[Standards of physical activity practices in adolescents in a city of Northeastern Brazil]

Longitudinal association between moderate to vigorous physical activity and lipid profile indicators in adolescents

The objective of this study was to examine the association between time engaged in moderate (MPA), vigorous (VPA), and moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA) physical activity (PA) and indicators of lipid profile in adolescents. This longitudinal study with a four-year follow-up (2014 to 2017), and three collection points (2014, 2015 and 2017) analyzed the data of 136 adolescents aged between 10 and 13 years (53.7% girls), in João Pessoa, Paraíba state, Brazil. The time in MPA, VPA and MVPA times was measured by Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometers. The lipid profile indicators analyzed were total cholesterol (TC), low-density (LDL-C) and high-density lipoproteins cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), non-HDL-C, TC/HDL-C and TG/HDL-c ratios. A generalized estimating equation (GEE) model was used to analyze the association between PA and lipid profile indicators. There was an inverse association between MPA time and TC values (ß = -0.560; 95%CI: -1.116; -0.004); VPA and LDL-C (ß = -0.962; 95%CI: -1.678; -0.246) and non-HDL-C (ß = -0.955; 95%CI: -1.708; -0.201); and MVPA and TC (ß = -0.436; 95%CI: -0.816; -0.055), TG (ß = -0.415; 95%CI: -0.712; -0.118), LDL-C (ß = -0.460; 95%CI: -0.823; -0.096), non-HDL-C (ß = -0.522; 95%CI: -0.908; -0.136) and TC/HDL-C (ß = -0.472; 95%CI: -0.889; -0.055). We conclude that over 4 years, adolescents more engaged in PA, especially in MVPA, exhibited better levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, non-HDL-C and TC/HDL-C; and AFV exerted a greater influence on LDL-c and non-HDL-c levels.

Sports participation among Brazilian adolescents and children: systematic review

Abstract The aim of this study is to describe the prevalence of sports participation in Brazilian children and adolescents through a systematic literature review. A search was carried out in the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, WEB OF SCIENCE, BIREME, SCIELO, and SCOPUS for manuscripts published until 2020, combining the keywords: “children”, “adolescents”, “prevalence”, and “sports participation”, in Portuguese and English. Twenty-six articles published between 2003 and 2020 were included in the review, with the aim of estimating the prevalence of participation in organized sports in Brazilian children and adolescents. Considering the regions where the studies were carried out, the majority were developed in the south (57.7%; n=15), followed by the southeast (19.2%; n=05), and northeast (15.4%; n=04), in addition to 7.7% (n=02) in all regions of the country. The data showed prevalence of sports participation ranging from 15.0% to 73.2% (mean of 44.8%) among children and adolescents, being higher in males (63.1%). From the results found, the need to develop public policies is evident, in order to favor adherence and maintenance of young people to sports practice, especially among those of the female sex.

Associação entre sedentarismo e nível socioeconômico em adolescentes

Introdução: O sedentarismo em adolescentes contribui para a ocorrência de diferentes doenças, sendo relevante investigar sobre fatores associados. Objetivo: Analisar a associação entre sedentarismo e nível socioeconômico em adolescentes de escolas públicas. Materiais e métodos: Estudo transversal, realizado com 347 adolescentes matriculados em escolas públicas do ensino médio do município de Divinópolis, Minas Gerais. A coleta de dados ocorreu no ano de 2017. O sedentarismo foi avaliado utilizando-se o International Physical Activity Questionnaire e o nível socioeconômico pelo critério da Associação Brasileira de Empresas de Pesquisa. Foi realizada estatística descritiva e analítica através de modelo de regressão logística multivariada. Resultados: Participaram da investigação 347 adolescentes. A média de idade do grupo foi de 16,4 ± 1,0 anos. Os indivíduos caracterizados como sedentários constituíram 38,9% da amostra, sendo que, destes, 66,7% eram do sexo feminino. Possuir maior nível socioeconômico diminui a probabilidade de ser sedentário (OR=0,235; p=0,021), assim como ser estudante das escolas públicas da região sudoeste aumenta essa chance (OR=2,680; p=0,04). Discussão: Os motivos pelos quais as condições socioeconômicas podem influenciar o sedentarismo são variados. A ausência de espaços públicos pode contribuir para a elevação do sedentarismo em adolescentes com menor nível socioeconômico. Conclusão: Esta investigação sinaliza a importância de investimentos públicos em políticas de estímulo à prática de atividade física para os adolescentes, em especial para os do sexo feminino e de menor nível socioeconômico.

[Does nutritional status moderate the association between social support, self-efficacy, and physical activity time of adolescents?]

The scope of this paper is to analyze the association between social support, self-efficacy and practice time of physical activity of different intensity (light, moderate, vigorous) and evaluate if these associations are moderated by the nutritional status of adolescents. It involved a cross-sectional study with 650 adolescents (10-14 years old, 52.9% female) from João Pessoa, State of Paraíba. Social support was measured by a scale with five items for each source of support (father, mother and friends) and self-efficacy, with a scale of four items. The physical activity time was measured by means of an accelerometer and the nutritional status was assessed by body mass index. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis showed that social support of friends was positively and significantly associated with moderate intensity physical activity time (β=2.67; CI95%: 0.28; 5.07). The nutritional status did not moderate the association of social support and self-efficacy with the duration of physical activity (p>0.05). The conclusion drawn is that adolescents who perceived that they are receiving more social support from friends tend to practice more moderate intensity physical activity, irrespective of their nutritional status.

School environment and physical activity in adolescents from São Paulo city

We examined the association of physical activity (PA) facilities and access to school with total PA and domain-specific PA in adolescents. We enrolled 2610 adolescents (mean: 14.9 years) from Sao Paulo city. The number and presence of sports courts, swimming pools, locker rooms, running/athletics tracks, entrance accessible for student cyclists, bike racks, speed limit signal around the school, and pedestrian crossing were assessed in each school. All participants responded to a questionnaire about frequency and duration of physical education classes, leisure time, and active commuting. Total PA was obtained by adding up all PA domains. Presence of three or more (OR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.15 to 2.30) sports courts, swimming pool available in usable conditions (OR: 1.45; 95% CI: 1.01 to 2.10), running/athletics tracks (OR: 2.35; 95% CI: 1.07 to 5.18), and bike racks (OR: 1.38; 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.78) were positively associated with total PA. Number of sports courts, swimming pool available in usable conditions, speed limit signals around the school, and pedestrian crossings were positively associated with physical education classes. The bike racks, speed limit signs around the school, and pedestrian crossings were positively associated with active commuting. School environment was associated with increased PA. Our findings should be considered in future epidemiologic studies and for educational and health policy makers.

Reliability, validity and internal consistency of social support and self-efficacy scales for physical activity in adolescents with 10 to 14 years of age

Objective:

To analyze the reliability, validity and internal consistency of the physical activity social support (SSS) and self-efficacy (SES) scales among adolescents aged 10–14 years.

Methods:

The reliability study included 171 adolescents (mean age=12.3±1.0 years, 59.6% female) and validity and consistency study with 1,107 (mean age=12.0±1.0 years, 52.7% female). The SSS had 15 items and the SES eight items. Reliability was determined by Spearman's correlation analysis (rho) and validity and internal consistency by factor analysis (exploratory — EFA and confirmatory — CFA) and the composite reliability (CR), respectively.

Results:

The reliability of SSS (father: rho=0.80; p<0.001 | mother: rho=0.76; p<0.001 | friends: rho=0.75; p<0.001) and SES (rho=0.72; p<0.001) were considered high. In the EFA, three factors were identified for the SSS (father, mother and friends — five items each) and one factor for SES (five items), confirmed in the CFA. Quality parameters of adjustment in the final models were satisfactory for SSS (chi-square=240.5 [p<0.001]; root mean square residual — RMR=0.05; root mean square error of approximation — RMSEA=0.04 [90%CI 0.04–0.05]; goodness of fit index — GFI=0.97; adjusted goodness of fit index — AGFI=0.96 and comparative fit index — CFI=0.97) and SES (chi-square=5.4 [p=0.07]; RMR=0.01; RMSEA=0.04 [90%CI 0.00–0.08]; GFI=0.99; AGFI=0.99 and CFI=0.97). Internal consistency was considered satisfactory for SSS (CR: father=0.79, mother=0.77, friends=0.78) and low for SES (CR=0.38).

Conclusions:

The scales showed satisfactory levels of reliability and of construct validity. However, only the SSS showed adequate levels of internal consistency.%

Systematic review of active transportation to school in youth – an update from Brazil’s Report Card

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to update a systematic review on the use of active transportation to school in Brazilian children and adolescents. All studies were extracted from the LILACS; BIREME; SCIELO and MEDLINE. The search was carried out on manuscripts published in the period 2018-2019. The descriptors were used in Portuguese, English and Spanish. In overall, 8 manuscripts were included in this systematic review, with 1 presenting data from three periods (2009, 2012 and 2015). The study data were obtained between 2009 and 2015 and the age group found between 7 to 19 years old. Of the selected articles, 2 presented national data, 1 from the north, 2 from the northeast, 1 from the southeast and 2 from the south of Brazil. The use of active transportation was superior to passive transportation on 6 occasions and its use was common in boys than in girls (4 of 6 articles). The use of active transportation is still more common than passive transportation in most Brazilian regions, although some cities have the opposite. The results suggest that the prevalence of active transportation is higher in boys than girls. Public policies must be created to favor the use of active transportation among Brazilian youth.

Is the association between sociodemographic variables and physical activity levels in adolescents mediated by social support and self-efficacy?

OBJECTIVE

Analyze whether the association between sociodemographic variables and physical activity levels is mediated by psychosocial factors.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional epidemiological study of public and private high school students in João Pessoa, Paraíba state, Brazil. A total of 2540 adolescents (57.0% female) were analyzed (16.4±1.2 years). Physical activity was estimated using a questionnaire, self-efficacy, and parents' and friends' social support by scales, all previously validated.

RESULTS

The association between sex and the physical activity level of adolescents was partially mediated by the social support of parents (β=0.79; p<0.001) and friends (β=2.96; p<0.001), and the association between age and physical activity level was partially mediated by parents' social support (β=0.78; p<0.001). The associations between sex and age and physical activity levels of adolescents were mediated by the social support of parents and friends.

CONCLUSIONS

Differences in physical activity levels between adolescent females and males and between younger and older adolescents may be partially explained by differences in social support provided by parents and friends. Implementation strategies to increase the social support of parents and friends may help reduce the differences in physical activity levels between these subgroups of adolescents.