The present study aimed to identify and summarize evidence regarding muscle strength (MS) levels in school children and adolescents (≤ 19 years) in Brazil in order to update previously published evidence from the Report Card Brazil project. The systematic search for information was conducted in seven databases, restricted to studies published during the period from January 2018 to December 2019. Thirteen studies were included, which gathered information from 10,135 children and adolescents from seven Brazilian states. Different tests/protocols for assessing MS were identified, however, handgrip strength was the test most adopted in studies (53.8%). The prevalence of children and adolescents with MS levels considered healthy was 29.8%, considering the totality of information, and 27.6% for males and 31.8% for females. Considering full data reviewed by the Report Card Brazil project (data analyzed in this study in addition to those previously published), information regarding the assessment of MS levels in children and adolescents in Brazil came from studies conducted during the period from 2010 to 2019, which included a sample of 15,208 children and adolescents (aged 7-19 years). According to this information, the prevalence of children and adolescents with MS levels considered healthy in this period was 57.8%, 61.1% for males and 58.8% for females.

Background Anthropometric indicators of obesity have been associated with blood pressure in adolescents. However, the accuracy of anthropometric indicators of obesity for screening for high blood pressure (HBP) in adolescents is not known. Thus, the aim of the present study was to summarize the set of evidence regarding the predictive ability of anthropometric indicators of obesity to identify HBP in adolescents. Methods Searches were performed in five databases: MEDLINE, Web of Knowledge, Scopus, Scientific Electronic online (SciELO) and SportDiscus. The inclusion criteria for studies were: adolescents aged 10–19 years or mean age included in this range, observational and intervention studies, studies that proposed cutoff points for anthropometric indicators of obesity, and studies in English, Portuguese and Spanish. The methodological quality of studies was assessed using the QUADAS-2 instrument. Results Ten studies met the inclusion criteria and had their information summarized. Based on the information described in these studies, the anthropometric indicators body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height-ratio (WHtR), triceps skinfold thickness, body adiposity index, C index, body mass, waist-to-arm span ratio, arm fat area, average arm perimeter, fat percentage and arm span were likely to be used in high blood pressure (HBP) screening among adolescents. However, only one study showed acceptable values (moderate to high precision) in relation to the accuracy measurements of described cutoffs. Conclusion Caution is suggested in the use of anthropometric indicators of obesity for HBP screening in adolescents, in which a greater number of studies with accurate diagnostic tools are necessary.

Body weight dissatisfaction has been described as a marker for various health diseases, given its direct association with social, physical, and emotional suffering. We investigated the association between body weight dissatisfaction and health risk behaviors in adolescents. This was a cross-sectional study conducted with 668 adolescents aged 14–19 years in the city of São José, southern Brazil. Body weight satisfaction/dissatisfaction was assessed using a questionnaire validated for the investigated population. Health risk behaviors included smoking, alcohol, illicit drugs, medication, non-prescription anabolic steroids, not using seatbelt, unsafe sexual behavior and not knowing how to deal with day-to-day stress. Among males, 66.1% were dissatisfied with their body weight (32.1% due to thinness and 34.0% due to overweight). Among females, 80.0% were dissatisfied with their body weight (24.5% due to thinness and 55.5% due to overweight). There were no significant differences regarding health risk behaviors according to body weight satisfaction/dissatisfaction and sex. Compared to males who were satisfied with their body weight, those who were dissatisfied due to being overweight were more likely to be using tobacco (OR: 2.9; 95% CI: 2.1–4.2), alcohol (OR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.5–1.9) and anabolic steroids (OR: 2.7; 95% CI: 1.2–5.7). Compared to females who were satisfied with their body weight, those who were dissatisfied due to thinness were more likely to be consuming alcoholic beverages (OR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.2–2.0) and less likely to be consuming illicit drugs (OR: 0.5; 95% CI: 0.3–0.8). Interventions aimed at health education regarding the non-adoption of risk behaviors such as alcohol and tobacco use, as well as the non-use of anabolic steroids, and favoring the maintenance of general health, may be important for adolescents with body dissatisfaction. These data suggest that health risk behaviors such as adolescent male use of tobacco, alcohol, and anabolic steroids and the use of alcohol and drugs by female adolescents can be related to body weight dissatisfaction.

AimTo propose cutoff points for anthropometric indicators for high blood pressure (HBP) screening in adolescents and to identify, among these indicators, those more accurately for boys and girls.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was carried out in the city of São José, SC, Brazil with 634 adolescents aged 14 to 19 years. Blood pressure levels were measured using a digital oscillometric sphygmomanometer and adolescents were classified as having HBP or not. Anthropometric indicators were calculated based on anthropometric measurements such as body mass (BM), height, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC) and triceps, subscapularis, suprailiac, and midcalf skinfold thickness (SF). The Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC) was used to analyze the predictive capacity of anthropometric indicators in the identification of HBP.ResultsHigher values of Area Under the Curve (AUC) were for the anthropometric indicators BM (0.67; 95%CI: 0.62–0.72), body mass index (BMI) (0.67; 95%CI: 0.62–0.72), and WC (0.67; 95%CI: 0.62–0.71) for males. For females, no anthropometric indicator had discriminatory power for HBP screening. The cutoff points for the anthropometric indicators with discriminatory power for HBP screening in males were BM > 64.80 Kg, BMI > 21.76 Kg/m2, fat percentage (FP) > 15.75, waist height to ratio (WHtR) > 0.41, WC > 73.00 cm, and HC > 92.25 cm.ConclusionAnthropometric indicators of body adiposity had greater discriminatory power of HBP screening in males. For females, caution is suggested because the anthropometric indicators showed AUC values (95%CI) below 0.60.

RESUMO: O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar a associação entre a insatisfação com a imagem corporal, por excesso de peso e pela magreza, e diferentes indicadores antropométricos de obesidade em adolescentes do sul do Brasil. Caracterizou-se com um estudo transversal, realizado na cidade de Criciúma – SC, com 575 adolescentes de 11 a 17 anos, de ambos os sexos. A imagem corporal foi avaliada por meio de escala de silhuetas. Os indicadores antropométricos de obesidade Índice de Massa Corporal, Relação Cintura-Estatura, Perímetro da Cintura e Índice de Conicidade foram avaliados conforme protocolo da Sociedade internacional para o Avanço da Cineantropometria. Adolescentes do sexo masculino, de 11 a 13 anos insatisfeitos pela magreza, apresentaram menores chances de ter Relação Cintura-Estatura elevada (RC: 0,1; IC95%: 0,04 - 0,51) e maiores chances de ter Índice de Conicidade elevado (RC: 4,4; IC95%:1,28-15,20) quando comparados com adolescentes satisfeitos com a imagem corporal. Adolescentes do sexo feminino, de 11 a 13 anos insatisfeitas pela magreza, apresentaram menores chances de ter Índice de Massa Corporal (RC: 0,1; IC95%: 0,02 - 0,58) e Índice de Conicidade (RC: 0,2; IC95%: 0,05 - 0,94) elevados e maiores chances de ter Relação Cintura-Estatura elevada (RC: 23,6; IC95%: 3,35-166,85) quando comparadas às adolescentes satisfeitas com a imagem corporal. Concluiu-se que existe associação entre a imagem corporal e indicadores antropométricos de obesidade para adolescentes de 11 a 13 anos, principalmente nos insatisfeitos pela magreza. No sexo masculino, distintos indicadores antropométricos de obesidade abdominal trazem interpretações distintas na associação com a imagem corporal. No sexo feminino, indica distorção da própria imagem corporal, que pode levar as adolescentes a adotarem comportamentos alimentares inadequados, levando à riscos à sua saúde.