Family context and the physical activity of adolescents: comparing differences.

Introduction: Family context plays an important role with regard to the physical activity (PA) of adolescents. Intense changes in family composition, including an increase of single-parent structures can affect behavior.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of PA, between boys and girls of 11-17 years old, and investigate its association with family context variables.

Leisure-time physical activity in the vicinity of Academias da Cidade Program in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil: the impact of a health promotion program on the community.

This study analyzed leisure-time physical activity among 1,621 adults who were non-users of the Academias da Cidade Program in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, but who lived in the vicinity of a fitness center in operation (exposed Group I) or in the vicinity of two sites reserved for future installation of centers (control Groups II and III). The dependent variable was leisure-time physical activity, and linear distance from the households to the fitness centers was the exposure variable, categorized in radial buffers: < 500m; 500-1,000m; and 1,000-1,500m. Binary logistic regression was performed with the Generalized Estimation Equations method.

Validity of data collected by telephone survey: a comparison of VIGITEL 2008 and 'Saúde em Beagá' survey.

Objective: To assess the validity of the estimates obtained through telephone survey and to measure the impact of the post-stratification weighting factor to adjust estimates.

Methods: The same questionnaire was completed by two independent samples of the population living in the municipality of Belo Horizonte city (Barreiro and West regions). One sample (n=440) completed the questionnaire of VIGITEL 2008 (telephone survey), and the other (n=4,048) of Saúde em Beagá (face to face household interview).