Developing a research agenda for promoting physical activity in Brazil through environmental and policy change

Objective. To identify the highest priorities for research on environmental and policy changes for promoting physical activity (PA) in Brazil; to uncover any gaps between researchers' and practitioners' priorities; and to consider which tools, methods, collaborative strategies, and actions could be useful to moving a research agenda forward.Methods. This was a mixed-methods study (qualitative and quantitative) conducted by Project GUIA (Guide for Useful Interventions for Activity in Brazil and Latin America) in February 2010-January 2011. A total of 240 individuals in the PA field (186 practitioners and 54 researchers) were asked to generate research ideas; 82 participants provided 266 original statements from which 52 topics emerged. Participants rated topics by "importance" and "feasibility;" a separate convenience sample of 21 individuals categorized them. Cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling were used to create concept maps and pattern matches.Results. Five distinct clusters emerged from the concept mapping, of which " effectiveness and innovation in PA interventions" was rated most important by both practitioners and researchers. Pattern matching showed a divergence between the groups, especially regarding feasibility, where there was no consensus.Conclusions. The study results provided the basis for a research agenda to advance the understanding of environmental and policy influences on PA promotion in Brazil and Latin America. These results should stimulate future research and, ultimately, contribute to the evidence-base of successful PA strategies in Latin America.

Effects of Chronic Physical Activity and of Ultrasound Treatment on Bone Consolidation

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of ultrasound treatment and physical exercise on the velocity of bone consolidation and resistance to deformation. We performed osteotomy in the upper third of the right tibia of rats. Physical training consisted of swimming 1 h per day with a load of 5% b.w. for 30 days. Therapy with medium-intensity ultrasound was applied daily on the damaged area. Wistar rats were divided into the following groups: osteotomized sedentary animals with no ultrasound treatment (1.OSnUS), osteotomized trained animals with no ultrasound treatment (2.OTnUS), osteotomized sedentary animals with ultrasound treatment (3.OSwUS). and osteotomized trained animals with ultrasound treatment (4.OTwUS). The animals were sacrificed for the following analyses: muscle glycogen, serum alkaline phosphatase at the 5th, 10th, 20th, and 30th days, test of maximum resistance to flexion, rupture flexion and mean tibial rigidity at the 30th day. Muscle glycogen was increased at the 20th day: alkaline phosphatase was elevated at the 5th and 20th days in groups 3.OSwUS and 4.OTwUS. and decreased at the 10th day. Groups1.OSnUS and 2.OTnUS did not show significant variations. In the mechanical resistance tests, we noted that ultrasound therapy and the association of physical activity used in the present study showed significant differences in bone resistance and bone rigidity after 30 days of treatment. These facts suggest that ultrasound or physical activity, or their combination may accelerate the process of bone tissue repair.

Glucose homeostasis in type 1 diabetic rats after acute physical activity

Physical activity is considered an extremely effective therapy in cases of type 1 diabetes (DM-1), as it promotes glucose uptake independent of insulin action. However, there are few studies on the effect of a single session of exercise on glucose uptake in DM-1 (i.e., in the absence of insulin). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the effect of a single exercise session on glucose homeostasis in DM-1 rats. For this purpose, 30 male rats were divided into three groups: sedentary control (SC), sedentary diabetic (SD), and exercise diabetic (ED). DM was induced by administration of alloxan and identified by the value of fasting glucose. The physical activity consisted of a single swimming session at the anaerobic threshold intensity for diabetic rats (3.5% body weight overload) for 30 min. The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed immediately after the physical activity. The animals were sacrificed 48 hr after the OGTT, and samples were taken from the blood, liver, gastrocnemius, and mesenteric and subcutaneous adipose tissue. We observed that DM caused significant reduction in body weight. A single session of physical activity did not modify the response to the OGTT or glucose. However, it resulted in increased HDL cholesterol and hepatic glycogen content. These results suggest that, despite not having an effect on glucose homeostasis, acute physical activity performed at anaerobic threshold intensity leads to beneficial changes in the context of type 1 diabetes.

Perceived quality of life and physical activity in Brazilian older adults

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between self-perceived quality of life and physical activity in Brazilian older adults. We investigated 199 individuals (117 men and 82 women) aged between 60 to 70 years old, employees of a public university. Physical activity was estimated by the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Self-perceived quality of life was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-Bref) questionnaire composed of four domains: physical, psychological, social relationship and environment. There was no difference in self-perceived quality of life between men and women. In contrast, quality of life was associated with physical activity even after adjustment for gender, schooling and income. The physical domain presented the strongest association with physical inactivity (Odds Ratio = 2.70, 95% CI 1.87-3.52). Only the environment domain evaluated by WHOQOL-Bref was not associated to physical inactivity. Among the older, improved self-perceived quality of life is positively associated to physical activity. © FTCD/FIP-MOC.

Independent and Combined Effects of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior on Blood Pressure in Adolescents: Gender Differences in Two Cross-Sectional Studies

Objectives: To examine the independent and combined association of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) on both systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in adolescents from two observational studies. Methods: Participants from two cross-sectional studies, one conducted in Europe (n = 3,308; HELENA study) and the other in Brazil (n = 991; BRACAH study), were selected by complex sampling. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (outcomes), PA and SB, both independently and combined, and potential confounders were analyzed. Associations were examined by multilevel linear regression. Results: Performing the recommended amount of PA (≥60 min/d) attenuated the effect of SB on DBP in BRACAH study girls and in boys from both studies. In contrast, PA did not attenuate the effects of SB on the SBP of girls in the HELENA study. The combination of less than recommended levels of PA with 2-4 h/d of sedentary behavior was found to be associated with increased SBP in boys from both studies. Conclusions: Meeting current PA recommendations could mediate the association between SB and DBP in both sexes. In boys, the joint effect of low levels of PA and excessive sedentary activity increases SBP levels. Longitudinal studies are required to confirm these findings. © 2013 de Moraes et al.

Influence of risk behavior aggregation in different categories of physical activity on the occurrence of cardiovascular risk factors

Background: We aimed to verify the association of risk behavior aggregation in different categories of physical activity (PA) with the presence of cardiovascular risk factors (RF) employees at a public university. Method. We analyzed data of 376 employees, which were visited in their workplace for measurement of weight, height and questionnaires to identify the risk behaviors and risk factors. Chi-square test was used to analyze the association between the dependent and independent variables and binary logistic regression was used to construct a multivariate model for the observed associations. Results: Associations were found between the aggregation of following risk behaviors: smoking, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity, considered in different categories of PA, and the increase in RF, except for the presence of hypertriglyceridemia. Individuals with two or more risk behaviors in occupational PA category are more likely to be hypertensive (3.04 times) and diabetes (3.44 times). For the free time PA category, these individuals were 3.18 times more likely to have hypercholesterolemia and for locomotion PA, more likely to be hypertensive (2.42 times) and obese (2.51 times). Conclusion: There are association between the aggregation of two or more risk behaviors and the presence of cardiovascular RF. © 2013 Bernardo et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Association between physical activity and cardiovascular risk factors in individuals undergoing cardiac rehabilitation program

Introduction: Physical activity (PA) practice presents an inverse relation with risk factors (RF) of cardiovascular disease, with positive effects in quality of life and other physical and psychological variables. However, the benefits of daily activities have not been established. Objective: To investigate the prevalence and association of cardiovascular risk factors and physical activity in different categories of patients under a cardiac rehabilitation program. Methods: 69 participants of a cardiac rehabilitation program were evaluated and weight, height and blood pressure were checked. Afterwards, the patients answered questionnaires to assess self-reported physical activity level, stress level and verify the presence of RF. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratio. Results: High prevalence of RF was found in the subjects, age and hypertension were more prevalent while smoking and stress had lower prevalence. Most individuals were classified as sedentary, except for locomotion PA (LPA). Conclusion: That there is high prevalence of RF in patients attending cardiac rehabilitation programs, while sedentary ones are more likely to have the RF hypertension, obesity, smoking, alcohol and stress than the active ones, depending on the PA category.

Effect of muscle fatigue and physical activity level in motor control of the gait of young adults

The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of muscle fatigue in active and inactive young adults on the kinematic and kinetic parameters of normal gait and obstacle crossing. Twenty male subjects were divided into active (10) and inactive (10), based on self-reported physical activity. Participants performed three trials of two tasks (normal gait and obstacle crossing) before and after a fatigue protocol, consisting of repeated sit-to-stand transfers until the instructed pace could no longer be maintained. MANOVAs were used to compare dependent variables with the following factors: physical activity level, fatigue and task. The endurance time in the fatigue protocol was lower for the inactive group. Changes of gait parameters with fatigue, among which increased step width and increased stride speed were the most consistent, were independent of task and physical activity level. These findings indicate that the kinematic and kinetic parameters of gait are affected by muscle fatigue irrespective of the physical activity level of the subjects and type of gait. Inactive individuals used a slightly different strategy than active individuals when crossing an obstacle, independently of muscle fatigue. © 2013.

Physical education in schools, sport activity and total physical activity in adolescents

Less than half of adolescents reach the recommended 300 minutes per week of physical activity (PA). Physical education classes and sports participation provide opportunities for adolescents to accumulate more time for PA practice; however, little is known about the influence of these variables on the level of total physical activity of adolescents. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the practice of physical education (PE) in schools and sports activities (SA) with the practice of total PA of adolescents. The study was cross-sectional and involved 467 adolescents of high school (15.8 ± 0.9 years-old) from the city of Rio Claro, in the State of São Paulo. Participants completed the Physical Activity Questionnaire to Older Children (PAQ-C) and questions related to the practice of PE and SA in schools. We performed a logistic regression with p<0.05 using SPSS. Girls had lower prevalence of PA than boys, 9.4% and 26.8%, respectively. Boys who did not participate of PE classes (OR=0.25, 95% CI=0.09-0.66) and SA in schools (OR=0.34, 95% CI=0.12-0.95) were less likely to be active in PA than boys who practiced these activities. The participation in PE classes or engagement in some SA were positively associated with the practice of total PA in boys.

Characteristics of physical activity programs in the Brazilian primary health care system

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Early and current physical activity: relationship with intima-media thickness and metabolic variables in adulthood

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Physical activity, adiposity and hypertension among patients of public healthcare system

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Handgrip and functional mobility in elderly with different levels of physical activity

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Efeito do nível de atividade física nas concentrações da ADAM 10 em sujeitos com doença de Alzheimer e saudáveis

Pós-graduação em Ciências da Motricidade - IBRC

Prevalence of physical activity through the practice of sports among adolescents from Portuguese speaking countries

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)