Perceived neighborhood environmental characteristics and different types of physical activity among Brazilian adolescents

Little is known about the association between environmental characteristics and types of physical activity in adolescents in a Latin American context. The aim of this study was to examine the association between perceived neighborhood environmental characteristics and different types of physical activity in 2,874 adolescents from Joao Pessoa, Paraiba State, Northeastern Brazil. The types of activity measured by questionnaire (≥10 min/day) included sports, physical exercises, active commuting and recreational activities. Neighborhood characteristics were measured by a 15-item scale. Multilevel analyses showed that adolescents who reported “having places they liked to go to” (OR = 1.41; 95%CI: 1.10–1.79) and “places with opportunities to practice” (OR = 1.29; 95%CI: 1.01–1.65) were more likely to play sports. “Seeing interesting things while walking” (OR = 1.24; 95%CI: 1.01–1.53) and “Seeing other adolescents engaged in physical activity” (OR = 1.47; 95%CI: 1,05–2,06) were associated with exercises. “Seeing other adolescents engaged in physical activity” (OR = 1.47; 95%CI: 1.18–1.82), “the neighborhood is not violent” (OR = 1.29; 95%CI: 1.04–1.60) and “having places they like to go to” (OR = 1.59; 95%CI: 1.13–2.25) were positively associated and “places with opportunities to practice” (OR = 0.79; 95%CI: 0.63–0.98) inversely related to active commuting. “Seeing other adolescents engaged in physical activities” (OR = 1.31; 95%CI: 1.05–1.63) and “seeing interesting things while walking” (OR = 1.26; 95%CI: 1.02–1.56) were associated with recreational activities. Neighborhood environmental characteristics associated with the physical activity vary with the type of practices adopted by adolescents.     

Association of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Perinatal Maternal Depression with Early Childhood Behavioral Problems: An Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Study

This study examined the association of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), prenatal, and postnatal maternal depressive symptoms with externalizing, internalizing, and autism spectrum problems on the Preschool Child Behavior Checklist in 2379 children aged 4.12 ± 0.60 (48% female; 47% White, 32% Black, 15% Mixed Race, 4% Asian, <2% American Indian/Alaskan Native, <2% Native Hawaiian; 23% Hispanic). Data were collected from the NIH Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program from 2009-2021. GDM, prenatal, and postnatal maternal depressive symptoms were each associated with increased child externalizing and internalizing problems. GDM was associated with increased autism behaviors only among children exposed to perinatal maternal depressive symptoms above the median level. Stratified analyses revealed a relation between GDM and child outcomes in males only.