Wellington Roberto Gomes de Carvalho

Experiência de treinamento com Nintendo Wii sobre a funcionalidade, equilíbrio e qualidade de vida de idosas

Abstract: The aim of this case report was to assess the functionality, balance and quality of life of two non-institutionalized elderly submitted to a training protocol in Virtual Reality. The training protocol consisted of nine sessions with 50 minutes of duration, and three times a week. Games of Wii Fit software and the Balance Board of Nintendo Wii were used for training protocol. The guidelines of health agencies, American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), were used to design the training program. The assessment of functionality was performed with Tasks of Physical Fitness for elderly; balance was assessed by Berg scale and quality of life was measured with the SF-36 questionnaire. The results indicated improvements in the absolute values of variables assessed. It may be concluded that the Nintendo Wii is a potential tool for training program to improve functional independence of elderly. We hope that this study stimulates researchers to continue investigating the use of

Factors associated with dietary supplement use by people who exercise at gyms

OBJECTIVE To assess the factors associated with the use of dietary supplements by people who exercise at gyms. METHODS A cross-sectional study with a sample defined by convenience, considering the number of gyms registered in the Conselho Regional de Educação Física (Regional Council of Physical Education) of Sao Luis, MA, Northeastern Brazil, from July 2011 to July 2012. The final sample comprised 723 individuals who exercise at gyms. The dependent variable was supplement use, and the explanatory variables were length of time and motivation of the physical exercises, duration, goal and self-perception of training, weekly frequency of gym attendance, sex, age, educational attainment, self-perception of body weight, smoking and self-perception of diet. The association between variables was analysed by hierarchical Poisson regression based on a theoretical model. RESULTS Supplement use was reported by 64.7% of the participants. Most of the sample was male (52.6%). The most frequent age group was 20 to 39 years (74.4%). Most participants (46.1%) had been exercising for over a year. The following variables were associated with supplement use: self-perceiving body weight as below ideal (p < 0.001), smoking (p < 0.001), exercising for 7 to 12 months (p = 0.028) or more than one year (p < 0.001), spending more than two hours at the gym (p = 0.051), and perceiving training as moderate (p = 0.024) or intense (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The use of supplements lacks proper professional guidance, being motivated by individuals unsatisfied with their low body weight and who perceive their workout as intense, which raises the need for monitoring this population.

Cardiovascular effects of Zumba(®) performed in a virtual environment using XBOX Kinect.

[Purpose] This study evaluated the acute cardiovascular responses during a session of Zumba® Fitness in a virtual reality environment. [Subjects] Eighteen healthy volunteers were recruited. [Methods] The following cardiovascular variables: heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and double product were assessed before and after the practice of virtual Zumba®, which was performed as a continuous sequence of five choreographed movements lasting for 22 min. The game Zumba Fitness Core®, with the Kinect-based virtual reality system for the XBOX 360, was used to create the virtual environment. Comparisons were made among mean delta values (delta=post-Zumba® minus pre-Zumba® values) for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and double product using Student’s t-test for paired samples. [Results] After a single session, a significant increase was noted in all the analyzed parameters (Systolic blood pressure=18%; Diastolic blood pressure=13%; Heart rate=67%; and Double product=97%). [Conclusion] The results support the feasibility of the use of Zumba Fitness Core® with the Kinect-based virtual reality system for the XBOX 360 in physical activity programs and further favor its indication for this purpose.

Acute cardiovascular responses while playing virtual games simulated by Nintendo Wii(

[Purpose] This investigation evaluated the acute cardiovascular responses that occur while playing virtual games (aerobic and balance) emulated by Nintendo Wii®. [Subjects] Nineteen healthy male volunteers were recruited. [Methods] The ergospirometric variables of maximum oxygen consumption, metabolic equivalents, and heart rate were obtained during the aerobic (Obstacle Course, Hula Hoop, and Free Run) and balance (Soccer Heading, Penguin Slide, and Table Tilt) games of Wii Fit Plus® software. To access and analyze the ergospirometric information, a VO2000 analyzer was used. Normalized data (using maximum oxygen consumption and heart rate) were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance and Scheffe’s test. [Results] Significant differences were found among the balance and aerobic games in all variables analyzed. In addition, the Wii exercises performed were considered to be of light (balance games) and moderate (aerobic games) intensity in accordance with American College Sports Medicine exercise stratification. [Conclusion] Physical activity in a virtual environment emulated by Nintendo Wii® can change acute cardiovascular responses, primarily when Wii aerobic games are performed. These results support the use of the Nintendo Wii® in physical activity programs.

Electromyographic activity of rectus abdominis muscles during dynamic Pilates abdominal exercises

OBJECTIVE To assess the electrical behaviour of the upper rectus abdominis (URA) and lower rectus abdominis (LRA) by electromyography (EMG) during the following dynamic Pilates abdominal exercises: roll up, double leg stretch, coordination, crisscross and foot work. The results were compared with EMG findings of traditional abdominal exercises (sit up and crunch). METHODS Seventeen female subjects (with no experience of the Pilates method) were recruited. The URA and LRA were evaluated while 12 isotonic contractions were performed using the Pilates principles or traditional abdominal exercises. The data were normalised by a maximal voluntary isometric contraction. Normality was accepted, and ANOVA followed by Tukey test was used to determine data differences (P < 0.05). RESULTS Pilates exercises double leg stretch, coordination, crisscross and foot work promoted greater muscle activation than traditional exercises, mainly in URA. Thus, these exercises have the potential to be prescribed for muscle strengthening programmes.

Association between cardiorespiratory fitness and body fat in girls.

Abstract Objective: To estimate the prevalence of low cardiorespiratory fitness and its association with excess body fat, considering the sexual maturation and economic level in female adolescents. Methods: Cross-sectional, epidemiological study of 1223 adolescents (10-17 years) from the public school system of Cascavel, PR, Brazil, in 2006. We analyzed the self-assessed sexual maturation level (prepubertal, pubertal and post-pubertal), the economic level (high and low) through a questionnaire and body fat (normal and high) through triceps and subscapular skinfolds. The 20-meter back-and-forth test was applied to estimate maximum oxygen consumption. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed according to reference criteria and considered low when the minimum health criterion for age and sex was not met. Chi-square test and logistic regression were applied, with a significance level of 5%. Results: The prevalence of low cardiorespiratory fitness was 51.3%, being associated with all study variables (p<0.001). At the crude analysis, adolescents with high body fat were associated with low cardiorespiratory fitness, when compared to those with normal body fat (OR=2.76; 95%CI: 2.17-3.52). After adjustment by sexual maturation, this association remained valid and showed an effect that was 1.8-fold higher (95%CI: 1.39-2.46) and after adjusting by economic level, the effect was 1.9-fold higher (95%CI: 1.45-2.61). Conclusions: Approximately half of the assessed girls showed unsatisfactory levels of cardiorespiratory fitness for health, which was associated with high body fat, regardless of sexual maturation level and economic level. Effective public health measures are needed, with particular attention to high-risk groups.

Sports practice and factors associated with school performance in grade and high school: comparison between athletes and non-athletes

BackgroundThe relationship between sport and school performance provokes great discussions. Studies have shown conflicting results when verifying association of academic performance with physical activity and sport. The aim of the study was to associate academic performance to the level of physical activity and sports in student athletes and non-athletes in primary and secondary school.MethodsCross-sectional study conducted in 2015, with 363 students (141 athletes and 222 non-athletes), of both sexes, belonging to primary and secondary education. The students were submitted to anthropometric evaluation (weight and stature) and body composition (percentage of fat), physical activity-level classification, through the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents—QAFA, motor performance through (flexibility, agility, strength, and speed), and school performance (pending subjects and income coefficient). The logistic regression analysis was performed to verify the associations between variables with significance for p < 0.05.ResultsThere is improved academic performance for the third year of high school (p = 0.002); physically active students are more likely to achieve better academic performance compared to those who are insufficiently active and physically inactive (OR = 2.15, p = 0.020). In motor performance, students who presented better results in the agility and strength test in lower limbs achieved better academic performance (OR = 1.62, p = 0.047 and OR = 3.82, p = 0.040), respectively.ConclusionsStudent athletes did not present inferior academic performance compared to non-athletes and that physically active students had a positive relationship with better school performance.