<a name="top"></a>Antropometria de atletas culturistas em relação à referência populacional Anthropometry of body builders in relation to the population standard

Atletas de culturismo têm como alvo de treinamento a hipertrofia muscular e a redução da adiposidade. A falta de referências antropométricas apropriadas pode levar esses indivíduos a serem erroneamente considerados em situação de sobrepeso ou desnutrição. Portanto, objetivamos comparar a composição corporal de atletas de culturismo com os padrões populacionais. Foram avaliados 36 atletas, de ambos os sexos, 26 do sexo masculino (27,2 ± 7,2 anos) e 10 do sexo feminino (30,0 ± 6,1 anos), por ocasião da competição nacional, quanto aos indicadores antropométricos de peso, estatura, índice de massa corpórea, pregas cutâneas, adiposidade corpórea e circunferência muscular do braço. Os resultados foram referidos quanto à posição percentual ou de desvios-padrão (pelo escore Z) tendo como referências padrões populacionais locais. Como resultado, encontramos que os indicadores com menor contraste com os padrões adotados foram peso e estatura e os maiores contrastes foram encontrados na circunferência muscular do braço para os homens, e pregas cutâneas tricipital para as mulheres. Pelo indicador muscular todos foram classificados como obesos ou sobrepeso, enquanto que pela prega cutânea tricipital e adiposidade corpórea, a desnutrição esteve presente em 100,0% das mulheres e 88,5% dos homens. Fica evidenciada a inadequação da utilização do padrão antropométrico populacional para a classificação nutricional de atletas de força, em particular culturistas, sendo assim necessário o estabelecimento de padrões próprios para esse tipo de treinamento (modalidade).<br>Body builders have as their training goals the maximum muscle hypertrophy with minimum adiposity. However, the scarcity of specific standards implies often in framing wrongly those athletes either as overweight (by their BMI) or energy malnourished (by their fat stores). The objective of this study was to compare the body composition of body builders with population standards. Thirty-six adults, 26 male (27.2 ± 7.2 years) and 10 female (30 ± 6.1 years) nationwide competitive body builders, were assessed considering weight, height, body mass index, adiposity, arm and leg circumferences and skinfolds. The data were referred either as percentile or standard deviations (Z score) of population standards. Body weight and height were among the closest values from the populational mean whereas upper arm muscle circumference (for men) and body adiposity (for women) were the farterest. By using fat parameters as indicators of their protein-energy status, the undernourishment was found in 88.5% of men and 100.0% of women. Thus, it seems that body builders deserve their own anthropometric standards to avoid nutritional status misplacements

Role of Physical Activity in Maintaining the Reduced Weight State

The original publication can be found at www.springerlink.comCurrent physical activity recommendations call for 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most days of the week, or the equivalent of expending approximately 1000 kcal in activity per week. These recommendations were formulated based on reducing the risk for chronic disease, but they do not appear adequate for weight loss and maintenance. Data from epidemiologic studies and randomized trials indicate that closer to 60 to 90 minutes of moderate-intensity activity every day is required for maintaining a reduced body weight, equivalent to expending 2500 to 2800 kcal in activity per week. Relevant studies leading to this conclusion are reviewed in this manuscript. However, to make a dent in the prevalence of obesity by targeting physical activity and food intake, it is imperative to address the current “built” environment, which is conducive to a sedentary lifestyle and overconsumption of energy. Only then will rigorous activity recommendations be easier to implement.Darcy L. Johannsen, Leanne M. Redman and Eric Ravussi