Perceived Quality of Life Is Related to a Healthy Lifestyle and Related Outcomes in Spanish Children and Adolescents: The Physical Activity, Sedentarism, and Obesity in Spanish Study.

BACKGROUND: Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is crucial for safeguarding the well-being and quality of life perception, appropriate growth, and development of children and adolescents, while also mitigating the risk of future adult-onset diseases. OBJECTIVE: To assess associations between perceived quality of life and healthy lifestyle and related outcomes in Spanish children and adolescents. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of 8-16-year-old children and adolescents (n = 3534) were included in the nationwide study of Physical Activity, Sedentarism, and Obesity in Spanish Youth (PASOS). Data were collected through (1) questionnaires on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), healthy lifestyle outcomes (dietary intake, physical fitness, sleep, and screen time), and (2) anthropometric measurements for weight status assessment. Data were analysed by logistic regression, using the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as the grouping variable. RESULTS: Participants with a lower HRQoL were those with a lower adherence to the MedDiet and lower achievement of the recommended daily intake of fruit and vegetables. They were also less likely to follow the recommendations for screen time and sleep (with the exception of the weekend) compared to participants with a higher HRQoL. Participants with a lower HRQoL showed a lower healthy weight status and poorer physical fitness than those with a higher HRQoL. CONCLUSIONS: Healthy eating habits, healthy weight status (normal weight), appropriate sleep time, physical fitness, and limited screen time play a crucial role in the perceived quality of life in children and adolescents.

Parents' Diet Quality and Physical Activity Are Associated with Lifestyle in Spanish Children and Adolescents: The PASOS Study.

BACKGROUND: Non-communicable chronic diseases are associated with a low-quality diet, low physical activity, and sedentary behavior. OBJECTIVE: To assess how parents' diet and physical activity habits were associated with their offsprings' lifestyles. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional analysis of 8-16-year-old children and adolescents (n = 2539; 51.9% girls) was carried out within the frame of the first edition of the Physical Activity, Sedentarism, Lifestyles, and Obesity in Spanish Youth study (PASOS-2019). Data on adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet), daily moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and screen time per day (television, computer, video games, and mobile phone) were collected from children and adolescents, and data on parents' diet quality and physical activity were compiled. Logistic regression models were used to assess the association between parents' lifestyles and those of children and adolescents. RESULTS: High diet quality of parents was associated with higher adherence to the MedDiet of children and adolescents, as well as high consumption of fruit, vegetables, fish, nuts, and legumes. The high physical activity level of parents was associated with the low consumption of fast foods, sweets, and candies in children and adolescents. Children with high levels of physical activity were those whose parents showed better diet quality and physical activity levels. CONCLUSIONS: Parents' high diet quality and physical activity were associated with healthy lifestyles, higher adherence to the MedDiet, and physical activity of their offspring, mainly in adolescents.

Lifestyle behaviors clusters in a nationwide sample of Spanish children and adolescents: PASOS study.

BACKGROUND: Youth is a vulnerable period. To classify lifestyle behaviors and its relationship with health-related outcomes of Spanish children and adolescents. METHODS: Cross-sectional study including 3261 children aged 7.5-17.5 y (52.8% females). Physical activity (PA), screen-time, sleep time, adherence to Mediterranean diet (MD), weight status (WS) by validated methods. Cluster analysis was run considering chronological age. RESULTS: Six clusters were identified: C1: high screen time, low adherence to MD and sleep time (n = 431,13.20%); C2: high WS, medium adherence to MD,high sleep time, and low screen time (n = 466,14.30%); C3: young group with low screen time and high PA, adherence to MD and sleep (n = 537,16.40%); C4: worst profile regarding adherence to MD, PA, WS and sleep time (n = 609,18.70%); C5: low screen time and PA, high sleep time (n = 804,24.70%); C6: high PA and screen time, low WS (n = 414,12.70%). Mean absolute values were statistically different among PA levels, screen and sleep time, adherence to MD, age, and WS (all p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The most prevalent pattern was low levels of PA, MD, and screen time, and high sleep time. The second most prevalent was characterized by very low levels of PA, sleep time, and adherence to MD, and high screen time, and WS in adolescents. IMPACT STATEMENT: The main identified lifestyle behavior was poor physical activity, low adherence to Mediterranean Diet and high screen and sleep time. Children should increase physical activity levels, adherence to Mediterranean diet, decrease screen and sleep the appropriate hours per day. Families, schools, and medical communities must work together to gloss over present and future diseases. Sleep time had not been previously included in cluster analysis with physical activity, sedentary behaviors, obesity, and nutritional status, thus the present data open a new perspective in Spanish population. Health policies should focus on promoting physical activity, Mediterranean diet, adequate sleep and reducing screen time.

Determinants of Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Spanish Children and Adolescents: The PASOS Study.

A progressive shift away from traditional healthy dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), has been observed in recent decades. The aim of this study was to assess determinants of optimal adherence to the MedDiet in Spanish children and adolescents. A cross-sectional analysis was included in the PASOS nationwide representative study in Spain. Participants were 3607 children and adolescents; 8-16 years old. Primary and secondary outcome measures of weight and height were measured. Adherence to the MedDiet, physical activity, and sedentary behavior in children and adolescents, as well as parental physical activity and dietary habits, were assessed. Optimal adherence to the MedDiet was observed in 45.5% of primary school students and 34.8% of secondary school students (OR: 0.65; 95%CI: 0.56-0.75). Optimal adherence to the MedDiet was higher in children/adolescents meeting daily recommended moderate and vigorous physical activity (OR: 2.39, 95%CI: 1.97-2.89) and in those meeting daily recommended screen time on weekdays (OR: 2.05, 95%CI: 1.77-2.38) and weekends (OR: 1.76, 95%CI: 1.48-2.10). Participants with optimal adherence to the MedDiet were more likely to have mothers with a high-level education and high-tercile of SDQS, mothers who never smoked or were former smokers, and mothers who met the recommended physical activity and screen time. It can be concluded that a low prevalence of optimal adherence to the MedDiet was found among current Spanish children and adolescents. Optimal adherence to the MedDiet was associated with reaching the recommendations on physical activity and screen time, with the highest maternal educational level, and healthier maternal lifestyles.

Validity, reliability, and calibration of the physical activity unit 7 item screener (PAU-7S) at population scale.

BACKGROUND: Validation of self-reported tools, such as physical activity (PA) questionnaires, is crucial. The aim of this study was to determine test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and the concurrent, construct, and predictive validity of the short semi-quantitative Physical Activity Unit 7 item Screener (PAU-7S), using accelerometry as the reference measurement. The effect of linear calibration on PAU-7S validity was tested. METHODS: A randomized sample of 321 healthy children aged 8-16 years (149 boys, 172 girls) from the nationwide representative PASOS study completed the PAU-7S before and after wearing an accelerometer for at least 7 consecutive days. Weight, height, and waist circumference were measured. Cronbach alpha was calculated for internal consistency. Test-retest reliability was determined by intra-class correlation (ICC). Concurrent validity was assessed by ICC and Spearman correlation coefficient between moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) derived by the PAU-7S and by accelerometer. Concordance between both methods was analyzed by absolute agreement, weighted kappa, and Bland-Altman statistics. Multiple linear regression models were fitted for construct validity and predictive validity was determined by leave-one-out cross-validation. RESULTS: The PAU-7S overestimated MVPA by 18%, compared to accelerometers (106.5 ± 77.0 vs 95.2 ± 33.2 min/day, respectively). A Cronbach alpha of 0.76 showed an acceptable internal consistency of the PAU-7S. Test-retest reliability was good (ICC 0.71 p < 0.001). Spearman correlation and ICC coefficients of MVPA derived by the PAU-7S and accelerometers increased from 0.31 to 0.62 and 0.20 to 0.62, respectively, after calibration of the PAU-7S. Between-methods concordance improved from a weighted kappa of 0.24 to 0.50 after calibration. A slight reduction in ICC, from 0.62 to 0.60, yielded good predictive validity. Multiple linear regression models showed an inverse association of MVPA with standardized body mass index (ß - 0.162; p < 0.077) and waist to height ratio (ß - 0.010; p < 0.014). All validity dimensions were somewhat stronger in boys compared to girls. CONCLUSION: The PAU-7S shows a good test-retest reliability and acceptable internal consistency. All dimensions of validity increased from poor/fair to moderate/good after calibration. The PAU-7S is a valid instrument for measuring MVPA in children and adolescents. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration number ISRCTN34251612 .