SEDENTARY BEHAVIOR AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK IN CHILDREN: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

ABSTRACT In recognition of the increasing time spent in sedentary activities in modern life, an emerging area of study linking sedentary time to health has highlighted its role in the development of chronic diseases. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review was to investigate the indicators and characteristics of sedentary behavior associated with cardiovascular risk factors in children and adolescents. The databases SciVerse Scopus, MEDLINE®/PubMed and LILACS were selected as a source of reference, using the associated terms “sedentary lifestyle” or “sedentary behavior” or “sedentary” AND “cardiovascular diseases” AND “child or adolescent” to identify studies published from January 2006 to March 2019. The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated and a score was assigned. Fifty articles were included in this review at the end. Extensive sedentary time, especially greater screen and TV exposure time, were associated with cardiovascular risk factors. In addition, the accumulation of prolonged sedentary bouts with few breaks in sedentary time tended to compromise the cardiometabolic profile. These findings highlight the importance of differentiating and considering these various indicators and characteristics of sedentary behavior. Further studies are needed to elucidate the multiple and overlapping facets of sedentary behavior and their relationship with health, and to encourage the development of evidence-based recommendations for this population. Level of Evidence I; Systematic Review of Level I Studies.