CORRELATION BETWEEN THE CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS LEVEL AND HABITUAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN BRAZILIAN AIR FORCE RECRUITS

Cardiorespiratory fitness is the ability to maintain moderate or high-intensity efforts for long periods of time and is highly related to physical activity habits and fitness levels. Analyzing habitual physical activity in military personnel and its relationship with cardiorespiratory fitness is consequently fundamental. Thus, the objective of this study was to verify the correlation between the cardiorespiratory fitness level and habitual physical activity in Brazilian Air Force recruits. The sample consisted of 86 recruits in the final phase of the soldier training course. Data was collected using the 12-minute cardiorespiratory fitness test and the Baecke questionnaire validated for the Portuguese language to assess the practice of habitual physical activity. Descriptive statistics were used for sample characterization and exploratory analysis. The distribution of data normality was analyzed using the Shapiro-Wilk test, followed by Pearson’s correlation test and the Mann-Whitney U test to compare the groups with lower and higher cardiorespiratory fitness. The significance level of p ≤ 0.05 was adopted. According to the results, 63.9% of the sample had satisfactory cardiorespiratory fitness levels (good and excellent). No significant correlations were observed between cardiorespiratory fitness and habitual physical activity indices, except for the physical exercise/sports index (p= 0.05). It was found that only the Body Mass Index showed a difference (p= 0.017, Effect Size= 0.637) between the cardiorespiratory fitness groups. It is concluded that most military recruits have adequate cardiorespiratory fitness levels, but these are not influenced by the habitual practice of physical activity.  Article visualizations

Validity and reliability of portable A-mode ultrasound in measuring body fat percentage: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

The present Systematic Review with Meta-analysis study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Portable A-mode Ultrasound (P-US) for measuring body fat percentage (BF%). Only studies with participants of both genders which had assessed BF% using P-US compared to the reference standard were selected. Publications up until May 31, 2022 were searched in the MEDLINE, COCHRANE, Science Direct, Web of Science, LILACS, SciELO, PEDro, SPORT Discus, CINAHL and SCOPUS databases. QUADAS-2 was used to assess the risk of bias in the validity studies and QAREL was used for the methodological quality of reliability studies. The JAMOVI software program synthesized the results, from which the Pearson Correlation Coefficient (r) or the square root of the Multiple Linear Regression Determination Coefficient (R2) were extracted for the validity studies, and the Mean of Errors of the Bland-Altman Test (ME) and the Confidence Interval (95%CI) with Upper and Lower Limits for the reliability studies. A total of 13 studies were included, generating 26 results for the quantitative synthesis, 14 for validity and 12 for reliability. Regarding the validity results, a strong correlation was identified between the equipment (r = 0.870 [0.845-0.895], P<0.001), with moderate and true heterogeneity (I2 = 53.47%, P = 0.003), presenting publication bias. A small effect size was identified regarding the reliability results, overestimating the results due to chance between the devices (ME = 0.207 [-0.798-1.212], P = 0.686), with low heterogeneity also due to chance (I2 = 19.44%, P = 0.253), with no publication bias. All of the evaluated studies showed some violation of the instruments, confirming the high risk of bias and the low methodological quality. There is concern with heterogeneity for the validity results explained by the subgroups' analysis. The P-US associated with anthropometric perimeters satisfactorily measures the BF% with samples greater than 100 participants, and males. The results in the reliability assessment show high agreement and high variability, greatly expanding the confidence interval, which should be viewed with reservations. This review received financial support from the Brazilian Air Force. The study was registered with PROSPERO under the number CRD42020166617

Statistical analysis supplement.

The present Systematic Review with Meta-analysis study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Portable A-mode Ultrasound (P-US) for measuring body fat percentage (BF%). Only studies with participants of both genders which had assessed BF% using P-US compared to the reference standard were selected. Publications up until May 31, 2022 were searched in the MEDLINE, COCHRANE, Science Direct, Web of Science, LILACS, SciELO, PEDro, SPORT Discus, CINAHL and SCOPUS databases. QUADAS-2 was used to assess the risk of bias in the validity studies and QAREL was used for the methodological quality of reliability studies. The JAMOVI software program synthesized the results, from which the Pearson Correlation Coefficient (r) or the square root of the Multiple Linear Regression Determination Coefficient (R2) were extracted for the validity studies, and the Mean of Errors of the Bland-Altman Test (ME) and the Confidence Interval (95%CI) with Upper and Lower Limits for the reliability studies. A total of 13 studies were included, generating 26 results for the quantitative synthesis, 14 for validity and 12 for reliability. Regarding the validity results, a strong correlation was identified between the equipment (r = 0.870 [0.845–0.895], P2 = 53.47%, P = 0.003), presenting publication bias. A small effect size was identified regarding the reliability results, overestimating the results due to chance between the devices (ME = 0.207 [-0.798–1.212], P = 0.686), with low heterogeneity also due to chance (I2 = 19.44%, P = 0.253), with no publication bias. All of the evaluated studies showed some violation of the instruments, confirming the high risk of bias and the low methodological quality. There is concern with heterogeneity for the validity results explained by the subgroups’ analysis. The P-US associated with anthropometric perimeters satisfactorily measures the BF% with samples greater than 100 participants, and males. The results in the reliability assessment show high agreement and high variability, greatly expanding the confidence interval, which should be viewed with reservations. This review received financial support from the Brazilian Air Force. The study was registered with PROSPERO under the number CRD42020166617.</div

Funnel plot, qualitative analysis of publication bias.

Result: The Egger test quantitatively evaluated the risk of publication bias, with the following results: Egger’s Test = 0.083; P = 0.934.</p

Forest plot of the 11 included studies, with 14 meta-analyzed results.

Result: Random Effect–Hunter-Schmidt (k = 14): Intercept 0.870 [0.845–0.895]; P2 0.001 (SE = 7e-04); I2 = 53.47%; Q = 31.502; P = 0.003.</p

QUADAS-2 supplement.

The present Systematic Review with Meta-analysis study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Portable A-mode Ultrasound (P-US) for measuring body fat percentage (BF%). Only studies with participants of both genders which had assessed BF% using P-US compared to the reference standard were selected. Publications up until May 31, 2022 were searched in the MEDLINE, COCHRANE, Science Direct, Web of Science, LILACS, SciELO, PEDro, SPORT Discus, CINAHL and SCOPUS databases. QUADAS-2 was used to assess the risk of bias in the validity studies and QAREL was used for the methodological quality of reliability studies. The JAMOVI software program synthesized the results, from which the Pearson Correlation Coefficient (r) or the square root of the Multiple Linear Regression Determination Coefficient (R2) were extracted for the validity studies, and the Mean of Errors of the Bland-Altman Test (ME) and the Confidence Interval (95%CI) with Upper and Lower Limits for the reliability studies. A total of 13 studies were included, generating 26 results for the quantitative synthesis, 14 for validity and 12 for reliability. Regarding the validity results, a strong correlation was identified between the equipment (r = 0.870 [0.845–0.895], P2 = 53.47%, P = 0.003), presenting publication bias. A small effect size was identified regarding the reliability results, overestimating the results due to chance between the devices (ME = 0.207 [-0.798–1.212], P = 0.686), with low heterogeneity also due to chance (I2 = 19.44%, P = 0.253), with no publication bias. All of the evaluated studies showed some violation of the instruments, confirming the high risk of bias and the low methodological quality. There is concern with heterogeneity for the validity results explained by the subgroups’ analysis. The P-US associated with anthropometric perimeters satisfactorily measures the BF% with samples greater than 100 participants, and males. The results in the reliability assessment show high agreement and high variability, greatly expanding the confidence interval, which should be viewed with reservations. This review received financial support from the Brazilian Air Force. The study was registered with PROSPERO under the number CRD42020166617.</div

Flowchart of the 13 studies included in the meta-analysis with a total of 26 results, with 14 results for validity and 12 results for reliability.

* Studies present at least one result for validity or reliability.</p

Methodological quality and risk of bias for validity studies according to the QUADAS-2 scale.

Methodological quality and risk of bias for validity studies according to the QUADAS-2 scale.</p

Results of subgroup analysis to detect the cause of heterogeneity.

Results of subgroup analysis to detect the cause of heterogeneity.</p