Description of the countrywide physical activity network coordinated by the Brazilian Ministry of Health: 2005-2008.

BACKGROUND: Based on the Brazilian National Health Promotion Policy (PNPS), the Ministry of Health (MoH) started stimulating and funding physical activity interventions in 2005, leading to the establishment of a countrywide network. The aim of the present article is to geographically describe this network (2005-2008) and to present structure and process evaluation indicators of interventions funded in 2006 and 2007. METHODS: In 2005, the 27 state capitals received funding for carrying out physical activity-related interventions. From 2006 onwards, public calls for proposals were announced, and cities were selected through a competitive basis. Coordinators of interventions in cities who got funding in 2006 and 2007 answered to survey questions on structure and process aspects of the interventions. RESULTS: The network currently comprises 469 projects, out of which over 60% are carried out in small cities (<30,000 inhabitants). The most frequently used public spaces for the interventions are squares and indoor sports courts. The main physical activity-related topic of the PNPS prioritized in the projects is healthy diet. The main partnerships developed are between City's Health and Education Secretariats. CONCLUSION: Expanding the network to 1000 cities by 2010 and continuing the evaluation efforts are the next goals of the Brazilian MoH.

SECADO DE UCHUVA (Physalis peruviana L) POR AIRE CALIENTE CON PRETRATAMIENTO DE OSMODESHIDRATACIÓN / DRY GOOSEBERRY (Physalis peruviana L) WITH PRETREATMENT OF OSMOTIC DEHYDRATION

En este trabajo se determinan las condiciones de temperatura más favorables para un proceso de secado de uchuva (Physalis peruviana L) con aire caliente, con deshidratación osmótica (DO) como pretratamiento, utilizando una solución de sacarosa de 70o Brix a 40oC durante 16 horas. Se realiza un seguimiento de la degradación de β-caroteno con el tiempo y la temperatura. En la fruta tratada con aire caliente a 60oC y pretratada con DO, se obtiene una pérdida total de β-caroteno del 98%. La fruta tratada con aire caliente a 40 oC y sin DO, presenta la menor pérdida total de β-caroteno, la cual alcanza un 28%. Los tiempos de secado para alcanzar una humedad de la fruta cercana a 2,5% base seca son de 7, 9 y 12 horas a 60, 50 y 40oC respectivamente, para las frutas tratadas sin DO. Para las frutas tratadas con DO, los tiempos de secado son de 4, 5 y 6 horas a 60, 50 y 40ºC respectivamente. La cinética de degradación encontrada es de primer orden. El estudio de estimación de costos de proceso de secado encuentra que la mejor condición de proceso es a 60oC y sin el tratamiento de DO, con un costo aproximado de procesamiento de $374,42/Kg de fruta.

This study find the air temperatures for dehydrating Cape gooseberry, (Physalis peruviana L), with osmotic dehydration as a pretreatment, using a solution of sucrose of 70 o Brix to 40 oC by 16 hours. The highest level of β-carotene degradation, 98%, due to the effects of oxygen, temperature and provitamin lixiviation, takes place with the pretreated fruits, which dry at 60ºC. Lixiviation contributes to 80% of this. The fruits without pretreatment and dry at a temperature of 40ºC suffer a lower level of β-carotene degradation, 28%. The times for the untreated fruit, to reach a moisture level close to 2.5%, decrease as the air temperature increase (40, 50 y 60ºC, 12, 9 and 7 hours respectively). In the case of the pretreated fruit, the drying times are 4, 5, and 6 hours for 60, 50 y 40ºC respectively. Degradation kinetic is first order. The economic study find that the cost for dehydrating at 60°C for the untreated fruit was the most suitable with an approximately cost of $374.42/Kg of fruit.