Prevalence of physical activity through the practice of sports among adolescents from Portuguese speaking countries

This study evaluated the prevalence of physical activity through the practice of sports in adolescents from schools in two Brazilian cities and a Portuguese school, and its association with independent variables, such as gender and age. A cross-sectional study was conducted of schoolchildren from two cities in Brazil and one in Portugal. The total study sample was 3694 subjects (1622 males and 1872 females). Physical activity levels were assessed using Baecke's questionnaire. Body weight was measured on electronic scales and stature was measured with a portable wooden stadiometer. Numerical variables were expressed as mean, categorical variables were expressed as percentages and the chi-square test analyzed associations. The prevalence of no sport was high (39.7%), being higher in the Portuguese school than in the Brazilian schools (p < 0.001). Irrespective of being an adolescent in a Brazilian or Portuguese school, boys showed higher engagement in sports practice than girls (p < 0.001). In both, differences were identified between adolescents aged 13 to 15 (P = 0.001) and 16 to 17 (P = 0.001). The prevalence of physical inactivity among schoolchildren from two cities in Brazil and a school in Portugal was high, with the girls practicing less sport than the boys and with this imbalance likely to be higher in adolescents

A coordenacao visuo-motora na sincronizacao de accoes rapidas Aplicacao ao estudo do remate de voleibol

Available from Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia, Servico de Informacao e Documentacao, Av. D. Carlos I, 126, 1249-074 Lisboa, Portugal / FCT - Fundação para o Ciência e a TecnologiaSIGLEPTPortuga

THE EFFECT OF PERCEIVED FATIGUE ON VOLLEYBALL SPIKE SKILL PERFORMACE

All biomechanical studies concerning the volleyball spike have been carried out under non-fatigue conditions (1, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13). No research reports any data concerning the effects of effort on this skill either during match or during experimental conditions

Prevalence of physical activity through the practice of sports among adolescents from Portuguese speaking countries

This study evaluated the prevalence of physical activity through the practice of sports in adolescents from schools in two Brazilian cities and a Portuguese school, and its association with independent variables, such as gender and age. A cross-sectional study was conducted of schoolchildren from two cities in Brazil and one in Portugal. The total study sample was 3694 subjects (1622 males and 1872 females). Physical activity levels were assessed using Baecke's questionnaire. Body weight was measured on electronic scales and stature was measured with a portable wooden stadiometer. Numerical variables were expressed as mean, categorical variables were expressed as percentages and the chi-square test analyzed associations. The prevalence of no sport was high (39.7%), being higher in the Portuguese school than in the Brazilian schools (p < 0.001). Irrespective of being an adolescent in a Brazilian or Portuguese school, boys showed higher engagement in sports practice than girls (p < 0.001). In both, differences were identified between adolescents aged 13 to 15 (P = 0.001) and 16 to 17 (P = 0.001). The prevalence of physical inactivity among schoolchildren from two cities in Brazil and a school in Portugal was high, with the girls practicing less sport than the boys and with this imbalance likely to be higher in adolescents.Objetivos: Avaliar a prevalência de atividade física por meio da prática de esportes em adolescentes de escolas de duas cidades brasileiras e jovens de uma escola portuguesa e sua associação com variáveis independentes, como sexo e idade. Métodos: Estudo transversal realizado em escolares de duas cidades do Brasil e em adolescentes de uma escola duma cidade de Portugal. A amostra total do estudo foi de 3.694 indivíduos (1.622 meninos e 1.872 meninas). O nível de atividade física foi avaliado usando o questionário Baecke. O peso corporal foi medido por meio de uma balança eletrônica e a estatura foi medida com um estadiômetro portátil. As variáveis numéricas foram expressas em média, as variáveis categóricas foram expressas em porcentagens e o teste do qui-quadrado analisou as associações. Resultados: A prevalência de nenhuma prática esportiva foi elevada (39,7%), sendo mais elevada em adolescentes de uma escola portuguesa do que adolescentes das escolas brasileiras (p<0,001). Independente de ser adolescente de escola brasileira ou portuguesa, os meninos apresentaram maior adesão à prática esportiva do que meninas (p<0,001). Em ambos, foram identificadas diferenças entre adolescentes de 13-15 anos (p = 0,001) e 16-17 anos (p = 0,001). Conclusões: A prevalência de inatividade física em escolares de duas cidades do Brasil e em uma escola de uma cidade de Portugal foi elevada.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Reference Percentiles for Bioelectrical Phase Angle in Athletes.

The present study aimed to develop reference values for bioelectrical phase angle in male and female athletes from different sports. Overall, 2224 subjects participated in this study [1658 males (age 26.2 ± 8.9 y) and 566 females (age 26.9 ± 6.6 y)]. Participants were categorized by their sport discipline and sorted into three different sport modalities: endurance, velocity/power, and team sports. Phase angle was directly measured using a foot-to-hand bioimpedance technology at a 50 kHz frequency during the in-season period. Reference percentiles (5th, 15th, 50th, 85th, and 95th) were calculated and stratified by sex, sport discipline and modality using an empirical Bayesian analysis. This method allows for the sharing of information between different groups, creating reference percentiles, even for sports disciplines with few observations. Phase angle differed (men

Cardiovascular fitness and cardiovascular risk factors among obese men and women aged 58 years and older, in Portugal

Background: A better physical fitness may have survival advantages in adults. Aim: To analyze the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiovascular risk factors among obese subjects aged 58 years and older. Material and Methods: Cardiorespiratory fitness using the six-minute walk test, body composition by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and blood pressure were measured in a non-representative sample of 76 obese Portuguese subjects aged 58 to 87 years (55 women). Participants were stratified in tertiles of walking capacity according to the six-minute walk test. Results: Six minutes walk test results were negatively correlated with percentage body fat (r = -0.28; p = 0.012) and systolic blood pressure (r = -0.23; p = 0.045). Participants located in the lowest tertile for the six minutes walk test had an odds ratio of 4.34 (95% confidence intervals: 1.02-18.43) for elevated blood pressure. Conclusions: A lower six minutes walk test result is associated with a higher risk for high blood pressure. (Rev Med Chile 2012; 140: 1164-1169).Antecedentes: Una mejor condición física se asocia a mejor sobrevida en adultos. Objetivos: Estudiar la relación entre condición física y factores de riesgo cardiovascular en obesos mayores de 58 años. Material y Métodos: Se midió la capacidad cardiorrespiratoria mediante la prueba de caminata de seis minutos, composición corporal mediante densitometría de doble fotón y presión arterial en una muestra no representativa de 76 portugueses de 58 a 87 años (55 mujeres). Los participantes se estratificaron en terciles de acuerdo a los resultados de la prueba de seis minutos. Resultados: Los resultados de la prueba de caminata de seis minutos se correlacionaron negativamente con el porcentaje de grasa corporal (r = -0,28; p = 0,012) y presión sistólica (r = -0,23; p = 0,045). Los participantes ubicados en el tercil más bajo de la prueba de caminata de seis minutos tenían una razón de riesgo para hipertensión arterial de 4,34 (intervalos de confianza de 95%: 1,02- 18,43). Conclusiones: Una prueba de caminata de seis minutos con bajos resultados se asocia a un mayor riesgo de hipertensión arterial