Demographic, socioeconomic and environment factors associated with physical activities and screen-based devices among Quilombola schoolchildren

Background: Evidence suggests that exposure to behaviors and risk factors since childhood critically contributes to the onset of many negative health outcomes in adulthood.
Purpose: Describe demographic, socioeconomic, and environmental factors associated with physical activity (PA) and screen devices among Brazilian Quilombola schoolchildren.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with a sample of 979 students from 2nd to 5th grade in Feira de Santana, Bahia (42.6% girls, Age: 9.4±1.52 years). PA and screen devices were reported in the online Web-CAAFE questionnaire. Demographic, socioeconomic, and environmental information were assessed by proxy report. Crude and adjusted Poisson regression models estimated the associations as Prevalence Ratio (PR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI). The value of p<0.05 was adopted as a criterion for evaluating statistical significance.
Results: There was a higher engagement of girls in screen use (PR=1.23; 95%CI 1.11-1.35) and in moderate PA (PR=1.52; 95%CI 1.31-1.76), however, lower in vigorous PA (PR=0.41; 95%CI 0.35-0.50). Obesity (PR=1.26; 95%CI 1.08-1.46), age group (10-12 years) (PR=1.26; 95%CI 1.45-1.39), and residing in Humildes (PR=1.27; 95%CI 1.10-1.47) were associated with screen use. Residents in Humildes also showed more vigorous PA (PR=1.15; 95%CI 1.14-2.07). Maternal elementary (PR=1.76; 95%CI 1.00-3.11) and high school education (PR=1.77; 95%CI 1.01-3.09) were associated with light PA among participants.
Conclusions: Among Quilombola schoolchildren, PA and screen usage were associated with female gender, age group 10-12 years, obesity, maternal education, and residing in the district closest to the urban area.
Practical implications: Restricting screen usage and increasing engagement in PA can be a strategy to improve the health of children and adolescents.
Funding: The study received financial support by the Foundation for Research Support of the State of Bahia (FAPESB). Araujo LDMS and Schrann MMF were supported by the Higher Education Personnel Improvement Coordination (CAPES process No. 88887.703092/2022-00 and No. 88887.687171/2022-00 respectively).