Effects of twelve weeks of dance Exergames on the quality-of-life variables of elderly Brazilian women enrolled in a community program.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Exercise-based interventions can be a safe alternative to improve and maintain physical and mental health during the aging process. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a 12-week training program with Dance Exergames on the mood and functional fitness profile of elderly women. METHODS: The sample (n = 22) was divided into Exergames (EG, n = 9, 70.6 ± 1.6 years) and Control Groups (CG, n = 13, 73.6 ± 2.2 years). Evaluations were carried out before and after the interventions. Each participant played, in pairs, the electronic game Dance Central 3, with the XBOX 360 Kinect console (Slim, Microsoft, USA). The EG trained for 12 weeks (24 sessions), with two weekly sessions of 50 min and the CG performed manual activities workshops. RESULTS: In functional fitness, both exercise training with exergame (EG) and the intervention model for the CG did not produce significant effects regarding interaction (group*time). Mood state presented significant effect of time intervention regarding tension (p = <0.001), depression (p = 0.001), anger (p = 0.030), fatigue (p = 0.001), and mental confusion (p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Twelve weeks of training with a dance exergame (for, EG) and manual activities (for, CG) is enough to promote improvements in the mood state of healthy elderly women. This is an interesting result, as it shows that social interaction is as important a component as improving functional capacity.

A Sociodemographic Profile of Mask Use During the COVID-19 Outbreak Among Young and Elderly Individuals in Brazil: Online Survey Study.

BACKGROUND: Sociodemographic variables may impact decision making regarding safety measures. The use and selection of adequate face masks is a safety and health measure that could help minimize the spread of COVID-19 infection. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine sociodemographic variables and factors relating to COVID-19 that could impact decision making or the choice to use or not use face masks in the prevention and care of a possible COVID-19 infection among a large sample of younger and older Brazilian people. METHODS: An online survey composed of 14 closed-ended questions about sociodemographic variables and COVID-19 was used. A total of 2673 participants consisted of Brazilian people (aged ≥18 years) from different states of Brazil and were grouped according to age (≤59 years and ≥60 years). To compare the variables of interest (associated with wearing a face mask or not), chi-square and likelihood ratio tests were used (with P<.05 being significant). RESULTS: Most of the participants in both groups were women from the southeast region who had postgraduate degrees. Approximately 61% (1452/2378) of individuals aged ≤59 years and 67.8% (200/295) of those aged ≥60 years were not health professionals. In the group aged ≤59 years, 83.4% (1983/2378) did not show COVID-19 signs and symptoms, and 97.3% (2314/2378) were not diagnosed with COVID-19. In the older adult group, 92.5% (273/295) did not show signs and symptoms of COVID-19, and 98.3% (290/295) were not diagnosed with the disease. The majority of the participants in both groups reported using face masks, and their decision to use face masks was influenced by the level of education and their occupation as a health professional. CONCLUSIONS: Younger and older adults have worn face masks during the COVID-19 outbreak. It is difficult to measure how much of a positive impact this attitude, habit, and behavior could have on the degree of infection and spread of the disease. However, it can be a positive indicator of adherence to the population's security and safety measures during the pandemic.

Higher Frequency of Fruit Intake Is Associated With a Lower Risk of Constipation in Hemodialysis Patients: A Multicenter Study.

OBJECTIVES: Constipation is a multifactorial gastrointestinal disorder commonly found in hemodialysis (HD) patients. In this multicenter cross-sectional study, we aimed to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with constipation, including the frequency of dietary fiber intake. METHODS: HD patients from 4 dialysis clinics were invited. Participants answered a questionnaire which included Roma IV criteria to assess constipation status, use of medications, and lifestyle habits. A food frequency questionnaire with 7 response options on the main dietary fiber sources (fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and seeds) was also applied. Answers were transformed into a score to estimate the weekly intake frequency, and every score point corresponded to one time per week. Demographical and laboratory data were obtained from medical records. Univariate analysis was used to compare participants according to constipation status, and variables with P < .20 were included in the regression analysis model. RESULTS: Three hundred five HD patients were included (male: 51%; age: 52.2 ± 14.7 years old; HD vintage: 46 (19-82) months). Ninety-three participants had constipation (30.5%). Median (interquartile) food frequency questionnaire scores were as follows: fruits: 6 (2-14); vegetables: 6 (3-10); legumes: 3 (1-7); whole grain: 0 (0-1); and seeds: 0 (0-0). In univariate analysis, participants with constipation were significantly older, had lower literacy, higher prevalence of diabetes, and lower total beverage intake. The logistic regression analysis model also included body mass index, wheelchair need, sedentarism, fruits score, and seeds score (all with P < .20 in the univariate analysis). The independent predictors of constipation were diabetes (odds ratio = 1.96, 95% confidence interval 1.07-3.6, P = .03) and fruits intake score (odds ratio = 0.95, 95% confidence interval 0.91-0.99, P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: Almost one-third of the participants had constipation. The independent determinants of constipation were diabetes and lower frequency of fruit intake. Nutritional counseling to increase fiber intake can potentially decrease the prevalence of constipation in this population.

Adherence and knowledge about hyperphosphatemia treatment in hemodialysis patients with hyperphosphatemia.

INTRODUCTION: Adequate dietary phosphorus intake and the use of phosphorus binders are the main tools for treating hyperphosphatemia. Thus, its success depends essentially on the patient's ability to understand and adhere to the dietary plan and the use of phosphate binders. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate hyperphosphatemic patients adherence and knowledge about phosphate control treatment. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study. One hundred and twelve patients on hemodialysis (60 males; age = 49.3 ± 13.3 years), from five dialysis centers with mean serum phosphorus > 5.5 mg/dL between July and December of 2008 (mean = 6.57 ± 0.73 mg/dL) were included. A questionnaire with questions about the consequences of hyperphosphataemia, foods high in phosphorus, appropriate use of phosphate binders and patient's opinion about reasons for treatment failure was administered. Laboratory parameters assessed were serum urea, calcium, phosphorus and parathormony (PTH), and dialysis adequacy by means of urea Kt/V. RESULTS: The average score of questionnaire was 78.5%. Regarding the reasons for the failure of the treatment of hyperphosphataemia, 87% indicated the response "because I eat more phosphorus than I should" and / or "because I do not take the phosphate binder as I should". Among those who said they did not use phosphate binder correctly, most (62%) justified to forget as the reason. The serum phosphorus correlated directly with serum urea (R = 0.33, p < 0.01) and inversely with Kt/V (R = -0.20, p < 0.05). There was no correlation between the phosphorus, the education level and the scores on questionnaire. CONCLUSION: Patients showed a good level of knowledge about the hyperphosphatemia treatment, but the vast majority were noncompliant to that. Strategies to improve compliance are necessary to decrease the incidence of hyperphosphatemia in hemodialysis patients.