Sedentary Behavior, Dietary Habits, and Cardiometabolic Risk in Physically Active Children and Adolescents

Fontes, Paula Adriana dos Santos de; Siqueira, Jordana Herzog; Martins, Haysla Xavier; Oliosa, Polyana Romano; Zaniqueli, Divanei; Mill, José Geraldo; Alvim, Rafael de Oliveira

Abstract

Background

Sedentary behavior has been associated with several cardiometabolic risk factors during childhood. However, little is known about the impact of sedentary behavior on the health and eating habits of physically active children and adolescents.

Objective

To evaluate the association between sedentary behavior and cardiometabolic risk factors and eating habits in physically active children and adolescents.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted, including 516 physically active children and adolescents (10 to 18 years old; both sexes) enrolled in the social project “Estação Conhecimento-Vale” were evaluated. Biochemical and lifestyle variables (questionnaire) were collected. Sedentary behavior was determined indirectly (questionnaire), by using sitting time ≥ 3 hours per day as a cutoff point. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant for all tests.

Results

Sedentary behavior was not associated with overweight/obesity (odds ratio = 0.72 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.325-1.389]), hypertriglyceridemia (odds ratio = 0.63 [95% CI: 0.306-1.297]), low HDL cholesterol (odds ratio = 0.57 [95% CI: 0.323-1.019]), or high non-HDL cholesterol (odds ratio = 0.63 [95% CI: 0.283-1.389]). However, children and adolescents with sedentary behavior were more likely to regularly consume food in front of the television (odds ratio = 1.96 [95% CI: 1.114-3.456]) and to consume at least one ultra-processed food per day (odds ratio = 2.42 [95% CI: 1.381-4.241]). In addition, they were less likely to consume fruit regularly (odds ratio = 0.52 [95% CI: 0.278-0.967]).

Conclusion

There was no association between sedentary behavior and cardiometabolic risk factors in physically active children and adolescents. However, sedentary behavior was associated with inadequate eating habits. Thus, we may suggest that the regular engagement in physical activity may attenuate the deleterious effects of sedentary behavior on the cardiometabolic parameters of children and adolescents.

Sedentary Behavior; Cardiometabolic Risk Factors; Child; Feeding Behavior

[1] Mailing Address: Rafael de Oliveira Alvim • Av. Gen. Rodrigo Octávio Jordão Ramos, 3000 – Coroado I – Campus Universitário – Senador Arthur Virgílio Filho – Setor Sul, Bloco 2. Postal Code 69077-000, Manaus, AM – Brazil E-mail: rafa.alvim20@gmail.com

Variables	Girls n=198	Boys n=318	p value
Age (years old)	12.7 ± 1.81	12.7 ± 1.9	0.971
Race/color			0.002*
White	42 (21.2)	52 (16.4)
Black	87 (43.9)	192 (60.4)
Mixed race	62 (31.3)	70 (22.0)
Others	7 (3.5)	4 (1.3)
Pubertal Stage			0.330
Prepubertal	14 (7.4)	35 (11.2)
Pubertal	151 (79.5)	242 (77.6)
Postpubertal	25 (13.2)	35 (11.2)
BMI (Kg/m²)	19.8 ± 3.9	19.4 ± 3.6	0.261
Body fat (%)	25.5 ± 7.7	20.2 ± 9.5	<0.001*
Lean mass (Kg)	18.7 ± 4.6	20.6 ± 6.6	0.001*
Overweight/Obesity (%)	42 (21.2)	55 (17.3)	0.268
SBP (mmHg)	103.6 ± 8.1	106.8 ± 9.2	<0.001*
DBP (mmHg)	62.2 ± 6.3	62.1 ± 6.8	0.900
Hypertension (%)	5 (2.5)	11 (3.5)	0.552
Glucose (mg/dL)	85.0 ± 8.7	86.8 ± 10.6	0.066
HDL-c (mg/dL) ^†	49 (42-55)	47 (41-54)	0.254
Low HDL-c	73 (37.4)	133 (42.6)	0.247
Non-HDL-c (mg/dL) ^†	98 (84-115)	92 (79-110)	0.008*
High non-HDL-c	44 (22.6)	45 (14.4)	0.019*
Triglycerides (mg/dL) ^†	67 (55-88)	63 (47-85)	0.060
High Triglycerides	42 (21.6)	67 (21.5)	0.963
Sedentary behavior
Sitting time ≥3 hours/day	30 (15.2)	35 (11.1)	0.168
Eating behavior/habits
Regular consumption^#of food in front of the television	83 (45.4)	141 (49.6)	0.167
Regular consumption^#@of fruits	73 (38.4)	96 (32.2)	0.187
Daily consumption of at least 1 ultra-processed	88 (47.1)	107 (35.9)	0.015*

Variables	<3 hours n=451	≥3 hours n=65	p value
Sex			0.168
Girls	168 (37.3)	30 (46.2)
Boys	283 (62.7)	35 (53.8)
Race/color			0.150
White	79 (17.5)	15 (23.1)
Black	243 (53.8)	36 (55.4)
Mixed race	121 (26.8)	11 (16.9)
Others	8 (1.8)	3 (4.6)
Pubertal Stage			0.002*
Prepubertal	48 (11.0)	1 (1.5)
Pubertal	344 (78.7)	49 (75.4)
Postpubertal	45 (10.3)	15 (23.1)
BMI (Kg/m²)	19.5 ± 3.8	19.7 ± 2.9	0.639
Body fat (%)	22.3 ± 9.3	21.9 ± 9.4	0.703
Lean mass (Kg)	19.7 ± 5.2	21.3 ± 5.2	0.060
Overweight/Obesity	87 (19.3)	10 (15.4)	0.451
SBP (mmHg)	105.6 ± 9.1	105.4 ± 6.9	0.901
DBP (mmHg)	62.3 ± 6.8	61.1 ± 4.8	0.070
HDL-c (mg/dL) ^†	47.5 (41-55)	49 (43-54.5)	0.250
Low HDL-c	185 (41.9)	21 (32.3)	0.143
Non-HDL-c (mg/dL) ^†	95 (81-112)	92 (74-105.5)	0.063
High non-HDL-c	81 (18.3)	8 (12.3)	0.234
Glucose (mg/dL)	85.9 ± 10.1	87.3 ± 7.7	0.302
Triglycerides (mg/dL) ^†	66 (50-87.5)	62 (49.5-81)	0.444
High Triglycerides	99 (22.4)	10 (15.4)	0.196
Eating behavior/habits
Regular consumption^#of food in front of the television	186 (45.8)	38 (62.3)	0.016*
Regular consumption^#of fruits	154 (36.2)	15 (23.4)	0.046*
Daily consumption of at least 1 ultra-processed	158 (37.4)	37 (59.7)	0.001*

Variables	OR (95% CI)	p value
Overweight/Obesity
Sitting time <3 hours/day	1
Sitting time ≥3 hours/day	0.72 (0.325-1.389)	0.283
High Triglycerides
Sitting time <3 hours/day	1
Sitting time ≥3 hours/day	0.63 (0.306-1.297)	0.210
Low HDL-c
Sitting time <3 hours/day	1
Sitting time ≥3 hours/day	0.57 (0.323-1.019)	0.058
High Non-HDL-c
Sitting time <3 hours/day	1
Sitting time ≥3 hours/day	0.63 (0.283-1.389)	0.250
Regular consumption of food in front of the television
Sitting time <3 hours/day	1
Sitting time ≥3 hours/day	1.96 (1.114-3.456)	0.020*
Regular consumption of fruits
Sitting time <3 hours/day	1
Sitting time ≥3 hours/day	0.52 (0.278-0.967)	0.039*
Daily consumption of at least 1 ultra-processed
Sitting time <3 hours/day	1
Sitting time ≥3 hours/day	2.42 (1.381-4.241)	0.002*

Brasil