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review article • Rev. bras. cineantropom. desempenho hum. 28 • 2026 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-0037.2026v28e112168 linkcopy

Prevalence of Active Play in Brazilian children and adolescents: an updated systematic review for the Brazil´s Report Card

Prevalência de brincadeiras ativas em crianças e adolescentes brasileiros: uma revisão sistemática atualizada para o Report Card Brasil

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

Abstract The objective of the present study was to identify, synthesize, and evaluate Brazilian studies that address active play in children and/or adolescents. Electronic databases PubMed, SciELO, Web of Science, and LILACS were searched for the period from 2020 to 2024. As inclusion criteria, studies were considered if they involved Brazilian children and/or adolescents up to 19 years of age; were observational (cross-sectional or longitudinal); were published between 2020 and 2024 in English, Spanish, or Portuguese; and addressed active play and/or active leisure activities. Studies conducted with athletes and/or involving structured or school-based physical activity were excluded. Initially, 914 studies were identified. Considering the inclusion criteria, 15 studies were analyzed, comprising a total of 552,172 children/adolescents aged 0 to 19 years. The prevalence of leisure-time physical activity/active play among children ranged from 41.3% to 76%, with a mean daily duration of 34 minutes when measured by accelerometry and 188.7 minutes when assessed using questionnaires. Among adolescents, the mean prevalence of leisure-time physical activity/active play was 45.2%. In both children and adolescents, the mean prevalence of active play/leisure-time physical activity was higher in boys compared with girls. Playing outdoors, living in houses with a yard, and attending schools with courtyards and playgrounds were associated with higher levels of movement and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. The prevalence of active play varied across the studies analyzed, was higher among boys, but some methodological gaps indicate caution in the interpretation of the findings.

Key words:
Leisure activities; Brazil; Play; Observational study

Authors	Age range	n	Region	Objective
Albuquerque and Günther¹⁷	Children	Not reported	Brasília-DF, Brazil	To identify the main activities carried out by children and older people in their respective dwellings
Volz et al.¹⁸	15 to 18 years	462	Southern Region of Brazil	To verify the association between the degree of wisdom and the level of leisure-time physical activity of students from a federal public school in southern Brazil.
Jesus et al.¹⁹	7 to 12 years	2.477	Feira de Santana-BA, Brazil	Analyzed the association between Weekly attendance in physical education classes and daily frequencies of different forms of physical activity (active play, non-active play, structured physical activity), and overall daily frequencies of physical activity and sedentary behaviors among schoolchildren.
Andrade et al.²⁰	12 to 17 years	74.589	273 Brazilian municipalities	To determine whether biological and sociodemographic factors at birth and current factors are associated with insufficient physical activity during leisure among Brazilian adolescents.
Jesus et al.²¹	7 to 12 years	3.458	Feira de Santana-BA, Brazil	To analyze gender inequalities in types of physical activity (PA) and in the use of screen-based devices among schoolchildren from both urban and rural areas in Brazil.
Ferreira et al.²²	12 to 17 years	73.399	27 state capitals and 5 groups of Brazilian municipalities	To investigate the association of physical inactivity in leisure and school time with common mental disorders during adolescence.
Valentini et al.²³	4 to 10 years	352	Southern Region of Brazil	To examine whether socioeconomic status, school's spaces for children’s movement, active play, screen time, motor skill proficiency, perceived motor competence, and engagement in the physical education lessons were associated with physical activity and body mass index in children with typical development, at risk of Developmental Coordination Disorder (r-DCD), and with DCD.
Gomez-Baya et al.²⁴	10 years	886	Brazil, Chile, and Spain	To analyze subjective happiness in relation to leisure time in 10-year-old boys and girls from Brazil, Chile and Spain and to determine which leisure time activity has a greater effect on their subjective happiness and whether there are differences according to gender.
Gonçalves et al.²⁵	3 to 6 years	73	Caruaru-PE, Brazil	Examined parental influences on physical activity and high screen time among preschool-aged children from low-income families in Brazil.
Confortin et al.²⁶	18 and 19 years	2.515	Ribeirão Preto (SP), Pelotas (RS) and São Luís (MA), Brazil	To describe the prevalence of physical activity among subjects from birth cohorts of three cities located in different regions of Brazil according to sociodemographic characteristics and sex, comparing the relationships within and between cohorts.
Nobre et al.²⁷	3 to 6 years	51	Brazilian municipality	To develop an index to measure the environmental opportunities of free active play for preschoolers of middle-income countries and to check the relationship and contribution of the index to explain objectively the level of physical activity.
Dall’Alba et al.²⁸	0 to 2 years	53	Southern Region of Brazil	To investigate the associations between caregivers practices and knowledge and the motor performance of children from zero to two years of age.
Sehn et al.¹⁶	6 to 17 years	331	Southern Region of Brazil	To investigate the longitudinal relationships between ST, sleep duration, leisure PA, body mass index, and cardiometabolic risk score (cMetS) in children and adolescents; and to verify scores and prevalence of cMetS risk zones at baseline and follow-up.
Soares et al.⁴	13 to 17 years	392.922	Different regions of Brazil	To analyze the physical activ-ity trend of Brazilian schoolchildren and the as-sociations with demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral variables by using the Brazilian National Survey of School Health (PeNSE) in its four editions – 2009, 2012, 2015, and 2019
Coledam et al.²⁹	14 to 18 years	604	São Paulo – SP, Brazil	To analyze the association between volume and intensity of physical activity and mental health among adolescents.

Studies	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Q5	Q6	Q7	Q8	Q9	Total	Quality
Study 1	S	U	U	U	S	S	NA	S	NA	4	Low
Study 2	S	N	S	N	S	S	S	S	S	7	Moderate
Study 3	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	9	High
Study 4	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	9	High
Study 5	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	9	High
Study 6	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	9	High
Study 7	U	U	U	S	S	S	S	S	S	6	Moderate
Study 8	S	U	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	8	High
Study 9	U	N	U	N	S	S	S	S	N	4	Low
Study 10	U	U	U	S	S	S	S	S	S	6	Moderate
Study 11	S	U	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	8	High
Study 12	N	N	N	S	S	S	S	S	S	6	Moderate
Study 13	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	9	High
Study 14	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	9	High
Study 15	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	9	High

Authors	Results
Albuquerque and Günther¹⁷	Two distinct spaces were analyzed. A total of 56.9% of the observed children were engaged in active leisure activities in Area 1, and 76% were engaged in active leisure activities in Area 2. The periods of greatest use of the spaces for leisure activities occurred between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. and in the late afternoon. The peak of activity occurred between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Spaces such as parking areas and parks were used for play activities. Activity was observed on playground equipment, ping-pong tables, bicycles, and benches and fitness equipment, which were used to simulate play.
Volz et al.¹⁸	More than 60% of adolescents reported receiving social support from parents or friends to engage in leisure-time physical activity. Physically active adolescents showed greater emotional regulation and greater capacity for decision-making and social advice when compared with insufficiently active and physically inactive peers. Active adolescents had nearly twice the odds of presenting a higher level of wisdom compared with inactive students.
Jesus et al.¹⁹	Children and adolescents who reported attending ≥ 2 physical education classes per week showed a significantly higher likelihood of reporting active play (girls: 40%; boys: 49%). The active play activities considered were: playing with a ball, playing catch-up, soccer, dance, marbles, jump rope, gymnastics, elastics, playing in the park, playing in the water/swimming, riding a bicycle, rollerblading/skateboarding/riding a scooter, flying a kite, dodgeball, hide-and-seek, playing with a dog, and hopscotch.
Andrade et al.²⁰	Girls had a 77% higher likelihood of being insufficiently active during leisure time than boys. The prevalence of insufficient leisure-time physical activity was high (54.8%) among the adolescents evaluated and was associated with sociodemographic characteristics (female sex; 15 to 17 years of age; low or middle socioeconomic class) and nutritional status.
Jesus et al.²¹	In urban areas, active play was 12% lower among girls compared with boys. In rural areas, girls showed greater engagement in activities such as playing with dolls, hopscotch, and other play activities. Boys, in turn, reported greater participation in activities such as soccer, flying kites, playing marbles, and spinning tops than girls.
Ferreira et al.²²	Only 44.4% of adolescents were classified as active (≥ 300 minutes/week). A total of 29.1% reported no leisure-time physical activity (0 minutes/week), and 26.5% were considered insufficiently active (1–299 minutes/week). Additionally, 52.4% of adolescents did not practice any sport. The prevalence of common mental disorders was higher among adolescents who did not practice sports, did not participate in physical education classes at school, and were inactive during leisure time. Leisure-time physical activity, regardless of modality, duration, or weekly frequency, reduced the odds of common mental disorders among adolescents by 26%.
Valentini et al.²³	The mean time spent in active play at home was 188.7 (184.5–193.0) minutes per day. Boys were more active than girls and spent significantly more time in moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity than girls. In addition, boys tended to be more active throughout the day. Opportunities for motor practice in sports courts, playgrounds, and vacant lots were positively associated with physical activity among children. Children with different levels of motor impairment and with high BMI were less engaged in active play at home.
Gomez-Baya et al.²⁴	A total of 41.3% of children in Brazil reported playing/spending time outdoors every day. Additionally, 10.4% reported never engaging in this type of leisure-time activity. The prevalence of children who never practiced sports/exercised during leisure time was higher in Brazil (18.6%) compared with Chile (8.9%) and Spain (4.7%). Among Brazilian children, outdoor play did not show positive effects on happiness. Brazilian children spent more time watching television, using social media, and playing electronic games during leisure time compared with Spanish and Chilean children.
Gonçalves et al.²⁵	Children accumulated, on average, 34 minutes/day of active play (measured by accelerometry). Girls spent less time in active play (28 min/day) than boys (40 min/day). Parental practices such as “rules regarding active play in indoor environments” and “limiting outdoor play due to weather conditions” were associated with lower physical activity in children. Rules regarding active play in indoor environments were significantly more prevalent for girls than for boys. Parents living in rural areas reported less limitation of outdoor play due to weather conditions and less logistical support for such play when compared with parents living in urban areas.
Confortin et al.²⁶	The city of São Luís showed the highest prevalence of adolescents engaging in leisure-time physical activity (54.6%). Among adolescents, not attending school or not working was associated with a higher prevalence of leisure-time physical activity.
Nobre et al.²⁷	A total of 96.1% of the children evaluated accumulated 180 minutes/day of physical activity. Physical environmental opportunities for activity explained 20% of the classification of children as active and 16% of the time spent in moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity. Outdoor play, living in a house with a yard and indoor space, and attending schools with a playground and schoolyard appear to facilitate preschoolers’ engagement in moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity.
Dall’Alba et al.²⁸	A positive, moderate, and significant correlation was found between motor performance and active play. Parental practices (attitudes regarding feeding, dressing, and active play) were the most influential factors and the best predictors of development, explaining 79% of the variance in children’s motor performance.
Sehn et al.¹⁶	Leisure-time physical activity in children and adolescents at moderate- to vigorous-intensity was 107.72 min/week at baseline and 165.85 min/week at the 2-year follow-up. Leisure-time physical activity at the beginning of the study was not associated with cardiometabolic risk two years later.
Soares et al.⁴	Girls had a lower percentage of physically active individuals compared with boys in all survey waves. Leisure-time physical activity showed a decreasing trend across the surveys, with an average reduction of 40 minutes. Leisure-time physical activity varied between capital cities and the countryside. When analyzing only the capitals, an alarming decrease of 81.5 minutes/week in leisure-time physical activity was observed among boys.
Coledam et al.²⁹	Only 22% of the sample engaged in ≥420 minutes/week of moderate- to vigorous-intensity leisure-time physical activity. A better mental health profile (suicidal ideation, suspected common mental disorders, and self-perceived mental health) was observed in adolescents who reported moderate- to vigorous-intensity leisure-time physical activity, regardless of volume. No association was found for low-intensity physical activity.

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