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Objective: To verify the association of nutritional status, biological maturation, social support and self-efficacy with the physical activity level of 2,347 students of both sexes, aged between 11 and 15 years old, enrolled in state schools in the city of Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil., Methods: Anthropometric measurements of body mass, height and sitting height were collected. The assessment of biological maturation was based on the analysis of the age at peak height and sexual maturity. The physical activity level, social support from parents and friends and self-efficacy were evaluated by self-reported questionnaires. Sex/age-specific body mass index (BMI) cutoff points identified the nutritional status. Gross and adjusted binary logistic regression were used to obtain odds (OR) ratios with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI), adopting p≤0.05 as significant., Results: More than half (52.3%; n=1,227) of students were active, with boys in a higher proportion (64.1%; p≤0.01). The correlates of physical activity were: nutritional status (OR 1.25; 95%CI 1.01-1.56), early somatic maturation (OR 0.71; 95%CI 0.54-0.93), moderate (OR 1.85; 95%CI 1.50-2.30) and high social support from parents (OR 2.70; 95%CI 2.11-3.42) and high social support from friends (OR 1.78; 95%CI 1.42-2.24)., Conclusions: Nutritional status, early somatic maturation, social support of parents and friends were correlates of physical activity. Overweight girls with moderate and high parental support and boys with greater social support from parents and friends were more active. Girls with early somatic maturation were less active.

Background: Arterial hypertension is a major public health problem and has increased considerably in young individuals in past years. Thus, identifying factors associated with this condition is important to guide intervention strategies in this population., Objective: To determine high blood pressure prevalence and its associated factors in adolescents., Methods: A random sample of 1,242 students enrolled in public schools of the city of Curitiba (PR) was selected. Self-administered questionnaires provided family history of hypertension, daily energy expenditure, smoking habit, daily fat intake, and socioeconomic status. Waist circumference was measured following standardized procedures, and blood pressure was measured with appropriate cuffs in 2 consecutive days to confirm high blood pressure. Relative frequency and confidence interval (95%CI) indicated high blood pressure prevalence. Bivariate and multivariate analyses assessed the association of risk factors with high blood pressure., Results: The high blood pressure prevalence was 18.2% (95%CI 15.2-21.6). Individuals whose both parents had hypertension [odds ratio (OR), 2.22; 95%CI 1.28-3.85] and those with high waist circumference (OR, 2.1; 95%CI 1.34-3.28) had higher chances to develop high blood pressure., Conclusion: Positive family history of hypertension and high waist circumference were associated with high blood pressure in adolescents. These factors are important to guide future interventions in this population.

Objective: To identify sociodemographic and behavioral factors associated with abdominal obesity (AO) and high body fat percentage (high BF%) in adolescents from the city of Curitiba-PR., Methods: The sample consisted of 1,732 adolescents, aged 11 to 19 years, of both genders. The triceps and calf skinfolds were measured for the calculation of BF%, as well as the waist circumference. A questionnaire was completed by adolescents with the following type of residence, socioeconomic status, time spent watching TV on weekdays and weekends, and daily energy expenditure. Logistic regression was used to measure the association of sociodemographic and behavioral variables with abdominal obesity and high BF%., Results: Female were more likely to have high BF% (OR: 2.73; 95% CI: 2.32-3.33), but were less likely to have abdominal obesity (OR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.44-0.78). Older individuals (16-19 have high BF% (OR: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.02-1.83). The older age groups (13-15 years and 16-19 years) had an inverse association with abdominal obesity. Regarding daily energy expenditure, the less active individuals were more likely to present high BF% (OR: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.07-1.71) and obesity (OR: 1.40; 95% CI: 1.09-1.80)., Conclusions: Interventions to increase physical activity levels in young people should be designed in order to combat excess body fat should designed to combat excess adiposity., (Copyright © 2014 Sociedade de Pediatria de São Paulo. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To associate anthropometric measures with arterial hypertension and develop a mathematical model to estimate this probability., Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with 3,445 adults of both sexes, between 18 and 60 years of age. Body mass index (BMI), waist-to-height ratio (WHR), waist circumference (HC), in addition age and sex were assessed. Blood pressure (BP) was measured and classified according to World Health Organization (WHO) and Brazilian Society of Hypertension (SBH) recommendations, using frequency analyses, correlation and logistic regression between variables, with p < 0.05., Results: Males were twice as likely as woman to have hypertension, and for each year of life, the chance of hypertension increased 1.04 times. Odds ratio of hypertension in overweight individual increased two times, and in obese subjects, four times., Conclusion: Changes in body composition with advancing age, especially in men, were associated with hypertension, and assessment of these changes was relevant in the identification of this disease.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adolescents of different nutritional status., Subjects and Methods: The sample consisted of 582 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years. Body mass index (BMI) classification of nutritional status was performed using the NCHS growth charts. MetS diagnosis was determined by the presence of three or more risk factors., Results: Overall MetS prevalence was 6.7% (CI: 4.9%-9%); in boys, prevalence was 9.4%; and in girls, 4.1%. MetS prevalence was 17.2% (CI: 10%-28.2%) and 37.1% (CI: 23.2%-53.7%) in overweight and obese adolescents, respectively. All obese adolescents had at least one risk factor present, and demonstrated high MetS prevalence ratio compared with adolescents of normal weight (PR: 11.1; CI: 5.75-21.47)., Conclusion: High prevalence of MetS was observed in obese adolescents. Prevention strategies should focus on body weight control since the beginning of adolescence.

Background: Atherosclerosis is the coronary disease that most often affects the adult Brazilian population. Although it is a predominantly adult disease, the risk factors can appear in young individuals., Objective: To verify the association between the physical activity level (PAL) and the consumption of lipids with the risk factors for atherosclerosis in adolescents., Methods: A total of 260 boys and 237 girls aged 10-18 years were assessed. The PAL was estimated based on the activity record proposed by Bouchard et al. The consumption of lipids was assessed through the food frequency questionnaire developed by Sichieri and Everhart. Blood pressure was measured using a mercury-column sphygmomanometer. Total cholesterol (TC), HDL-c and triglycerides (TG) were measured by the enzymatic-colorimetric method. LDL-c was calculated by Friedewald's formula. The statistical analysis was carried out through logistic regression, with a level of significance set at p < 0.05., Results: Regarding the PAL, 17.3% of the boys and 22.6% of the girls were classified as sedentary. As for the diet, 54% and 48.6% of the boys and girls, respectively, presented a consumption of lipids above the recommended level. Boys with high TC and LDL-c levels had a higher OR to be sedentary than their more active peers. High levels of LDL-c were associated with the excessive consumption of saturated fats in both sexes., Conclusion: The results reinforce the previous evidence that young people must be encouraged since an early age to adopt a more physically active lifestyle, associated to more adequate dietary habits.

Background: Physical inactivity in adolescence is related to body fat accumulation, which apparently can increase the probability of onset and development of metabolic changes., Objective: To verify the predisposition to cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents with different levels of energy expenditure., Methods: A total of 108 young men and 132 young women aged between 12 and 16 years were selected. Daily energy expenditure was obtained using the questionnaire proposed by Bouchard et al. The sample was previously divided according to the quartiles of energy expenditure (Kcal/kg/day) into three groups: sedentary (SG), moderately active (MG), and active (AG). The enzyme-colorimetric method was used to determine the total cholesterol (TC), HDL-C, and triglycerides (TG) levels. LDL-C was calculated using the Friedewald et al's formula. The one-factor analysis of variance was used for statistical analysis, considering p<0.05., Results: For the male gender, significant differences were found between the groups for the TC variable (mg/dl); AG (121.56+/-19.15) was different from MG (142.70+/-27.65) and from SG (145.63+/-36.54). Likewise, MG was different from SG (F=3.70 and p=0.03). For the TG variable (mg/dl), AG (65.69+/-18.95) was different from MG (82.25+/-33.73) and from SG (97.44+/-45.95). Also, MG was different from SG (F=3.40 and p=0.04). For the female gender, no significant differences were found in relation to daily energy expenditure., Conclusion: More active young men show lower TC and TG levels in comparison with their moderately active and sedentary peers.

Previous research has demonstrated high prevalence of atherosclerotic risk factors in adolescents; however, the associate factors related to its onset are unclear. Therefore, the objective of this study was to relate inadequate blood pressure levels, total cholesterol (TC), HDL-C, LDL-C and triglycerides (TG) with different VO2máx and BMI levels in a sample of 249 adolescents, aged between 12 to 16 years old. For VO2máx prediction, the 20 meters test was used. The BMI was calculated using the body mass/heigh(2) equation. The considerate inadequate levels were: blood pressure > or =90th percentile; total cholesterol > or =150 mg/dL; LDL-C > or = 100 mg/dL, TG > or =100 mg/dL and HDL-C <45 mg/dL. Logistic regression was used as statistical procedures, with p<0.05. For the boys, significant associations were observed between the low VO2máx with TC (OR 4.33; IC=1.23-15.20) and TG (OR=4.88; IC=1.15-20.79) and between overweight and TG (OR=4.33; IC=1.42-13.21). After BMI correction, the males subjects with low VO2máx maintained their significant associations with TC (OR=5.73; IC=1.52-21.58) and TG (OR=3.81; IC=1.86-16.94). The evidences in this study suggested an inverse relationship of the cardiorespiratory fitness with TC and TG for boys, independently of the BMI.