Metabolic equivalent and intensity of physical activity in public school adolescents

The aim of this study was to identify Metabolic Equivalents of Task (METs) and physical activity intensity, and to examine their associations with sociodemographic, occupational, and behavioral factors among adolescents in public schools in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil. This cross-sectional study, part of the ELCAS project, was conducted between 2022 and 2023 with 1,616 first-year high school students. Physical activity was assessed using the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), converted into MET·min/week and categorized as low (<600), moderate (≥600), or high (≥3,000). Independent variables included gender, school shift, occupation, active transportation, and parental physical activity. Chi-square, Student’s t-tests, ANOVA, and multinomial logistic regression were used, with a 5% significance level. The mean physical activity was 3,401.1 (±3,242.0) MET·min/week. Higher activity levels were observed in boys, daytime students, employed adolescents, those using active transport, and those with physically active parents. Conversely, girls, evening-shift students, unemployed adolescents, those not using active transport, and those with inactive parents were more likely to engage in moderate or low activity. Physical activity levels were heterogeneous and associated with individual, family, and school factors. Promotion strategies should prioritize girls and evening-shift students, highlighting the protective roles of active transportation and parental modeling. Longitudinal studies are recommended to clarify the causal relationships observed.