Incorporating physical activity in the comprehensive care of people living with HIV starting antiretroviral therapy: Insights from a specialized care setting in São Paulo, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Managing HIV infection as a chronic condition includes encouraging adoption of healthy behaviors and promotion of physical activity (PA). However, people living with HIV (PLH) are often under social and programmatic vulnerability that may compromise behavior change. Understanding such barriers is crucial for successful incorporation of PA in their comprehensive care. METHODS AND FINDINGS: In this study, we describe PA, energy intake from diet, and anthropometry of a cohort of PLH starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) at a Brazilian reference clinic, report how PA was addressed in routine care and investigate association between PA, energy intake and psychosocial constructs that may facilitate PA (social support and self-efficacy for PA). Among 61 PLH (86.9% males, mean age = 32.5 years) anthropometry was normal, but 47.5% reported PA below recommendations. Despite presenting high social support scores, family encouragement for PA was low, and self-efficacy classified as medium. Chart reviews yielded infrequent reports concerning PA. After adjusting for gender and age, we found a negative association between energy intake from diet and self-efficacy, but none between PA and energy intake or between PA and psychosocial constructs. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that patients in our cohort were insufficiently active when starting ART, and that PA was poorly addressed by caretakers in routine HIV care. Nevertheless, social support and self-efficacy scores suggest potential for behavioral change. Caregivers should therefore start considering patients' vulnerabilities and establishing strategies to help them overcome barriers to incorporate PA in their comprehensive care effectively.

Multicomponent physical activity program to prevent body changes and metabolic disturbances associated with antiretroviral therapy and improve quality of life of people living with HIV: a pragmatic trial.

OBJECTIVES: Comprehensive care for people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PLH) includes the promotion of healthier habits, including physical activity (PA). This study aimed to describe a multicomponent pragmatic trial protocol to assess the effect of PA in preventing body changes and metabolic disturbances, improving the quality of life of PLH starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) and present cohort characteristics. METHODS: PLH undergoing ART for ≤4 months were recruited for a randomized trial. The intervention comprised three cardiorespiratory and/or strength training sessions per week at the clinic or in public spaces for 6 months under on-site or remote supervision, and educational sessions. Participants' PA levels, cardiorespiratory fitness, anthropometric measures, strength, flexibility, quality of life, and laboratory monitoring (blood glucose and lipids, CD4 counts) at baseline and post-intervention will be compared. The pragmatic design aims to enable the assessment of intervention effectiveness in real-life conditions. RESULTS: At baseline, our cohort of 38 recently diagnosed patients (mean time since HIV diagnosis and duration of ART were 3 and 2.58 months, respectively) were predominantly male, young, with high schooling and good immune status (median CD4 count=498 cells/mm3). Twenty-two (57.9%) patients reported a PA below the World Health Organization recommendations. We found baseline normal anthropometric measures and metabolic parameters: below-average trunk flexion and elbow extension strength, poor handgrip strength and flexibility, and high quality of life scores in all except the physical domain. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding how effective PA is in preventing body changes and metabolic disturbances, and in improving the quality of PLH starting ART may help establish guidelines to better incorporate PA in HIV care.

Multicomponent physical activity program to prevent body changes and metabolic disturbances associated with antiretroviral therapy and improve quality of life of people living with HIV: a pragmatic trial

OBJECTIVES: Comprehensive care for people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PLH) includes the promotion of healthier habits, including physical activity (PA). This study aimed to describe a multicomponent pragmatic trial protocol to assess the effect of PA in preventing body changes and metabolic disturbances, improving the quality of life of PLH starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) and present cohort characteristics. METHODS: PLH undergoing ART for ≤4 months were recruited for a randomized trial. The intervention comprised three cardiorespiratory and/or strength training sessions per week at the clinic or in public spaces for 6 months under on-site or remote supervision, and educational sessions. Participants' PA levels, cardiorespiratory fitness, anthropometric measures, strength, flexibility, quality of life, and laboratory monitoring (blood glucose and lipids, CD4 counts) at baseline and post-intervention will be compared. The pragmatic design aims to enable the assessment of intervention effectiveness in real-life conditions. RESULTS: At baseline, our cohort of 38 recently diagnosed patients (mean time since HIV diagnosis and duration of ART were 3 and 2.58 months, respectively) were predominantly male, young, with high schooling and good immune status (median CD4 count=498 cells/mm3). Twenty-two (57.9%) patients reported a PA below the World Health Organization recommendations. We found baseline normal anthropometric measures and metabolic parameters: below-average trunk flexion and elbow extension strength, poor handgrip strength and flexibility, and high quality of life scores in all except the physical domain. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding how effective PA is in preventing body changes and metabolic disturbances, and in improving the quality of PLH starting ART may help establish guidelines to better incorporate PA in HIV care.

Leisure-time physical activity in São Paulo adults: a trend analysis from 2006 to 2016. / Nível de atividade física no lazer em adultos paulistanos: uma análise de tendência de 2006 a 2016.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the temporal trend of practicing physical exercise and sports during leisure time in adults in São Paulo between 2006 to 2016. METHODS: Time series analysis study using the VIGITEL System. Adding up the number of people who participated each year, a total 21,357 people were studied. Analyzes of the physical exercises and sports practiced during leisure time (yes or no) stratified by sex, age and education were performed. The prevalences and the differences for all of the years were calculated using the Prains-Winster regression. RESULTS: Practice of physical exercises or sports increased by 7.9 percentage points in the period (p = 0.003) (from 39.9% 95%CI 37.4 - 42.4 to 47.8% 95%CI 45.2 - 50.4). There was a significant increase for women (p = 0.011), for people between 18-24 years old (p = 0.001), 25-34 years old (p = 0.003), 45-54 years old (p = 0.003), and for people with up to eight years of schooling (p = 0.010). There was a decrease in walking and playing soccer and there was an increase in doing gymnastics. CONCLUSION: There was an increase in the practice of physical exercise and sports during leisure time in adults from São Paulo. These increases were observed mainly in women, in people between 18 and 34 years old, between 45 and 54 years old, and in people with up to eight years of schooling. These results are important, as they have shown an increase in general and in more vulnerable groups, and may be related to environmental changes and interventions that have occurred in the city in the last 15 years.

OBJETIVO: Investigar a tendência temporal da prática de exercícios físicos e esportes no lazer de adultos em São Paulo entre 2006 e 2016. MÉTODOS: Estudo de análise de série temporal que utilizou a base de dados do Sistema de Vigilância de Fatores de Risco e Proteção para Doenças Crônicas por Inquérito Telefônico (VIGITEL). Somando-se todos os anos, foram estudadas 21.357 pessoas. Foram realizadas análises das práticas de exercícios físicos ou esportes no lazer (sim ou não) estratificadas por sexo, idade e escolaridade. Calcularam-se as prevalências e as diferenças para todos os anos por meio da regressão de Prains-Winster. RESULTADOS: A prática de exercícios físicos ou esportes aumentou em 7,9 pontos percentuais no período (p = 0,003) (foi de 39,9% [intervalo de confiança de 95% - IC95% 37,4 ‒ 42,4] para 47,8% [IC95% 45,2 ‒ 50,4]). Houve aumento significativo para as mulheres (p = 0,011), para as pessoas entre 18 e 24 anos (p = 0,001), entre 25 e 34 anos (p = 0,003), entre 45 e 54 anos (p = 0,003) e para pessoas com até oito anos de escolaridade (p = 0,010). Houve queda na prática de caminhada e futebol e aumento na prática das ginásticas. CONCLUSÃO: Verificou-se aumento na prática de exercícios físicos ou esportes no lazer em adultos de São Paulo. Esse crescimento foi observado principalmente em mulheres, nos jovens entre 18 e 34 anos, em indivíduos entre 45 e 54 anos e em pessoas com até oito anos de estudo. Esses resultados são importantes, pois mostraram aumento em geral e em grupos mais vulneráveis e podem estar relacionados com mudanças ambientais e intervenções ocorridas na cidade nos últimos 15 anos.