O envelhecimento ativo na perspetiva de pessoas idosas que frequentam a Universidade Sénior de Águeda

O envelhecimento ativo é o processo de otimização das oportunidades de saúde, participação e segurança, a fim de melhorar a qualidade de vida das pessoas à medida que envelhecem. Permite que as pessoas realizem o seu potencial físico, social, mental e de bem-estar ao longo da vida, bem como de participação na sociedade, ao fornecer-lhes proteção, segurança e cuidados adequados quando eles precisam. Com o presente estudo pretendeu-se, globalmente, saber qual a perspetiva das pessoas idosas que frequentam a Universidade Sénior de Águeda sobre o Envelhecimento Ativo e como valorizam os seus determinantes básicos durante este processo. Trata-se de um estudo exploratório, de natureza descritiva, com uma abordagem qualitativa. Participaram vinte pessoas idosas, sendo quinze do género feminino e cinco do género masculino. Os participantes estavam inscritos na Universidade Sénior de Águeda, pelo menos desde o início do ano letivo. A técnica utilizada para a recolha de dados foi um guião de entrevista semiestruturada e para a análise destes dados foi utilizada a técnica de análise de conteúdo predominantemente indutiva. Relativamente aos resultados do nosso estudo, na perspetiva dos participantes, o conceito de envelhecimento ativo, circunscreve-se essencialmente a duas grandes áreas: a promoção da atividade e a necessidade de se manterem ocupados. Relativamente à primeira destacaram as suas componentes física e mental, as quais estão relacionadas com aspetos da saúde. Quanto à segunda área os participantes relacionaram-na com a participação social. Também nas entrevistas foi destacada a participação social como um determinante fundamental para o envelhecimento ativo, associada à convivência e à promoção de atividades por organizações de apoio social. Quanto à frequência da Universidade Sénior, as pessoas idosas referem que a frequentam pela promoção do envelhecimento ativo nomeadamente através das suas atividades nos diferentes domínios. Concluiu-se que as pessoas idosas participantes no estudo não têm conhecimentos acerca do conceito geral do envelhecimento ativo nem de todos os seus determinantes, é de salientar também o valor que as pessoas idosas dão à USEA. Em relação às implicações para a prática da gerontologia elas decorrem dos resultados, devido ao facto das pessoas valorizarem a importância da Universidade Sénior, é então necessário criar mais espaços que propiciem essas condições, pois não existem em todos os concelhos e por vezes situam-se nos centros das cidades, o que se torna de difícil acesso para as pessoas idosas que vivem nas periferias. Por outro lado, em relação à segurança, o determinante do envelhecimento ativo que não foi reconhecido pelas pessoas idosas, é necessário que exista formação acerca da segurança, tanto no ambiente doméstico de maneira a reduzir os riscos face a quedas e também em relação aos espaços públicos.

Efeitos da atividade física para a saúde de crianças e adolescentes

A prática regular de atividade física constitui um elemento essencial à promoção da saúde e prevenção de algumas doenças que acometem indivíduos e grupos populacionais. Apesar dos jovens serem a parcela mais ativa da população, os indicadores de sedentarismo crescente têm alertado os profissionais de saúde pública. Para diminuir o sedentarismo, estudos destacam a necessidade dos indivíduos modificarem seus estilos de vida, adquirindo e mantendo ações de promoção da saúde e prevenção de doenças durante todo o curso de vida. Nesse sentido, a atividade física praticada regularmente, pelo menos desde a adolescência, proporciona benefícios físicos e psicológicos considerados preditores da condição de saúde para a vida adulta. Conforme mencionado, os índices de sedentarismo têm constituído uma grande preocupação da saúde pública mundial. Isto pode ser causado, entre outros fatores, pela falta de esclarecimento adequado sobre os efeitos decorrentes da prática de atividade física regular. Sendo assim, o objetivo geral deste ensaio é sintetizar e analisar as informações disponíveis sobre a importância da prática da atividade física para a saúde de crianças e adolescentes, indicando possíveis limitações dos estudos e necessidades de pesquisas futuras. Espera-se que estas informações forneçam subsídios para o desenvolvimento de programas de promoção da atividade física para crianças e adolescentes e incentivem os próprios jovens a buscarem estilos de vida mais saudáveis e ativos. A atividade física deve ser disponibilizada e praticada por todos os jovens, em virtude dos benefícios, a curto e longo prazo, que proporciona à saúde. _______________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT

The importance of the program for the promotion of physical activity in perceived fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis

The aims of the study is to examine for intervention program of physical activity in the perception of fatigue, in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Implication of an intervention program for the promotion of physical activity in the quality of life of people with multiple sclerosis

The aims of this study is to examine the interest for quality of life of an implementation of program physical activity, with patients of multiple sclerosis.

Brazilian physical activity guidelines as a strategy for health promotion

Public health actions endorsed by the federal government, for instance, health promotion initiatives, usually have greater impact at population level compared to other types of initiatives. This commentary aims to instigate debate on the importance and necessity of producing federally endorsed brazilian physical activity guidelines as a strategy for health promotion.

Promotion de l'activité physique au cabinet médical: où en sommes- nous en Suisse [Promotion of physical activity in the primary care setting: what is the situation in Switzerland?]

If many harmful effects of a sedentary lifestyle on health are well known, we still need to better understand how effectively promoting regular physical activity in the general population. Among the currently explored strategies, screening for sedentary lifestyle and promoting physical activity in the primary care setting seem promising. Despite recommendations from governmental agencies and professional associations in favor of physical activity counseling, this approach has not been widely adopted so far. This article summarizes the steps taken in Switzerland with an aim of developing physical activity counseling in the primary care setting. It describes how the early implication of primary care physicians influenced in a concrete way the development of a project dedicated to that task.

Promotion of physical activity in the primary care setting : the situation in Switzerland

Although many harmful effects of a sedentary lifestyle on health are well known, we still need to better understand how regular physical activity in the general population can be promoted effectively. Among the currently explored strategies, screening for sedentary lifestyle and promoting physical activity in the primary care setting seem promising. Despite recommendations from governmental agencies and professional associations in favor of physical activity counseling, this approach has not been widely adopted so far. This article summarizes the steps taken in Switzerland with the aim of developing physical activity counseling in the primary care setting. It describes how the early implication of primary care physicians influenced in a concrete way the development of the project.

Behavioral changes, used and benefits of a community program for the promotion in physical activity

Objective: To determine the change of behavior in physical activity and the characteristics associated with the use and benefits of Local Physical Activity Center (CLAF) in the population of the town of Santa Fe de Bogota. Materials and methods: We conducted a longitudinal study before and after, which was assessed at admission and 3 months in the intervention program CLAF physical activity, behavior change compared to the physical activity of users. Inclusion criteria: were being active user of CLAF, aged between 15 and 65 years and voluntarily express their participation in the study. Exclusion criteria: Fill incomplete measurement instruments used. The sampling frame of CLAF users, we selected n=55 subjects. To gather information, a questionnaire, which contained the behavioral stages of change, also conducted a survey which determined semistructured features about the benefits and use of CLAF. Results: The total study participants was n = 55, mean age was 40.4 ± 15.3 years, with a minimum 15 and maximum of 64 years, 83.6% were women. 78.2% do not know the purpose of the Local Centre for Physical Activity. The outreach strategy that most came to the group was 58.2 with a verbal type. The time for links to CLAF more frequently in the group evaluated was 1 to 6 months 36.4. The motivation to regularly attend the CLAF in the majority was to improve the physical and / or a 74.5% mental. 89.1% would be willing to recommend to others the use of CLAF. A 81.8% of the population physical activity performed by more than 150 min / wk at moderate intensity; Post CLAF intervention in the subjects showed positive changes in the level of physical activity (p<0.001, Test de Wilcoxon) and behavioral state (p<0.001, Test de Wilcoxon).

Metalloproteinases 2 and-9 activity during promotion and progression stages of rat liver carcinogenesis

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Promotion of agonist activity of antiandrogens by the androgen receptor coactivator, ARA70, in human prostate cancer DU145 cells

Although hormone therapy with antiandrogens has been widely used for the treatment of prostate cancer, some antiandrogens may act as androgen receptor (AR) agonists that may result in antiandrogen withdrawal syndrome. The molecular mechanism of this agonist response, however, remains unclear. Using mammalian two-hybrid assay, we report that antiandrogens, hydroxyflutamide, bicalutamide (casodex), cyproterone acetate, and RU58841, and other compounds such as genistein and RU486, can promote the interaction between AR and its coactivator, ARA70, in a dose-dependent manner. The chloramphenicol acetyltransferase assay further demonstrates that these antiandrogens and related compounds significantly enhance the AR transcriptional activity by cotransfection of AR and ARA70 in a 1:3 ratio into human prostate cancer DU145 cells. Our results suggest that the agonist activity of antiandrogens might occur with the proper interaction of AR and ARA70 in DU145 cells. These findings may provide a good model to develop better antiandrogens without agonist activity.

Antitumor promotion by phenolic antioxidants: inhibition of AP-1 activity through induction of Fra expression.

Induction of phase 2 detoxification enzymes by phenolic antioxidants can account for prevention of tumor initiation but cannot explain why these compounds inhibit tumor promotion. Phase 2 genes are induced through an antioxidant response element (ARE). Although the ARE resembles an AP-1 binding site, we show that the major ARE binding and activating protein is not AP-1. Interestingly, AP-1 DNA binding activity was induced by the phenolic antioxidant tert-butylhydroquinone (BHQ), but the induction of AP-1 transcriptional activity by the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) was inhibited by this compound. BHQ induced expression of c-jun, junB, fra-1, and fra-2, which encode AP-1 components, but was a poor inducer of c-fos and had no effect on fosB. Like c-Fos and FosB, the Fra proteins heterodimerize with Jun proteins to form stable AP-1 complexes. However, Fra-containing AP-1 complexes have low transactivation potential. Furthermore, Fra-1 repressed AP-1 activity induced by either TPA or expression of c-Jun and c-Fos. We therefore conclude that inhibitory AP-1 complexes composed of Jun-Fra heterodimers, induced by BHQ, antagonize the transcriptional effects of the tumor promoter TPA, which are mediated by Jun-Fos heterodimers. Since AP-1 is an important mediator of tumor promoter action, these findings may explain the anti-tumor-promoting activity of phenolic antioxidants.

Promoting physical activity in Australian general practices: a randomised trial of health promotion advice versus hypertension management

A randomised controlled trial was conducted to determine if physicians' advice to promote physical activity to patients was more effective if the advice was tailored to the management of hypertension, compared with more general health promotion advice. Participants included inactive 40- to 70-year-old patients visiting the physicians' during study recruitment period. Physicians provided verbal physical activity advice and written materials, both tailored to either general health promotion messages or specifically as a means for treating or managing hypertension. Seventy-five physicians and 98% (767/780) of screened eligible patients participated in the study. Differences between intervention and control groups self-reported physical activity were assessed over 6 months. Follow-up response rates were 92 and 84% at the 2- and 6-month assessments. There were no consistent, significant differences between groups at the 2- or 6-month assessments. Thus, neither intervention strategy resulted in significant changes in patients self-reported physical activity, regardless of the whether the advice was tailored to hypertension management or general health promotion advice. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.