[Sedentary behavior and dietary patterns in young adults from the 1993 Pelotas Birth Cohort, Brazil]

This longitudinal study evaluated the association between sedentary behavior, assessed by screen time and accelerometer at 18 and 22 years of age and eating patterns at 22 among participants from the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort. The exposure variables were self-reported leisure-time screen time, sedentary time measured by accelerometer, and change in screen and sedentary time from age 18 to 22. The main component analysis identified three dietary patterns at age 22: healthy and traditional Brazilian snacks, and sweets. Associations were analyzed by crude and adjusted Poisson Regression (n = 3,396). The adjusted analyses showed associations between longer screen time at age 18 (PR: 1.23; 95%CI: 1.08-1.40) and 22 (PR: 1.23; 95%CI: 1.09-1.39) and greater adherence to the Snacks and Sweets pattern. In addition, high screen time at age 18 and 22 was associated with greater adherence to Snacks and Sweets (PR: 1.31; 95%CI: 1.03-1.67) and lower adherence to the Healthy pattern (PR: 0.65; 95%CI: 0.48-0.87), compared to consistently low screen time at both ages. No associations were found with sedentary time assessed by an accelerometer. The conclusion drawn was that greater screen time at ages 18 and 22 was associated with adherence to an unhealthy dietary pattern in young adults.