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein, blood pressure, and waist circumference z-scores. Age, physical activity (Baecke questionnaire), body mass index (BMI; weight/stature(2) ), and somatic maturity (Mirwald method) were included as covariates in multiple linear regression analyses.

RESULTS

CRF was related to metabolic risk in boys (β = -0.02, P < 0.01) and girls (β = -0.01, P = 0.02) after adjusting for chronological age, BMI, and somatic maturity. However, when adjusted for physical activity, CRF failed to explain metabolic risk in girls (β = -0.01, P = 0.24).

CONCLUSION

We conclude that CRF is independently and inversely related to metabolic risk in boys, but physical activity either mediates or confounds the association between CRF and metabolic risk in girls. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:534-538, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.