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Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Visualization of Intensity Levels to Reduce the Gap Between Self-Reported and Directly Measured Physical Activity
Published on: March 7, 2019
[Prevalence of physical inactivity and associated factors in adolescents]
Augusto César Ferreira de Moraes1, Carlos Alexandre Molena Fernandes, Rui Gonçalves Marques Elias
1Programa de pós-graduação em Ciências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP.
Objective:
To estimate the prevalence of physical inactivity among adolescents (14-18 years) in the city of Maringá/PR and to explore its association with demographic, socioeconomic and behavioral, indicators of nutritional status variables.
Methods:
Cross-sectional study with a representative sample of 991 adolescents (54.5% girls) from both public and private high schools selected through multi stage random sampling. The level of habitual physical activity was verified through the IPAQ modified for adolescents, using the last week as a reference period. Physical inactivity was defined as <300 min/wk of moderate and vigorous physical activity. The independent variables studied were: gender, age, type of high school, socioeconomic level, smoking, sedentary behavior (> 4 h/d), nutritional status and abdominal obesity.
Results:
Prevalence of physical inactivity among adolescents was 56.9% (girls = 57.9%, boys = 55.7%, p =. 046). The risk factors associated with physical inactivity were belonging to the lower socioeconomic level, studying at public schools and being obese.
Conclusion:
We found a high prevalence of physical inactivity in the study. It is urgently necessary to develop strategies aimed at increasing physical activity, which can be achieved by development of an educational content that promotes healthy life styles.
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