Introduction
Sedentary behavior and physical activity are not
mutually exclusive behaviors. The relative risk of overweight for adolescents
who are highly sedentary and highly physically active is unclear. A better
understanding of the relationship between sedentary behaviors, physical
activity, and body mass index (BMI) would provide insight for developing
interventions to prevent or reduce overweight.
Methods
Using the physical activity module of the School Health
Action, Planning and Evaluation System (SHAPES), we collected data from 25,060
students in grades 9 through 12 from 76 secondary schools in Ontario, Canada.
Sex-specific logistic regression analyses were performed to examine how BMI,
weight perceptions, social influences, team sports participation, and smoking
behavior were associated with being 1) high active-high sedentary, 2) low
active-low sedentary, and 3) low active-high sedentary.
Results
Low active-high sedentary boys were more likely to be
overweight than high active-low sedentary boys (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.60;
95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-2.58). When compared with high active-low
sedentary girls, girls who were low active-high sedentary (OR, 2.24; 95% CI,
1.23-4.09) or high active-high sedentary (OR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.01-3.61) were more
likely to be overweight.
Conclusion
Sedentary behavior may moderate the relationship between
physical activity and overweight. Developing a better understanding of sedentary
behavior in relation to physical activity and overweight is critical for
preventing and reducing overweight among youth.