Effects of a physical education intervention on children's physical activity and fitness: the PROFIT pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Physical education classes are widely accepted as one of the most effective settings for promoting physical activity and health and have often been used to implement physical activity interventions. The aim of this pilot study was to test a physical education intervention program on physical activity levels and physical fitness in a sample of school-age children. METHODS: Participants were a convenience sample of 50 children (34 experimental group and 16 in the comparative group) aged between 6 and 11 years old (Mean = 8.28 years). A 21-week intervention was implemented, consisting of high-intensity and physical fitness-focused exercises, in addition to a once-a-month extra class nutritional education. The following variables were evaluated before and post-intervention: physical fitness, sedentary behavior (SB), light physical activity (LPA), moderate physical activity (MVA), and vigorous physical activity (VPA). Propensity score analyses calculated the average treatment effect on the treated (ATET) within a quasi-experimental framework. RESULTS: Physical fitness variables showed improvements after the intervention, specifically for agility (ATET = -0.67 s; p < 0.001), cardiorespiratory fitness (ATET = 89.27 m; p = 0.045), lower limbs power (ATET = 4.47 centimeters; p = 0.025), and speed (ATET = -1.06 s; p < 0.001). For physical activity and SB levels, there were no improvements after intervention implementation. CONCLUSION: The intervention program showed preliminary effectiveness to improve physical fitness of children, but not SB nor physical activity.

Role of nutritional status and physical activity in the relationship between sleep quality and cardiometabolic profile of children.

OBJECTIVE: To verify if there is an association between sleep quality and cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRF) score of children and the role of nutritional status and physical activity (PA) levels in this relationship. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cross- sectional study, with 83 schoolchildren, aged 6 and 11 years, from Porto Alegre, Brazil. PA was assessed with accelerometer and nutritional status through body mass index. Total cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, and insulin were collected to calculate CMRF score. Parents' perception of their children's sleep was evaluated through a question. Generalized linear models were used. RESULTS: Poor sleep quality was positively associated with CMRF (ß=0.48; CI 95%=0.23;0.73) in relation to those with good sleep quality. A positive association was found in overweight children with poor sleep quality (ß=0.52; CI 95%=0.17;0.86), as well as in inactive children with poor sleep quality (ß=0.58; CI 95%=0.14;1.02) with CMRF. CONCLUSION: Poor sleep quality integrated with overweight and physical inactivity influences on CMRF of children.

Food Consumption is Associated with Hyperuricemia in Boys.

INTRODUCTION: Hyperuricemia is related to health issues among children and adolescents, once the uric acid concentration is associated with metabolic syndrome, hypertension, insulin resistance, obesity, and dyslipidemia. However, few studies are addressing uric acid levels and food uptake in this age group. AIM: To verify the association between food consumption and uric acid in children and adolescents. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study developed with 2335 children and adolescents of both genders aged 6-17 years old. Blood collection was performed after 12 h of fasting. Uric acid values were classified according to tertiles, in which the highest tertile was considered as hyperuricemia. Food consumption was evaluated by weekly consumption frequency questionnaire. Pearson correlation and logistic binary regressions were used for statistical analysis. Models were adjusted for age, systolic blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and skin color/ethnicity. RESULTS: It was found an association between red meat consumption and hyperuricemia only in boys in the crude model (OR = 1.56; 95% CI 1.12; 2.18). Also, there was an association between pasta (OR = 1.52; 95% CI 1.11; 2.10) with hyperuricemia in boys, when adjusted age, systolic blood pressure, BMI, and skin color/ethnicity. CONCLUSION: The knowledge of food patterns which are predisposing factors for the increase in serum uric acid levels is important for the implementation of strategies and public health policies for health promotion among children and adolescents.

High urate concentration is associated with elevated blood pressure in schoolchildren.

Background Studies in adults have shown a relationship between high blood pressure and hyperuricemia, but few studies have investigated this association in children and adolescents. The aim of the present study was to associate urate concentration with systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in schoolchildren. Methods This cross-sectional study used a sample of 2335 schoolchildren in basic education between 7 and 17 years old. Blood pressure was classified by percentile according to Brazilian parameters for sex and age, reclassified into two categories: normal and borderline/hypertension. Blood collection to obtain serum for urate concentration analysis was performed after a 12-h fast. Values above 5.5 mg/dL were considered hyperuricemia. Descriptive data were presented in frequency and percentage. Linear regression and Poisson regression (prevalence ratio [PR]) was used to test the association between urate concentration and blood pressure. Results Urate concentration was weakly associated with SBP (ß: 0.05; 95% CI: 0.02-0.08) and DBP (ß: 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01-0.05) z-scores. Schoolchildren with hyperuricemia had a higher prevalence of high SBP (PR: 1.12; p<0.001) and DBP (PR: 1.08; p<0.001). Conclusions Elevated urate concentration is associated with altered blood pressure in schoolchildren.

Injury incidence in Brazilian football referees / Incidencia lesional en árbitro de fútbol en Brasil

Sports injuries have had notoriety in soccer studies. It has long been argue that soccer referee would be susceptible to the same injuries that the players. However, recent studies have shown that lesions that affect the referees are in situations and different sites that affect the players. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the situations and places where the professional soccer referee in the south and southeast of Brazil are injured. The study sample consisted of 36 male referees accredited by the Paulista Football Federation (FPF) and Gaucha Football Federation (FGF). The sample consisted of 17 referees of FPF, mean age 35 ± 4.7 years, height 1.82 ± 0.07m weight 83 ± 7.5 kg. We evaluated 19 referees from FGF, mean age 31 ± 5.9 years, height of 1.82 ± 0.06 m and weight 86 ± 7.1 kg. Three situations were established in the referee once injured this injury would be considered sports injury: during physical evaluation, training, and during the match. When considering all the referees, 19 referees say they have suffered some kind of sports injury in one of the situations described above. Of these ten (10) by referees of FPF and 9 by FGF referees. Of the 22 injuries identified, 59% (n = 13) occurred during training, 23% (n = 5) during the physical test and 18% (n = 4) during the game. The injury types were 45% (n = 10) strains, 45% (n = 10) sprains and 10% (n = 2) fracture. For these data, we can conclude that soccer referees suffering low injuries during a soccer match, with more incidence of injury during training or physical test

Las lesiones deportivas han ganado importancia en los estudios involucrados en el fútbol. Ha sido durante mucho tiempo estudiado que el árbitro de fútbol sería susceptible a los mismos tipos de lesiones que los jugadores. Sin embargo, estudios recientes han demostrado que las lesiones que afectan a los árbitros están en situaciones y diferentes sitios que afectan a los jugadores. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de este estudio fue analizar las situaciones de aparición de lesiones y su tipología en árbitros de fútbol profesional de las regiones sur y sureste de Brasil. La población de estudio consistió en 36 árbitros varones acreditados por la Federación Paulista de Fútbol (FPF) y Federación Gaucha de Fútbol (FGF). La muestra está conformada por 17 árbitros de la FPF, edad promedio de 35 ± 4,7 años, altura de 1,82 ± 0,07 m y peso de 83 ± 7,5 kg. Se han evaluado también, 19 árbitros gauchos de la FGF, con edad promedia de 31 ± 5,9 años, altura 1,82 ± 0,06 m y peso de 86 ± 7,1 kg. Fueron establecidas tres situaciones de ocurrencia de lesión del árbitro: durante la evaluación física, durante el entrenamiento y el curso de un partido de fútbol. De la población total encuestada, 19 árbitros manifestaron haber sufrido algún tipo de lesión deportiva en una de las situaciones descritas anteriormente. De estos, 10 ocurrió con árbitros de FPF y 9 con árbitros FGF. De las 22 lesiones identificadas 59% (n = 13) ocurrido durante el entrenamiento, 23% (n = 5) durante la prueba física y 18% (n = 4) durante el juego. Los tipos de lesiones fueron 45% (n = 10) distensiones musculares, 45% (n = 10) esguinces y 10% (n = 2) de fracturas. Para estos datos, se puede concluir que los árbitros de fútbol se lesionan poco durante el arbitraje de un partido de fútbol, con una incidencia más frecuente de lesión durante el entrenamiento o la prueba física