Impacto de vídeo-jogos com tecnologia Matching Motion na actividade física de adolescentes obesos

Em Portugal, tal como na maioria dos restantes paises industrializados, a prevalência do excesso de peso e obesidade adolescente escalou para números que nos colocam entre os países da comunidade europeia com maiores problemas neste domínio (Matos, 2006). O aumento dos níveis de actividade física (AF) é parte integrante dos tratamentos hoje preconizados, pese embora seja um objectivo extremamente difícil de alcançar (AAP, 2006). Esta dificuldade deriva em parte das muitas actividades sedentárias que hoje em dia competem com a AF para a ocupação do tempo livre dos adolescentes. A maior parte parece motivá-los mais do que a AF. Por exemplo, cerca de 30% dos adolescentes portugueses estão 4 ou mais horas/dia a ver TV, enquanto que 40% estão 1-3 horas/dia a jogar video-jogos ou a usar PCs (Matos, 2006). Ver TV ou brincar a video-jogos sentado tem um impacto reduzido no dispêndio energético, aumentando entre 20-30% da taxa de metabolismo basal. Mas novos tipos de video-jogos estão agora disponíveis, implicando níveis de AF mais elevados para serem jogados, elevando em 120-180% da taxa de metabolismo basal (Lanningham-Foster et al., 2006). Estes novos jogos podem oferecer uma oportunidade para aumentar os níveis de AF numa população que tradicionalmente prefere as actividades sedentárias.

A Feedback Learning and Mental Models Perspective on Strategic Decision Making

This study aims to be a contribution to a theoretical model that explains the effectiveness of the learning and decision-making processes by means of a feedback and mental models perspective. With appropriate mental models, managers should be able to improve their capacity to deal with dynamically complex contexts, in order to achieve long-term success. We present a set of hypotheses about the influence of feedback information and systems thinking facilitation on mental models and management performance. We explore, under controlled conditions, the role of mental models in terms of structure and behaviour. A test based on a simulation experiment with a system dynamics model was performed. Three out of the four hypotheses were confirmed. Causal diagramming positively influences mental model structure similarity, mental model structure similarity positively influences mental model behaviour similarity, and mental model behaviour similarity positively influences the quality of the decision.

A Feedback Learning and Mental Models Perspective on Strategic Decision Making

This study aims to be a contribution to a theoretical model that explains the effectiveness of the learning and decision-making processes by means of a feedback and mental models perspective. With appropriate mental models, managers should be able to improve their capacity to deal with dynamically complex contexts, in order to achieve long-term success. We present a set of hypotheses about the influence of feedback information and systems thinking facilitation on mental models and management performance. We explore, under controlled conditions, the role of mental models in terms of structure and behaviour. A test based on a simulation experiment with a system dynamics model was performed. Three out of the four hypotheses were confirmed. Causal diagramming positively influences mental model structure similarity, mental model structure similarity positively influences mental model behaviour similarity, and mental model behaviour similarity positively influences the quality of the decision