Sociodemographic, dietary, and lifestyle factors associated with increased body fat in adolescents of São Luís, Maranhão State, Brazil

Abstract

The study aimed to verify factors associated with increased body fat in adolescents. This was a cross-sectional study in which the data source was a birth cohort launched in São Luís, Maranhão State, Brazil, in 1997/1998 and revisited in 2016. Body fat was measured with air displacement plethysmography. Sociodemographic, lifestyle, and dietary variables were included as possible factors associated with elevated body fat, stratified by sex. Body fat was considered elevated when ≥ 25% for males and ≥ 30% for females. The highest prevalence rates of high body fat were associated with female gender and age 19 years (PR = 1.17; 95%CI: 1.02- 1.35), alcohol consumption (PR = 1.14; 95%CI: 1.00-1.30), and never eating breakfast (PR = 1.46; 95%CI: 1.17-1.81) or lunch (PR = 1.51; 95%CI: 1.18-1.93). Male adolescents with the highest prevalence of high body fat were physically active (PR = 1.49; 95%CI: 1.07-2.09). Lower prevalence of high body fat was found in male adolescents belonging to economic class D/E (PR = 0.38; 95%CI: 0.16-0.90). In conclusion, female adolescents 19 years of age that consumed alcohol and that did not eat breakfast or lunch had higher body fat, as did physically active male adolescents. Meanwhile, male adolescents in socioeconomic class D/E had less body fat.