Can participation in sports during childhood influence physical activity in adulthood?

Abstract Aims: The promotion of sports participation during the early years of life is important not only because it promotes health during childhood and adolescence, but also because it has benefits in adulthood. This study was developed to identify the association between sports participation during the early years of life and adulthood, to analyze the non-participation in sports throughout life and to identify the correlates of non-participation in sports. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. Methods: The sample was composed of 743 adults randomly selected in a medium-size Brazilian city. Non-participation in sports during childhood and adolescence was assessed through specific questions, and non-participation in sports in adulthood was assessed using the second section of Baecke questionnaire. Answering "no" in the three periods assessed (childhood, adolescence and adulthood) was characterized as non-participation in sports throughout life. Chronological age, sex, formal education, BMI, current job and ethnicity were considered covariates. Categorical data were expressed as rates and compared using chi-square test and binary logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of adults not engaged in sports throughout life was 58.5% (95% CI= 55.1 - 62.1). Females (OR = 2.41 [1.71 - 3.38]), those more advanced in age (OR = 3.29 [1.82-5.94]) and/or possessing a lower level of education (OR = 4.47 [2.45 - 8.17]) were associated with the non-engagement in sports. Conclusion: Non-participation in sports during childhood can influence non-participation in sports during adulthood, which is significantly affected by sex, age and education level.

Weekly time spent in the standing position is independently related to a better quality of life in postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the relationship between standing, sitting and reclining behaviors and quality of life in postmenopausal women. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study composed of forty postmenopausal women (aged 59.58±5.32) who do not practice regular physical exercise. Body composition was measured using Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and quality of life by the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). Physical activity level was assessed using an accelerometer (Actigraph GTX3x) and is reported as minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Inclinometer analysis was also measured using this accelerometer model and reported as a weekly percentage of time spent standing, sitting and reclining. All analyses were performed using SPSS 17.0 software with the significance level set at 5%. RESULTS: The percentage of time in the standing position was lower among women with poor quality of life (p<0.05). Adjusted analysis (age, years since menopause, percentage of fat mass, MVPA and occupation status) was used to evaluate the relationship between quality of life and accelerometer inclinometer measures. The relationship between time standing and general health status (ß=0.353; 95%CI=0.017; 0.377), social function (ß=0.429; 95%CI=0.060; 0.396) and overall score (ß=0.336; 95%CI=0.015; 0.442) were statistically significant. The relationship between the reclining position and both overall score (ß=-0.320; 95%CI=-0.492; 0.006) and emotional aspects (ß=-0.337; 95%CI=-0.191; 0.001) showed a tendency to present statistical significance. CONCLUSION: In summary, our results suggest that postmenopausal women who spend more time in the standing position have a better overall quality of life regardless of confounders.

Occurrence of physical therapy consultations in the last 12 months among adults from a medium sized brazilian city / Ocorrência de consultas fisioterápicas nos últimos 12 meses entre adultos de uma cidade de porte médio brasileira

Cross-sectional design. Introduction: Physical Therapy is a profession with a diversity of methods and s, and although it extends to all age groups with a huge number of clinics, the occurrence of searches for physiotherapists is still low. Aim: To analyze the occurrence of physical therapy consultations in the past 12 months among adults in Presidente Prudente, as well as to identify some variables associated with the outcome. Methods: The population (n=743) had a mean age of 49.9±17.3 years. The procedures set out the dependent variable: physical therapy consultation and independent variables: low back pain and physical activity during leisure time and at work, respecting the confounding factors. Results: The occurrence of physiotherapy consultations in the last 12 months was 21%, which was more frequent among adults of 30-44.9 years (OR=2.02 [1.02-3.99]) and for those with low back pain (OR=2.18 [1.18-4.06]). Conclusion: Physical therapy utilization is an outcome with a low rate, which is associated with low back pain among adults at a productive age.

Physical inactivity of adults and 1-year health care expenditures in Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the association between physical inactivity in different domains and direct public healthcare expenditures in adults and to identify whether the clustering of physical inactivity in different domains would contribute to increased public healthcare. METHODS: The sample composed of 963 adults randomly selected in a middle-size Brazilian city. Annual healthcare expenditure was estimated including all items registered in the medical records in the last 12 months prior to the interview. Habitual physical activity was estimated using Baecke questionnaire, which considers three components of physical activity (work, sports and leisure-time activities). RESULTS: Higher healthcare expenditures of medicines were associated with lower physical activity at work (OR 1.58 [1.06-2.35]), sport (OR 1.57 [1.12-2.18]) and physical inactivity in three domains (OR 2.12 [1.18-3.78]). Expenditures related to medicine (r = 0.109 [95 % CI 0.046-0.171]) and overall expenditures (r = 0.092 [95 % CI 0.029-0.155]) were related to physical inactivity, independently of age, sex, smoking, blood pressure and obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Physically inactive subjects in different domains of physical activity have increased likelihood to be inserted at groups of higher healthcare expenditure.

Intra-abdominal fat is related to metabolic syndrome and non-alcoholic fat liver disease in obese youth.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown an association between adiposity, especially intra-abdominal adipose tissue, and hemodynamic/metabolic comorbidities in adults, however it is not clear in pediatric population. The aim of the study was to analyze the relationship between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and components of metabolic syndrome (MS) with values of intra-abdominal (IAAT) and subcutaneous (SCAT) adipose tissue in obese children and adolescents. METHODS: Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: 182 obese sedentary children and adolescents (aged 6 to 16 y), identified by the body mass index (BMI). MEASUREMENTS: Body composition and trunk fat by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry- DXA; lipid profile, blood pressure and pubertal stage were also assessed. NAFLD was classified as absent (0), mild (1), moderate (2) and severe (3), and intra-abdominal and subcutaneous abdominal fat thickness were identified by ultrasound. The MS was identified according to the cut offs proposed by World Health Organization adapted for children and adolescents. The chi-square test was used to compare categorical variables, and the binary logistic regression indicated the magnitude of the associations adjusted by potential cofounders (sex, age, maturation, NAFLD and HOMA-IR). RESULTS: Higher quartile of SCAT was associated with elevated blood pressure (p = 0.015), but not associated with NAFLD (p = 0.665). Higher IAAT was positively associated with increased dyslipidemia (p = 0.001), MS (p = 0.013) and NAFLD (p = 0.005). Intermediate (p = 0.007) and highest (p = 0.001) quartile of IAAT were also associated with dyslipidemia, independently of age, sex, maturation, NAFLD and HOMA-IR (homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance). CONCLUSION: Obese children and adolescents, with higher IAAT are more prone to develop MS and NAFLD than those with higher values of SCAT, independent of possible confounding variables.

The relationship between visceral fat thickness and bone mineral density in sedentary obese children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Among adults, obesity has been positively related to bone mineral density. However, recent findings have pointed out that abdominal obesity could be negatively related to bone density. The above mentioned relationship is not clear among pediatric populations. Therefore, this cross-sectional study analyzed the relationship between thickness of abdominal adipose tissue and bone mineral variables in sedentary obese children and adolescents. METHODS: One hundred and seventy five obese children and adolescents (83 male and 92 female) with ages ranging from 6 to 16 years-old were analyzed. Bone mineral content and density were estimated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and ultrasound equipment which estimated the thickness of the abdominal adipose tissue. Pubertal stage was self-reported by the participants. RESULTS: The mean age was 11.1 (SD=2.6). Thickness of the abdominal adipose tissue was negatively related to bone mineral density (r=-0.17 [r95%CI: -0.03;-0.32]), independent of gender, pubertal stage and other confounders (ß=-0.134±0.042 [ß95%CI: -0.217; -0.050]). CONCLUSIONS: In sedentary obese children and adolescents abdominal obesity is negatively related to bone mineral density, suggesting a potential link between abdominal obesity and osteoporosis.