Investigação dos efeitos da hidroginástica sobre a qualidade de vida, a força de membros inferiores e a flexibilidade de idosas: um estudo no Serviço Social do Comércio - Fortaleza

Este trabalho, realizado no Serviço Social do Comércio, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil, teve como propósito verificar a influência da hidroginástica sobre a qualidade de vida, a força de membros inferiores e a flexibilidade de idosas. Foram avaliadas 26 mulheres com idade de 60 a 80 anos, que foram divididas em dois grupos: sedentário (n=13) e praticante de hidroginástica há pelo menos seis meses (n=13). Foram utilizados para coleta de dados o Instrumento Abreviado de Avaliação da Qualidade de Vida proposto pela Organização Mundial de Saúde, o teste de impulsão vertical para a avaliação indireta da força muscular de membros inferiores e o teste de sentar e alcançar para avaliação da flexibilidade. O grupo praticante de hidroginástica apresentou média de escores do domínio físico da qualidade de vida (4,5 ± 0,4 u.a.) significativamente (p This study was carried out at the Chamber of Commerce Social Services in the city of Fortaleza, CE, Brazil. Its aim was to test the effects of hydro gymnastics on elderly women general flexibility, limb strength and overall quality of life. Two groups consisting of thirteen women aged between sixty and eighty were evaluated. One group was a sedentary group and the other group had actively participated in hydro gymnastics for a minimum of six months. This research was used for "The Assessment on the Quality of Life" report proposed by the World Health Organization. Two tests were carried out within this study. The vertical jump test, as an indirect evaluation of muscular strength, and the sit-and-reach test evaluated flexibility. The findings were as follows: The hydro gymnastics group presented a higher score for the quality of life physical domain (4.5 ± 0.4 a.u.) significantly (p < 0.05) than the sedentary group (3.8 ± 0.7 a.u.), and for vertical jumping height (13.8 ± 3.7 cm and 10.5 ± 2.7 cm, respectively; p < 0.05) and flexibility test (41.3 ± 9.2 cm and 32.7 ± 4.6 cm, respectively; p < 0.05). The results of our study showed that elderly women, who regularly undertook hydro gymnastics, benefited from this form of exercise. Hydro gymnastics improved their strength, flexibility and their overall quality of life

Autopercepção da imagem corporal em estudantes do curso de educação física Self-perception of body image in the physical education course students

O objetivo do estudo foi analisar a autopercepção da imagem corporal (IC) e associar a IC com indicadores sociodemográficos, estado nutricional e nível de atividade física de universitários. Realizou-se um estudo transversal com 294 universitários (136 homens e 158 mulheres), mensurou-se a percepção da IC por meio da escala de silhueta, indicando a silhueta atual (SA), silhueta ideal (SI) e a silhueta ideal do sexo oposto (SIO). Ainda foram coletadas variáveis demográficas (sexo, idade, turno de estudo, ocupação), nível socioeconõmico, estado nutricional (índice de massa corporal) e o nível de atividade física (IPAQ - versão curta). Utilizou-se a análise descritiva e o teste de associação do qui-quadrado para análise dos dados. A prevalência de insatisfação com a IC foi de 61,2% (n = 180), sendo 61% nos homens e 61,4% nas mulheres. A silhueta 2 foi apontada por 57% das mulheres como a SI, entre os homens 38,2% e 39,7% apontaram a silhueta 3 e 4 como a SI. Foi identificada como SIO à silhueta 3 (63,2% masculino e 56,3% feminino). As mulheres demonstraram uma maior percepção (67,6%) em possuir uma silhueta menor que a atual. Já entre os homens houve a tendência (66,7%) a desejarem uma silhueta maior do que a atual. Além do sexo a percepção com a IC foi associada com o estado nutricional (p < 0,05), onde se observou que 78,7% dos indivíduos com excesso de peso desejam ter uma silhueta menor do que a atual. Concluísse que a autopercepção da IC esteve associada ao sexo e ao estado nutricional nos universitários<br>This study aimed at evaluating the self-perception of the body image (BI) and associating the BI to socio-demographic indicators, nutritional state and level of physical activities in university students. A cross-sectional study with 394 students was made (136 men and 158 women). The BI perception was measured by means of the silhouette scale, indicating the present silhouette (PS), the ideal silhouette (IS), and the ideal silhouette of the opposed gender (ISO). Demographic variables were also collected (gender, age, part of the day in which they study, occupation), socio-economical level, nutritional state (body mass index) and the level of physical activity (IPAQ - Short version). The descriptive analysis and the qui-square association test were used to analyze the data. The dissatisfaction prevalence with the BI was of 61.2% (n = 180), being 61% men and 61.4% women. The silhouette 2 was pointed by 57% and 38.2% of women and men as the IS, respectively. Silhouettes 3 and 4 were pointed as the IS by 38.2% of the women and 39.7% of the men. Silhouette 3 was identified as the ISO (63.2% male and 56.3% female). Women showed a higher prevalence (67.6%) of having a smaller silhouette than the present one. Men showed a tendency (66.7%) to prefer a bigger silhouette than the present one. Besides the gender, the BI perception was associated with the nutritional state (p < 0.05), in which it was observed that 78.7% of the overweight subjects to have a smaller silhouette than they have at present. The conclusion is that the BI self-perception was associated with gender and nutritional state of the university student

Diminishing benefits of urban living for children and adolescents’ growth and development

Optimal growth and development in childhood and adolescence is crucial for lifelong health and well-being1–6. Here we used data from 2,325 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight from 71 million participants, to report the height and body-mass index (BMI) of children and adolescents aged 5–19 years on the basis of rural and urban place of residence in 200 countries and territories from 1990 to 2020. In 1990, children and adolescents residing in cities were taller than their rural counterparts in all but a few high-income countries. By 2020, the urban height advantage became smaller in most countries, and in many high-income western countries it reversed into a small urban-based disadvantage. The exception was for boys in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and in some countries in Oceania, south Asia and the region of central Asia, Middle East and north Africa. In these countries, successive cohorts of boys from rural places either did not gain height or possibly became shorter, and hence fell further behind their urban peers. The difference between the age-standardized mean BMI of children in urban and rural areas was &amp;lt;1.1 kg m–2 in the vast majority of countries. Within this small range, BMI increased slightly more in cities than in rural areas, except in south Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and some countries in central and eastern Europe. Our results show that in much of the world, the growth and developmental advantages of living in cities have diminished in the twenty-first century, whereas in much of sub-Saharan Africa they have amplified. © 2023, The Author(s)