School environment and obesity in adolescents from a Brazilian metropolis: cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background Childhood-juvenile obesity is a globally acknowledged public health issue. The school environment has been widely assessed because it is where adolescents stay longer during the day, and it may have impact on obesity. School became a crucial environment for obesity prevention in children and adolescents. The aim of the present study was to associate schools’ internal environment factors and its surrounding areas with obesity in adolescents from a Brazilian metropolis. Methods Cross-sectional study based on data from the Study on Cardiovascular Risk in Adolescents. The sample comprised 2,530 adolescents in the age group 12–17 years, who were enrolled in public and private schools in Belo Horizonte City, Brazil. Obesity was the dependent variable based on the cut-off point score-z + 2 for body mass index based on age. School environment’s independent variables were ‘managerial dependence type’, ‘number of drinking fountains’, ‘school sports environment’ and ‘ready-to-eat food shops’ around the school (within an 800 m buffer). Results Obesity prevailed in 7.21% in sample. The largest number of drinking fountains decrease by 9% the chances of obesity in adolescents enrolled in public and private schools; however, the second and third terciles recorded for the number of ready-to-eat food shops within the 800 m buffer around schools increased by 24% and 44% the chances of obesity, respectively. Conclusion School food environment aspects such as the number of operational drinking fountains and the availability of ready-to-eat food shops around the school were associated with obesity in adolescents from a Brazilian metropolis.

Economic inequalities and temporomandibular disorders: A systematic review with meta‐analysis

“…In recent years, there has been growing interest in the relationship between economic income and TMDs. 18,32,33 Economic income, as a component of socioeconomic status (SES), has been linked to a wide range of health outcomes, including chronic pain conditions. 34,35 Individuals with lower economic income may face various social and environmental stressors, including poverty, unemployment and inadequate access to health care, that can increase their risk for developing TMDs.…”

“…This association is thought to be due to multiple factors, including increased stress levels, poor oral health habits, and a lack of access to dental care and treatment. 18,33 Stress is a known risk factor for TMD, and individuals living in poverty are more likely to experience chronic stress due to financial and social challenges. The physiological response to stress can lead to muscle tension in the face, neck and jaw, which can exacerbate TMD symptoms.…”

“…[14][15][16][17] In addition to these traditional risk factors, the literature suggests that socioeconomic status (SES) may also play a role in the development and progression of TMDs. [18][19][20][21][22][23] SES is a complex construct that encompasses several dimensions, including income, education and occupational status. Previous research has suggested that individuals with lower SES are more likely to experience a wider range of chronic health conditions, 24 including musculoskeletal disorders, compared to those with higher SES.…”

Neighborhood Availability and Use of Food, Physical Activity, and Social Services Facilities in Relation to Overweight and Obesity in Children and Adolescents

“…Both children classified as overweight and obese were included in the category “overweight (including obesity),” according to the terminology used by Cole et al 38 , 39 We chose to analyze overweight and obesity together because this is a commonly used approach in nutritional epidemiology and because our power calculations were made based on prevalence of overweight/obesity combined. 40 - 42 For the sake of simplicity, this study will refer to the latter category as “overweight.” As a way of compensating the students and school’s effort, at the end of the survey each participating school received an individualized report with their students’ assessments. Individually, each student also received his/her assessment.…”

Effect of a Supervised Exercise Program on Overweight and Obese Adolescents in the School Environment: A Pretest-Posttest Design

“…19 A cross-sectional study based on data from the Study on Cardiovascular Risk in Adolescents analyzed 2530 adolescents aged 12 to 17 years who were enrolled in public and private schools in Belo Horizonte City, Brazil and showed that obesity was present in 7.21% of the sample. 20 Another study analyzed the temporal variation in the incidence of overweight and abdominal obesity among adolescents from public schools in a capital in northeastern Brazil. This study included information from 3 cross-sectional surveys carried out in 2001, 2009, and 2017, with 2496 students aged 10 to 18 years living in the city of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.…”