Isotemporal substitution analysis of time between sedentary behavior, and physical activity on sleep quality in younger adults: a multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of replacing time spent in sedentary behavior (SB) with moderate to vigorous physical activity on sleep quality in young adults. METHODS: Multicenter cross-sectional study, carried out with students enrolled in undergraduate courses at universities in Brazil. Sleep quality was assessed using a question of the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-brief) and classified as good or poor sleep quality. SB was evaluated by self-reported total sitting time, and the level of leisure-time PA was classified according to the intensity of moderate-intensity physical activity (MPA) and vigorous-intensity physical activity (VPA), which were assessed using a self-reported questionnaire. An isotemporal replacement logistic model was used to evaluate the effects of different SB, MPA, and VPA sessions on sleep quality. RESULTS: A total of 8,059 study participants were evaluated, the majority had poor sleep quality (64.79%), were physically inactive (48.28%, defined as practicing < 150 min of MPA or < 75 min of VPA per week), and spent ≥ 9 h/day in SB (55.08%). The multivariate model showed an association between non-adherence to wake-based movement guidelines and poor sleep quality, where those with one altered behavior were 43% more likely to have poor sleep quality (OR:1.43;95%CI:1.27 to 1.60), while individuals with two altered behaviors were 97% more likely (OR:1.97;95%CI:1.73 to 2.24). In the isotemporal analysis, replacing MPA and VPA with equivalent time in SB increased the odds of poor sleep at all times assessed, with peaks of 56% for MPA and 68% for VPA. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study indicate that replacing SB with the same amount of MPA or VPA may reduce poor sleep quality.

Sedentary behavior is associated with the mental health of university students during the Covid-19 pandemic, and not practicing physical activity accentuates its adverse effects: cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Movement behaviours, such as sedentary behavior (SB) and physical inactivity, have become a public health issue due to their implications for physical and mental health. The literature indicates that the university environment influences the movement behaviors of university students, and the strategies adopted during the pandemic may have favored a decrease in the practice of physical activity and an increase in the time dedicated to SB in this population. We aimed to evaluate the association of SB and moderate to vigorous leisure-time physical activity (MVPA) with presence of symptoms of mental disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This is a multicenter survey conducted with undergraduate students from eight Brazilian universities between October 2021 and February 2022 using an online questionnaire. The outcome variable was symptoms of anxiety and depression, assessed by the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21. SB was assessed by total sitting time, being that individuals with ≥ 9 h/day were classified with high SB. The practice of MVPA was evaluated based on weekly frequency, duration, and type of exercise. Subsequently, the ratio between the time spent in MVPA (minutes/day) and the time spent in SB (hours/day) was calculated, being considered as cutoff point was the practice of 2.5 min of MVPA for each sedentary hour. To assess the association between the outcome and explanatory variables, multivariable logistic regression was performed. RESULTS: A total of 8,650 students participated in the study, with an average age of 23.9 years (SD: ± 6.34). In the multivariate analysis, the odds of anxiety symptoms [OR: 1.37 (95% CI: 1.24-1.50)] and depression [OR: 1.61 (95% CI: 1.47-1.77)] were higher in individuals with ≥ 9 h of SB per day. In the analysis of the relationship between MVPA and SB, not engaging in 2.5 min of MVPA per hour of SB increases the odds of anxiety symptoms [OR: 1.44 (95% CI: 1.31-1.58)] and depression [OR: 1.74 (95% CI: 1.59-1.92)]. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that SB is a risk factor associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression and that not engaging in MVPA exacerbates the negative effects of SB.

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs4291 of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene is associated with the response to losartan treatment in hypertensive patients.

Arterial hypertension is characterized by systolic pressure ≥ 140 mmHg and/or diastolic pressure ≥ 90 mmHg and its treatment consists of the use of antihypertensive drugs, as losartan and hydrochlorothiazide. Blood pressure is regulated by angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and polymorphisms in the ACE gene are associated to a greater predisposition to hypertension and response to treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of genetic polymorphisms of ACE rs4363, rs4291 and rs4335 and the response to antihypertensive drugs in hypertensive patients from Ouro Preto/MG, Brazil. A case-control study was carried out with 87 hypertensive patients being treated with losartan and 75 with hydrochlorothiazide, who answered a questionnaire and had blood samples collected. Biochemical analyzes were performed on serum using UV/Vis spectrophotometry and identification of ACE variants rs4363, rs4291 and rs4335 was performed by real-time PCR using the TaqMan® system. Univariate logistic regression test was performed to compare categorical data in STATA 13.0 software. The results showed that there was an influence of ACE polymorphisms on the response to losartan, demonstrating that AT or TT genotypes of rs4291 were more frequent in the group of controlled AH (54.9%), indicating that these individuals are 2.8 times more likely to of being controlled AH (95% CI 1.12-6.80, p. =0.026) compared to those with AA genotype. In contrast, no influence of ACE polymorphisms on the response to hydrochlorothiazide was observed. In conclusion, the presence of the T allele of the rs4291 variant was associated to controled blood pressure when losartan was used as an antihypertensive agent. These results show the importance of pharmacogenetic studies to detect genetic characteristics, enabling therapeutic individuality and reducing costs for the healthcare system.

Examining the mental health of the academic community at an institution for higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Higher Education Institutions had to suspend their on-site activities and adapt to the new scenario. Therefore, the objective of the research was to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of the academic community of a Brazilian public university. This is a cross-sectional study, at a Brazilian public university, that used the baseline data from a longitudinal study carried out with employees and students. Participants answered a self-administered and confidential questionnaire in online platform, composed of sociodemographic, economic, lifestyles and mental health issues. 1,353 students and 372 employees participated. The prevalence of anxiety disorder symptoms among students and employees was 46.12% and 17.47%, depression 54.62% and 22.85% and stress 47.45% and 22.58%, respectively. The co-occurrence of symptoms was 33.56% among university students and 10.75% among employees. Falling family income, having stopped smoking and negative self-rated health, during the COVID-19 pandemic, may be the reasons for the high prevalence of co-occurrence of anxiety, depression and stress disorders among the academic community.

Key characteristics including sex, sexual orientation and internet use associated with worse mental health among university students in Brazil and implications.

BACKGROUND: The symptoms of anxiety and depression disorders are multifactorial and can trigger a series of problems especially among university students. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors with anxiety and depression symptoms among first-semester university students at a Federal University in Brazil given the paucity of such data and the first semester is the most stressfultime. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with first-semester university students. The questionnaire included socio-demographic variables, lifestyles, health conditions and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales. Descriptive analysis was performed, followed by bivariate analysis and Poisson regression analysis. RESULTS: Three hundred and fifty-six students (65.2%) across a range of courses in their first semester participated. The prevalence of anxiety was 42.5% and depression 33.2%. Regarding symptoms of anxiety and depression disorders, a positive association was observed among females, non-heterosexual, non-white skin color, excessive internet use, lack of physical activity, not attending university parties, having psychological counseling, history of anxiety in first- or second-degree relatives, poor self-rated health and use of psychotropic medicines. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the high prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms, the importance of developing programs to promote mental and physical health of university students is highlighted.