Secular trends in height and weight among children and adolescents of the Seychelles, 1956-2006.

BACKGROUND: Height of individuals has long been considered as a significant index of nutrition and health of a population; still, there is little information regarding the trends of height and weight among developing or transitional countries. We assessed the secular trends in height and weight in children of the Seychelles, a rapidly developing island state in the Indian Ocean (African region). METHODS: Height and weight were measured in all students of all schools in four selected school grades (kindergarten, 4th, 7th and 10th grades) for the periods 1998-9 (6391 children) and 2005-6 (8582 children). Data for 1956-7 was extracted from a previously published report. RESULTS: At age 15.5 years, boys/girls were on average 10/13 cm taller and 15/9 kg heavier in 2005-6 than in 1956-7. Height increased in boys/girls by 1.62/0.93 cm/decade between 1956-7 and 1998-9 and by 1.14/1.82 cm/decade between 1998-9 and 2005-6. For weight, the linear increase in boys/girls was 1.38/1.10 kg/decade between 1956-7 and 1998-9 and 2.21/2.50 kg/decade between 1998-9 and 2005-6. Overall, the relative increase in weight between 1956-7 and 2005-6 was 5-fold higher than the relative increase in height. CONCLUSION: Height and weight increased markedly over time in children aged <16 years in the Seychelles, consistent with large changes in socio-economic and nutritional indicators in the considered 50-year interval. The markedly steeper increase in weight than height over time is consistent with an epidemic of overweight and obesity.

Association between growth and blood pressure during the life course in children and adolescents

Background: Little is known on the relative importance of growth at different periods between birth and adolescence on blood pressure (BP). Objective: To assess the association between birth weight, change in body weight (growth) and BP across the entire span of childhood and adolescence. Methods: School-based surveys were conducted annually between 1998 and 2006 among all children in four school grades (kindergarten, 4th, 7th, and 10th year of compulsory school) in the Seychelles, Indian Ocean. Height and weight and BP were measured. Three cohorts of children examined twice were analyzed: 1606 children surveyed at age 5.5 and 9.1, 2557 at age 9.2 and 12.5, and 2065 at age 12.5 and 15.5, respectively. Weights at birth and at one year were extracted from medical files. Weights were expressed as Z-scores and growth was defined as a change in weight Z-scores (corresponding to weight centile crossing). The association between BP (at age 5.5, 9.2, 12.5, and 15.5) and weight at different times was assessed by linear regression. Using results of regression models of BP on all successive weights, life course plots were drawn by plotting regression coefficients against age at which weight was measured. The figure shows a life course plot of systolic BP in boys aged 15.5. Results: Without adjustment for current weight (at the time of BP measurement), birth weight was not associated with current BP, irrespective of age, excepted for girls at age 15.5 for whom a modest positive association was found. When adjusted for current weight, birth weight was negatively and modestly associated with current BP. BP was strongly associated with current weight, irrespective of age. Life course plots showed that BP was strongly associated with growth during the few preceding years but not with growth during earlier years, except for growth during the first year of life which tended to be associated with systolic BP. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that BP during childhood and adolescence is mainly determined by current body weight and recent growth.

Birth weight, weight change, and blood pressure during childhood and adolescence: a school-based multiple cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed the association between birth weight, weight change, and current blood pressure (BP) across the entire age-span of childhood and adolescence in large school-based cohorts in the Seychelles, an island state in the African region. METHODS: Three cohorts were analyzed: 1004 children examined at age 5.5 and 9.1 years, 1886 children at 9.1 and 12.5, and 1575 children at 12.5 and 15.5, respectively. Birth and 1-year anthropometric data were gathered from medical files. The outcome was BP at age 5.5, 9.1, 12.5 or 15.5 years, respectively. Conditional linear regression analysis was used to estimate the relative contribution of changes in weight (expressed in z-score) during different age periods on BP. All analyses were adjusted for height. RESULTS: At all ages, current BP was strongly associated with current weight. Birth weight was not significantly associated with current BP. Upon adjustment for current weight, the association between birth weight and current BP tended to become negative. Conditional linear regression analyses indicated that changes in weight during successive age periods since birth contributed substantially to current BP at all ages. The strength of the association between weight change and current BP increased throughout successive age periods. CONCLUSION: Weight changes during any age period since birth have substantial impact on BP during childhood and adolescence, with BP being more responsive to recent than earlier weight changes.

Características florais e carpométricas e germinação in vitro de grãos de pólen de cultivares de amoreira‑preta

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar as características florais e carpométricas, a viabilidade dos grãos de pólen e a capacidade germinativa de sementes de cultivares de amoreira‑preta. Foram avaliadas as cultivares Brazos, Caingangue, Cherokee, Choctaw, Comanche, Guarani, BRS Tupy e Ébano. Utilizou-se um delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado com as oito cultivares e dez repetições. Foram feitas avaliações quanto a: número de estames, carpelos, pétalas e sépalas; composição do meio de cultura; número de grãos de pólen por antera e por flor; taxa de germinação de grãos de pólen; percentagem de frutificação; massa de matéria fresca, dimensões e número de sementes dos frutos; massa e dimensões dos drupetes; e percentagem de emergência de plântulas. O meio de cultura estabelecido para as cultivares de amoreira‑preta foi acrescido de 90 g L‑1 de sacarose e 400 mg L‑1 de ácido bórico, com pH aferido para 6,5 e meio solidificado com 8 g L‑1 de ágar. 'Caingangue', 'Ébano' e 'BRS Tupy' apresentaram baixa germinação de grãos de pólen. 'Ébano' apresentou frutos arredondados e com poucos drupetes. 'Choctaw' e 'Comanche' apresentaram baixa percentagem de emergência de plântulas. 'Brazos' destacou-se na maioria das características avaliadas e é considerada como boa progenitora para programas de melhoramento genético.

Alterações fisiológicas e bioquímicas em sementes de café secas em sílica gel e soluções salinas saturadas

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar alterações fisiológicas e bioquímicas em sementes de café submetidas à secagem rápida, em sílica gel, e à secagem lenta, em soluções salinas saturadas. As sementes foram secas até que atingissem os seguintes teores de água: 40, 30, 20, 15, 10 e 5% (base úmida). Após a secagem, uma parte das sementes foi imediatamente avaliada quanto ao desempenho fisiológico e ao perfil de enzimas do processo oxidativo, e outra parte foi avaliada após armazenagem em condição hermética, em câmara fria e seca, por quatro meses. A velocidade de secagem e o teor final de água tiveram efeito significativo sobre a qualidade fisiológica das sementes. Após a secagem rápida em sílica gel, as sementes toleraram teores finais de água mais baixos. No entanto, após a secagem lenta, as sementes com teores finais de água mais elevados apresentaram maior qualidade. O período de armazenamento não afetou a germinação, mas prejudicou o vigor das sementes. A secagem rápida apresenta maior potencial de dano ao endosperma do que aos embriões. O perfil enzimático das sementes de café é afetado pelo teor final de água e pela velocidade de secagem.

Prevalence of overweight and underweight in public and private schools in the Seychelles.

Abstract Objective. We compared the prevalence of body weight categories between public and private schools in the Seychelles, a rapidly developing small island state in the African region. Methods. In 2004-2006, weight and height were measured and self-reported information on physical activity collected in children of three selected grades in all schools in the country. Overweight, obesity and thinness were defined according to standard criteria. Results. Based on 8 462 students (377 in private schools), the prevalence of overweight (including obesity) was markedly higher in private than public schools (boys: 37% [95% CI: 31-44] vs. 15% [14-16]; girls: 33% [26-41] vs. 20% [19-22]). The prevalence of thinness grade 1 was lower in private than public schools (boys: 9% [5-13] vs. 20% [19-21]; girls: 13% [8-18] vs. 19% [18-20]). Students in private schools reported more physical activity at leisure time while students in public schools reported larger weekly walking time. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that school type may be a useful indicator for assessing the association between socio-economic status and overweight in children, and that overweight affects wealthy children more often than others in developing countries.

Estabelecimento de meio de cultura e quantificação da germinação de grãos de pólen de cultivares de marmeleiros

Visando a dar suporte aos trabalhos de melhoramento genético do marmeleiro (Cydoniaoblonga Mill.), voltados para a seleção de cultivares altamente produtivas, aptas a serem cultivadas em regiões subtropicais e produtoras de doces de qualidade superior, objetivou-se ajustar o meio de cultura básico para a germinação de grãos de pólen de diferentes cultivares dessa espécie e quantificar o número de estames, número de grãos de pólen por antera e por flor. O pólen utilizado foi da cultivar Portugal, obtido de anteras provenientes de flores em estádio de balão. Em seguida, com auxílio de um pincel, os grãos de pólen foram espalhados sobre a superfície de placas de Petri, contendo 20 mL de meio de cultura, de acordo com os seguintes experimentos: 1) concentrações de ágar (4; 6; 8 e 10 g L-1) e valores de pH (3,5; 4,5; 5,5 e 6,5); 2) concentrações de sacarose (0; 30; 60 e 90 g L-1); 3) concentrações de nitrato de cálcio (0; 200; 400 e 800 mg L-1); 4) concentrações de ácido bórico (0; 400; 800 e 1.200 mg L-1); e 5) tempo de emissão do tubo polínico (0; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5 e 6 horas após a inoculação), os quais foram montados de forma sequencial. Após, avaliou-se a taxa de germinação dos grãos de pólen das 27 cultivares (Alaranjado, Alongado, Apple, BA29, Bereckzy, Champion, Cheldow, Constantinopla, CTS 207, Dangers, De Patras, De Vranja, Dulot, Fuller, Mendoza INTA 37, Kiakami, Lajeado, Meeck Profilic, Meliforme, Pineapple, Portugal, Provence, Radaelli, Rea's Mamouth, Smyrna, Van Deman e Zuquerineta), além do número de estames, número de grãos de pólen por antera e por flor. Realizando-se as leituras da porcentagem de germinação após cinco horas de incubação, conclui-se que o meio de cultura para a germinação de grãos de pólen do marmeleiro deve ser acrescido de 68 g L-1 de sacarose e 366 mg L-1 de ácido bórico, sendo o pH aferido para 5,8 e o meio solidificado com 10 g L-1 de ágar. Foram constatadas diferenças entre as cultivares quanto à quantidade de grãos de pólen e à capacidade germinativa dos mesmos, que variou de 37,83% a 82,23% entre as cultivares. Os grãos de pólen da cultivar Alaranjado apresentaram maior porcentagem de germinação, além da maior quantidade de grãos de pólen por flor.