Individual, family, school and neighborhood predictors related to different levels of physical activity in adolescents: A cross-sectional study.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association among individual, family, school environment and neighborhood predictors with the different levels of physical activity (PA) [light (LPA) and moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA)] in Brazilian adolescents. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 309 adolescents with a mean age of 15.37 (± 0.

How Do Health, Biological, Behavioral, and Cognitive Variables Interact over Time in Children of Both Sexes? A Complex Systems Approach.

The present study examined gender differences in health, physical activity, physical fitness, real and perceived motor competence, and executive function indicators in three time points, and analyzed the dynamic and non-linear association between health, biological, behavioral, and cognitive variables in children followed over time. A total of 67 children (aged between six and 10 years) were followed during two years and split into two cohorts (six to eight years old: C1; eight to 10 years old: C2). Data regarding health, physical activity, real and perceived motor competence, physical fitness, and executive function indicators were obtained according to their respective protocols.

Ecological correlates related to adolescent movement behaviors: A latent class analysis.

The ecological model has been widely used to help researchers understand the multiple influences in the physical activity (PA) and in the sedentary behaviors in isolated forms. To date, few correlates concerning the behavioral groupings of PA and sedentary behaviors have been studied. In this context, this study aimed to identify movement behaviors' latent classes related to the different adolescents' PA and sedentary time expressions, as well as their associations with individual, sociodemographic, family, and environmental correlates.

Increased eHSP70-to-iHSP70 ratio in prediabetic and diabetic postmenopausal women: a biomarker of cardiometabolic risk.

Decreased estrogen levels in menopause are associated with anthropometric, metabolic, and inflammatory impairments, predisposing women to cardiometabolic risk factors such as diabetes. Menopause and type two diabetes (DM2) are marked by altered heat shock response (HSR), shown by decreased expression of the 70-kDa heat shock protein in the intracellular milieu (iHSP70). While iHSP70 plays an anti-inflammatory role, extracellular HSP70 (eHSP70) may mediate pro-inflammatory pathways and has been associated with insulin resistance in DM2.

Physical (in)activity, and its predictors, among Brazilian adolescents: a multilevel analysis.

Background: Physical activity is a multifactorial trait, determined by both individual and environmental characteristics, it seems relevant to understand the determinants related to youth guidelines accomplishment. The present study aimed to verify the differences between the Brazilian federative units regarding to the prevalence of youth physical activity guidelines accomplishment and to investigate the determinants related to the inter-individual differences in this accomplishment.

Methods: Sample comes from the 2015 Brazilian National School Health Survey (PeNSE), comprising 99,570 adolescents (51,527 girls, 13-17y), enrolled in 3039 schools.

Lipid Nanocarriers for Hyperproliferative Skin Diseases.

Hyperproliferative skin diseases (HSD) are a group of diseases that include cancers, pre-cancerous lesions and diseases of unknown etiology that present different skin manifestations in terms of the degree and distribution of the injuries. Anti-proliferative agents used to treat these diseases are so diverse, including 5-aminolevulinic acid, 5-fluorouracil, imiquimod, methotrexate, paclitaxel, podophyllotoxin, realgar, and corticosteroids in general. These drugs usually have low aqueous solubility, which consequently decreases skin permeation.

Adolescent's movement behaviors and built environment: a latent class analysis.

Background: Latent class analysis (LCA) is an alternative and innovative approach to verify the relation of the various combinations of the constructed environment and movement behavior (levels of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep) characteristics. This study aimed to identify latent classes based on the characteristics of the neighborhood environment perceived by adolescents and their association with gender, socioeconomic status (SS), body composition and movement behaviors.

Methods: This cross-sectional study includes 309 Brazilian adolescents (14 to 16 years old, 57% female).

Identifying the best body-weight-status index associated with metabolic risk in youth.

This study investigated the association of six different anthropometric markers with metabolic syndrome to find the most suited to predict children at risk. Sample comprises 1324 Portuguese youth (701 girls, 623 boys), aged 10-17 years. Six anthropometric markers were included: body mass index (BMI), BMI z-score, tri-ponderal index (TPI), waist circumference (WC), WC/height ratio (WC/H), and WC/H adjusted ratio (WC/H ).

Biological and behavioral correlates of body weight status among rural Northeast Brazilian schoolchildren.

Objectives: The increase in the prevalence of overweight/obesity in youth is a public health problem worldwide; however, few studies have investigated its prevalence and correlates in children from the Brazilian Northeast region rural zone. The purpose of this study was (1) to estimate the prevalence of children's weight status according to sex, age, and birth weight categories; and (2) to investigate the links between biological and behavioral factors and weight categories.

Methods: The sample comprises 501 children (248 girls), aged 7-10 years, classified as low weight, normal weight, overweight, and obese using body mass index cut-points.

A multilevel analysis of health-related physical fitness. The Portuguese sibling study on growth, fitness, lifestyle and health.

This study investigates biological, behavioural and sociodemographic correlates of intra-pair similarities, and estimates sibling resemblance in health-related physical fitness (PF). The sample comprises 1101 biological siblings (525 females) aged 9-20 years. PF components and markers were: morphological [waist circumference (WC) and %body fat (%BF)], muscular [handgrip strength (GS) and standing long jump (SLJ)], motor [50-yard dash (50YD) and shuttle run (SR)], and cardiorespiratory (1-mile run).

Deficits in anthropometric indices of nutritional status and motor performance among low birth weight children from Maputo City, Mozambique.

Objective: To evaluate associations between low birth weight (LBW) and anthropometry, body composition, physical fitness, and gross motor coordination among schoolchildren from Maputo, Mozambique.

Methods: A total of 353 children aged 7 to 10 years old from both genders born in Maputo (Mozambique) were sampled. The sample was divided into two groups: LBW (n = 155) and normal birth weight (NBW, n = 198).

Relationship between Sedentariness and Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity in Youth: A Multivariate Multilevel Study.

This study aimed to jointly analyse moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentariness, and their correlates, in children within their school contexts, using a multivariate multilevel approach. The sample comprises 499 Portuguese children (284 girls) from 23 schools. MVPA and sedentary time were estimated by accelerometer.

Multilevel modelling of somatotype components: the Portuguese sibling study on growth, fitness, lifestyle and health.

Background: Somatotype is a complex trait influenced by different genetic and environmental factors as well as by other covariates whose effects are still unclear.

Aims: To (1) estimate siblings' resemblance in their general somatotype; (2) identify sib-pair (brother-brother (BB), sister-sister (SS), brother-sister (BS)) similarities in individual somatotype components; (3) examine the degree to which between and within variances differ among sib-ships; and (4) investigate the effects of physical activity (PA) and family socioeconomic status (SES) on these relationships.

Subjects And Methods: The sample comprises 1058 Portuguese siblings (538 females) aged 9-20 years.

Twelve Weeks of Plyometric Training Improves Motor Performance of 7- to 9-Year-Old Boys Who Were Overweight/Obese: A Randomized Controlled Intervention.

Nobre, GG, de Almeida, MB, Nobre, IG, dos Santos, FK, Brinco, RA, Arruda-Lima, TR, de-Vasconcelos, KL, de-Lima, JG, Borba-Neto, ME, Damasceno-Rodrigues, EM, Santos-Silva, SM, Leandro, CG, and Moura-dos-Santos, MA. Twelve weeks of plyometric training improves motor performance of 7- to 9-year-old boys who were overweight/obese: a randomized controlled intervention. J Strength Cond Res 31(8): 2091-2099, 2017-The prevalence of childhood overweight/obesity has increased, and physical training at school may to be effective to combat this scenario.

Active and strong: physical activity, muscular strength, and metabolic risk in children.

Objectives: This study explored the associations among physical activity, muscular strength, and metabolic risk among children.

Methods: The sample included 378 Portuguese children (213 girls; 9-11 years). Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was assessed by accelerometry and children were classified as active (≥60 min/day) or insufficiently active (<60 min/day).

The Oporto mixed-longitudinal growth, health and performance study. Design, methods and baseline results.

Background: Studies concerning child and adolescent growth, development, performance and health aimed at the multiple interactions amongst this complex set of variables are not common in the Portuguese speaking countries.

Aim: The aim of this paper is to address the key ideas, methodology and design of the Oporto Growth, Health and Performance Study (OGHPS).

Subjects And Methods: The OGHPS is a multidisciplinary mixed-longitudinal study whose main purpose is to examine the multiple interactions among biological, environmental and lifestyle indicators that affect growth, development, health and performance of Portuguese adolescents aged 10-18 years old.

Variability and Stability in Daily Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity among 10 Year Old Children.

Day-to-day variability and stability of children's physical activity levels across days of the week are not well understood. Our aims were to examine the day-to-day variability of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), to determine factors influencing the day-to-day variability of MVPA and to estimate stability of MVPA in children. The sample comprises 686 Portuguese children (10 years of age).

Sex-specific genetic effects in physical activity: results from a quantitative genetic analysis.

Background: The objective of this study is to present a model to estimate sex-specific genetic effects on physical activity (PA) levels and sedentary behaviour (SB) using three generation families.

Methods: The sample consisted of 100 families covering three generations from Portugal. PA and SB were assessed via the International Physical Activity Questionnaire short form (IPAQ-SF).

Why Are Children Different in Their Daily Sedentariness? An Approach Based on the Mixed-Effects Location Scale Model.

This study aimed to investigate the between- and within-individual variability in sedentary time over seven days, using a mixed-effects location scale model. The sample comprised 686 Portuguese children (381 girls) aged 9-11 years, from 23 schools. Sedentary time was estimated by the Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometer, which was used 24 hours/day for 7 consecutive days; height, sitting height, and weight were measured, BMI was computed (WHO cut-points were used to classify subjects as normal weight or overweight/obese), and maturity offset was estimated.

Differences in motor performance between children and adolescents in Mozambique and Portugal: impact of allometric scaling.

Background: Children from developed and developing countries have different anthropometric characteristics which may affect their motor performance (MP).

Aim: To use the allometric approach to model the relationship between body size and MP in youth from two countries differing in socio-economic status-Portugal and Mozambique.

Subjects And Methods: A total of 2946 subjects, 1280 Mozambicans (688 girls) and 1666 Portuguese (826 girls), aged 10-15 years were sampled.

Are BMI and Sedentariness Correlated? A Multilevel Study in Children.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and sedentariness (Sed) in children and to examine the influence of child and school correlates on their variation. The sample comprises 580 children (337 girls, 9-11 years). Sedentariness was assessed with an accelerometer, and BMI was computed.

Profiling physical activity, diet, screen and sleep habits in Portuguese children.

Obesity in children is partly due to unhealthy lifestyle behaviours, e.g., sedentary activity and poor dietary choices.

A count model to study the correlates of 60 min of daily physical activity in Portuguese children.

This study aimed to present data on Portuguese children (aged 9-11 years) complying with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) guidelines, and to identify the importance of correlates from multiple domains associated with meeting the guidelines. Physical activity (PA) was objectively assessed by accelerometry throughout seven days on 777 children. A count model using Poisson regression was used to identify the best set of correlates that predicts the variability in meeting the guidelines.

Secular trends in growth and nutritional status of Mozambican school-aged children and adolescents.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine secular changes in growth and nutritional status of Mozambican children and adolescents between 1992, 1999 and 2012.

Methods: 3374 subjects (1600 boys, 1774 girls), distributed across the three time points (523 subjects in 1992; 1565 in 1999; and 1286 in 2012), were studied. Height and weight were measured, BMI was computed, and WHO cut-points were used to define nutritional status.

Overweight and obesity in Portuguese children: prevalence and correlates.

There are widespread differences in overweight/obesity prevalence in children, and understanding the reasons for this is very important. The present study aims: (I) to conduct a meta-analysis on overweight/obesity prevalence in Portuguese children; (II) to identify differences in biological and behavioural characteristics between normal-weight and overweight/obese children; and (III) to investigate the importance of individual- and school-level correlates of variation in children's BMI using multilevel modelling. A search was done for all published papers including Portuguese children during the last decade; further, 686 Portuguese children (9-11 years old) were sampled and their BMI, family income, maturity offset, nutritional habits, physical activity, sedentariness, sleep time, and school environment information were collected.