Padrões de atividade física em adolescentes de 10-12 anos de idade: determinantes precoces e contemporâneos

Abstract

Adolescent physical activity (PA) is associated with several health benefits, including a direct influence on adolescent morbidity and an indirect effect on adult health mediated by PA levels in adulthood. This study assessed the prevalence of sedentary lifestyle and associated variables in 4451 adolescents aged 10-12 years, belonging to the 1993 Pelotas Birth Cohort Study, representing 87.5% of the original cohort. A sedentary lifestyle, defined as <300 minutes per week of PA, affected 58.2% (95%CI 56.7-59.7) of the cohort. In the multivariable analysis, a sedentary lifestyle was positively associated with female sex, socioeconomic level, maternal physical inactivity and television viewing, but inversely correlated to the time spent playing videogame. Adolescents from low socioeconomic levels presented a greater likelihood of walking or cycling to and from school. Effective strategies against a sedentary lifestyle in adolescence are needed because of its high prevalence and its association with physical inactivity in adulthood.