Qual a relação entre o comportamento sedentário e a percepção de saúde de escolares da educação de jovens e adultos?

Abstract

Introduction: The relationship between sedentary behavior and health perception of schoolchildren in youth and adult education is a relevant research topic, given that sedentary behavior is an emerging public health problem, which can cause damage to health, especially of the most vulnerable populations. Understanding this relationship can help identify the factors that influence sedentary behavior and health of these students, thus contributing to the development of effective strategies for health promotion. Objective: To investigate the potential relationship between sedentary behavior and health perception of students of youth and adult education in two public schools in Salvador-Bahia, Brazil. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design with convenience sampling was used. Students were asked to complete questionnaires in 2021, which included questions about their economic characteristics, sociodemographic factors, health perception and sedentary behavior. Data analysis was performed by the Spearman correlation test, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: The mean time found in hours of sedentary behavior on one day of the week and weekend was 3.42 2.81 and 3.25 2.91, respectively. The findings showed moderate positive correlation between sedentary behavior and health perception on weekdays (ρ =0.330; p = 0.04) and weekends (ρ = 0.364; p = 0.01). Discussion: The main finding of the study corresponds to the direct correlation of moderate intensity between sedentary behavior and health perception on weekdays and weekends. This means that as students engage in sedentary behavior, they perceive their health more positively, contrary to the hypothesis of the study and the existing scientific literature. Conclusion: The results of this study are significant for public health, however the authors warn of the need for data analysis within the social context in which students are situated, new research is needed to better understand the relationship between sedentary behavior and health perception in the segment of youth and adult education.