Relationship Between Physical Activity and Obesity in Children and Adolescents.
Involverte ansatteGuerra S, Teixeira-Pinto A, Ribeiro JC, Ascensão A, Magalhães J,
Andersen LB, Duarte JA, Mota J.
In press: Sports Med Phys Fitness.
BeskrivelseThe purpose of the present study was to analyse the relationship between physical activity (PA) and obesity in Portuguese children and adolescents.
The sample consisted of 1341 (8-15 years of age) children and adolescents, 634 males (age, 10.6 yr 2.3; weight, 40.6 kg 12.7; height, 143.1 cm 14.1) and 707 females (age, 10.9 yr 2.4; weight, 50.0 kg 12.4; height, 142.8 cm 13.2). The sample was divided into quartiles of percentage of body fat (%BF) and physical activity index (PAI), within age and gender.
Children in the upper %BF quartile were defined as obese. Logistic regression for each PAI quartile was used to determine the odds ratio of obese children and adolescents (P75 of %BF) in comparison to their non-obese counterparts (<P75 of %BF).
Results: Females have higher BF values in all ages, than males.
On the other hand, males have higher FFM values as well as a deeper increase in all ages, than females. In relation to %BF, females have higher values in all ages.
The results also pointed out that in females, contrary to males, the mean %BF values increase at 8 years until 15 years of age. The multiple linear regression model (body mass index, age and the interaction between these variables) explain 77% and 69% in the %BF variation, for males and females, respectively.
Males in the lowest PAI quartile have an odds ratio of 2.1 of having obesity in relation to males in the highest PAI quartile. For females no difference, in obesity, was found between PAI quartiles.
Conclusion: In our study PAI was not a predictor of fatness. Males who were physically inactive showed a high risk for obesity in relation to males that were physically active. However, females didn’t show this clear relationship.