Abstract Excessive computer use is a common behavior among university students. This study’s objective, conducted with Brazilian university students, was to estimate the prevalence and association between computer use for academic studies/research and high computer use for leisure and social network access, as well as to examine the associations of sociodemographic characteristics, university affiliation, and physical activity with high computer use for leisure and social network access, considering the stratification for computer use for academic studies/research. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,011 university students. The outcome was high computer use for leisure, accessing social networks. The variables analyzed included computer use for studies/research, along with sociodemographic variables, university affiliation, and physical activity. The prevalence of the outcome was 17.0%. There was no association between computer use for studies/research and computer use for leisure. However, among university students with lower computer use for studies/research, increasing age was associated with lower prevalence (PR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.88-0.96), whereas a greater number of computers at home and longer university enrollment were associated with higher prevalences of high computer use for leisure. In conclusion, there was a high prevalence of computer use for leisure, this behavior among university students being associated with age, time spent at university, and the number of computers/laptops available for access, particularly in the context of lower computer use for academic activities.
Abstract Muscle endurance is an important indicator of health-related fitness in childhood and adolescence. The present study aimed to identify and summarize the evidence on the prevalence of adequate muscle endurance among Brazilian children and adolescents (6 to 18 years) to update the evidence of previously published by the Report Card Brazil project. A systematic search of studies published from 2020 to 2024 was performed in five databases (LILACS, SciELO, Medline/PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus). We identified 20,202 articles; 16 met the eligibility criteria and were included in this review for data extraction and risk-of-bias assessment. Among the 4,613 children and adolescents participating in the studies was estimated at 55.9% (range 29.1% to 76.7%), had adequate abdominal muscle endurance. Different test batteries were reported, the most used were PROESP/BR® and FITNESSGRAM®. Most studies were carried out in the South (62.5%) and Southeast (25.0%) regions of Brazil. We conclude that more than half of Brazilian children and adolescents of both genders have an abdominal muscle endurance adequate for health, with similar values among boys and girls.
Abstract This study examined the association between perceived neighborhood assets and anthropometric markers in schoolchildren living in urban areas at high social risk, comparing findings for arm span with those observed for body mass index (BMI). A cross-sectional study was conducted with 164 schoolchildren (82 girls and 82 boys; aged 6-15 years) from Tegucigalpa, Honduras. An adapted neighborhood assets scale was administered, and its internal structure was evaluated through exploratory factor analysis. The association between perceived community capital and arm span was estimated using hierarchical linear regression while adjusting for age and sex. BMI was examined as a comparative weight-related indicator. Factor analysis identified a three-factor structure with high internal consistency (α = 0.837-0.943). Sex comparisons showed no differences in age, BMI, or arm span, although community capital scores were higher among girls (p = 0.035). In the adjusted model, community capital was positively associated with arm span (β = 0.155; p = 0.004), increasing the explained variance by 2.2%. No significant associations were observed between community capital and BMI. These findings suggest that among schoolchildren living in socially adverse urban contexts, perceived community capital may be associated with a structural marker of physical growth but not with a weight-related indicator. Longitudinal studies are required to clarify the temporal nature and direction of these associations.
Abstract The objective of the present study was to summarize the prevalences, secular trends, and associated factors of overweight and obesity among Brazilian children and adolescents in order to update the 2018 and 2019 data published in the 2020 Report Card. A systematic search was conducted in nine databases, restricted to studies published between January 2020 and December 2024. After the analysis of 82 studies, the overall prevalences were 18.4% for overweight, 10.7% for obesity, and 29.7% for excess weight. When considering the overall data stratified by sex, boys presented slightly higher prevalences than girls for overweight (18.3% vs. 18.1%), obesity (11.2% vs. 9.7%), and excess weight (31.9% vs. 29.9%). When stratified by children and adolescents, prevalences of 18.3% and 18.5% were observed for overweight, 16.5% and 8.5% for obesity, and 35.3% and 28.5% for excess weight, respectively. Secular trend studies indicate stabilization in the prevalences of overweight, obesity, and excess weight among boys, whereas among girls these prevalences continue to increase. Based on these findings, preventive measures aimed at reducing the prevalences of overweight and obesity should be developed and strengthened, as well as treatment programs focused on the management of childhood obesity, which should be considered a top priority within the public health system.
Abstract The assessment of the morphological characteristics of young athletes has been widely considered for some years now by coaches, technicians, and managers with a view to identifying, developing, and guiding exceptional athletes. However, the use of these results is of little use if it is not associated with reliable information on the maturity of potential sporting talent. In this opinion piece, I present what is considered the “Gold Standard” methodology in maturation assessment and offer some reflections on the guidance of young athletes.
