DO SEDENTARY BEHAVIOR AND ADIPOSITY ASSOCIATE WITH THE LEVELS OF TESTOSTERONE IN OBESE ADOLESCENTS?
Sedentary lifestyle; Cardiometabolic Health; Adolescence
INTRODUCTION: Testosterone, in addition to performing important anabolic functions, is a key hormone for cardiometabolic health. Studies have shown the effect of high sedentary behavior and overweight/obesity on adult male testosterone levels, but this relationship is not clear in adolescence, where testosterone plays important roles in growth and development.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the level of sedentary behavior and adiposity are associated with the testosterone levels of overweight and obese adolescents.
METHODS: A descriptive research, with an observational technique and a cross-sectional design. Twenty nine adolescents with excess weight, without comorbidities and in the maturational stage between G3 and G5 were included in this analysis. Testosterone levels were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The sedentary behavior was evaluated by triaxial accelerometer (ActiGraph GT3X +) over seven consecutive days. Adiposity was measured by X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). A multivariate linear regression model was used to verify the association between the independent variables (adiposity and sedentary behavior) on testosterone levels. A value of p <0.05 was used for statistical significance.
RESULTS: The statistical model that included both independent variables was not statistically significant [F (2,26) = 3,242; p = 0.55; R2 = 0.200]. The isolated effect of body adiposity on testosterone levels was calculated, thus, statistical significance [F (1,27) = 6,647; p = 0.016; R2 = 0.198].
CONCLUSION: Sedentary behavior is not associated with testosterone levels. On the other hand, the degree of adiposity was negatively associated with the testosterone levels of overweight adolescents.