Anthropometric trajectory in the course of life and occurrence of sarcopenia in men and women: results from the ELSA-Brasil cohort.

This study aimed to identify patterns of anthropometric trajectories throughout life and to analyse their association with the occurrence of sarcopenia in people from the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). It is a cross-sectional study involving 9670 public servants, aged 38-79 years, who answered the call for new data collection and exams, conducted approximately 4 years after the study baseline (2012-2014). Data sequence analysis was used to identify patterns of anthropometric trajectory. A theoretical model was elaborated based on the directed acyclic graph (DAG) to select the variables of minimum adjustment in the analysis of the causal effect between trajectory and sarcopenia. Poisson regression with robust variance was adopted for data analysis. The patterns of change in the anthropometric trajectory were classified in stable weight (T1); change to normal weight (T2); change to excess weight (T3); weight fluctuation (T4) and change to low weight (T5). The prevalence of sarcopenia in men and women who changed the anthropometric path for the low weight was twice as large when compared to participants with a stable weight trajectory. A protective effect of the excess weight trajectory was observed for the occurrence of sarcopenia in them. The results pointed to the need for health policies that encourage the proper management of body components in order to prevent and control obesity, as well as to preserve the quantity and quality of skeletal muscle mass throughout life, especially in older adults.

Work from home and the association with sedentary behaviors, leisure-time and domestic physical activity in the ELSA-Brasil study.

BACKGROUND: Work from home (WFH) can impact workers´ sedentary behaviors and levels of physical activity. The aim of this study was to estimate the association between WFH and workers´ sedentary behaviors, leisure-time and domestic physical activities during the COVID-19 pandemic and verify whether age and sex may act as effect modifiers. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 2544 participants in the supplementary study on COVID-19 in the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) from July 2020 to February 2021. We assessed screen time (≤ 8 h/day versus > 8 h/day), accumulated sitting time (≤ 8 h/day versus > 8 h/day) as sedentary behaviors on a typical day, and leisure-time (active versus inactive, according to World Health Organization recommendations) and domestic (low versus high, according to median) physical activity, using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), before and during social distancing. Logistic regression models were used. RESULTS: Participants that were working from home during social distancing showed increased odds of screen time and sitting time greater than 8 h/day (OR = 3.12; 95%CI: 2.32-4.20 and OR = 2.68; 95%CI: 2.02-3.56, respectively) and higher odds of high domestic physical activity (OR = 1.29; 95%CI: 0.99-1.67) when compared to those not working from home. There was no association between WFH and leisure-time physical activity (OR = 0.99, 95%CI: 0.75,1.31). Age was an effect modifier in the association between WFH and leisure-time physical activity and domestic activity. Older people working from home showed higher odds of physical inactivity (OR = 1.84, 95%CI: 1.07,3.16) and high domestic physical activity (OR = 1.92, 95%CI: 1.12,3.27) compared to older people not working from home. CONCLUSION: WFH was associated with sedentary behavior > 8 h/day and high domestic physical activity. In the older people, WFH was associated with physical inactivity and high domestic physical activity. As sedentary behavior and physical inactivity are consistently negatively associated with health, it is important to discuss policies to manage WFH that allow pauses from physical activities and performance of hours of work within preestablished limits to reduce sedentary behavior. In addition, individuals working from home, especially the older people, should be encouraged to engage in leisure-time physical activity as a form of health promotion.

Factors associated with leisure time physical activity among ELSA-Brasil participants: Ecological model.

The main objective of the study was identify the prevalence and factors associated with leisure time physical activity (LTPA) in adult participants of the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). The LTPA was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), long version. A hierarchical ecological model was built with the possible factors associated with LTPA distributed across blocks. We estimated crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) using logistic regression. In men, being more educated, having a high family income, living in environments with conditions and opportunities for PA, being retired and being overweight were positively associated, while current smoking, obesity and abdominal obesity were associated negatively with the LTPA. Among women, being over 60years old, being more educated, having a high family income, living in an environment with conditions and opportunities for PA practice and being retired were positively associated, while being overweight, obese and having abdominal obesity were associated negatively with the LTPA. The proposed ecological model explains the LTPA through the social, physical and personal environment and highlights gender differences in physical activity.

Association between Physical Activity and Dengue and Its Repercussions for Public Health: New Insights.

Dengue is an endemic disease in tropical countries, mainly in South America, Southwest Asia, and Africa, which, despite having a low lethality rate, can overwhelm health systems. Strengthening the immune system through regular physical activity can be an important tool to prevent contagion, worsening, hospitalizations, and deaths caused by the disease, as seen in the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this point of view aims to analyze the possible association between physical activity and dengue and its repercussions on public health. Comments were made on the main characteristics of dengue as well as on the main vaccines available to date. It was also discussed the impacts of dengue on health systems, in addition to the main repercussions for public health when a very large number of people are infected. It was also commented on the main factors that contribute to the worsening of the clinical stage of dengue, in addition to discussions and reflections on physical activity, strengthening the immune system, and dengue. There are assumptions that regular physical activity can be an important public health strategy to prevent contagion, severity, and hospitalizations caused by dengue and that it needs to be promoted by governments around the world as a tool for preventing and treating not only chronic communicable diseases but also infectious diseases.

Combined Effect of Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior on Abdominal Obesity in ELSA-Brasil Participants.

INTRODUCTION: Abdominal obesity is a pattern of obesity that has been considered a public health problem. Physical activity is considered an important factor for the prevention of abdominal obesity. Increased time in sedentary behavior has been associated with negative health outcomes, including abdominal obesity. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate which combination of leisure-time physical activity and sedentary behavior contributes most to the prevention of abdominal obesity in adults participating in ELSA-Brasil (Longitudinal Study of Adult Health). METHODS: The study was cross-sectional and participants from the first follow-up of the ELSA-Brasil cohort (2012-2014) were analyzed. The independent variables were physical activity, assessed by IPAQ, and sedentary behavior, assessed by a standard questionnaire applied in ELSA-Brasil; the dependent variable was abdominal obesity, determined by waist circumference. The covariates analyzed were the following: age, education, binge drinking, smoking and menopause. The associations between the dependent variable and the independent variables were analyzed using logistic regression. The odds ratio with 95 CI% was estimated. RESULTS: For men, the combinations were more significant when they were more physically active and spent less time on the sedentary behaviors analyzed, on both a weekday and a weekend day. For menopausal women, both younger and older, all associations of the combinations between sufficient leisure-time physical activity and little time spent in sedentary behaviors contributed to the prevention of abdominal obesity. In non-menopausal women, positive associations were observed in almost all combinations between leisure-time physical activity and sedentary behaviors, with some results that were not statistically significant among younger women. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that being sufficiently active and reducing the time spent in sedentary behavior was the combination that contributed the most to the prevention of abdominal obesity, both in men and women.

Physical Activity, Empowerment of the Immune System and Public Health: What We Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The importance of physical activity for the cardiovascular, metabolic and mental health systems with its repercussions for public health has been studied for some time, although further studies are needed due to the depletion of health services observed during the COVID-19 pandemic [...].

Association between Sedentary Behavior and Cognitive Performance in Middle-Aged and Elderly Adults: Cross-Sectional Results from ELSA-Brasil.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to verify the association between Sedentary Behavior (SB) and performance on cognitive function tests in middle-aged and elderly adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 6505 participants (55.2% women) of ELSA-Brasil, with a median age of 61 years. The different types of SB considered were sitting time and screen time. The scores obtained in the memory, language, and executive function tests were used to assess cognitive performance (CP). The association between SB and CP was assessed using linear regression. RESULTS: For men, sitting time was associated with better performance in memory, language, and executive function tests. Screen time on the weekend, showed a favorable association with performance in the executive function test. Occupational screen time on weekdays was positively associated with language test performance. For women, sitting time and occupational screen time were positively associated with performance on memory tests. SB was favorably associated with performance in language tests and executive function tests. CONCLUSIONS: SB seems to favor CP in this population without evident dementia and with a high level of education. The type of SB (mentally active or passive) and the schooling seem to be of particular interest for cognitive performance.

Leisure Time Physical Activity and SARS-CoV-2 Infection among ELSA-Brasil Participants.

The regular practice of physical activity (PA) can reduce the chance of aggravation of the disease and lower rates of hospitalization and mortality from COVID-19, but few studies have analyzed the association of PA with the risk of infection by SARS-CoV-2. The aim of the study was to analyze the association between PA and self-reported SARS-CoV-2 infection. A longitudinal study was conducted with data from 4476 ELSA-Brasil participants who had their PA analyzed twice, once in 2016-2018 and again in 2020. PA was identified using the IPAQ at both follow-up moments and categorized into four groups: (a) remained physically inactive (reference); (b) remained physically active; (c) became physically active in the second moment; and (d) became physically inactive in the second moment. The variables of age, sex, obesity, hypertension, diabetes and specific protective practices against COVID-19 were tested as possible confounders. Data were analyzed by logistic regression. A 95% confidence interval (CI) was used. Remaining physically active was associated with a 43% reduction in the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection only among those who used specific practices to protect against COVID-19, OR = 0.57 and CI = 0.32-0.99. The results suggested that regular practice of PA can reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially among those who have used specific practices to protect against COVID-19 during the pandemic.

Association between Leisure Time Physical Activity and HDL-C in the Elsa-Brasil Study Participants: Are There Any Gender Differences in the Dose-Response Effect? / Associação entre Atividade Física no Tempo Livre e HDL-C em Participantes do Elsa-Brasil: Existem Diferenças entre Homens e Mulheres no Efeito Dose-Resposta?

BACKGROUND: High levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) are known for their protective effect against cardiovascular diseases and the regular practice of leisure time physical activity (LTPA) may be associated with their increase. OBJECTIVE: To verify the existence of differences between genders in the dose-response effect regarding the association between LTPA and HDL-C in the ELSA-Brasil study cohort. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with data from wave 2 of 13,931 participants of both genders (7,607 women) from the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health ELSA-Brasil. The LTPA was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and classified into four categories: sedentary, low active, active and very active. The discriminatory power of LTPA at different intensities analyzed for high HDL-C was tested using ROC curves. Associations, adjusted for confounders between LTPA and HDL-C were analyzed by logistic regression. A 95% confidence interval was used. RESULTS: A positive association, with a dose-response effect, was observed between LTPA and HDL-C in both men and women. With regard to intensity, only vigorous physical activity discriminated high HDL-C in men, while both walking and moderate and vigorous physical activity discriminated high HDL-C in women. CONCLUSIONS: LTPA shows a positive association with gradient dose-response and HDL-C, but in men, the association is not observed for those classified as physically unfit. In women, both walking intensity and moderate or vigorous physical activity can discriminate high HDL-C levels, whereas only vigorous intensity-exercise discriminate elevated HDL-C levels in men, demonstrating that males need to do more physical activity for this benefit to be observed.

FUNDAMENTO: Níveis elevados de lipoproteína de alta densidade (HDL-C) podem ter efeitos positivos para proteção de agravos cardiovasculares, e prática regular de atividade física no tempo livre (AFTL) tem sido associada ao seu aumento. OBJETIVO: Verificar a existência de possíveis diferenças entre homens e mulheres no efeito dose-resposta na associação entre AFTL e HDL-C. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal com dados de 13,931 participantes de ambos os sexos (7,607 mulheres) do Estudo Longitudinal da Saúde do Adulto (ELSA-Brasil). A AFTL foi mensurada por meio do International Physical Activity Questionnary (IPAQ) e classificada em quatro categorias: inativos, pouco ativos, ativos e muito ativos. O poder discriminatório da AFTL para HDL-C elevado, nas diferentes intensidades analisadas (caminhada, atividade física moderada e atividade física vigorosa) foi testado por meio das curvas ROC. As associações, ajustadas por variáveis de confundimento entre AFTL e HDL-C foram analisadas por meio de regressão logística, estimando-se a odds ratio (OR) com intervalo de confiança (IC) de 95%. RESULTADOS: Observou-se associação positiva, com efeito dose-resposta, entre AFTL e HDL-C tanto em homens quanto em mulheres. Com relação à intensidade, apenas a atividade física vigorosa discriminou o HDL-C elevado em homens, enquanto tanto a atividade física de caminhada quanto a moderada e a vigorosa discriminaram o HDL-C elevado em mulheres. CONCLUSÃO: A AFTL apresenta associação positiva com gradiente dose-resposta com HDL-C; no entanto, entre os homens, a associação não é observada para aqueles classificados como pouco ativos fisicamente. Nas mulheres, tanto a intensidade da caminhada quanto a atividade física moderada ou vigorosa podem discriminar níveis de HDL-C mais altos; já nos homens, essa relação é observada apenas na intensidade vigorosa.

Social position and anthropometric status among adults in the ELSA-Brasil study: a latent class analysis.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the association between social position and anthropometric status in women and men Brazilian adult. This was a cross-sectional study that used baseline data collected from 2008 to 2010 for the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil, in Portuguese), in the six major Brazilian state capital cities. A total of 15,105 active and retired civil servants aged from 35 to 74 years. Two latent variables were defined by latent class analysis, social position and anthropometric status. Both constructs and the analyses were separately evaluated by sex. Associations were assessed using multivariate logistic regression analysis with adjustment for age, self-reported skin color/race, and marital status. Around 44% of the women and 26% of the men were classified as overweight or obese. Social position tended to be lower in women (43.2%) and higher among men (40.4%). Heavier women were more likely to be black and brown-skinned, whereas slimmer women were more likely to be white. After adjustment, women's weight increased as social position decreased (OR = 1.52; 95%CI: 1.36-1.70), whereas in men weight decreased as social position decreased (OR = 0.87; 95%CI: 0.76-0.99). Social position affected the anthropometric status of women and men differently, with body patterns also being affected by ethnicity/skin color, showing the potentiality of taking the intersectional perspective when investigating the possible social determinants of the phenomenon.

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on levels of physical fitness.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by infections from a novel human coronavirus, has been reported since December 2019 in China but was only made official in March 2020. Since then, it has had an impact worldwide, both due to its aggressiveness and its fast propagation. Society has been facing this pandemic by following the recommendations and determinations of the WHO and the strategies deployed by governmental institutions. Among these, social isolation has been shown to be the most important, because when isolating, society tends to move less, with a consequent increase in physical inactivity and sedentary behavior, affecting its levels of physical fitness. The objectives of this review were: to review the most important effects of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior on the physical fitness levels of the population during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION: The role of a regular practice of activities on the levels of physical fitness is fundamental to define the balance of quality of life during a COVID-19.

[Abdominal obesity in ELSA-Brasil (Brazil's Longitudinal Study of Adult Health): construction of a latent gold standard and evaluation of the accuracy of diagnostic indicators]. / Obesidade abdominal no ELSA-Brasil: construção de padrão-ouro latente e avaliação da acurácia de indicadores diagnósticos.

This study evaluated the accuracy of abdominal obesity (AO) indicators, defining a latent variable as the gold standard. The study included 12,232 participants of the ELSA-Brasil (Brazil's Longitudinal Study of Adult Health), between 35 and 74 years of age. Three AO indicators were evaluated: waist circumference (WC), waist hip ratio (WHR) and conicity index (C index). Analyses were stratified by sex and race/skin color. All groups had a high prevalence of AO, being greater among white men (~70%) and black women (~60%). A high incidence of WC was observed for men, WHR and C index between men and women for discriminating latent AO. The following cutoff points for AO indicators were identified among white, brown and black men, respectively: WC: 89.9cm; 90.2cm and 91.7cm; WHR: 0.92; 0.92 and 0.90; C index: 1.24; 1.24 and 1.24. The cutoff points identified among white, brown and black women were, respectively: WC: 80.4cm, 82.7cm and 85.4cm; WHR: 0.82; 0.83 and 0.84; C index: 1.20; 1.22 and 1.19 The WC among men and the WHR and C index among men and women presented high power to discriminate latent AO, the C index being the best indicator.

Este estudo avaliou a acurácia de indicadores de obesidade abdominal (OA), definindo uma variável latente como padrão-ouro. Foram estudados 12.232 participantes do ELSA-Brasil de 35 a 74 anos. Avaliou-se três indicadores de OA, estratificados por sexo e raça/cor: circunferência da cintura (CC), razão cintura quadril (RCQ) e índice de conicidade (Índice C). Todos os grupos mostraram elevadas prevalências de OA, maiores entre os homens brancos (~70%) e mulheres pretas (~60%). Observou-se alta acurácia da CC para homens, RCQ e índice C entre homens e mulheres para discriminar OA latente. Identificou-se os seguintes pontos de corte para os indicadores de OA entre os homens brancos, pardos e pretos, respectivamente: CC: 89,9; 90,2 e 91,7cm; RCQ: 0,92; 0,92 e 0,90; índice C: 1,24; 1,24 e 1,24. Para as mulheres brancas, pardas e pretas, respectivamente, os pontos de corte identificados foram: CC: 80,4; 82,7 e 85,4cm; RCQ: 0,82; 0,83 e 0,84; índice C: 1,20; 1,22 e 1,19. A CC entre os homens e a RCQ e índice C entre homens e mulheres apresentaram alto poder para discriminar OA latente, sendo o índice C o melhor indicador.

[Waist-height ratio compared to other anthropometric indicators of obesity as predictors of high coronary risk]. / Razão cintura/estatura comparado a outros indicadores antropométricos de obesidade como preditor de risco coronariano elevado.

OBJECTIVE: This study compares the waist-height ratio (WHTR) with other anthropometric indicators of obesity: waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), conicity index (Index C), and body mass index (BMI)) to discriminate the level of coronary risk (HCR). METHOD: A cross sectional study of a subgroup of participants in the project 'Monitoring of Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes in Brazil' (MONIT) was carried out in Salvador, Brazil (2000). The total sample comprised 968 persons (391 male and 577 female), 30 to 74 years of age. Initially the total area under the ROC curve between the Index C, WHR, WHTR, WC, BMI and HCR was identified while using a 95% confidence interval. Sensitivity and specificity were next calculated. Analyses were carried out using STATA 7.0 program. RESULTS: Areas under the ROC curves used as indicators of obesity were Index C 0.80, WHR 0.76, WHTR 0.76, WC 0.73, and BMI 0.64 for men and Index C 0.75, WHR 0.75, WHTR 0.69, WC 0.66 and BMI 0.59 for women. CONCLUSION: Indicators of abdominal obesity are better for discriminating HCR than the usual obesity indicator (BMI). Values of WHTR are closer to those found in other studies. Further, WHTR is a measurement with statistical significance whose use is justified.

Association between leisure-time physical activity and sedentary behavior with cardiometabolic health in the ELSA-Brasil participants.

OBJECTIVES: To assess associations, both individually and in combination, between leisure-time physical activity and sedentary behavior, and cardiometabolic health. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 13,931 civil servants participating in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). Leisure-time physical activity was analyzed using the leisure-time domain of the long-form International Physical Activity Questionnaire, while questions related to cumulative sitting time and leisure-based screen time on a weekday and on one day on the weekend were used to establish sedentary behavior. Data analysis was performed using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Following adjustment for confounding variables, high levels of leisure-time physical activity and low levels of sedentary behavior were both associated with favorable cardiometabolic health markers in both genders. When these two factors were analyzed in conjunction, taking the combination of low levels of leisure-time physical activity and high levels of sedentary behavior as the reference, the inverse associations with cardiometabolic variables became even more significant. CONCLUSION: High levels of leisure-time physical activity and low levels of sedentary behavior were both inversely associated with the cardiometabolic variables analyzed; however, the two variables when evaluated in conjunction appear to produce more consistent associations, particularly when sedentary behavior is evaluated according to leisure-based screen time.

Leisure-Time Physical Activity, but not Commuting Physical Activity, is Associated with Cardiovascular Risk among ELSA-Brasil Participants.

BACKGROUND: Despite reports in the literature that both leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and commuting physical activity (CPA) can promote health benefits, the literature lacks studies comparing the associations of these domains of physical activity with cardiovascular risk scores. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between LTPA and CPA with different cardiovascular risk scores in the cohort of the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health ELSA-Brasil. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with data from 13,721 participants of both genders, aged 35-74 years, free of cardiovascular disease, from ELSA Brazil. Physical activity was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Five cardiovascular risk scores were used: Framingham score - coronary heart disease (cholesterol); Framingham score - coronary heart disease (LDL-C); Framingham score - cardiovascular disease (cholesterol); Framingham score - cardiovascular disease (body mass index, BMI); and pooled cohort equations for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Associations adjusted for confounding variables between physical activity and different cardiovascular risk scores were analyzed by logistic regression. Confidence interval of 95% (95%CI) was considered. RESULTS: LTPA is inversely associated with almost all cardiovascular risk scores analyzed, while CPA shows no statistically significant association with any of them. Dose-response effect in association between LTPA and cardiovascular risk scores was also found, especially in men. CONCLUSIONS: LTPA was shown to be associated with the cardiovascular risk scores analyzed, but CPA not. The amount of physical activity (duration and intensity) was more significantly associated, especially in men, with cardiovascular risk scores in ELSA-Brasil.

Association of sex and training phase with physical activity and sedentary behavior in nursing students / Associação do sexo e fase de formação com atividade física e comportamento sedentário em universitários de enfermagem

Abstract Physical Insufficient levels of physical activity and sedentary behavior are highly prevalent worldwide and associated with cardiometabolic diseases and may vary according to gender and academic training. The objective was to investigate the association of sex and academic training with the level of physical activity and time spent in sedentary behavior in nursing students. It is a cross-sectional study with 286 nursing students from a public university. A sociodemographic and academic characterization instrument and an extended version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire were applied. Data were analyzed descriptively and by Pearson's Chi-Square/Fisher's Exact test. The significance level was 5%. 65.7% of university students were active. Men were more active in leisure (p=0.000) and commuting (p=0.03). There was no association between sex and semester and total physical activity level. The prevalence of time in sedentary behavior ≥ 8 h/day for seven, five days, and weekends were 39.3%, 57.1%, and 21.4% for men and 55.0%, 65.1%, and 43.0% for women. A more significant proportion of women showed time in sedentary behavior ≥ 8 h/day on weekends (p=0.015) than men. A higher proportion between the 1st and 5th semesters remained ≥ 8 h/day in sedentary behavior on seven (p=0.024) and five days (p=0.001) week compared to those between the 6th and 10th semesters. The prevalence of insufficient physical activity levels and a long time in sedentary behavior were high and influenced by gender and training phase. Men were more active in commuting and leisure than women. Sedentary behavior is associated with gender and a training phase.

Resumo Nível insuficiente de atividade física e comportamento sedentário estão associados a doenças cardiometabólicas e apresentam prevalências elevadas mundialmente e podem variar entre sexo e fase de formação de universitários (as) em enfermagem. Objetivou-se investigar a associação do sexo e da fase de formação acadêmica com o nível de atividade física e tempo em comportamento sedentário em universitários de enfermagem. Estudo transversal, com 286 universitários de enfermagem de uma Universidade pública. Aplicou-se instrumento de caracterização sociodemográfica, acadêmica e versão longa do Questionário Internacional de Atividade Física, analisados descritivamente e pelo teste Qui-Quadrado de Pearson/Exato de Fisher. O nível de significância foi de 5%. 65,7% dos universitários eram ativos. Homens foram mais ativos no lazer (p=0,000) e deslocamento (p=0,03). Não houve associação do sexo e do semestre com nível de atividade física total. As prevalências do tempo em comportamento sedentário ≥ 8 h/dia, durante sete, cinco dias e final de semana foram, respectivamente, 39,3%, 57,1% e 21,4% para homens e 55,0%, 65,1% e 43,0% para mulheres. Maior proporção de mulheres apresentou tempo em comportamento sedentário ≥ 8 h/dia no final de semana (p=0,015). Maior proporção entre o 1º e 5º semestres permaneciam ≥ 8 h/dia em comportamento sedentário em sete (p=0.024) e cinco dias (p=0.001) na semana comparados àqueles entre o 6º e 10º semestre. As prevalências do nível insuficiente de atividade física e tempo elevado em comportamento sedentário foram altas. Homens foram mais ativos no deslocamento e no lazer do que as mulheres. Comportamento sedentário se associou ao gênero e a fase de formação.

What Factors Explain Bicycling and Walking for Commuting by ELSA-Brasil Participants?

PURPOSE: To analyze the factors associated with commuting by bicycling and walking in adult participants from ELSA-Brasil (Longitudinal Study of Adult Health). DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Six teaching/research institutions throughout Brazil. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 15 105 civil servants. MEASURES: Commuting by bicycling and walking was analyzed using the long-form International Physical Activity Questionnaire. ANALYSIS: A hierarchical model containing possible factors associated with commuting by bicycling and walking was constructed. Crude and adjusted odds ratios were calculated using multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS: Considering the 2 forms of commuting, 66% of the participants were being considered inactive or insufficiently active. In women, being "heavier," feeling unsafe practicing physical activity, and being a former smoker were factors negatively associated with commuting by bicycling and walking. In men, active commuting was less common among those who were overweight or had abdominal obesity, those with a negative perception of safety, and those reporting that there was nowhere suitable in the neighborhood to practice physical activity. CONCLUSION: Obesity and negative perceptions in the neighborhood are associated with inactive or insufficiently active commuting. The relevance of this finding for public health is reinforce developing policies aimed at promoting health in Brazil and in other countries with similar characteristics.

Physical activity in Brazil: lessons from ELSA-Brasil. Narrative review.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE:: The Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) was conducted among civil servants at six higher education institutions located in six Brazilian state capitals. The objective of this review was to identify the publications produced within the scope of ELSA-Brasil that analyzed the participants' physical activity. DESIGN AND SETTING:: Review study using baseline data from ELSA-Brasil. METHODS:: Narrative review of Brazilian studies on physical activity produced using data from ELSA-Brasil participants. RESULTS:: The prevalence of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) among ELSA-Brasil participants was low (44.1% among men and 33.8% among women). The main factors associated were social (higher schooling and family income), environmental (living in places with conditions and opportunities for physical activity) and individual (not being obese, being retired, not smoking and positive perception of body image). The perception of facilities for walking in the neighborhood was positively associated with both LTPA and commuting-related physical activity. An active lifestyle was a protective factor against several cardiometa-bolic variables (hypertension, diabetes, lipid abnormalities and cardiovascular risk over the next 10 years). Comparison between LTPA and commuting-related physical activity showed that only LTPA had a protective effect against arterial hypertension. CONCLUSIONS:: The prevalence of physical activity among ELSA-Brasil participants was low. The main determinants were social, environmental and personal. LTPA had a greater protective efect on cardio-metabolic outcomes than did commuting-related physical activity.

[Waist-to-height ratio as a coronary risk predictor among adults]. / Razão cintura-estatura como discriminador do risco coronariano de adultos.

BACKGROUND: This study proposes to identify the sensibility, specificity and the best cut-off point for waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) as a predictor of coronary high risk (CHR). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was applied to a population comprised of 968 adults between 30 and 74 years of age, of which 391 (40.4%) were male. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were employed to identify the sensibility and specificity of the best cut-off point for WHtR as a predictor of CHR. The statistical significance of the area under ROC curve was also verified using a confidence interval (CI) of 95%. RESULTS: The total area under ROC curve between WHtR and coronary risk was 0.75, CI 95% (0.70-0.81) for men and 0.69, CI 95% (0.64-0.75) for women. For men, 0.52 was found to be the best cut-off point for predicting CHR (sensibility 68% and specificity 64%). Among women, 0.53 was the best cut-off point for discriminating CHR (sensibility 67% and specificity 58%). CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that the WHtR may be employed to identify CHR and must be compared to other anthropometric indicators of obesity.