Physical activity patterns and obesity status among 10- to 12-year-old adolescents living in Athens, Greece.
BACKGROUND
Childhood obesity has become a modern epidemic with escalating rates. The aim of our study was to identify physical activity patterns among Greek schoolchildren and to examine their relationship with obesity.


METHODS
700 adolescents age 10 to 12 years were evaluated through a standardized questionnaire. Several demographic, socioeconomic, and physical activity characteristics were recorded. Physical activity was assessed and adolescents were characterized as active and nonactive. Body height and weight were measured and body mass index was calculated in order to classify subjects as overweight or obese (IOTF classification). Multiple logistic regression and multivariate techniques (principal components analysis) were performed.


RESULTS
Eight physical activity patterns were identified, including increased physical activity in weekdays and weekends, sports physical activity, vigorous, moderate, and low physical activity. Increased physical activity on weekends and vigorous physical activity in boys were negatively associated with being overweight or obese (OR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.48-0.90 and OR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.49-0.88, correspondingly) and moderate physical activity was marginally positively associated in girls (OR: 1.28; 95% CI: 0.97-1.69), after adjusting for several confounders.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings demonstrate the important role of vigorous physical activity in the maintenance of normal weight of adolescents.
Antonogeorgos
George
G
Third Dept of Pediatrics, University of Athens, Haidari, Greece.
Papadimitriou
Anastasios
A
Panagiotakos
Demosthenes B
DB
Priftis
Kostas N
KN
Nikolaidou
Polyxeni
P
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013177:Sports; D013690:Television; D014505:Urban Population