Results from Portugal's 2022 report card on physical activity for children and youth.

Background: The purpose of this study is to update results of Portuguese's Report Card on Physical activity (PA) for Children and Adolescents. Methods: The grades were assigned by results derived from the PA and Fitness in Portugal 2021 Portuguese Report Card and corresponds to the third report for the Portuguese children and adolescents. It includes indicators of PA and sedentary behavior (SB) that are common to the GLOBAL matrix 4.0: Overall Physical Activity, Organized Sport and Physical Activity, Active Play, Active Transportation, Sedentary Behaviors, Family and Peers, School, Community and the Environment, Government and Physical Fitness. The search focused on published national evidence/data sources (academia, NGO, governmental) from end 2018 onwards excluding data obtained during the covid-19 pandemic. Results: The grades were assigned as follows: Overall PA (D-), Organized Sport Participation (C-), Active Play (D+), Active Transportation (D-), Sedentary behaviors (C+), Physical Fitness (C), Family and Peers (B), School (A), Community and Environment (B), and Government (B). Conclusion: In line with previous Portuguese Report Cards, a large proportion of Portuguese children and adolescents are not sufficiently active nor fit enough setting urgency for effective strategies. Particular attention should be given to Active play, Active transport and Organized Sports Participation has their grades have decreased. Some actions in selected indicators as Governmental and policy seems promising however results weren't seen yet. Despite the strong support of schools with mandatory curricula in PE no correspondent change is observed in fitness or PA, so more research is needed to find why.

Towards an In-Depth Understanding of Physical Activity and Eating Behaviours during COVID-19 Social Confinement: A Combined Approach from a Portuguese National Survey.

Rapid worldwide decreases in physical activity (PA), an increase in sedentary behaviour (SB) and poorer dietary patterns have been reported during COVID-19 confinement periods. However, as national variability has been observed, this study sought to describe PA, SB and eating patterns, and to explore their gender as well as other socio-demographic correlates and how they interrelate in a representative sample of Portuguese adults during the COVID-19 first mandatory social confinement. The survey was applied online and by telephone to 5856 adults (mean age = 45.8 years; 42.6% women). The majority reported high (46.0%) or moderate (20.5%) PA levels. Men, younger participants, those with higher education levels and a favourable perception of their financial situation reported higher PA levels, with the opposite pattern for SB. Physical fitness activities and household chores were more reported by women, with more strength training and running activities reported by men. Regarding eating behaviours, 45.1% reported changes, positive (58%) and negative (42%), with 18.2% reporting increases in consumption of fruit, vegetables, and fish and other seafood consumption, while 10.8% (most with lower educational level and less comfortable with their income) reported an increase in consumption of ready-to-eat meals, soft drinks, savoury snacks, and take-away and delivered meals. Two clusters-a health-enhancing vs. risky pattern-emerged through multiple correspondence analysis characterized by co-occurrence of high vs. low PA levels, positive vs. negative eating changes, awareness or not of the COVID-19 PA and dietary recommendations, perceived financial situation, higher vs. lower educational level and time in social confinement. In conclusion, while in social confinement, both positive and negative PA and eating behaviours and trends were displayed, highlighting the role of key sociodemographic correlates contributing to healthy vs. risky patterns. Results may inform future health interventions and policies to be more targeted to those at risk, and also advocate the promotion of PA and healthy eating in an integrated fashion.

Ideal cardiovascular health status and health-related quality of life in adolescents: the labmed physical activity study

ABSTRACT Objective: Adolescents ideal cardiovascular health index (ICVH) seems to be an important indicator of youths lifestyles and cardiometabolic health with potential positive consequences for their Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL). The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between the ICVH index and HRQoL in adolescents. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study based on secondary analyses from the LabMed Physical Activity Study (n=407 adolescents, 53% girls). ICVH, as defined by the American Heart Association, was determined as meeting ideal behaviors (physical activity, body mass index, smoking status, and diet intake) and health factors (blood pressure, total glucose, and cholesterol). HRQoL was measured with the Kidscreen-10 self-report questionnaire. Results: Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed a significant association between the accumulation of ideal cardiovascular health metrics and HRQoL (F(4,403)=4.160;p=0.003). In addition, the higher the number of ideal health behaviors accumulated, the higher the mean values of HRQoL (p-value for trend=0.001), after adjustments for age, sex, socioeconomic status and pubertal stage. Conclusions: ICVH index was positively associated with HRQoL in adolescents. Ideal health behaviors metrics seem to have a stronger association with HRQoL than the ideal health factors metrics in adolescents. RESUMO Objetivo: O Índice de Saúde Cardiovascular Ideal (ISCI) do adolescente parece ser um importante indicador do estilo de vida e da saúde cardiometabólica dos jovens, com possíveis consequências positivas para a Qualidade de Vida Relacionada à Saúde (QVRS). O objetivo deste estudo foi examinar as associações do ISCI e da QVRS em adolescentes. Métodos: Este foi um estudo transversal baseado em análises secundárias do estudo LabMed Physical Activity (n=407 adolescentes, 53% meninas). O ISCI, conforme definido pela American Heart Association, foi determinado como atendendo a comportamentos ideais (atividade física, índice de massa corporal, tabagismo e padrão alimentar) e fatores de saúde (pressão arterial, glicose total e colesterol). A QVRS foi mensurada com o questionário de autorrelato Kidscreen-10. Resultados: A análise de covariância mostrou associação entre o acúmulo de métricas ideais de saúde cardiovascular e a QVRS (F(4,403)=4,160;p=0,003). Quanto maior o número de comportamentos ideais de saúde acumulados, maiores os valores médios da QVRS (p-valor de tendência=0,001), após ajustes para idade, sexo, status socioeconômico e estágio pubertal. Conclusões: O índice de saúde cardiovascular ideal associou-se positivamente à QVRS em adolescentes. As métricas ideais de comportamentos de saúde parecem ter uma associação mais forte com a QVRS do que as métricas ideais de fatores de saúde em adolescentes.