Greek Children Living in Rural Areas Are Heavier but Fitter Compared to Their Urban Counterparts: A Comparative,Time‐Series (1997‐2008) Analysis

Purpose: To compare 12‐year (1997‐2008) trends in the distribution of Body Mass Index (BMI) status and physical fitness test performances among 8‐ to 9‐year‐old Greek children living in rural and urban areas. Methods: Population data derived from 11 national school‐based health surveys conducted from 1997 to 2008. Anthropometric measurements and physical fitness test performances (ie, multistage shuttle run, vertical jump, small ball throw, and 30‐meter sprint) from 725,163 children were analyzed. Distribution between rural and urban areas was based on the Hellenic National Statistics Service (HNSS) criteria. Findings: Trend analysis showed an increase in the prevalence of obesity in children living in urban areas from 7.2% in 1997 to 11.3% in 2008 for girls (P < .001) and from 8.1% to 12.4% (P < .001) for boys. In rural areas, obesity increased from 7% in 1997 to 13% in 2008 for girls (P < .001), and from 8.2% to 14.1% (P < .001) for boys. The annual rate of obesity increase was 40%‐50% higher in children from rural areas. Nevertheless, rural children presented better performances in all of the physical fitness tests examined. Specifically, mean values of aerobic performance decreased from 3.58 ± 1.9 stages in 1997 to 3.02 ± 2.1 stages in 2007 for boys (P < .001), and from 2.97 ± 1.5 stages to 2.53 ± 1.7 stages (P < .001) for girls in urban areas, whereas in rural areas, the correspondent values were not significantly different between 1997 and 2007. Conclusions: Childhood obesity rates are higher in rural compared with urban areas in Greece, despite an apparent higher fitness level of children living in rural areas.     

Physical Activity, Physical Fitness, and Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors in Youth: The Québec Family Study

Objective. The relationships between physical activity, fitness, and CHD risk factors were investigated in 342 males and 268 females 9–18 years of age.Methods. Daily energy expenditure, moderate to vigorous physical activity, inactivity, and television viewing time were estimated. Indicators of physical fitness included submaximal work capacity, quadriceps muscle strength, sit-ups, and the sum of six skinfolds. Risk factors included mean arterial blood pressure and fasting blood levels of triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and glucose.Results. Canonical correlations between activity and risk factor profiles range from 0.22 to 0.45, while those between fitness and risk factor profiles range from 0.34 to 0.55, indicating that 5 to 20% and 11 to 30% of the variance in the risk profile is explained by activity and fitness, respectively.Conclusion. The results suggest that both physical fitness and level of habitual physical activity are strongly associated with CHD risk factors in this sample of youth.     

The influence of body mass index on long-term fitness from physical education in adolescent girls

Background: Physical education (PE) can improve physical fitness; however, little research has evaluated PE's long‐term influence. The purpose is to determine PE's longitudinal effects on fitness in a group of adolescent girls and to determine whether body mass index (BMI) status influenced any potential effects. Methods: Participants were enrolled in daily PE throughout their ninth grade. Data were collected at baseline and at the end of 9th, 10th, and 11th grades. BMI (kg/m²) was classified into Centers for Disease Control and Prevention percentiles. Fitness was estimated from a 3‐stage step test (change in exercise heart rate (HR) indicated improved fitness) and analyzed using repeated measures general linear modeling with adjustments for baseline BMI, baseline age, ethnicity, intervention status, and moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity outside PE. Results: Complete data were available for 131 girls (61% of sample) who were predominantly African American, 13.8 ± 0.4 years, mean BMI 24.7 ± 6.1 kg/m² at the ninth‐grade baseline. Overall, stage 1 HR (bpm) decreased from baseline to 9th grade (?5.5 ± 1.3, p < 0.0001), baseline to 10th grade (?7.2 ± 1.4, p < 0.0001), and baseline to 11th grade (?7.0 ± 1.5, p < 0.0001). Change differed by BMI status; fitness improvement was significant for normal and overweight, but not obese girls. After 2 years, change in stage 1 HR (bpm) was significantly different between BMI categories: normal‐weight girls versus obese girls (?10.0 ± 3.2, p = 0.002) and overweight girls versus obese girls (?9.3 ± 3.9, p = 0.02). Conclusion: Fitness differences by BMI exist after a PE program in adolescent girls: fitness improved and was maintained in normal‐weight and overweight girls, whereby obese girls had no improvement in fitness.     

Determinants of childhood overweight and obesity in China

In order to investigate the determinants of childhood overweight and obesity in China, the prevalence of overweight (including obesity) was compared according to different dietary and physical activity patterns and parental body weight status. A total of 6826 children aged 7-17 years from the 2002 China National Nutrition and Health Survey were included in the study. Information for dietary intake was collected using three consecutive 24-h recalls by trained interviewers. The amounts of cooking oil and condiments consumed were weighed. An interview-administered 1-year physical activity questionnaire was used to collect physical activity information. The results showed that the heavier the parental bodyweight, the higher the overweight prevalence in children. The prevalence ratio increased if parent(s) were overweight and/or obese, up to 12.2 if both parents were obese. Overweight children consumed significantly more dietary energy, protein and fat, but less carbohydrate than their normal weight counterparts. On average, overweight children spent 0.5 h less on moderate/vigorous activities and 2.3 h more on low intensity activities per week. The following prevalence ratios were statistically significant: walking to and from school (0.6); moderate/vigorous activities > or =45 min/d (0.8); low intensity physical activities >2 h/d (1.3); the consumption of > or =25 g/d cooking oil (1.4); > or =200 g/d meat and meat products consumption (1.5); > or =100g/d dairy products (1.8). After adjustment for parental body weight status and socioeconomic status, only cooking oil consumption and walking to and from school remained significantly related to child overweight. In conclusion, parental weight status is an import-ant determinant. Fat intake, low intensity activities and active transport to/from school may be suitable entry points for overweight prevention among Chinese school children.     

Physical activity level of postmenopausal women in Nigeria: Association with self-rated health status,overall obesity,and abdominal obesity

ABSTRACT

Regular physical activity (PA) has been shown to have many health benefits in various populations, including postmenopausal women (n = 310). Self-rated health has been positively associated with PA. This cross-sectional survey of postmenopausal women in Nigeria was conducted from April to September 2012 to investigate associations among PA level, self-rated health, overall obesity (body mass index [BMI]), and abdominal obesity (waist–height ratio, waist–hip ratio, and waist circumference). The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to classify PA. Chi-square and logistic regression were used for analyses with level of significance set at .05. Participants were aged 53.0 ± 4.2 years; moderate to vigorous PA was reported by 188 (60.0%), while 26 (8.4%) self-rated their health as poor/fair, and 242 (78.1%) were either predominantly overweight or obese when classified according to BMI. Participants with fair/poor self-rated health had less odds of involvement in moderate to vigorous PA. Obese postmenopausal women had greater odds of reporting lower PA. PA was positively related to self-rated health, which was negatively associated with overall obesity but not abdominal obesity. Measures to control obesity among postmenopausal women are essential in view of its direct association with poor self-rated health and low PA in this group of women.     

Habitual physical activity and physical activity intensity: their relation to body composition in 5.0-10.5-y-old children

BACKGROUND: Concerns of a decrease in physical activity levels (PALs) of children and a concurrent increase in childhood obesity exist worldwide. The exact relation between these two parameters however has as yet to be fully defined in children. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the relation in 47 children, aged 5-10.5 y (mean age 8.4+/-0.9 y) between habitual physical activity, minutes spent in moderate, vigorous and hard intensity activity and body composition parameters. DESIGN: Total energy expenditure (TEE) was calculated using the doubly labelled water technique and basal metabolic rate (BMR) was predicted from Schofield's equations. PAL was determined by PAL=TEE/BMR. Time spent in moderate, vigorous and hard intensity activity was determined by accelerometry, using the Tritrac-R3D. Body fatness and body mass index (BMI) were used as the two measures of body composition. RESULTS: Body fat and BMI were significantly inversely correlated with PAL (r=-0.43, P=0.002 and r=-0.45, P=0.001). Times spent in vigorous activity and hard activity were significantly correlated to percentage body fat (r=-0.44, P=0.004 and r=-0.39, P=0.014), but not BMI. Children who were in the top tertiles for both vigorous activity and hard activity had significantly lower body fat percentages than those in the middle and lowest tertiles. Moderate intensity activity was not correlated with measures of body composition. CONCLUSIONS: As well as showing a significant relation between PAL and body composition, these data intimate that there may be a threshold of intensity of physical activity that is influential on body fatness. In light of world trends showing increasing childhood obesity, this study supports the need to further investigate the importance of physical activity for children.     

Relations of total physical activity and intensity to fitness and fatness in children: the European Youth Heart Study

BACKGROUND: It is unclear how the amount and intensity of physical activity (PA) are associated with cardiovascular fitness (CVF) and body fatness in children. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine the associations of total PA and intensity levels to CVF and fatness in children. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of 780 children aged 9-10 y from Sweden and Estonia was conducted. PA was measured by accelerometry and was expressed as min/d of total PA, moderate PA, and vigorous PA. CVF was measured with a maximal ergometer bike test and was expressed as W/kg. Body fat was derived from the sum of 5 skinfold-thickness measurements. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the degree to which variance in CVF and body fat was explained by PA, after control for age, sex, and study location. RESULTS: Lower body fat was significantly associated with higher levels of vigorous PA, but not with moderate or total PA. Those children who engaged in >40 min vigorous PA/d had lower body fat than did those who engaged in 10-18 min vigorous PA/d. Total PA, moderate PA, and vigorous PA were positively associated with CVF. Those children who engaged in >40 min vigorous PA/d had higher CVF than did those who accumulated <18 min vigorous PA/d. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that PA of vigorous intensity may have a greater effect on preventing obesity in children than does PA of lower intensity, whereas both total and at least moderate to vigorous PA may improve children's CVF.     

单纯性肥胖儿童能量代谢的研究

目的 :　通过对单纯性肥胖儿童的能量代谢研究 ,了解肥胖状态下儿童能量代谢的变化 ,为进一步研究儿童肥胖的发病机制及防治措施提供依据。方法 :　对筛选出来的 54名肥胖儿童和 60名正常体重儿童进行基础代谢、休息代谢、标准化骑车试验以及能量摄入量和全日总能量消耗的测定。结果 :　基础代谢、休息代谢和标准化骑车试验能量消耗以 k J/ h表示 ,肥胖组儿童显著高于非肥胖组 (P<0 .0 5)。肥胖组儿童的全日能量摄入量、全日总能量消耗量均显著高于非肥胖组儿童 ,(P<0 .0 5)。肥胖组儿童中体力活动时间和重体力活动时间显著低于非肥胖组儿童 (P<0 .0 5) ,而轻体力活动时间和睡眠时间显著高于非肥胖组儿童 (P<0 .0 5)。基础代谢与去脂组织(FFM)呈显著正相关 ,用 FFM校正以后 ,基础代谢的能量消耗肥胖组儿童仍然高于非肥胖组儿童。结论 :　本研究观察的肥胖儿童并不存在能量代谢方面的缺陷使其发生肥胖的易感性增高。儿童肥胖 ,可能与其进食过多 ,加之每日运动量不足以及从事中体力活动、重体力活动的时间过少有一定关系     

Patterns of physical activity in Spanish children: a descriptive pilot study

Background The majority of Spanish adults and children do not engage in enough physical activity to be beneficial for health. There is a need for objective and accurate assessment of the proportion of children meeting the physical activity recommendation for health. Assessing patterns of physical activity both between days (during weekdays and weekend days) and within days is of interest to improve our understanding of the variation in Spanish children's physical activity and to provide efficient intervention programmes. Methods A sample of 221 children: 136 9‐year‐old children (68 boys and 68 girls) and 85 15‐year‐old children (36 girls and 49 boys) from 12 urban public schools in Madrid, Spain entered the study. The variables measured were anthropometric characteristics (height, weight, body mass index) and physical activity measured during four consecutive days using the GT1M accelerometer. Results Younger children were more active and less sedentary than older ones during week and weekend days. Nine‐year‐old boys and girls achieved significantly (P < 0.05) more moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and significantly (P < 0.01) less sedentary time than older 15‐year‐old children. During weekdays more children achieved physical activity recommendations versus weekend days. Physical activity patterns analyses indicated that boys achieved relatively high values of MVPA from 1100 till 1300 h (school break) and from 1800 till 2000 h in comparison with the rest of the day. Girls were substantially different, with the 9‐year‐old girls having only two obvious peaks of weekday MVPA at lunch (1300) and after school (1900 h) while the adolescent girls had no clear peak of MVPA. Conclusions Few children achieved the level of MVPA recommended for health; at particular risk were adolescent girls. More effort needs to be devoted to promoting appropriate opportunities for Spanish girls across the day and to promoting physical activity during weekends for all children.     

Representations of childhood obesity in Australian newsprint media and academic literature

Objective: To examine how the issue of childhood obesity is represented in Australian newsprint media and academic literature. Method: Australian newsprint media coverage and academic literature on childhood obesity during the first three months of 2009 was analysed using Bacchi's method of problem representation. Results: The two types of literature examined offered two dominant paradigms for childhood obesity treatment and prevention solutions: the individual and the social‐structural. The individual behaviour change account emphasises the role of parents in providing children with healthy food and physical activity, placing them at fault for their obese children. The account focusing on the circumstances within which people live – such as the physical environment, lifestyle, socio‐economic status, access to services and advertising/marketing of food aimed at children – places responsibility on the government to respond with policy change. Conclusion: While both the individual and social‐structural paradigms are found in each source, newsprint media favours the individual responsibility account while the academic literature favours the social‐structural account. Implications: Public health professionals may need to be more media savvy to shift this focus.     

The relationship between media use and psychological and physical assets among third- to fifth-grade girls

BACKGROUND: Media use is associated with an increased risk of chronic disease and reduced quality of life among children. This study examined the relationship between media use during discretionary hours after school and psychological and physical assets among preadolescent girls. METHODS: A cross‐sectional analysis was conducted using data from a larger quasi‐experimental evaluation of a positive youth development program through sport for third‐ to fifth‐grade girls. Indicators of media use were the number of hours per school day spent watching television and videos and using computers. Psychological assets included global self‐esteem, body size satisfaction, and commitment to physical activity; physical assets included physical activity. Nested random effects analysis of variance (ANOVA) models were used to examine the relationship between media use and psychological and physical assets controlling for relevant confounding factors. RESULTS: The analytic sample included 1027 participants; most were ≥10 years old, non‐White; 27% self‐reported ≥4 hours of media use on school days. In adjusted results, media use was inversely associated with self‐esteem (p = .008) and commitment to physical activity (p < .001). Time spent using media was not associated with body size satisfaction or physical activity in this age group. CONCLUSIONS: Media use was negatively associated with self‐esteem and commitment to physical activity. It may be useful for school professionals to encourage after‐school programs that offer opportunities for girls to reduce sedentary pursuits and improve important psychological and physical assets.     

Relationships between physical activity,sedentary time,aerobic fitness,motor skills and executive function and academic performance in children

BackgroundThere is evidence for weak positive relationships between physical activity, aerobic fitness, and motor skills to executive functions and academic achievement. Studies assessing their relative importance to executive functions and academic performance are lacking. The purpose of this study was to examine the independent associations for moderate to vigorous physical activity and sedentary time, aerobic fitness, and motor skills with executive functions and academic performance in 10-year-old children.MethodA linear mixed model was used to analyze cross-sectional data from 697 children from 57 schools in Norway.ResultsNo relationships were observed between moderate to vigorous physical activity and executive functions or academic performance. The time spent sedentary was related to executive functions (standardized regression coefficient (β) 0.17–0.21, p < 0.05) and academic performance in English (β 0.22, p < 0.05) in boys. Aerobic fitness was associated with executive functions (β 0.16–0.21, p < 0.05) and academic performance (β 0.17–0.21, p < 0.05) in boys only. Motor skills were associated with most measures of executive functions in both girls (β 0.16–0.25, p < 0.01) and boys (β 0.13–0.22, p < 0.05) and academic performance in girls (β 0.13–0.16, p < 0.05).ConclusionsThe strongest independent associations were observed for motor skills to executive functions. Sex-specific associations were observed for aerobic fitness and motor skills. Thus, comprehensive physical activity targeted to increase both aerobic fitness and motor skills may have the potential to positively affect executive functions and academic performance.     

Can young children make active choices? Outcomes of a feasibility trial in seven‐year‐old children

This project evaluated the feasibility of a child‐centred 24‐week physical activity intervention. The Play5 strategy encourages children to choose to play vigorously five times a day for about as long as school recess. The seven‐year‐old children were randomised to control (n = 176) or intervention groups (n = 132). Data were collected at baseline and post‐intervention. Programme evaluation included parent questionnaire, teacher records and a seven‐day pedometer record with a sub‐sample of children. The programme was successful in increasing vigorous activity (p = 0.04), but did not impact on moderate or sedentary activities. Young children were able to choose to be active without parent or teacher direction.     

Energy expenditure and energy intake in 10-12 years obese and non-obese Chinese children in a Guangzhou boarding school

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to observe the variation of energy intake and energy expenditure in the obese Chinese children. METHODS: Basic metabolic rate was measured by using open-circuit indirect calorimetry in 54 obese children and 60 non-obese children aged 10-12 years in a full- time boarding school in Guangzhou suburb, China. Total energy expenditure was estimated by using a factorial method. Dietary intake was surveyed by the weighed inventory method. Physical activity was determined using a 2-day activity diary. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed that basic metabolic rate was significantly higher (p<0.05) in obese children than in non-obese ones, but the significant difference disappeared after controlling for fat free mass and fat mass. Energy intake and total energy expenditure were significantly higher (p<0.05) in obese than in non-obese children. Obese children spent more time in sleeping and light physical activity, but less time in moderate physical activity and vigorous physical activity than non-obese children (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to non-obese children, both energy intake and expenditure were higher in obese Chinese children. It appears that an area for preventive strategies may be to encourage increased physical activity expenditure in this age group.     

Peer Reviewed: Anthropometric Measures,Presence of Metabolic Syndrome,and Adherence to Physical Activity Guidelines Among African American Church Members,Dallas, Texas, 2008

Introduction

The low prevalence of physical activity among African Americans and high risk of cardiovascular disease lends urgency to assessing the association between metabolic syndrome, abdominal obesity, and adherence to current physical activity guidelines. Few studies have examined this association among African American adults.

Methods

We examined the association between demographic characteristics, anthropometric measures, and metabolic syndrome and adherence to the 2008 Department of Health and Human Services guidelines for moderate and vigorous physical activity. Participants were 392 African American church members from congregations in Dallas, Texas. Physical activity levels were assessed via a validated questionnaire (7-Day Physical Activity Recall), and metabolic syndrome was determined on the basis of the American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute diagnostic criteria. We used bivariate and multinomial logistic regression to examine the associations.

Results

Meeting guidelines for vigorous physical activity was significantly and independently associated with the absence of metabolic syndrome among women (odds ratio, 4.71; 95% confidence interval, 1.63-13.14; P = .003), after adjusting for covariates. No association was found between meeting moderate or vigorous physical activity guidelines and metabolic syndrome among men. Meeting physical activity guidelines was not associated with body mass index or waist circumference among this sample of predominantly overweight and obese African American church members.

Conclusion

Results indicate that meeting the 2008 guidelines for vigorous physical activity is associated with the absence of metabolic syndrome among African American women. This finding might suggest the need to integrate vigorous physical activity into interventions for African American women as a preventive therapy for cardiovascular risk.      

Participation in Physical Activity,Fitness, and Risk for Obesity in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Cross‐cultural Study

Decreased physical activity has been linked to poor fitness and obesity, resulting in increased risk for health concerns. The objective is to study the relationships between children's motor coordination and their physical activity, sedentary behaviour, fitness and weight status in a cross‐cultural study in the United States and Israel. Participants included 118 children 6–11 years of age: 53 children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and 65 typical children. The US sample included 31 DCD children and 44 typical children. The Israeli sample included 22 DCD children and 21 typical children. Participants were assessed on Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2, strength test of the Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency 2 and Six‐minute Walk Test and wore an accelerometer. Parents completed physical activity questionnaires and demographic information. Body mass index was calculated based on height and weight. Testing took place in two sessions. Findings are that in both Israel and the United States, children with DCD demonstrated significantly reduced physical activity, increased sedentary behaviour, poorer fitness and increased overweight compared with typical children. No significant differences were found for country. With relevance to clinical practice, fitness and obesity are major concerns for children with DCD in both countries. Inclusion of occupational therapy in health promotion for this population is critical. Additional studies with testers blind to group, larger samples and other countries are recommended. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Physical activity, weight gain and occupational health among call centre employees

BACKGROUND: A need exists to address ergonomic, weight gain and obesity risks in sedentary occupations. AIM: To determine relationships between body mass index (BMI), weight gain, ergonomic and exercise variables in sedentary workers. METHODS: An anonymous questionnaire was administered regarding body weight, height, weight gained since employment, body part discomfort, shift fatigue, time to achieve job adaptation, physical activity, fitness centre membership, previous employment type and previous injury. RESULTS: Subjects were 393 volunteers (mean age 34 years, 71% female) employed in a call centre. Sixty-eight per cent of participants gained weight averaging 0.9 kg/month for 8 months. Significant findings (P < 0.05) were as follows: non-obese individuals gained less weight than obese individuals, fitness club members had higher BMIs and weight gains than non-members, previously injured individuals gained more weight than non-injured individuals, non-weight gainers reported higher metabolic equivalent-min/week expenditure in relation to vigorous exercise. CONCLUSIONS: Participants reported substantial weight gain over a period of 8 months. In contrast to walking and moderate exercise, only vigorous exercise was significantly associated with non-weight gain. Three risk factors were identified for weight gain: obese when hired, history of previous injury and lack of vigorous exercise.     

Fatness,physical activity,and television viewing in children during the adiposity rebound period: the Iowa Bone Development Study

BACKGROUND: Understanding the determinants of adiposity in young children may be particularly critical for preventing adult obesity since the age at which body fatness reaches a postinfancy low point (typically 4-6 years) is inversely associated with obesity later in life. METHODS; We examined cross-sectional associations among fatness, leanness, and physical activity in 467 children (range 4-6 years). Activity was measured using accelerometry and parental report of children's television (TV) viewing. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to quantify body composition. RESULTS: Minutes spent in vigorous activity and TV viewing were the variables most consistently and most highly associated with adiposity. Children in the lowest quartile for vigorous activity had on average (absolute) body fat percentages that were 4% greater than those children in the highest quartile for vigorous activity. Body fat percentages for children in the highest category for TV viewing were on average 3% greater than those children who watched the least amount of TV. CONCLUSIONS: Low levels of vigorous physical activity and high levels of TV viewing are associated with fatness in young children during the adiposity rebound period. This suggests that increasing children's active play may be important in preventing obesity later in life.     

Associations between objectively assessed physical activity and indicators of body fatness in 9- to 10-y-old European children: a population-based study from 4 distinct regions in Europe (the European Youth Heart Study)

BACKGROUND: The rising prevalence of obesity in children may be due to a reduction in physical activity (PA). OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to study the associations of objectively measured PA volume and its subcomponents with indicators of body fatness. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of 1292 children aged 9-10 y from 4 distinct regions in Europe (Odense, Denmark; the island of Madeira, Portugal; Oslo; and Tartu, Estonia) was conducted. PA was measured by accelerometry, and indicators of body fatness were the sum of 5 skinfold thicknesses and body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)). We examined the associations between PA and body fatness by using general linear models adjusted for potential confounding variables. RESULTS: After adjustment for sex, study location, sexual maturity, birth weight, and parental BMI, time (min/d) spent at moderate and vigorous PA (P = 0.032) and time (min/d) spent at vigorous PA were significantly (P = 0.015) and independently associated with body fatness. Sex, study location, sexual maturity, birth weight, and parental BMI explained 29% (adjusted R(2) = 0.29) of the variation in body fatness. Time spent at vigorous PA explained an additional 0.5%. Children who accumulated <1 h of moderate PA/d were significantly fatter than were those who accumulated >2 h/d. CONCLUSIONS: The accumulated amount of time spent at moderate and vigorous PA is related to body fatness in children, but this relation is weak; the explained variance was <1%.     

Physical activity and nutritional status of children of low socioeconomic status. Two interrelated problems: undernutrition and overweight

The aim of this study was to analyse the level of habitual physical activity (HPA) and nutritional status of children attending selected public schools in Brazil. The sample comprised 1719 participants who ranged in age from 11 to 14 yrs with 861 females (F) aged 12.7+/-1.0 yr and 858 males (M) aged 12.7+/-1.0 yr. The short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to measure HPA. Nutritional status was assessed using the body mass index (BMI). Statistical analyses included ANOVA followed by the post-hoc Tukey-test (P<0.05) which showed a statistically significant difference between M and F in time spent in moderate intensity physical activity. F completed more moderate intensity physical activity than M whereas time in vigorous physical activities was higher in M than F. Analyses of BMI and IPAQ categorical score using Pearson product moment correlations with subsequent Fisher Z transformation showed values of Z = 0.49 for females and Z = 0.44 for males, indicating a low relationship between these variables. HPA levels showed 93.7% of the M and 91.1% of the F were at least minimally active. According to BMI values, 7.3% of the cohort was underweight; 83.0% normal weight; 8.3% overweight and 1.3% obese. These results demand attention, particularly for children at the lower end of nutritional status and HPA levels due to the potential negative impact on their growth and development. At the other end of the nutritional spectrum, one needs to be concerned regarding the levels of excess body weight, mainly considering the poor region in which the children live.