title: Physical activity, fitness and the metabolic syndrome in rural youths from Mozambique.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Except for North America and Europe, few studies have reported the association among physical activity (PA), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in youths, especially for rural African youth.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of PA levels, CRF, MetS and its indicators, and examine the association between these variables in a school-aged sample of youth from rural Mozambique.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample included 209 children and adolescents aged 7-15 years old from Calanga, a rural community in Mozambique. PA was estimated with a culturally-specific questionnaire. CRF was determined by 1-mile run test. Indicators of the MetS included fasting glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, blood pressure and body mass index. A continuous metabolic risk score was computed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed high levels of PA and CRF and a low prevalence of MetS ( < 2%) among children and adolescents from Calanga. However, there was a moderately high prevalence of elevated blood pressure (81.8%) and triglycerides (18.7%), respectively. There were no significant associations between PA, CRF and MetS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Youths from Calanga are physically active and possess high CRF and their lifestyle may be a protective effect against MetS.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Cineantropometria, Faculdade de Desporto, Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Plácido Costa 91, Porto, Portugal. fernandak.santos@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Fernanda Karina
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: Thayse Natacha Queiroz Ferreira
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Albertino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Damasceno
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prista
authors.forename: Joey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eisenmann
authors.forename: José António Ribeiro
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Maia
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001823:Body Composition; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009043:Motor Activity; D009073:Mozambique / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D014280:Triglycerides