Metabolic risk is associated with sociodemographic characteristics in adolescents from both rural and urban regions from southern Brazil.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of several cardiovascular metabolic disorders are increasingly cause for concern in adolescents worldwide. Given the complex interrelations between metabolic risk (MR) and sociodemographic variables, the present study aims to examine the association between the presence of MR with sociodemographic characteristics (sex, skin color, residential area, and parental socioeconomic status) in adolescents from Southern Brazil. METHODS: Cross-sectional study conducted with 1,152 adolescents (507 males) aged between 12 and 17 years. MR was assessed using a continuous score (cMetS; sum of Z-scores of the following variables: waist circumference, systolic blood pressure (SBP), glucose, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C, inverse], triglycerides [TG], and estimated cardiorespiratory fitness [CRF, inverse]). Poisson regression was used to examine associations between sociodemographic variables with the dichotomized cMetS and separate metabolic variables. The results were expressed with prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: The presence of MR (evaluated by the cMetS) was observed in 8.7% of adolescents. Higher MR was less prevalent among non-white adolescents (PR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.93; 0.99). Adolescents living in rural areas had a lower prevalence of the following metabolic variables; low HDL-C (PR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.94; 0.97), elevated TG (PR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.92; 0.99), elevated glucose (PR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.95; 0.98), and low CRF levels (PR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.85; 0.92). Whereas, SBP was higher in those living in rural areas (PR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.05; 1.17). In girls, there was a higher prevalence of raised TG (PR: 1.06; 95% CI: 1.02; 1.10) and lower levels of CRF (PR: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.16; 1.24), but a lower prevalence of elevated glucose (PR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.97; 0.99). CONCLUSION: Higher MR prevalence was lower in those self-reporting non-white skin color and selected MR factors were less prevalent in those living in rural areas. The identification of groups at higher MR is important for early prevention and monitoring strategies for both Type 2 diabetes and later cardiovascular disease. Future studies should be conducted to assess the socio-cultural aspects of the relationships between MR and socio-cultural and lifestyle variables.

Screen time above recommendations in children and adolescents: analysis of the associated nutritional, behavioral and parental factors / Tempo de tela acima das recomendações em crianças e adolescentes: análise dos fatores nutricionais, comportamentais e parentais associados

INTRODUCTION: Sedentary routines characterised by multimedia games favour an increase in the prevalence of obesity in schoolchildren and their parents. Thus, identifying the factors associated with screen time during childhood and adolescence is essential for the development of public health strategiesOBJECTIVE: To analyse whether excessive time in front of screens in children and adolescents is associated with nutritional, behavioural and parental factorsMETHODS: Cross-sectional study on 795 schoolchildren, of which 354 were male, aged between 7 and 17 years, and their parents (father or mother) from a municipality in southern Brazil. The screen time spent by the students was self-reported, obtained in hours, considering excessive to be ≥ 2 hours a day. The parents' nutritional profile was assessed in terms of body mass index (BMI). For the data analysis, the prevalence ratio (PR) was used and analysed using the Poisson regression, with 95% confidence intervals (CIRESULTS: We found a high frequency of overweight/obese students (30.9%), with low levels of cardiorespiratory fitness (53.7%), who spend ≥ 2 hours daily on the TV, computer or video games (57.1%). Screen time was associated with the prevalence of being overweight (PR = 1.06; CI = 1.00-1.13) and obesity (PR = 1.10; CI =: 1.03-1.18) among fathers, only among adolescentsCONCLUSION: Excessive screen time among adolescents was associated with the father's nutritional status. It is suggested that strategies to reduce screen time should be implemented from childhood, involving the entire family

INTRODUÇÃO: As rotinas sedentárias caracterizadas pelos jogos multimídias favorecem o aumento da prevalência do excesso de peso em escolares e seus paisOBJETIVO: Analisar se o tempo excessivo em frente às telas de crianças e adolescentes está associado com fatores nutricionais, comportamentais e parentaisMÉTODO: Estudo transversal com participação de 795 escolares, 354 do sexo masculino, com idade entre 7 a 17 anos, e seus pais (pai ou mãe), de um município do sul do Brasil. O tempo de tela dispendido pelo escolar foi autorreferido, obtido em horas, considerando como excessivo ≥ duas horas diárias. O perfil nutricional dos pais foi avaliado pelo índice de massa corporal (IMC). Para a análise dos dados, foi utilizada razão de prevalência (RP), analisada pela regressão de Poisson, e os intervalos de confiança (IC) para 95%RESULTADOS: Foi encontrada elevada frequência de escolares com sobrepeso/obesidade (30,9%), com baixos níveis de aptidão cardiorrespiratória (53,7%) e que dispendem ≥ duas horas diárias na TV, computador ou videogame (57,1%). O tempo de tela esteve associado com a presença de sobrepeso (RP: 1,06; IC: 1,00-1,13) e obesidade (RP: 1,10; IC: 1,03-1,18) do pai, somente entre os adolescentesCONCLUSÃO: O tempo excessivo em frente às telas em adolescentes associou-se com o estado nutricional do pai. Sugere-se que estratégias para redução do tempo de tela devem ser estimuladas desde cedo, envolvendo toda a família do escolar

Obesidade e aptidão física relacionada à saúde: um estudo com escolares de 10 a 13 anos de Santa Cruz do Sul - Brasil / Obesity and health related physical fitness: a study with schoolchildren aged 10 to 13 years from Santa Cruz do Sul ­ Brazil

Introdução: O sobrepeso e a obesidade são considerados problemas de saúde pública e têm sido ligados a baixos níveis de atividade física, tornando-se fatores de risco à saúde e contribuindo para o aparecimento de doenças crônicas.Bons níveis de aptidão física também são fatores que reduzemdoenças crônicas. Objetivo: Avaliar a associação entre obesidade e aptidão física relacionada àsaúde em escolares de 10 a 13 anos de idade. Casuística e métodos: Estudo transversal compostopor 785 escolares, de ambos os sexos, entre 10 e 13 anos de idade, pertencentes a escolas municipais e estaduais de Santa Cruz do Sul, RS ­ Brasil. Foram avaliados o Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC) de acordo com os parâmetros da Organização Mundial da Saúde, e as características de aptidão físicade flexibilidade, resistência muscular e aptidão cardiorrespiratória (APCR) segundo os protocolosdo Projeto Esporte Brasil. Resultados: Em ambos os sexos, os valores médios de Índice de MassaCorporal são superiores entre os adolescentes classificados na faixa de risco à saúde para resistênciaabdominal e aptidão cardiorrespiratória, em relação aos adolescentes na faixa saudável (p<0,05).Além disso, adolescentes com sobrepeso/obesidade apresentam maior prevalência de baixos níveisde resistência abdominal (10% para meninos e 20% para meninas) e de aptidão cardiorrespiratória(21% para meninos e 22% para meninas). Conclusão: A presença de sobrepeso e obesidade estáassociada com baixos níveis de resistência abdominal e de aptidão cardiorrespiratória, em escolarescom 10 a 13 anos de idade.

Introduction: Overweight and obesity are considered public health problems and have been linked to low levels of physical activity. Both diseases became risk factors for health and contribute to the development of chronic diseases. Good levels of physical fitness are risk-reducing factors for chronic diseases. Objective: Evaluate the association between obesity and health-related physical fitness in schoolchildren aged 10 to 13 years. Patients and Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study with 785 schoolchildren of both sexes age ranging from 10 to 13 years-old, who attend public schools in Santa Cruz do Sul, RS ­ Brazil. We evaluated the Body Mass Index (BMI), according to parameters of World Health Organization, and health-related physical fitness characteristics of flexibility, muscular endurance and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) according to the protocols of the Projeto Esporte Brasil. Results: In both sexes, the mean values ofBody MassIndex were higher among adolescents classified in the health-risk zone for abdominal resistance and cardiorespiratory fitness, in relation to adolescents in the healthy zone (p<0.05). In addition, overweight/obese adolescents showeda higher prevalence of low levels of abdominal resistance (10% for boys and 20% for girls) and cardiorespiratory fitness (21% for boys and 22% for girls). Conclusion: The presence of overweight and obesity is associated with low levels of abdominal resistance and cardiorespiratory fitness in schoolchildren aged 10 to 13 years-old.