Motor performance in kaingang indigenous children

Introduction: Studies on indigenous children show low height for age, however there is a lack of literature on motor performance in these populations. Motor performance tests are important indicators in identifying factors of physical fi tness related to health. Objective: To compare the motor performance in Kaingang indigenous children. Methods: The study was descriptive and cross-sectional with 78 Kaingang schoolchildren aged between 8 and 9 years from the indigenous area of Rio das Cobras, in Paraná, Brazil. The children were classifi ed into two groups, Group A below (GA) and Group B (GB) above the -2 z-scores for the reference stature for age from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center for Health Statistics. The data were collected using anthropometric measurements of their stature and motor performance tests for sitting and reaching (fl exibility), jumping distance (muscle power), sitting and lying down (strength and muscular resistance) and coming and going (agility). Analysis of covariance (p < 0.05) was used to compare the stature between the groups as well as their motor performance, controlled by age, and separated per sex. Results: Among the 78 schoolchildren evaluated, 45.5% of boys and 55.5% of girls were below the -2 zscores for stature at their age, classifi ed in GA, and 54.5% of boys and 44.5% of girls were above the -2 z-scores for stature at their age, classifi ed in GB. There was a signifi cant difference in stature between the groups, in both sexes. There was a signifi cant difference in the motor performance tests between children classifi ed as having a short stature and those not characterized as such, in both sexes. Conclusion: Short stature did not infl uence motor performance in the children studied

Overweight and low height in children of urban, rural and indigenous communities

Changes in lifestyle have led to an increase of overweight in the juvenile population. However, there are limited studies about this topic in relation to an indigenous population. The aim of this study is to verify the overweight and height defi cit in children aged 8 and 9 years, of both sexes, from urban, rural and indigenous communities of the city of Nova Laranjeiras in the State of Paraná. The 277 (148 boys) students were divided into three groups: rural (n = 100), urban (n = 99) and Indian communities (n = 78). The measurements taken were body mass (kg), height (m) and body mass index. The statistics method was an analysis of covariance and chi-square test (P <.05). Among the 277 schoolchildren, the prevalence of overweight was 14.6% in the rural area, 27.1% in urban area and 30.3% in the indigenous area in boys, and 15.7% in rural areas, 17.6% in urban and 20% in Indian girls. There was no difference in the frequency of overweight among groups for both sexes. The prevalence of height defi cit was different between the groups; it was higher in indigenous children than urban and rural children. Among the Indians, 42.4% of boys and 51.1% girls had low stature. Only indigenous children were overweight and of low height, while being prevalent in 15.1% of boys and 11.1% girls. Low stature is frequent in indigenous populations, and it would be ideal to have more research to identify its causes and consequences. Children showed high rates of overweight in all regions, demonstrating that poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle are not only characteristics of urban centres

Growth, physical activity, performance and food intake of indigenous, urban and rural school children

Orientadores: Maria Beatriz Rocha Ferreira, Antonio de Azevedo Barros FilhoTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciencias MedicasResumo: O objetivo desta pesquisa é investigar o crescimento, a atividade física, a performance e a ingestão alimentar em 277 crianças de 8 e 9 anos de idade, residentes em Terra Indígena, zona urbana e rural no município de Nova Laranjeiras, Paraná. Este estudo caracterizou-se por ser transversal e foram avaliados: peso, estatura, dobras cutâneas, diâmetros ósseos e circunferências; tipos e quantidade de atividades físicas; testes de performance: salto horizontal, shuttle run, sentar e alcançar, sentar e deitar; tipos de alimentos e ingestão energético protéica; renda domiciliar e escolaridade. Os procedimentos estatísticos foram freqüência e percentual, para os tipos de alimentos ingeridos e tipos de atividades realizadas e ANOVA e MANOVA com transformação em postos (ranks) para comparar as características antropométricas, testes de performance, quantidade de atividade física e ingestão energético-protéica em função do fator local. As crianças indígenas foram classificadas em dois grupos ( - 2 escore z) de estatura para idade para realização dos procedimentos acima mencionados. Os resultados indicam que as crianças residentes nas zonas urbana e rural têm maior peso, estatura, diâmetros, circunferências e dobras cutâneas do que as residentes na Terra Indígena após serem controlados pela idade, quando controlados pela idade peso e estatura estas três últimas variáveis puderam explicar pouco as diferenças entre as crianças das três zonas, com exceção das meninas indígenas em que a área muscular do braço foi maior e a soma das dobras cutâneas foi menor quando comparadas com as demais meninas. Os resultados do escore z de peso, estatura e área gorda do braço foram maiores para as crianças das zonas urbana e rural, exceto na área muscular do braço para ambos os sexos. Os alimentos ingeridos pelas crianças da zona urbana e rural são mais diversificados e apresentam maior teor energético-protéico, contudo nas três regiões não atendem necessidades energéticas recomendadas. As atividades jogos e brincadeiras são variadas nas três regiões e as laborais realizadas em maior número na Terra Indígena, já iniciando o aprendizado daquelas atividades que farão na idade adulta. Nos testes de performance, quando controlados pela idade, peso e estatura as diferenças ocorrem apenas naqueles de flexibilidade, com melhores resultados para as crianças indígenas e no teste de sentar e deitar para os meninos das zonas urbana e rural. Existe uma tendência de maior quantidade de atividade física diária, medida pelo acelerômetro para as crianças indígenas. As possíveis influências dos fatores genéticos, associados ao estilo de vida podem ser fatores explicativos nas diferenças de crescimento encontradas nesta pesquisa. O contexto, com características rurais, em que as crianças vivem, parece estar influenciando os resultados dos testes de performance. Em se tratando de forma específica das crianças indígenas, verifica-se que aquelas com possível déficit de crescimento tendem a apresentar menores resultados nas características sócio-econômicas, de atividade física, de performance e ingestão nutricional, sendo apenas a ingestão energética estatisticamente significativa. As características do contexto sócio-cultural estudadas parecem ser menos favoráveis para as crianças com possível déficit de crescimento, contribuindo para um desenvolvimento menos favorável, quando comparadas com as demais criançasAbstract: The aim of this study is to investigate the growth, physical activity, performance and food intake in 277 children aged 8 and 9, residing in Indigenous land, in the rural and in the urban area of Nova Laranjeiras, the State ofParaná, Brazil. This was a cross-section study where weight; height; skinfold; bone diameter and circurnference; types and amount of physical exerci se; performance tests such as horizontal jump, shuttle run, sitting and reaching, and sitting and lying; types of food and protein energetic intake; income; and level of schooling were evaluated. The statistical procedures were frequency and percentage for the type of food eaten and the type of activity carried out. ANOVA and MANOVA, transformed into ranks to compare the anthropometrics characteristics, performance tests, amount of physical exercise, and protein and energy intake based on local factor function were used. The Native Indian children were classified into two groups « -2 score z) and (> - 2 score z) height related to weight, canying out the procedures mentioned above. In terms of age factor, the results indicate that the children living in the rural and in the urban area are heavier, taller, have greater bone diameter and circumference and more skinfolds than those living on Indigenous lands. In terms of age, weight and height factors, these three variables could little explain the differences between the children from the three areas, except for the Native lndian girls whose arm muscle area was greater, and whose sum of the skin folds was less when compared to the girls from the other areas. The results of weight, height and arm fat area z score were greater for the children from the urban and rural areas, except for the arm muscle area for both sexes. The food intake of the children from urban and rural areas is more diversified and presents greater protein energetic proportion; however all three areas do not fulfill the recommended energetic necessities. The activities, games and entertainrnent are varied in the three areas with the work related ones being more carried out in the indigenous lands, where training in the activities the children will be canying out as adults, is already started. In the motor performance tests, in terms of age, weight and height, the differences only occur in the flexibility tests with the Native Indian children presenting better results and in the sitting and lying where the boys from both urban and rural areas present better results. The Native Indian children tend to do more daily physical activity, which is measured by the accelerometer. The possible influences of the genetic factors associated to life-style can be the explanation for factors such as the growth difference found in this research. The context with rural characteristics in which the children tive, seems to be influencing the results of the performance test. When dealing specifically with Native Indian children, it was verified that those with a possible growth deficit are inc1ined to present lower results in the following aspects: socio-economica1 level, physical activity, performance, and nutritional intake, where on1y the energetic intake is statistically significant. The characteristics of the socio-cultural context studied seem to be less favorable for the children with a possible growth deficit, thus contributing to a less favorable development when compared to other childrenDoutoradoSaude da Criança e do AdolescenteDoutor em Saude da Criança e do Adolescent