Prevalence and risk factors of metabolic syndrome in Brazilian and Italian obese adolescents: a comparison study

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS) prevalence between different populations in obese adolescents is scanty to date. Objective: To compare the MS prevalence and related risk factors in Brazilian and Italian obese adolescents. Methods: A total of 509 adolescents (110 Brazilian, 399 Italian), aged 15-19 years. Anthropometric characteristics, triglycerides (TG), total, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and blood pressure were measured. Results: Age, body mass index (BMI) and BMI z-score were not significantly different between the two subgroups. BMI z-score, TG, FPG, HOMA-IR and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were significantly higher in boys than in girls both in Brazilian and Italian adolescents, while HDL-cholesterol levels were lower in boys than in girls. No significant differences were observed in BMI, LDL and total-cholesterol and DBP in two genders and groups. Insulin, FPG, HOMA-IR and TG were significantly higher, while LDL-cholesterol and SBP were significantly lower in Brazilian than in Italian subjects, both in males and females. HDL and total-cholesterol and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were not significantly different between the two subgroups and genders. MS prevalence was higher in Brazilian than in Italian obese boys (34.8 vs. 23.6%, p < 0.001) and girls (15.6 vs. 12.5%, p < 0.01). The most frequently altered parameter was HOMA-IR both in subjects with MS (100% in Brazilian and 81.8% in Italian) and without MS (42.9% and 11.7%). Conclusion: Metabolic syndrome represents a worldwide emerging health problem in different ethnical populations, the alterations of the risk factors related to MS (different in their prevalence between different subgroups) being strictly linked to the degree of obesity.

The teaching of History meets its past: memories of teaching staff during the civil-military dictatorship

The civil-military dictatorship, which took power in 1964, influenced the daily activities of schools and teachers. Many transformations occurred during this period, including the new legislation enacted under Law 5692/71 and changes which occurred due to the vigilance which teachers felt when working. The memories analyzed here of teachers from public schools in Sao Paulo show different perceptions of this surveillance, involving various forms of acceptance or resistance. The purpose of this article is to show that although there was no direct repression of schools, unlike in the universities, teachers at the elementary school also felt constrained and this can be seen in their educational practices and teaching concepts.