Design de tarefas matemáticas com criatividade

A escola pode desempenhar um papel importante na promoção da criatividade. Quem não é desafiado a ser criativo, por norma, não se torna criativo. Mesmo os que revelam elevado potencial para a criatividade, sujeitados a um ensino fortemente rotineiro, que não a promove nem a deixa florescer, tendem a atrofiar essa capacidade. Um aluno criativo precisa de um professor criativo ou que use de criatividade. As tarefas, entendidas de forma larga como solicitações à ação, são um elemento estruturante da atividade que se pode realizar numa aula e, portanto, também do ser criativo. Facilmente se admite que o ensino da Matemática baseado no treino de procedimentos conduz o aluno a ser capaz de seguir rotinas, mas não a ser capaz de selecionar e, sobretudo, de criar novas formas de atuar. Sendo importante ser capaz de executar procedimentos, mais importante ainda é ter pensamento sobre as coisas em que estamos envolvidos, ter compreensão conceptual e ser capaz de comunicar com os outros. O design de tarefas matemáticas assume neste contexto um papel relevante, não porque elas determinem o ensino e muito menos a aprendizagem. Contudo, conceber boas tarefas matemáticas é condição necessária para a promoção de aprendizagens ricas. Claro que a forma como as tarefas são planificadas e depois geridas na sala de aula constitui-se como um elemento decisivo para os resultados obtidos

Sodium levels in packaged foods sold in 14 Latin American and Caribbean countries : a food label analysis

This study examined sodium levels in 12 categories of packaged foods sold in 14 Latin American Countries (LAC). Sodium levels were compared to regional sodium reduction targets. In this baseline analysis, 82% of foods met the regional target and 47% met the lower target. Baseline data suggest that sodium reduction targets may need to be more stringent to enable effective lowering of sodium intake. Population-wide sodium reduction is a cost-effective approach to address the adverse health effects associated with excess sodium consumption

School-based physical education programs: evidence-based physical activity interventions for youth in Latin America

This article focuses on results of the systematic review from the Guide for Useful Interventions for Activity in Latin America project related to school-based physical education (PE) programs in Latin America. The aims of the article are to describe five school-based PE programs from Latin America, discuss implications for effective school-based PE recommendations, propose approaches for implementing these interventions, and identify gaps in the research literature related to physical activity promotion in Latin American youth. Following the US Community Guide systematic review process, five school-based PE intervention studies with sufficient quality of design, execution and detail of intervention and outcomes were selected for full abstraction. One study was conducted in Brazil, two studies were conducted in Chile and two studies were conducted on the US/Mexico border. While studies presented assorted outcomes, methods and duration of interventions, there were consistent positive increases in physical activity levels for all outcomes measured during PE classes, endurance and active transportation to school in all three randomized studies. Except for one cohort from one study, the non-randomized studies showed positive intervention effects for moderate and vigorous physical activity levels during PE classes. The core elements of these five interventions included capacity building and staff training (PE specialists and/or classroom teachers); changes in the PE curricula; provision of equipment and materials; and adjustment of the interventions to specific target populations. In order to translate the strong evidence for school-based PE into practice, systematic attention to policy and implementation issues is required. (Global Health Promotion, 2010; 17(2): pp. 05–15

Salt Reduction Initiatives around the World – A Systematic Review of Progress towards the Global Target

Objective To quantify progress with the initiation of salt reduction strategies around the world in the context of the global target to reduce population salt intake by 30% by 2025. Methods A systematic review of the published and grey literature was supplemented by questionnaires sent to country program leaders. Core characteristics of strategies were extracted and categorised according to a pre-defined framework. Results A total of 75 countries now have a national salt reduction strategy, more than double the number reported in a similar review done in 2010. The majority of programs are multifaceted and include industry engagement to reformulate products (n = 61), establishment of sodium content targets for foods (39), consumer education (71), front-of-pack labelling schemes (31), taxation on high-salt foods (3) and interventions in public institutions (54). Legislative action related to salt reduction such as mandatory targets, front of pack labelling, food procurement policies and taxation have been implemented in 33 countries. 12 countries have reported reductions in population salt intake, 19 reduced salt content in foods and 6 improvements in consumer knowledge, attitudes or behaviours relating to salt. Conclusion The large and increasing number of countries with salt reduction strategies in place is encouraging although activity remains limited in low- and middle-income regions. The absence of a consistent approach to implementation highlights uncertainty about the elements most important to success. Rigorous evaluation of ongoing programs and initiation of salt reduction programs, particularly in low- and middle- income countries, will be vital to achieving the targeted 30% reduction in salt intake

International collaborative project to compare and track the nutritional composition of fast foods

Background: Chronic diseases are the leading cause of premature death and disability in the world with over-nutrition a primary cause of diet-related ill health. Excess quantities of energy, saturated fat, sugar and salt derived from fast foods contribute importantly to this disease burden. Our objective is to collate and compare nutrient composition data for fast foods as a means of supporting improvements in product formulation. METHODS/DESIGN: Surveys of fast foods will be done in each participating country each year. Information on the nutrient composition for each product will be sought either through direct chemical analysis, from fast food companies, in-store materials or from company websites. Foods will be categorized into major groups for the primary analyses which will compare mean levels of saturated fat, sugar, sodium, energy and serving size at baseline and over time. Countries currently involved include Australia, New Zealand, France, UK, USA, India, Spain, China and Canada, with more anticipated to follow. DISCUSSION: This collaborative approach to the collation and sharing of data will enable low-cost tracking of fast food composition around the world. This project represents a significant step forward in the objective and transparent monitoring of industry and government commitments to improve the quality of fast foods.E Dunford is supported by a Sydney Medical School Foundation scholarship and B Neal by an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship.http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/12/559am201

How three countries in the Americas are fortifying dietary salt reduction: A north and south perspective

A chronic disease/risk factor prevention framework with three policy environments - communications, physical and economic - was used to organize population level interventions that address the "over consumption of dietary salt", a key risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The framework was then used to map the population based strategies to reduce dietary salt consumption being applied in three countries in the Americas - Argentina, Canada and Chile - each with a history of multi-sector approaches to deal with the risk factors for chronic disease, offering a north versus south perspective. Results show that in all three countries policy instruments are concentrated in the communications environment, e.g. media and education campaigns and/or regulations for standardized information on the salt or sodium content of packaged food products. Notable gaps are the requirement for nutrient information on meals and food items prepared by food establishments and restrictions on advertising and marketing of foods to children. In the physical environment, referring to the sodium levels in commercially prepared foods and meals available on the market, voluntary reformulation of food products is underway at this time in the three countries. Argentina and Chile began with bread and have gradually added other food categories; Canada at the outset is addressing all food categories where products have added salt. Argentina alone is at this point actively approaching regulations to limit the salt content of food, preferring this over ongoing monitoring of voluntary targets. No government in the three counties has yet considered action in the economic environment, a complex area where the research on and initiatives to limit or disadvantage energy-dense food products to address obesity may also capture foods that are highly salted. In the meantime, with recent research estimating substantially higher gains in population health from government legislation to limit salt in foods compared to voluntary approaches, decision makers in countries, whether in the north or south, committed to reducing dietary salt can take Argentina's example to strengthen their interventions in the physical environment with regulatory instruments. This will sustain reformulations made to date, "level the playing field" industry-wide and broadly and equitably distribute the health benefits of low salt foods.Dietary salt reduction Public health policy Americas

Los países de las Américas se movilizan para disminuir la hipertensión y las ECV mediante la reducción del consumo de sal en la población

La sal añadida a los alimentos constituye un factor fundamental en el aumento de la presión arterial en personas normo-tensas e hipertensas, sean adultos o niños. Asimismo, una dieta alta en sal aumenta el riesgo de hipertrofia ventricular izquierda y daño renal, es una causa probable de cáncer gástrico y posiblemente se asocia con la osteoporosis, los cálculos renales de calcio y el aumento en la severidad del asma. Como los alimentos salados provocan sed, es probable que contribuyan en forma importante con la obesidad infantil y de la adolescencia debido al mayor consumo de bebidas con contenido energético elevado. La reducción del consumo de sal, es una de las medidas más costo-efectivas para la salud pública. Puede reducir las tasas de una serie de enfermedades crónicas y condiciones relacionadas, a un costo estimado de $0,04-$0,32 por persona por año. La OPS respondió ante esta situación, por medio de la Iniciativa de “Prevención de las enfermedades cardiovasculares en las Américas mediante la reducción del consumo de sal alimentaría en toda la población”. Inició actividades en septiembre del 2009 y constituyó un Grupo de Expertos Regional, integrado por 19 expertos en nutrición y enfermedades crónicas no trasmisibles, provenientes de la academia, agencias de gobierno e instituciones de investigación del continente americano y Europa. Por su parte, los sistemas nacionales de vigilancia tendrán a cargo el monitoreo del progreso de las metas y compromisos acordados. Los programas nacionales de fortificación deben ser revisados para ajustar los contenidos de yodo y flúor en relación con las metas de disminución del consumo de sal/sodio

Iniciativas para reducir la sal alimentaria en la Región de las Américas

Versión en inglés disponible en la Biblioteca Digital del IDRC: Efforts to reduce dietary salt in the America