Psychological well-being influences health behaviours differently in adolescent boys and girls. We evaluated the role of psychological well-being in early adolescence in the onset and persistence of insufficient physical activity and exceeding recommended screen time, depending on gender. This work derives from a cohort study called Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Nutritional Assessment conducted among elementary school students from two public and four private schools in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 2010–2013. We analysed data from 2010 and 2012 from 526 adolescents. Physical activity was evaluated using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Those who performed less than 60 min per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were classified as insufficiently active. Screen time was evaluated based on daily time spent in front of television, video games, and computers. Those who had 4 h or more screen time per day were classified as exceeding the recommended time. Psychological well-being was assessed using the psychological domain of the KIDSCREEN 27 questionnaire. Linear regression was used to estimate coefficient (β) and r2 values for continuous variables. Relative risks (RR) and confidence intervals (95 % CI) for onset and persistence of insufficient activity and exceeding recommended screen time were estimated with Poisson regression models. Among girls, linear regression analyses showed a significant inverse association between psychological well-being and screen minutes per day at T2 (r2 = 0.049/β = −3.81 (95 % CI −7.0, −0.9)), as well as an association between poor psychological well-being and onset of exceeding recommended screen time in categorical analyses (RR crude: 1.3; CI 95 % 1.1, 1.7; RR adjusted: 1.3; CI 95 % 1.0, 1.6). For boys, an association was found between psychological well-being and onset of insufficient activity 2 years later (RR crude: 1.3; CI 95 % 1.2, 1.4; RR adjusted: 1.2; CI 95 % 1.1, 1.4). Adolescence is crucial for the development of unhealthy behaviours related to psychological well-being status in the context of a middle-income country. Gender differences are important because poor psychological well-being seems to affect sedentary behaviour in girls more than in boys, and predicts insufficient activity among boys.

OBJECTIVE To identify gender differences in social support dimensions’ effect on adults’ leisure-time physical activity maintenance, type, and time.METHODS Longitudinal study of 1,278 non-faculty public employees at a university in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Southeastern Brazil. Physical activity was evaluated using a dichotomous question with a two-week reference period, and further questions concerning leisure-time physical activity type (individual or group) and time spent on the activity. Social support was measured with the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Scale. For the analysis, logistic regression models were adjusted separately by gender.RESULTS A multinomial logistic regression showed an association between material support and individual activities among women (OR = 2.76; 95%CI 1.2;6.5). Affective support was associated with time spent on leisure-time physical activity only among men (OR = 1.80; 95%CI 1.1;3.2).CONCLUSIONS All dimensions of social support that were examined influenced either the type of, or the time spent on, leisure-time physical activity. In some social support dimensions, the associations detected varied by gender. Future studies should attempt to elucidate the mechanisms involved in these gender differences.

Objective: To investigate the effect of five dimensions of social relationships on obesity and potential sex differences in these associations.Design and Methods: This study used longitudinal data from the Swedish Level of Living Surveys (LNU) in 1991 and 2000. The sample included 3,586 individuals. The dimensions of social relationships examined in this study include emotional support, frequency of visiting friends, marital status, marital status changes, and a Social Relationships Index (SRI). Obesity status was based on BMI (kg/m²) and calculated with self‐reported measurements. The association between social relationships and the incidence of obesity after 9 years of follow‐up was evaluated through Poisson regressions.Results: After controlling for confounders, we found that the lack of emotional support (RR = 1.98; 95% CI, 1.1‐4.6) influenced the incidence of obesity among men. In addition, men with the lowest levels of SRI (RR = 2.22; 95% CI, 1.1‐4.4) had an increased risk of being obese. Among women, SRI was not significantly associated with obesity. Women who changed their marital status from married to unmarried had lower risk of obesity (RR = 0.39; 95% CI, 0.2‐0.9).Conclusions: This study provides evidence for the effect of social relationships on the incidence of obesity, with significant differences by sex.

Although social support has been observed to exert a beneficial influence on leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), multidimensional approaches examining social support and prospective evidence of its importance are scarce. The purpose of this study was to investigate how four dimensions of social support affect LTPA engagement, maintenance, type, and time spent by adults during a two-year follow-up.

Previous findings suggest that the loss of a family member is associated with health and mortality. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between bereavement experiences and BMI, and whether there are socio-demographic differences in this association. To investigate the association between bereavement experiences and BMI, and whether there are socio-demographic differences in this association. We used cross-sectional data with retrospective questions from the Swedish Level of Living Survey (LNU) of 2000, including 5,142 individuals. The bereavement experiences examined in the study include the loss of a sibling, a parent or a spouse, and time since the death of a parent. BMI (kg/m²) was calculated using self-reported measurements of weight and height. The association between bereavement and BMI was evaluated through linear regressions. After controlling for possible confounders, most of the models detected an association between bereavement and BMI. The fully-adjusted model showed that loss of parents was associated with a 0.45 increase in BMI (SE = 0.20). The effect also seemed to be dependent on time since the loss and social class position. The present study is the first to examine associations between different types of familial losses and BMI. We find an association between the death of a family member and BMI, but it appears to be related to time since the death, type of bereavement experience and social class.

As representações sociais da deficiência (RSD) podem ter amplo impacto na efetiva inclusão nas aulas de Educação Física. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar as RSD por alunos de Educação Física e avaliar as repercussões destas na efetiva participação do aluno com deficiência nas atividades pedagógicas propostas. O estudo descritivo, qualitativo e exploratório contou com a participação de 29 estudantes da rede Estadual de Ensino dos municípios de Itaguaí e Seropédica - RJ, de ambos os sexos, com idade média de 19,55 anos (DP=5,05), com ou sem a manifestação de uma deficiência e que praticavam aulas de Educação Física. A Entrevista semiestruturada foi utilizada para coleta de dados. As entrevistas foram gravadas, transcritas na íntegra e analisadas com a técnica de análise de conteúdo. Três categorias emergiram: (1) RSD: modelos teóricos; (2) RSD: conceitos e valores; (3) representações sociais e participação nas aulas de Educação Física. Cada uma destas foi discutida junto com sugestões para estudos futuros. Conclui-se que a maioria das RSD foi pautada no modelo médico, com características estigmatizantes e excludentes, as quais podem ter amplo impacto na participação dos alunos com deficiência nas aulas de Educação Física, o que torna essencial a elaboração de intervenções que enfoquem esta problemática e contribuam para efetiva inclusão.