Fatores psicossociais e prática de atividade física em adolescentes: o estado nutricional modera essa associação?

Abstract

Social support and self-efficacy are associated with the practice of physical activity in adolescents. However, it has been recommended to analyze to what extent these associations vary according to the characteristics of the adolescents. The objective of this study was to analyze whether nutritional status moderates the association between psychosocial factors (social support and self efficacy) and adolescents' physical activity practice. This is a cross-sectional study that used baseline data (2014) from the LONCAAFS (study (Longitudinal Study on Sedentary Behavior, Physical Activity, Feeding and Adolescent Health). The sample consisted of 650 adolescents aged 10 to 14 (52,9% female) from public schools in the city of João Pessoa (PB). Social support and self-efficacy were measured by scales composed of 15 items (five items for each source of support: father, mother and friends, on a Likert scale) and four items (dichotomous scale), respectively. Physical activity was measured by Actigraph GT3X + accelerometers and nutritional status by means of body mass index (without excess body weight vs. excess body weight). The crude and adjusted linear regression was used to analyze the association between social support, self efficacy and physical activity practice and whether this association is moderated by the nutritional status of adolescents. The analyzes were performed in Stata 13. The significance level adopted was p = 0,05. Adolescents with excess body weight had a lower time of moderate to vigorous physical activity, but similar levels of social support (p = 0,140, p = 0,511, p = 0,822), and self-efficacy (p = 0,071) compared to their non-overweight peers. The social support of friends was positively and significantly associated with the practice of moderate intensity physical activity (ß = 2,67; IC95%: 0,28; 5,07). The association between psychosocial factors and the practice of physical activity was not moderated by the nutritional status of adolescents. The possible influences of social support and self-efficacy on physical activity levels do not appear to differ by the nutritional status of adolescents.