Level of Physical Activity and Sedentary Lifestyle in Adolescents from Peru

Abstract

Introduction: Physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyle represent a public health problem, as they are associated with chronic non-communicable diseases and increased mortality, so identifying and treating them is a priority in adolescence, since it is a vital period to maintain health throughout life.

Objective: To determine the level of physical activity and sedentary lifestyle in adolescents in Peru.

Methods: A quantitative, observational, retrospective, longitudinal study and secondary data analysis was carried out. The population was made up of 750 records of adolescents that appear in the database of the largest cohort of Peru Children of the Millennium (Niños del Milenio de Perú) during 3 rounds (3, 4 and 5) carried out in 2009, 2013 and 2016, when the participants were 15, 19 and 22 years old. The technique was a documentary review and the instrument was a previously validated and reliable data collection sheet, which included items that evaluated the level of physical activity according to the criteria used by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and sedentary lifestyle according to the American Association of Pediatrics.

Results: The low level of physical activity occurred in 73.0% in round 3, 84.6% in round 4 and 83.8% in round 5, with a higher predominance in women. Sedentary lifestyle occurred in 93.5%, 73.5% and 83.6% in rounds 3, 4 and 5, respectively.

Conclusion: There is low level of physical activity and high presence of sedentary lifestyle in adolescents in Peru, which increases the risk of presenting chronic non-communicable diseases in that age group.