Pedro Bezerra

Morfologia e crescimento dos 6 aos 10 anos de idade em Viana do Castelo, Portugal

In the Estudo Morfofuncional da Crianca Vianense 1911 elementary school children were measured throughout a four year period, resulting in 4064 individual observations of 6 to 10 year-old children (2054 girls, 2006 boys). The anthropometric variables (height, weight, skinfolds, muscle girth and bone breadth) were used to create percentile reference tables for the local population, and to study their somatotypes in relation to somatic fitness. The results were compared with other national and international studies. Vianas children averaged similar height, weight, muscular girths and bone breadths when compared with other Portuguese studies, but revealed a different growth rhythm and lower weight than the US children. Their skinfolds were also smaller than the reported values for Portugal and for the US. Throughout the elementary school time span, there was atendency to increases in ectomorphy component for boys, and endomorphy for both genders. In conclusion, Viana’s children growth characteristics appear to indicate a level of somatic fitness that is far from mirroring today’s international concerns regarding this matter.

A relação entre autopercepção do estado de saúde e a condição física em septuagenários e octogenários

Resumo O processo de envelhecimento tem inerente uma diminuicao das capacidades fisiologicas. Os testes Handrip (HT) e 6-Minutos-Andar (6MW) sao utilizados na avaliacao da aptidao fisica do idoso. O questionario SF-36v2, que inclui Componente Fisica (CF), Funcao Fisica (FF) e Desempenho Fisico (DF), e usado na avaliacao da percepcao de saude. O objetivo deste artigo e comparar a aptidao fisica e a percepcao de saude em septuagenarios (70’) e octogenarios (80’) e examinar a relacao entre variaveis. Cinquenta e sete 70’ e vinte e seis 80’, recrutados na populacao de Ponte de Lima, preencheram o questionario SF-36v2 e realizaram os testes HT e 6MW. Teste t e Coeficiente de Pearson foram usados para analise estatistica, significância p < 0.05. Foram encontradas diferencas significativas entre grupos no Desempenho Fisico (p = 0.025), Forca Manual (p <0.05) e Capacidade Cardiorrespiratoria (p < 0.001). Correlacoes moderadas foram encontradas entre Forca Manual, Capacidade Cardiorrespiratoria e DF (p < 0.001) nos dois grupos. A CF e FF foram correlacionadas com Forca Manual (p < 0.001) nos 70’. Os 70’ sao mais fortes e com maior capacidade cardiorrespiratoria que os 80’. A forca muscular, nos 70’, e a capacidade cardiorrespiratoria, nos 70’ e 80’, promovem a percepcao de saude.The aging process involves an inherent decrease in physiological abilities. The Handgrip Test (HT) and the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) are used to assess physical fitness in the elderly. The SF-36v2 questionnaire, including the physical component (PC), physical function (PF) and physical performance (PP) are used to assess the self-perceived health status. The scope of this study was to compare the physical fitness and the subjects self-perception of health among septuagenarians and octogenarians and to examine the relationship between the variables. Fifty-seven septuagenarian and 26 octogenarian volunteers were recruited from the Ponte de Lima area, completed the SF-36v2 questionnaire and were tested on the HT and 6MWT. The t-Test and the Pearson coefficient of correlation were used for statistical analysis, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Significant differences were found between septuagenarians and octogenarians in PC (p = 0.025), HT (p < 0.05) and 6MWT (p < 0.001). The muscle strength, in septuagenarians, and cardiorespiratory capacity, in septuagenarians and octogenarians contributes significantly to the self-perception of physical health.

The influence of winter and summer seasons on physical fitness in aged population

Epidemiological studies have described the association between physical fitness and health. Few have reported the impact of seasonal variation on fitness determinants, in elderly. We investigated the effects of summer and winter environmental conditions on physical fitness, in both exercise and non-exercise elders. 371 non-institutionalized older adults (74.1% female; 78.4 ± 5.3 years) randomly recruited from a total sample of 1338 subjects from north of Portugal, were prospectively followed during 1 year and 3 assessments were performed - April (baseline), October (summer season) and April (winter season). Four groups were defined, according to reported habits of exercising: Exercise (EG); Winter Exercise (WG); and Summer Exercise (SG); non-Exercise (nEG). Muscle strength was assessed with handgrip and isometric knee extension test, and aerobic capacity with the 6 min walking test. Repeated measures ANOVA with two between-subjects factors were run for independent variables, considering a three Time points. Significance set at p < .05. Findings show that: (1) men were fitter than women; (2) EG showed better results than nEG (p = .000), but not different than WG or SG, (3) nEG physical fitness was not significantly different from WG and SG; (4) SG and WG showed similar results; (5) there was significant group-by-time interaction for all variables in study. Among elderly, the regular physical exercise determined better cardiorespiratory fitness and levels of strength compared to individuals that were not exercising, however, no season impact was observed. Independently of exercising mode, regular, seasonal or not exercising, the pattern of changes in physical fitness throughout the year was similar.

Functional Movement Screen Scores and Physical Performance among Youth Elite Soccer Players

This study had two main objectives: (1) to determine if differences in Functional Movement Screen (FMS) scores exist between two levels of competition; and (2) to analyze the association between FMS individual and overall scores and physical performance variables of lower-limb power (jumps), repeated sprint ability and shot speed. Twenty-two Under 16 (U16) and twenty-six Under 19 (U19) national competitive soccer players participated in this study. All participants were evaluated according to anthropometrics, FMS, jump performance, instep kick speed and anaerobic performance. There were no significant differences in the individual FMS scores between competitive levels. There were significant negative correlations between hurdle step (right) and Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST) power average (ρ = −0.293; p = 0.043) and RAST fatigue index (RAST FatIndex) (ρ = −0.340; p = 0.018). The hurdle step (left) had a significant negative correlation to squat jump (SJ) (ρ = −0.369; p = 0.012). Rotary stability had a significant negative correlation to RAST fatigue index (Right: ρ = −0.311; p = 0.032. Left: ρ = −0.400; p = 0.005). The results suggest that individual FMS scores may be better discriminants of performance than FMS total score and established minimal association between FMS scores and physical variables. Based on that, FMS may be suitable for the purposes of determining physical function but not for discriminating physical performance.

Body Composition Evaluation Issue among Young Elite Football Players: DXA Assessment

Accurate assessment of body composition is an important issue among athletes. Different methodologies generate controversial results, leading to a deep uncertainty on individual exercise prescriptions. Thus, this study aims to identify the differences between field methods, such as bioelectrical impedance (BIA) and skinfold assessment, with a clinical method, highly accurate, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), among elite young football players. Thirty-eight male football players with a mean (sd) age of 16.7 (0.87) years, involved in the Portuguese national competition of U16 (n = 13) and U19 (n = 25), were evaluated and objective measures of body composition, muscle strength and football skills were collected by trained specialists. Body composition was assessed using BIA (Tanita BC-418, Tanita Corp., Tokyo, Japan), in agreement with all the evaluation premises. Additionally, all athletes were evaluated using the clinical method DXA (Hologic Inc., Waltham, MA, USA). Among the U19 athletes, three skinfold sites (SKF) were assessed: chest, abdomin and thigh. The Spearman correlation coefficients and the mean difference between methods were calculated. The agreement between both methods was analyzed using Bland-Altman plots. Among the evaluated athletes, lower mean values of body fat % were found using BIA as a method of body composition assessment compared with DXA (12.05 vs. 15.58 for U16; 11.97 vs. 14.16 for U19). Despite the moderate correlation between methods (r = 0.33) to estimate the percentage of total fat, the median of the difference (DXA vs. BIA) was relevant in clinical terms, with 2.90% and 1.47% for U16 and U19 athletes, respectively. Stronger correlations were found between the sum of the SKF and DXA fat estimation (r = 0.68). The Bland-Altman plots showed a clear underestimation in the evaluations using the BIA, namely among athletes with better body composition profiles (8%–12% of fat). Using BIA, an underestimation of body fat assessment was observed among 94.5% of the athletes with less than 12% body fat mass. Among the evaluated athletes, fat mass was underestimated at a median value of 2.21% using BIA in comparison with DXA. The sum of the SKF showed a stronger correlation with the reference method (DXA) (r = 0.68) than BIA.

Obesity, Physical Fitness and Inflammation in the Elderly

Among the elderly, obesity is paradoxically associated with a lower mortality risk. Thus, this study describes fitness levels by Body Mass Index (BMI) category and the associations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and Vitamin D levels with muscle strength, in community-dwelling older adults. A cross-sectional study, with 1338 subjects having mean age of 78.3 years, were assessed in anthropometrics, muscle strength, and cardiorespiratory fitness. In a sub-sample, blood samples were collected and objective markers of inflammation were provided: high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and Vitamin D (25(OH) D). Obese women (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m2) showed significantly better results for grip strength than normal weight group (BMI between 18.5–24.9 kg/m2): 22.3 (7.0) vs. 20.0 (6.8); p = 0.002. After adjustment, higher levels of hs-CRP were an independent predictor of lower levels of grip strength (β = −0.213, 95% CI: −0.424; −0.002) and Vitamin D levels were positively associated with higher levels of muscle strength (β = 0.098, 95% CI: 0.008–0.189). The multivariate analysis found a significant and positive association between 25(OH) D and grip strength: (β = 0.098, 95% CI: 0.008–0.189). A positive pattern of higher levels of absolute strength among obese older subjects could have an important impact on morbidity and mortality risk, through the inverse association with acute inflammation and an increase in Vitamin D profile.