Luciano Basso

Relação entre índice de massa corporal e habilidade motora grossa em crianças de quatro a seis anos

This study had to aim to verify the relationship between performance in gross motor skill tasks and body mass index (BMI) in four to six year-old boys and girls. 27 children were analyzed, 16 boys and 11 girls, mean age of 5.64 ± 0.67 years. The children were submitted to the Test of Gross Motor Development-Second Edition (TGMD-2), proposed by Ulrich (2000) and to the Korperkoordinations-test fur Kinder (KTK), proposed by Kiphard and Schilling (1974). The punctuation obtained in the two tests was reduced to a scale common to both. The correlation between this scale and the BMI of the children was verified through the Spearman correlation test, with P < 0.05. No significant interaction was observed among variables when boys and girls were analyzed or when the analysis was conducted with gender distinction. Moreover, no interaction between the BMI and tasks which required higher demand of physical capacities was observed, which should be verified in further studies. It was possible to conclude from our results, that the performance of four to six year-old children in tasks which involved gross motor skill did not relate with BMI.This study had to aim to verify the relationship between performance in gross motor skill tasks and body mass index (BMI) in four to six year-old boys and girls. 27 children were analyzed, 16 boys and 11 girls, mean age of 5.64 ± 0.67 years. The children were submitted to the Test of Gross Motor Development-Second Edition (TGMD-2), proposed by Ulrich (2000) and to the Korperkoordinations-test fur Kinder (KTK), proposed by Kiphard and Schilling (1974). The punctuation obtained in the two tests was reduced to a scale common to both. The correlation between this scale and the BMI of the children was verified through the Spearman correlation test, with P < 0.05. No significant interaction was observed among variables when boys and girls were analyzed or when the analysis was conducted with gender distinction. Moreover, no interaction between the BMI and tasks which required higher demand of physical capacities was observed, which should be verified in further studies. It was possible to conclude from our results, that the performance of four to six year-old children in tasks which involved gross motor skill did not relate with BMI.

Modularity and hierarchical organization of action programs in human acquisition of graphic skills

If motor or action programs become modules with practice their defining features (e.g. relative timing) should remain relatively invariant in new tasks. To test this hypothesis 24 adults practiced a graphic skill over 100 trials and were transferred to a more complex task enclosing the practiced figure. The data acquired by a digital tablet resulted in total movement and total pause times to draw the figure indicating skill acquisition and variability measures of relative timing and pause time and sequencing referring to features that identify a module. Being transferred to a more complex task did not lead to significant increases in the time to perform the criterion figure embedded in the new pattern. Modularity was evidenced by the stability of relative timing and sequencing shown in the performance of the criterion figure. Hence, it might be that action programs become modules that are then hierarchically organized to form more complex skills.

Risco cardiovascular e prática de atividade física em crianças e adolescentes de Muzambinho/MG: influência do gênero e da idade

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular disease begins at infancy and it has been linked to the presence of cardiovascular risk factors (CRF). Prevalence of these factors varies a lot among different Brazilian populations and has been mostly studied in big and medium size cities. Thus, this study assessed the prevalence of CRF and physical activity (PA) in children and adolescents from Muzambinho, a small city in the state of Minas Gerais. METHODS: 205 subjects (7 to 18 years - 108 males) were studied. Body weight and height, glycemia, cholesterolemia, blood pressure (BP), and PA were measured. Comparisons were made by Qui-square test. RESULTS: Obesity and altered values of BP, glycemia, and cholesterolemia were found, respectively, in 19, 11, 5 and 15% of the subjects. There was no difference between genders, while the prevalence of smokers, drinkers, altered BP, and inactivity increased with age. Seventy-nine percent of the subjects practiced community PA; 10% occupational PA; 97% physical education classes; 72% PA during school recess; and 90% leisure time PA. Ninety-two percent of them were active. Occupational PA was higher in girls, and increased with age in boys. Leisure time and during school recess PA decreased with age in both genders. CONCLUSION: Except for physical inactivity, prevalence of CRF was high, did not differ between genders, and increased with age. High levels of all kinds of PA were found; they differed between genders, and decreased with age.

Relative frequency of knowledge of results and task complexity in the motor skill acquisition

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of knowledge of results (KR) frequency and task complexity on motor skill acquisition. The task consisted of throwing a bocha ball to place it as close as possible to the target ball. 120 students ages 11 to 13 years were assigned to one of eight experimental groups according to knowledge of results frequency (25, 50, 75, and 100%) and task complexity (simple and complex). Subjects performed 90 trials in the acquisition phase and 10 trials in the transfer test. The results showed that knowledge of results given at a frequency of 25% resulted in an inferior absolute error than 50% and inferior variable error than 50, 75, and 100% frequencies, but no effect of task complexity was found.

Genetic and environmental influences on blood pressure and physical activity: a study of nuclear families from Muzambinho, Brazil

Blood pressure (BP) and physical activity (PA) levels are inversely associated. Since genetic factors account for the observed variation in each of these traits, it is possible that part of their association may be related to common genetic and/or environmental influences. Thus, this study was designed to estimate the genetic and environmental correlations of BP and PA phenotypes in nuclear families from Muzambinho, Brazil. Families including 236 offspring (6 to 24 years) and their 82 fathers and 122 mothers (24 to 65 years) were evaluated. BP was measured, and total PA (TPA) was assessed by an interview (commuting, occupational, leisure time, and school time PA). Quantitative genetic modeling was used to estimate maximal heritability (h2), and genetic and environmental correlations. Heritability was significant for all phenotypes (systolic BP: h2 = 0.37 ± 0.10, P < 0.05; diastolic BP: h2 = 0.39 ± 0.09, P < 0.05; TPA: h2 = 0.24 ± 0.09, P < 0.05). Significant genetic (rg) and environmental (re) correlations were detected between systolic and diastolic BP (rg = 0.67 ± 0.12 and re = 0.48 ± 0.08, P < 0.05). Genetic correlations between BP and TPA were not significant, while a tendency to an environmental cross-trait correlation was found between diastolic BP and TPA (re = -0.18 ± 0.09, P = 0.057). In conclusion, BP and PA are under genetic influences. Systolic and diastolic BP share common genes and environmental influences. Diastolic BP and TPA are probably under similar environmental influences.

Modularidade de programas de ação em indivíduos normais e portadores da síndrome de Down

Habilidades motoras sao representadas de forma abstrata em programas de acao. Uma vez formados, esses programas constituem-se em modulos que minimizam as demandas de controle motor em tarefas complexas. O presente estudo investigou se ha formacao de modulos na aquisicao de habilidades motoras em individuos normais e portadores da sindrome de Down. Participaram do estudo doze individuos divididos igualmente em tres grupos (criancas, adultos e adultos portadores da sindrome de Down). Eles praticaram a reproducao manual de um padrao grafico composto de cinco linhas retas, ao qual foi adicionado um novo padrao apos 100 execucoes. Os individuos portadores da sindrome de Down tiveram dificuldades para formarem modulos e seu desempenho foi similar ao das criancas. A ausencia de modularidade no comportamento pode explicar as dificuldades motoras muitas vezes enfrentadas por individuos portadores da sindrome de Down.

O ensino do esporte para crianças e jovens: considerações sobre uma fase do processo de desenvolvimento motor esquecida

The teaching-learning process can be viewed as a system constituted by the interaction of three components - teacher, learner and subject matter - whose goal is to promote the effective changes in the learner´s behaviors, capacities and competences. In a systemic view of the teaching-learning process the role played by a given component always implies the establishment of relations between the two remaining components. Thus, the role of the teacher is to establish relations between learner and subject matter. The main question to the teacher is on what to rely upon to establish these relations. The present essay departs from the assumption that knowledge about motor development constitutes a fundamental element when sport is the subject matter. It discusses a phase of that process that has been systematically forgotten in the teaching of sports trying to identify possible causes and consequences, and presents some suggestions of procedures to work with that phase.O processo ensino-aprendizagem pode ser visto como um sistema constituido pela interacao de tres componentes - professor, aluno e materia - que tem por meta promover mudancas efetivas nos comportamentos, capacidades e competencias do aluno. Como numa visao sistemica do processo ensino-aprendizagem, a funcao de um determinado componente implica sempre o estabelecimento de relacao entre os dois componentes que restam, o papel principal do professor e estabelecer relacao entre o aluno e a materia. Neste contexto, a questao central e saber em que se basear para estabelecer essa relacao. O presente ensaio parte da assuncao de que o conhecimento sobre o desenvolvimento motor constitui um elemento fundamental quando a materia de ensino e o esporte, discute uma fase desse processo que tem sido sistematicamente esquecida procurando identificar as suas possiveis causas e consequencias e apresenta algumas sugestoes para trabalhar com essa fase.

Frequency of provision of knowledge of performance on skill acquisition in older persons.

The provision of feedback is a crucial factor for the evolution of the learner’s performance. It is known that the knowledge of performance has the function of guiding the learner’s attention to critical aspects of the movement pattern. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of frequency of knowledge of performance (KP) during the acquisition of the basketball free throw in older persons. Sixty active individuals (men and women) aged 60–69 years of age, divided into three experimental groups received KP in 100, 66, and 33% of their attempts during three practice sessions totaling 90 trials. The task was the basketball free throw. Volunteers were asked to conduct tests of immediate retention, 24 h retention, and 24 h transfer test, after the last practice session. During the acquisition phase, the volunteers received KP on the movement pattern on the previous attempt, which was obtained from a qualitative hierarchical checklist of the free throw (14 items). Sessions were recorded in order to confirm whether volunteers were able to score throughout sessions. ANOVA indicated that all individuals showed an improved performance in the retention and transfer tests. But the KP frequency of 66% was superior in both qualitative (movement pattern) and quantitative (score) measurements throughout the trials (p ≤ 0.05). In conclusion older persons seem to need an optimal KP frequency supply during the learning process.

Desempenho de idosos em uma tarefa motora de demanda dupla de controle

A literatura sobre o processo de envelhecimento tem sistematicamente demonstrado a diferenca de desempenho entre populacoes jovens e idosas. Em geral, os delineamentos de pesquisa envolvem individuos de 60 e ate mesmo de 90 anos de idade, enquanto o grupo de jovens e representado por individuos em torno de 20 anos de idade. Esse procedimento pode ocultar mudancas de desenvolvimento que talvez influencie a interpretacao dos resultados. Assim, o objetivo desse estudo foi examinar o efeito da idade cronologica no desempenho de uma habilidade motora. Foi utilizado um aparelho que possibilitou a execucao de uma tarefa de posicionamento linear combinada ao controle de forca. Os participantes receberam conhecimento de resultados verbal apos a execucao de 10 tentativas sobre o objetivo de atingir 20% da forca maxima e o deslocamento de 35 cm. O desempenho foi medido pelo erro absoluto. A amostra contou com 150 participantes de 60 a 86 anos de idade, que realizaram as tentativas com a mao nao-dominante e vendados. Os participantes foram divididos em tres grupos etarios (60, 70, 80 anos) e o desempenho tambem foi comparado a um grupo jovem (21 a 30 anos de idade). Houve correlacao baixa, mas significante entre idade e controle de distância. Nao houve diferenca significante entre os grupos (exceto G20 e G80). Apesar da observacao empirica dos instrutores sobre a diferenca no desempenho motor de idosos de diferentes faixas etarias, o presente estudo nao mostrou tais diferencas no desempenho dessa tarefa em particular. Talvez, considerando que os participantes eram fisicamente ativos, possiveis diferencas de desempenho relativas ao processo de envelhecimento, possam ter sido sobrepostas pelo estilo de vida ativo.

Aprendizagem de uma habilidade motora seriada em diferentes estágios de desenvolvimento

Este estudo investigou a aprendizagem de uma tarefa motora seriada em diferentes estagios de desenvolvimento. Quinze criancas, 14 adultos e 13 idosos praticaram a tarefa de rastrear uma sequencia de seis estimulos luminosos durante 10 blocos de tentativas ou ate descobrir a sequencia, constituindo a fase de estabilizacao e mais dois blocos de tentativas, referentes as fases de adaptacao I e II. O desempenho foi mensurado por meio das respostas funcionais e nao-funcionais e das sequencias funcionais. Os resultados indicaram que os adultos foram superiores aos demais participantes, e idosos apresentaram melhor desempenho que criancas apenas no inicio da pratica, sugerindo que o estagio de desenvolvimento interage com o processo de aprendizagem motora.