title: The Role of School Environment in Physical Activity among Brazilian Adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the association of physical activity facilities and extracurricular sports activities in schools with physical activity among adolescents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We used data collected for the National Survey of School Health in 2012. The national representative sample comprised 109,104 Brazilian students from 2,842 schools. We calculated the prevalence of participation in physical education classes, leisure-time physical activity, and total physical activity level. We also evaluated the following physical activity facilities: sports courts, running/athletics tracks, schoolyard with teacher-directed physical activities, swimming pools, locker rooms; and the offer of extracurricular sports activities. Schools with at least one physical activity facility had increased odds of participation in physical education (OR 1.59; 95% CI 1.20 to 2.10). However, in order to increase leisure-time physical activity (OR1.14; 95% CI 1.03 to 1.26) and total physical activity level (OR 1.15; 95% CI 1.06 to 1.24) at least four and two facilities, respectively, were necessary. Extracurricular sports activities in schools were positively associated with leisure-time physical activity and physical activity level. The number of sports courts and swimming pool in a school were associated with participation in physical education classes. Availability of sports courts, running/athletics tracks, and swimming pool in schools were associated with leisure-time physical activity. Total physical activity was associated with schools with sports courts, schoolyard with teacher-directed physical activities, and swimming pool.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  School-level characteristics have important potential to increase the possibility of engagement in physical activity in and out of school, and therefore have a fundamental role in promoting these practices.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Leandro Fórnias Machado
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: de Rezende
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, São Paulo, Brasil; Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Faculdade de Medicina, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Catarina Machado
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Azeredo
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Desportos, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
authors.forename: Kelly Samara
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Departamento de Nutrição, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rafael Moreira
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Claro
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Saúde Pública da Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Saúde Materno-Infantil, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: França-Junior
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Maria Fernanda Tourinho
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Peres
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Olinda do Carmo
authors.initials: Odo C
authors.lastname: Luiz
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Renata Bertazzi
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eluf-Neto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012574:Schools / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires