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Background: Guidelines recommend that adolescents should accumulate an average of 60 min per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). However, using only this cut-off could hide important information. For instance, from a population-level point of view, increasing physical activity for those with no or low physical activity could provide more health benefits than increasing physical activity for those with intermediate levels. Also, including a more sensitive cut-point of ≥1 days per week could be an additional strategy for identifying those with low access/opportunities for physical activity practice. Thus, the current study aims to estimate the prevalence of ≥60 min of MVPA ≥1 days per week among adolescents globally, and to describe any relevant gender inequalities., Methods: We used representative datasets from 146 countries/territories collected between 2003 and 2019. MVPA was self-reported. Participants were grouped into younger (≤14 years old) and older (>14 years old) adolescents. Crude Poisson regression models were used to identify the relative differences in ≥60 min of MVPA ≥1 days per week between boys and girls, and random-effects meta-analysis models were used to identify the pooled estimates. Analyses were stratified by country and region., Results: Approximately 80% of both younger and older adolescents reported ≥60 min of MVPA ≥1 days per week. This prevalence was ≥94% in Europe and Central Asia and North America, while the estimates for the other regions were <77%. The prevalence of ≥60 min of MVPA ≥1 days per week was higher among boys than girls, with the largest differences occurring among the oldest adolescents (Prevalence ratio ≤14y = 1.04 (95% confidence interval (95%CI)): 1.03‒1.04) vs. Prevalence ratio >14y = 1.09 (95%CI: 1.08‒1.10))., Conclusion: Approximately 8 out of 10 adolescents reported accumulating ≥60 min of MVPA ≥1 days per week, with notable differences between regions. Gender differences were observed in several countries, especially among the oldest adolescents. Priorities for physical activity promotion among adolescents should include increasing access/opportunities for physical activity among those who do not achieve ≥60 min of MVPA ≥1 days per week and reducing gender inequalities., (Copyright © 2024. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.)

Objective: The current study aimed to explore the association of individual characteristics, social and environmental factors - school and region - in the intention to be physically active in Brazilian adolescents., Methods: This is a cross sectional study based on the third edition of the National School Health Survey. The study included a total of 53,937 adolescents. To assess the intention to be physically active, only who engaged in less than 300 min of physical activity per week were included. Participants were asked: "If you had the opportunity to practice physical activity most days of the week, what would your attitude be?" Individual characteristics, physical activity domains, social factors, school, and regional environments were used as exposures. Network analysis was utilized to evaluate the associations., Results: We observed that boys had higher intentions to be physically active compared to their peers, as did adolescents who perceived themselves as fat. In addition, students from private schools show a higher intention to regularly engage in physical activities, and in general, private schools offer more extracurricular physical activities., Conclusion: In conclusion, individual factors such as sex and body image perception, and environmental factors such as school administrative dependency and availability of extracurricular activities had a significant contribution to the intention to be physically active among Brazilian adolescents., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

This study aimed to verify the association between the weekly frequency of physical education (PE) classes and leisure sitting time among adolescents. We analyzed data from 73 countries using the Global School-based Student Health Survey (283,233 adolescents between 11 and 18 years of age). Leisure sitting time and weekly frequency of PE classes were self-reported. Sex, age, and food insecurity were used as covariates and the analyses were stratified by world regions and country income level. Poisson regression models (random-effects meta-analysis) were used for the main analyses. In comparison with 1 PE class per week (reference group), those with no PE classes presented a lower prevalence of ≥ 3 h/d of leisure sitting time (PR [95%CI] = 0.94 [0.91; 0.98]). On the other hand, adolescents with 2 days (PR [95%CI] = 1.06 [1.02; 1.26]), 3-4 days (PR [95%CI] = 1.17 [1.12; 1.22]), and 5 days (PR [95%CI] = 1.08 [1.04; 1.11]) of PE classes presented a higher likelihood of ≥ 3 h/d of leisure sitting time. No clear differences were observed for the different world regions and country income levels. We conclude that a higher weekly frequency of PE classes is associated with increased leisure sitting time among adolescents worldwide., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The presence of multimorbidity increases the risk of mortality, and identifying correlates of multimorbidity can direct interventions by targeting specific modifiable correlates. Here we aimed to investigate the association between two types of screen-based behaviors and multimorbidity., Methods: We used data from 87,678 Brazilian adults from the National Health Survey (2019). Multimorbidity (presence of two or more chronic conditions among 12 possibilities), TV-viewing, and time on other types of screens (computer, tablet, or cell phone), were self-reported. Crude and adjusted binary and multinominal logistic regression models were performed stratified by sex, age group, and the number of chronic conditions., Results: Considering adjusted values, 2 h/day as a reference, and reporting values in odds ratio (OR) and prevalence ratio (PR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI), multimorbidity presented associations with TV-viewing in general [from OR (95%CI) 1.10 (1.03-1.18) in 2 to < 3 h/d, to OR (95%CI) 1.57 (1.40-1.76) in ≥ 6 h/d], except in 2 to < 3 h/d time category for male and 35 to 49 years, and all time categories for 18 to 34 years. In addition, TV-viewing was associated with an increasing number of chronic conditions, all greater in ≥ 6 h/d [2 conditions - PR (95%CI) 1.24 (1.08-1.43); 3 conditions - PR (95%CI) 1.74 (1.45-2.08); 4 or more conditions - PR (95%CI) 2.29 (1.93-2.73)], except in 2 conditions on 2 to < 3 h/d. Other types of screen-based behaviors were only associated with multimorbidity among males [≥ 6 h/d: OR (95%CI) 1.22 (1.01-1.48)] and older individuals (65 years) in some time categories [3 to < 6 h/d: OR (95%CI) 1.98 (1.42-2.77) and ≥ 6 h/d: OR (95%CI) 1.73 (1.06-2.84)]., Conclusion: Intervention strategies for reducing screen time in Brazilian adults should focus mainly on TV-viewing, which seems to be associated with more harmful conditions than time on other types of screen-based behaviors., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

We analyzed the associations of screen-based behaviors with obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, and the moderation of different physical activity (PA) domains in these associations. We used data from the 2019 Brazilian National Health Survey, including data from 80,940 adults (mean age of 32.6 years). TV viewing, other screens (PC, tablet, and cell phone), PA domains (leisure-time, occupational, and transport) were collected via interview. Logistic regression models were used. There was a dose-response association of higher TV viewing with diabetes. Within the groups with medium and higher time spent on other screens, those with &lt; 150 min/week in leisure-time PA increased the odds for obesity [1-2.9 h/day: OR = 1.18 (1.01, 1.39)] and hypertension [1-2.9 h/day: OR = 1.29 (1.08, 1.53); ≥ 6 h/day: OR = 1.47 (1.03, 2.09)]. Likewise, among the participants who spent ≥ 6 h/day of TV viewing, those with &lt; 150 min/week of occupational PA presented higher odds for hypertension [OR = 1.61 (1.03, 2.53)]. In the group with higher use of other screens, &lt; 150 min per week of occupational PA was associated with lower odds for obesity [1-2.9 h/day: OR = 0.81 (0.68, 0.97)] and hypertension [≥ 6 h/day: OR = 0.65 (0.44, 0.98)]. In conclusion, the associations of other screens with obesity and hypertension were strongest among those without leisure-time PA, while the moderator role of occupational PA was not clear., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: The current study aimed to describe the trends in gender, ethnicity, and education inequalities of types of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) practiced by Brazilian adults from 2006 to 2019., Methods: We used data from 2006 to 2019 of the Brazilian Surveillance System for Risk and Protective Factors for Chronic Diseases by Telephone Survey, which is an annual survey with a representative sample of adults (≥ 18y) living in state capital cities. The types of LTPA considered were walking, running, strength/gymnastics, sports, other LTPA, and no LTPA participation. Gender (women or men), ethnicity (white, black, brown, or yellow/indigenous), and years of formal education were also self-reported. We used relative frequencies and their respective 95% confidence intervals to analyze trends. The absolute and relative differences between the proportions were used to assess the inequalities., Results: We observed increases in inequalities related to gender and education (running and strength/gymnastics), while gender inequalities for sports, other types, and no LTPA participation decreased. There were persistent inequalities related to gender (walking) and education (sports, other types, and no LTPA participation). Considering ethnicity, we noted increases in inequality for strength/gymnastics, where white adults were more active than black and brown adults. In addition, white adults reported more access to LTPA than brown adults over the years analyzed., Conclusion: Women, black and brown people, and subjects with less schooling were the most unfavored groups. While some inequalities persisted over the years, others increased, such as ethnicity and education inequalities for strength/gymnastics., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: To identify the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of different domains of physical activity (PA) and higher sitting time among South American adolescents., Methods: Data from national surveys of 11 South American countries were analyzed, and comprised information on 166,901 adolescents. PA (≥ 60 min/day of moderate-vigorous PA), physical education classes (PEC) (≥ 3 classes/wk), active commuting to school (≥ 1 d/wk), and higher sitting time (≥ 3 h/d) were self-reported. Sociodemographic correlates, such as gender, age, and food security status were explored using a random effect meta-analysis for logistic parameters., Results: Recommended PA ranged between 7.5% (Brazil) and 19.0% (Suriname). Peru (2.2%) and Guyana (43.1%) presented the lowest prevalence of PEC and active commuting to school, respectively. Higher sitting time was less prevalent in Bolivia (24.6%) and more prevalent in Argentina (55.6%). Compared to girls, boys were more prone to reach recommendations for PA [OR = 1.94(1.65;2.28)]; to reach ≥ 3 PEC [OR = 1.17(1.04;1.33)] and to be active in commuting to school [(OR = 1.14(1.06;1.23)], but less prone to higher sitting time [OR = 0.89(0.82;0.96)]. Older adolescents had less odds of reach PA guidelines [OR = 0.86(0.77; 0.97)] and accumulated higher sitting time [OR = 1.27(1.14;1.41)]. Adolescents with food insecurity reported more PEC [OR = 1.12(1.04;1.21)] and active commuting to school [OR = 1.12(1.02;1.22)] but had less higher sitting time than their food security pairs [OR = 0.89(0.81;0.98)]., Conclusions: Few adolescents reach the PA recommendation. Actions aiming the promotion of PA and the reduction of sitting time must consider girls and older adolescents as target groups, as well as the specifics of each country., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

We aimed to investigate correlates of TV viewing and other types of screen-based behaviors in a nationally representative sample of Brazilian adults. In the 2019 Brazilian National Health Survey (including 88,509 adults), TV viewing time and other types of screen behaviors (computer, tablet, and cellphone use) were self-reported and different geographical, sociodemographic, behavioral, and health status factors were investigated as potential correlates. Multinomial logistic regression models were used for the main analyses. Living in capital cities, urban areas, being unemployed, high consumption of soft drinks, obesity, and elevated depressive symptoms were each associated with more TV viewing and more time using other types of screens. There were differential associations between TV viewing and the use of other types of screen across age and socioeconomic variables. For instance, younger adults have a more diverse portfolio of screen time than older adults. To conclude, levels of screen-based behaviors vary by geographical, sociodemographic, behavioral, and health status characteristics. Interventions should focus on high-risk population groups and may benefit from targeting specific sedentary behaviors of interest., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: Although there is a growing body of research pointing towards the need to investigate how different movement behaviors, such as physical activity and sleep, influence each other, the joint relationship between these factors and insomnia has been little explored among adolescents in developing countries., Objectives: To investigate the association between daily physical activity and insomnia in a national sample of Brazilian adolescents, according to the Human Development Index (HDI) of each Brazilian region., Design and Settings: Cross-sectional study on 102,072 Brazilian students aged 11 to 19 years, selected from all regions of the country., Methods: Information on insomnia and physical activity was self-reported by adolescents., Results: Our analyses revealed that girls who accumulated at least 60 minutes/day of physical activity on up to three days/week were less prone to present insomnia. This pattern of association was maintained only for those who lived in high HDI regions (odds ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.75-0.99). For boys, there was a positive association between the number of active days and protection against insomnia, especially for those who lived in high HDI regions., Conclusion: Even amounts of physical activity that were lower than the weekly guidelines, were associated with better sleep quality for Brazilian adolescents, especially girls, and even for those who lived in regions with greater social and economic vulnerability.