Orientador: Lilian Teresa Bucken Gobbi / Banca: Maria José de Carvalho Costa / Banca: Gesualdo Pereira Soares / Banca: Claudio Alexandre Gobatto / Banca: José Riani Costa / Resumo: O envelhecimento promove mudanças nos diversos sistemas, especialmente músculo-esquelético e cardiopulmonar. Exercícios físicos regulares melhoram o condicionamento cardiorrespiratório, modificam as dimensões corporais e neuromusculares, amenizando o impacto do envelhecimento na capacidade funcional. Com o objetivo de analisar os efeitos do exercício físico sobre indicadores pulmonares e antropométricos em idosas, dois estudos foram realizados. O Estudo 1 observou os efeitos da especificidade do exercício sobre indicadores antropométricos e pulmonares em idosas. Quarenta mulheres acima de 60 anos, compuseram quatro grupos (Sedentárias, Hidroginástica, Musculação e Dança). O Estudo 2 verificou os efeitos de um Programa de Exercícios Generalizados (PEG) em indicadores antropométricos e pulmonares em mulheres sedentárias entre 60 a 78 anos. Participaram do estudo trinta e duas mulheres, que compuseram dois grupos: Controle (n=14) e Intervenção (n=18). Para ambos os estudos, foram analisadas as variáveis antropométricas (índice de massa corpórea, circunferência muscular do braço e panturrilha, dobra cutânea tricipital e relação cintura/quadril); nível de atividade física (Questionário de Baecke) e função pulmonar [pressões respiratórias máximas, mobilidade torácica e espirometria (capacidade vital forçada - CVF, volume expiratório forçado no primeiro segundo - VEF1, relação VEF1/CVF, fluxo médio expiratório forçado - FEF25-75% e pico de fluxo expiratório)]. No Estudo 2, as participantes foram reavaliadas após 4 meses de intervenção. No Estudo 1, para o nível de atividade física, houve diferenças quanto à especificidade do exercício (p ≤ 0,001) entre Sedentárias e demais... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Aging promotes changes in many systems, especially for musculoskeletal and cardiopulmonary functions. Regular physical exercise improves cardiorespiratory fitness and modifies body and neuromuscular dimensions, all while softening the impact of aging on functional capacity. To analyze the effects of physical exercise on pulmonary and anthropometric measurements in older women, two studies were conducted. Study 1 observed the effects of specific exercises on anthropometric and lung measurements in elderly women. Forty women over 60 years old in four groups (Sedentary, Hidroginastics, Bodybuilding and Dance) were studied. Study 2 examined the effects of a generalized exercise program (GEP) on anthropometric and lung measurements in sedentary women between 60-78 years. Thirty-two women, formed two groups: Control (n = 14) and Intervention (n = 18). For both studies, we analyzed anthropometric variables (body mass index, arm and calf muscle circumference, triceps skinfold thickness, and waist/hip ratio), level of physical activity (Baecke questionaire), pulmonary function [maximal respiratory pressures, thoracic mobility and spirometry (forced vital capacity - FVC, forced expiratory volume in one second - FEV1, FEV1/FVC, forced expiratory flow medium - FEF25-75% and peak expiratory flow)]. Participants were reassessed after four months of intervention. Study 1 participants were assessed according to level of physical activity, there were differences in the specificity of exercise (p ≤ 0,001) between sedentary and other groups as well as between hidroginastics and the two groups (dance and bodybuilding). In axillary thoracic mobility, there were differences between bodybuilding and the sedentary and dance groups (p ≤ 0,05). Differences also occurred for xiphoid thoracic... (complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

One of the earliest symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and age-related cognitive decline is topographical disorientation or impairment to spatial navigation. Furthermore, aging and AD are associated with cortical gray-matter thinning, particularly in the medial temporal and posterior cingulate regions, which have been associated with spatial navigation. Aerobic exercise has been well-established as a beneficial intervention to curtail the neurodegenerative effects of aging. This study aims to explore the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and two markers of AD and cognitive aging, virtual navigation ability and cortical thickness of the entorhinal, parahippocampal and retrosplenial regions. Cross-sectional data utilized in this study was collected from 23 healthy older adults (60-80 years). Measures included in our analyses consisted of estimated VO2max, T1-weighted structural MR images, and behavioral performance on a virtual navigation task, measured as numbers of objects located during recall. Cortical thickness of the regions of interest (ROIs) was determined by processing T1-weighted MR images in FreeSurfer. We hypothesized that greater CRF would correlate with improved virtual navigation performance and greater cortical thickness of ROIs. Our analyses did not reveal statistically significant relationships between CRF and navigation performance or CRF and cortical thickness. However, Pearson’s correlations found right retrosplenial cortical (RSC) thickness and navigation performance to be significantly related. Multiple regression models of right RSC thickness and navigation performance were performed controlling for age, sex, education and task version. These analyses revealed that greater right RSC thickness predicted navigation performance. Additionally, this model showed that older age predicts decline in navigation performance. Our findings did not survive multiple comparisons correction; nonetheless, the results provide promising insight to the relationship between cortical thickness and navigation performance in healthy aging. Further cross-sectional and longitudinal investigations with a larger sample size are required to assess the impact of CRF and exercise on cortical thickness and navigation abilities in healthy aging. Understanding these relationships would contribute to the expansive body of literature that has linked CRF and exercise to neuroprotective mechanisms in the aging brain.

Higher cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is associated with better executive function and mental health in neurotypical populations. However, these associations warrant investigation for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who experience executive dysfunction and worse mental health. Adults with ADHD also tend to have lower engagement in physical activity, which contributes to CRF, but the reasons for this are unknown. Using mixed methods, the purpose of this dissertation was to explore associations between CRF and executive functions (Study 1), and mental health (Study 2), and to understand barriers and facilitators to physical activity in an adult ADHD sample (Study 3). Data from Study 1 reveal the association between higher CRF and better inhibitory control; surprisingly, the same associations with CRF were not observed for cognitive flexibility and working memory, suggesting a selective association between CRF and inhibitory control. In Study 2, although adults with ADHD reported significantly higher symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress than controls, those with higher CRF had better mental health. Together, the findings from Studies 1 and 2 suggest that physical activity interventions aimed at increasing CRF may provide adults with ADHD support for symptom management and mental health. Finally, Study 3 documents the unique barriers and facilitators to getting physically active as described by adults with ADHD. Through semi-structured interviews, the results revealed unique ADHD-related barriers and facilitators to being physically active such that their symptoms could act as both a barrier and facilitator depending on the context. Overall, the results of this dissertation provide valuable information for researchers designing future interventions and professionals recommending physical activity for those with ADHD, with the ultimate goal of creating an inclusive context for movement that is more enjoyable, feasible, and promotes adherence over the long term. / Thesis / Candidate in Philosophy

Cognitive aging has profound effects on the hippocampus, a brain region that is critical for episodic memory formation and spatial navigation. Accurate episodic memory formation requires pattern separation, a neurocomputational process that orthogonalizes similar stimulus input into distinct neural representations and can be examined using behavioral mnemonic discrimination paradigms in humans. Age-related impairment in hippocampally-dependent cognition emphasizes the importance of identifying modulators of hippocampal plasticity. Critically, studies in older adults have demonstrated that greater cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is associated with greater volume of the hippocampus, mitigated age-related decline in spatial mnemonic discrimination, and better visuospatial memory. Nonetheless, how CRF modulates the underlying structural and functional neural correlates of mnemonic discrimination and spatial navigation in cognitive aging remains unknown. Therefore, the overall objective of this dissertation was to examine CRF as a modulator of hippocampal memory system structure and function, specifically regarding the hippocampally-dependent processes of mnemonic discrimination and spatial navigation, in cognitively healthy older adults. In a series of three experiments, we tested the central hypothesis that CRF enhances hippocampal plasticity and modulates the underlying neural correlates of mnemonic discrimination and spatial navigation in older adults. Data for these three experiments came from two studies. In the first, young adults (ages 18-35 years) and older adults (ages 55-85 years) underwent high-resolution fMRI to examine hippocampal subfield blood-oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal during mnemonic discrimination. In the second, older adults (ages 60-80 years) underwent whole-brain, high-resolution fMRI to examine whole-brain BOLD signal during spatial navigation. In both studies, participants performed a submaximal treadmill test to estimate CRF and underwent high-resolution structural MRI to measure hippocampal subfield volumes as markers of neuroplasticity in the hippocampus. The primary goal of Experiment 1 was to examine the prediction that CRF is positively associated with mnemonic discrimination task performance and dentate gyrus (DG)/CA3 volume in older adults, given that these hippocampal subfields are thought to support pattern separation. Contrary to our initial prediction, we did not observe a relationship between CRF and mnemonic discrimination task performance or CRF and DG/CA3 volume. Instead, we observed a significant positive relationship between CRF and the volume of another hippocampal subfield, the bilateral subiculum, in older adult women, but not men. The primary goal of Experiment 2 was to examine the prediction that mnemonic discrimination-related BOLD signal in the hippocampal subfields is modulated by aging and CRF in young and older adults. In line with our initial prediction, there was a significant difference between young and older adults in right DG/CA2-3 BOLD signal during mnemonic discrimination task performance. Most importantly, CRF significantly modulated bilateral subiculum BOLD signal in an opposing fashion in young and older adults. The primary goal of Experiment 3 was to extend the current study beyond the function of the hippocampus in isolation and to examine whole-brain activation in association with an ecologically valid task that engages a large network of brain regions including but not limited to the hippocampus. We predicted that CRF modulates BOLD signal activation patterns driven by the employed spatial navigation task, specifically in brain regions in the frontal, parietal, and temporal cortices, and the cerebellum, given that the previously published literature in older adults has suggested that CRF enhances structural integrity in these regions in addition to the hippocampus. Our results demonstrated that CRF is significantly positively associated with BOLD signal in the right cerebellum lobule VIIa Crus I and Crus II, a region that has been implicated in sequence-based navigation. And, consistent with our results from Experiment 2, this relationship was observed in older adult women. Importantly, the findings of these experiments highlight novel targets of fitness-related neuroplasticity in the older adult brain, including the subiculum subfield of the hippocampus and the cerebellum lobule VIIa Crus I and Crus II. Furthermore, these findings underscore the importance of examining sex as a modulating factor of fitness-related neuroplasticity.

Perceived exertion is how hard or heavy an individual feels they are working. Perceived exertion is often quantified using the ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) scale and can be used to measure exercise intensity based on the experience of an individual. While objective methods of assessing exercise intensity, such as measurement of heart rate and percent of peak oxygen uptake, are useful, RPE is commonly implemented for the ease of use and feasibility. For example, RPE is commonly implemented in rehabilitation settings for people with a spinal cord injury and individuals with coronary artery disease because of their non-linear heart rate response to increases in exercise workload. The overarching purpose of this dissertation was to investigate a range of research questions designed to advance the knowledge and use of RPE guided exercise. Through a systematic review and meta-analysis, we examined evidence for the impact on cardiorespiratory fitness and peak power output using RPE-guided interventions in individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI) and found that RPE-guided interventions improved both after a variety of exercise intervention types and lengths. In a separate retrospective cross-sectional analysis, we then demonstrated that perceived exertion, measured by leg cycling effort during a cardiopulmonary exercise test on a leg cycle ergometer in non-disabled individuals, was predicted by power and maximum power output. After further investigation we found that quadriceps strength predicted maximum power output and therefore is related to leg cycling effort. In the third study of the thesis, we conducted semi-structured interviews in individuals with an SCI and their healthcare practitioners and found that individuals commonly described their sensations associated with the 0-10 RPE scale using muscle sensations when both recalling exercise and after the completion of an acute exercise trial on an arm cycle ergometer. Lastly, we investigated the relationship between psychological and physiological measures and RPE during an arm cycling exercise during a maximal graded exercise test, high intensity interval training, and moderate intensity continuous training using a crossover experimental design in both non-disabled individuals and individuals who were mobility impaired due to SCI. While there were no relationships between any variable and RPE in non-disabled individuals, age and triceps strength predicted central RPE and peak feeling scale predicted peripheral RPE in individuals with an SCI. These mixed methods results collectively suggest that muscle strength, not heart rate, is the strongest predictor of perceived exertion especially in clinical populations completing high intensity exercise. Our novel findings suggest that RPE is regulated through a system of psychological and physiological phenomena, strongly related to muscle sensations arising from the working muscle groups and may have utility and relevance in complementing measures of exercise intensity for a broad range of individuals across the spectrum of health and disease. Future studies should examine the use of muscle sensation descriptions as descriptors of exercise intensity prior to the development of high intensity exercise guidelines in clinical populations, such as individuals with SCI. / Thesis / Candidate in Philosophy / It has been well established that heart rate and ratings of perceived exertion are related in young, healthy individuals, however the nuances of the relationships between other contributors and how clinical populations feel during exercise remain unclear. Using mixed methods, this research sought to determine what sensations help people determine how they feel during exercise, with a focus on high intensity interval training exercise. Our results show that muscle strength may be a key determinant in the perception of effort in individuals with a spinal cord injury and in clinical populations during arm and leg maximal graded exercise tests, but the relationships between physiological variables and perceptions of arm effort in non-impaired individuals remains to be determined. Sensations of effort are regulated through a variety of different mechanisms that vary with population, and the relationships depend on the parameters (e.g., exercise modality and intensity) of the exercise. Future studies should be conducted to determine the individual contributions of different body systems to perceived exertion during exercise in a wide range of populations.

Introduction Both elevated levels of physical activity (PA) and high cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) are associated with a decreased risk of all-cause mortality. The degree to which an individual's PA level and CRF status interact to influence mortality is not currently fully understood. This study investigated whether PA and CRF were independently related to all-cause mortality, and to what degree PA was associated with improved mortality risk in individuals with low CRF. Methods This is a prospective cohort study using health assessments on individuals gathered between 1975 and 2002. Health assessment data were matched with the National Death Registry to assess all-cause mortality. This study employed a self-reported measure of PA and Bruce protocol maximal treadmill to estimate CRF. Survival analyses were conducted using Cox proportional hazards regressions. Results Of 3,829 clients who were assessed, a total of 180 clients died within the follow-up period. The mean follow-up period was 25.4 ± 7 years. CRF was significantly and strongly related to all-cause mortality in a dose response manner. PA was not significantly related to all-cause mortality under a multivariable model. Discussion The primary finding was a strong inverse, dose response relationship between CRF and risk of all-cause mortality. This relationship further strengthens a large body of evidence suggesting that CRF may be a better predictor of all-cause mortality than an individual's self-reported PA. It is hypothesized that the apparent lack of relationship here observed between PA and all-cause mortality is largely due to the lack of specificity in the measure of PA employed, as well as the inaccuracy of self-report generally. Conclusion Physicians may benefit from employing objective measures of CRF in clinical settings instead of self-report-based measures of PA for the assessment of mortality risk. When studying the relationship between PA status and mortality, a more specific measure of PA than minutes of moderate to vigorous PA per week may be required. Further research should investigate the way in which PA is related to mortality in individuals with low CRF.

The principle aims of this work were two fold; firstly to identify the current dietary intakes (specifically dietary glycaemic carbohydrate (CHO)) and physical activity (PA) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels of a UK, postpubertal, adolescent population (n = 105) and assess the relationship between these factors, adiposity and cardiometabolic health. Diet and health relationships were assessed whilst accounting for energy misreporting and controlling for levels of PA and CRF. The effect of excluding dietary misreporters on the associations between glycaemic CHO and health was assessed whilst comparing an established technique (the Goldberg equation) to a novel approach (the ratio of energy intake (EI) to energy expenditure (EE)), which utilised RT3 accelerometry data (EI:EE(RT3)). Associations of PA and metabolic risk factors were also assessed whilst comparing two child specific PA thresholds for the assessment of PA subcomponents. Secondly, the impact of a flexible, ad libitum, low GI dietary intervention on cardiometabolic health was examined in an „at risk‟, overweight, postpubertal, adolescent population. Glycaemic index (GI) but not glycaemic load (GL) was shown to be associated significantly with anthropometric measures (body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC)) and adiposity (body fat percentage (BF%)) in this general group of post-pubertal adolescents from Bedfordshire. When adjusting for dietary intake, CRF was also associated with adiposity but PA was not. The prevalence of misreporting varied depending on the method used to assess the validity of dietary intakes; between 23% and 31% increasing to 62.1% (in overweight) of adolescents under reported energy intakes and up to 11.1% over reported. The novel application of a triaxial accelerometer to measure EE resulted in more under and over reporters being identified than when compared to the widely used Goldberg equation. Increased dietary GI was associated with increased odds of having a high WC; however, associations between GL and other risk factors were less clear; no associations with risk were observed. Excluding dietary misreporters from analysis had important implications for these associations. Only after removal of misreporters by EI:EE(RT3) was a borderline significant positive association between GL and blood glucose (BG) revealed using multiple analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), that was not present in prior analyses. Increased GI (moderate vs low GI intake) was significantly associated with reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and increased triglyceride (TG) levels (borderline significant) after removal of misreporters. In addition, using different PA thresholds to assess PA intensity resulted in different relationships between PA subcomponents and metabolic risk factors. Regardless of the threshold used, evidence suggested that limiting sedentary (SED) behaviour and engaging in moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) is beneficial for blood pressure (BP) in this adolescent population. Additionally, irrespective of the threshold utilised, higher levels of vigorous PA (VPA) were associated with reduced odds of having a high clustered risk score and the associations observed between CRF and risk factors were stronger than those observed with PA. Despite a lack of significant improvement in individual metabolic risk factors as a result of the low GI (LGI) dietary intervention, there was a significant reduction in clustered risk score for the LGI group at week 12. A borderline significant improvement in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was also observed as a result of the LGI intervention compared to those in the control group. Conversely, there appeared to be an unfavourable effect of the LGI diet on fasting insulin levels and thus the diet‟s impact on health overall is unclear. The small sample size of this randomised controlled trial (RCT) means that caution is required when interpreting the results. These data suggest that future research in this age group should target improvements in CRF and a lower dietary GI to reduce adiposity. Controlling for dietary misreporting appears to have a significant impact on associations of glycaemic CHO and cardiometabolic health and should be an important consideration of future research. The low GI intervention may be an effective approach for reducing glycaemic CHO, whilst maintaining a healthy macronutrient intake, in comparison to more restricted dietary regimens published in the literature. However, the impact of this regime needs to be confirmed utilising a larger sample of adolescents. This may provide a useful approach for future research aiming to assess the impact of reduced GI and GL.

A criterion method to evaluate cardiorespiratory health is measuring peak oxygen consumption (VO2 peak) from a maximal graded exercise test (GXT). While VO2 peak is a valuable measure, heart rate recovery (HRRec) and endothelial function (EF) also describe cardiorespiratory health and fitness. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether differences exist in VO2 peak, HRRec, and EF between healthy-weight (HW) and obese (OB) women and children and to determine if there were significant correlations among these variables. A total of 60 women and children participated in this study. Anthropometric, body composition, resting heart rate and blood pressure (BP) were measured. EF was evaluated to determine the reactive hyperemia index (RHI). Finally, each subject performed a graded exercise test (GXT) to determine VO2 peak. Following the GXT, the subjects’ recovery responses were monitored for 5 minutes. A factorial MANOVA was used to evaluate differences between obesity status and age in relative VO2 peak and relative HRRec. The MANOVA resulted in a significant (p < 0.001) main effect for obesity status and age, but there was no interaction effect. HW individuals had a greater relative VO2 peak compared to OB individuals. Children had a greater relative VO2 peak and HRRec compared to adults. Absolute VO2 peak and absolute HRRec were examined using univariate ANOVAs. Women had greater absolute VO2 peak values compared to children (p2 peak and absolute HRRec, relative HRRec, and RHI. Relative VO2 peak was significantly correlated to RHI. Absolute HRRec was correlated with relative HRRec and RHI. Relative HRRec was correlated with RHI. Lack of significant differences in HRRec and EF across adiposity levels were likely due to the obese, but otherwise healthy population recruited for this study. Age affected the response to all variables included in this study.

Adolescence is a developmental period during which boys and girls are at high risk of developing major or minor depression. Increases in fitness have been associated with lower levels of depressive symptomatology and improvements in psychological well-being, yet the mechanisms that underlie this relationship have not been thoroughly examined. Three such psychosocial variables (i.e. body satisfaction, social physique anxiety, and physical activity self-efficacy) have been identified as possible mechanisms and although they have theoretical support, additional research is needed to demonstrate empirically the potential effects of these variables. Self-report measures were used to assess the psychosocial variables and the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) in conjunction with age, Body Mass Index [BMI], and sex was used to determine an estimate of aerobic capacity (VO2max). Path analyses were used to test the proposed model using version 6.2 EQS Multivariate Software. Results of study revealed that the boys’ and girls’ depressive scores were determined based on the extent that their fitness levels improved their satisfaction with their bodies and lowered the anxiety they experience in relation to real or imagined judgments of their physique. Although all pathways in the model were significant, with the exception of physical activity self-efficacy to depression, differences emerged between the boys and girls in terms of the strength of some of the relations amongst the variables. Limitations include restricted generalizability, self-report measures, and cross-sectional design. Results have implications for individuals in a context intended to improve physical and psychosocial well-being of adolescents.

Os objetivos desse estudo foram verificar as associações entre atividade física (AF) organizada fora da escola, aptidão cardiorrespiratória (APCR) e qualidade do sono com os indicadores de saúde mental em crianças e verificar se a AF organizada fora da escola ou a APCR eram moderadores da relação entre a qualidade do sono com os indicadores de saúde mental. É um estudo de corte transversal, desenvolvido em 232 crianças (118 meninos e 114 meninas) de uma escola de ensino fundamental da rede estadual da cidade de Porto Alegre - RS, selecionada por conveniência. A saúde mental foi avaliada através do Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, respondido pelos pais. A AF organizada fora da escola e qualidade do sono também foram reportados pelos pais, através de perguntas de uma anamnese. A APCR foi avaliada através do teste de corrida e caminhada de 6 minutos. Como covariáveis, o nível socioeconômico (NSE) foi verificado através de uma adaptação do questionário da ABEP, além do sexo e idade (indicados pelos pais). Para análise de dados utilizou-se estatística descritiva, regressão linear generalizada, correlação e análises de moderação. Os resultados indicaram que, nos meninos, a AF organizada fora da escola apresentou associação com o total de dificuldades (β= 2,691; p= 0,03) e sintomas emocionais (β= 1,528; p< 0,001). A APCR relacionou-se com o total de dificuldades (β= -0,013; p< 0,001), hiperatividade/déficit de atenção (β= -0,006; p< 0,001) e problemas de relacionamento com colegas (β= -0,002; p< 0,001). Nas meninas, houveram associações entre o NSE com o total de dificuldades (β= 2,783; p= 0,03) e hiperatividade/déficit de atenção (β= 1,245; p= 0,01), além da idade com os problemas de conduta (β= -0,136; p< 0,001). A qualidade do sono apresentou associação com total de dificuldades (r= -0,45; p< 0,001), sintomas emocionais (r= - 0,31; p= 0,001), problemas de conduta (r= -0,29; p= 0,001), hiperatividade/déficit de atenção (r= -0,43; p< 0,001), e os problemas de relacionamento com colegas (r= - 0,25; p< 0,001), nos meninos. Já nas meninas a qualidade do sono associou-se com o total de dificuldades (r= -0,27; p< 0,001), sintomas emocionais (r= -0,18; p= 0,05), e problemas de conduta (r= -0,25; p= 0,01). A AF organizada fora da escola e APCR não foram moderadoras da relação entre a qualidade do sono e os indicadores de saúde mental. Diante das associações, conclui-se que crianças que mantém hábitos saudáveis como dormir bem, praticar AF organizada fora da escola e ter bons níveis de APCR, apresentam melhores níveis de saúde mental. / The aims of the present study were to verify the associations between organized physical activity (PA) outside school, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and sleep quality as indicators of mental health in children, and to verify if organized PA outside school or CRF were moderators of the relationship between sleep quality with mental health indicators. It is a cross-sectional study, developed with 232 children (118 boys and 114 girls) of a public from Porto Alegre - RS, selected by convenience. Mental health was assessed through the Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire, answered by the parents. Also, the parents, through an anamnesis, reported organized PA and sleep quality. CRF was evaluated through the running and walking test of 6 minutes. As covariates, socioeconomic status was obtained by an adaptation of the ABEP questionnaire, in addition to gender and age. To data analysis were used descriptive statistics, generalized linear regression, correlation and moderation analyzes. The results indicated that, in boys, organized PA outside school showed association with total difficulties (β= 2.691; p= 0.03) and emotional symptoms (β= 1.528; p< 0.001). CRF was related with total difficulties (β= -0.013; p<0.001), hyperactivity/attention deficit (β= -0.006; p<0.001) and relationship problems with colleagues (β= -0.002; p< 0.001). In girls, there was an association between socioeconomic status with total difficulties ((β= 2.783; p= 0.03) and hyperactivity/attention deficit (β= 1.245; p= 0.01), besides age with conduct problems (β= -0.136; p<0.001). Sleep quality was associated with total difficulty (r= -0.45; p<0.001), emotional symptoms (r= -0.31; p=0.001), behavioral problems (r= -0.29; p=0.001), hyperactivity/attention deficit (r= - 0.43; p<0.001) and relationship problems with colleagues (r= -0.25; p<0.001), in boy. Already in girls, sleep quality was associated with total difficulties (r= -0.27; p<0.001), emotional symptoms (r= -0.18; p= 0.05) and behavioral problems (r= -0.25; p=0.01). Organized PA outside school and CRF were not moderators of the relationship between sleep quality and mental health indicators. Considering the associations, it is concluded that children who maintain healthy habits, such as sleeping well, practicing organized PA outside of school and having good levels of CRF, present better levels of mental health.