Prevalence of physical activity through the practice of sports among adolescents from Portuguese speaking countries.
This study evaluated the prevalence of physical activity through the practice of sports in adolescents from schools in two Brazilian cities and a Portuguese school, and its association with independent variables, such as gender and age. A cross-sectional study was conducted of schoolchildren from two cities in Brazil and one in Portugal. The total study sample was 3694 subjects (1622 males and 1872 females). Physical activity levels were assessed using Baecke's questionnaire. Body weight was measured on electronic scales and stature was measured with a portable wooden stadiometer. Numerical variables were expressed as mean, categorical variables were expressed as percentages and the chi-square test analyzed associations. The prevalence of no sport was high (39.7%), being higher in the Portuguese school than in the Brazilian schools (p < 0.001). Irrespective of being an adolescent in a Brazilian or Portuguese school, boys showed higher engagement in sports practice than girls (p < 0.001). In both, differences were identified between adolescents aged 13 to 15 (P = 0.001) and 16 to 17 (P = 0.001). The prevalence of physical inactivity among schoolchildren from two cities in Brazil and a school in Portugal was high, with the girls practicing less sport than the boys and with this imbalance likely to be higher in adolescents.
Faculdade de Educação Física, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Presidente Prudente, SP, Brasil, diegochristofaro@yahoo.com.br.
Diego Giulliano Destro
DG
Christofaro
Faculdade de Educação Física, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Presidente Prudente, SP, Brasil, diegochristofaro@yahoo.com.br.
Rômulo Araújo
RA
Fernandes
Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa.
Catarina
C
Martins
Centro de Educação Física, Universidade Estadual de Londrina.
Enio Ricardo Vaz
ER
Ronque
Faculdade de Ciências do Desporto e Educação Física, Universidade de Coimbra.
Manuel João
MJ
Coelho-e-Silva
Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa.
Analiza Mônica
AM
Silva
Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa.
Luis Bettencourt
LB
Sardinha
Centro de Educação Física, Universidade Estadual de Londrina.
Edilson Serpeloni
ES
Cyrino
D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011174:Portugal; D013177:Sports / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*