These findings suggest that AST should be promoted to increase PA levels in children and adolescents and that cycling to/ from school is associated with increased cardiovascular fitness .
BACKGROUND The impact of  active school transport ( AST )  on daily physical activity ( PA ) levels , body composition and cardiovascular fitness remains unclear .
Modifiable risk factors for overweight and obesity in children and adolescents from São Paulo, Brazil
Background Brazil is currently experiencing a nutrition transition : the displacement of traditional diets with foods high in saturated fat , sodium , and cholesterol and an increase in sedentary lifestyles . Despite these trends , our underst and ing of child obesity in Brazil is limited . Thus , the aims of this study were ( 1 ) to investigate the current prevalence of overweight and obesity in a large sample of children and adolescents living in São Paulo , Brazil , and ( 2 ) to identify the lifestyle behaviors associated with an increased risk of obesity in young Brazilians . Methods A total of 3,397 children and adolescents ( 1,596 male ) aged 7 - 18 years were r and omly selected from 22 schools in São Paulo , Brazil . Participants were classified as normal weight , overweight , or obese based on international age- and sex-specific body mass index thresholds . Selected sociodemographic , physical activity , and nutrition behaviors were assessed via question naire . Results Overall , 19.4 % of boys and 16.1 % of girls were overweight while 8.9 % and 4.3 % were obese . Two-way analysis of variance revealed that the prevalence of overweight and obesity was significantly higher in boys and in younger children when compared to girls and older children , respectively ( P < 0.05 for both ) . Logistic regression analysis revealed that overweight was associated with more computer usage , parental encouragement to be active , and light soft drink consumption after controlling for differences in sex , age , and parental education ( P < 0.05 for all ) . Conversely , overweight was associated with less active transport to school , eating before sleep , and consumption of breakfast , full-sugar soft drinks , fried food and confectionery ( P < 0.05 for all ) . Conclusions Our results show that obesity in São Paulo children and adolescents has reached a level equivalent to that seen in many developed countries . We have also identified three key modifiable factors related to obesity that may be appropriate targets for future intervention in Brazilian youth : transport mode to school , computer usage , and breakfast consumption
These findings suggest that AST should be promoted to increase PA levels in children and adolescents and that cycling to/ from school is associated with increased cardiovascular fitness .
BACKGROUND The impact of  active school transport ( AST )  on daily physical activity ( PA ) levels , body composition and cardiovascular fitness remains unclear .