Role of Overload and Psychoemotional Variables on Health-Related Quality of Life in Informal Caregivers of People with Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: Carers of people with Alzheimer's disease often have a high degree of commitment and dedication which may also compromise physical and emotional, leisure, and occupational self-care. This study aimed to explore health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychoemotional variables in caregivers with and without caregiver overload and its relationship. Methods: A single-measure cross-sectional correlational study was carried out involving 59 informal caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease with a mean age of 59.30 (±10.58). The participants completed the adult HRQoL questionnaires (EQ-5D-3L), Zarit Burden Inventory test, General Happiness Questionnaire, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Rosenberg self-esteem scale, Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ-E), International Fitness Scale (IFIS), Family Apgar scale, and Duke-UNC-11 Functional Social Support Questionnaire. Results: A significantly higher level of HRQoL (p = 0.029) in subjective happiness (p = 0.018), perceived social support (p = 0.046), avoidance (p = 0.034), occupational balance (p = 0.002), life satisfaction (p = 0.037), and self-perceived physical fitness (p = 0.021) was found in caregivers without perceived overload. Also, HRQoL was directly associated with self-perceived physical fitness (ß = 0.534; p < 0.001) and occupational balance (ß = 0.375; p < 0.001) and self-esteem (ß = 0.249; p < 0.016). Conclusions: Caregivers who do not perceive overload have better levels of HRQoL and psychoemotional variables, establishing a relationship between HRQoL with self-perceived physical fitness, occupational balance, and self-esteem.

Subjective Cognitive Impairment and Physical Activity: Investigating Risk Factors and Correlations among Older Adults in Spain.

Subjective cognitive impairment in older persons has a substantial influence on their quality of life and can progress to serious illnesses such as dementia. Physical activity level can help prevent cognitive decline and improve cognitive performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between frequency of physical activity and subjective cognitive impairment in Spanish adults aged 65 and over, and to identify different risk factors. Using data from the EHSS20 survey, the study focused on 7082 participants who provided information on cognitive impairment and physical activity. Key predictor variables included age, gender, BMI, marital status, and education level. A significant relationship was found between BMI category and gender, with 66.5% of the population being overweight or obese. Men were more likely to be overweight than women. Socio-demographic factors such as educational level, marital status, and physical activity frequency showed dependent associations with sex. Women had a higher prevalence of subjective cognitive impairment than men. A strong association was found between frequency of physical activity and subjective cognitive impairment, with inactive older people having the highest prevalence of subjective cognitive impairment. Older women who engage in little physical exercise and have less education are at risk for subjective cognitive impairment. Furthermore, for both men and women, being overweight was associated with a more reduced risk than obesity. Significant relationships were also discovered between subjective cognitive impairment, frequency of physical exercise, gender, BMI, and degree of education. In conclusion, older, sedentary women with high BMI and less education are more likely to experience subjective cognitive impairment.

Trends in Multicomponent Training Research in the Aged Population: A Bibliometric Analysis.

The proportion of aged populations is increasing worldwide. Exercise has a palliating effect on some adverse implications of aging. Multicomponent training (MCT) is a recommended form of exercise for the aged population. The aims of this research were to (1) study the number of publications regarding MCT in the aged population following an exponential growth rate; (2) identify the journals, authors, and countries that stand out the most in this area; and (3) describe the most common themes and used keywords in this field. The analysis was performed through the traditional laws of bibliometrics, including, Price's, Lotka's, Bradford's, and Zipf's law. All documents published in journals indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection from 2001 to November 2023 that met the inclusion criteria were included. The 485 documents included in this review revealed that the number of annual publications experienced an exponential growth phase, 15 journals with six or more publications formed the core journals on this topic, and the author Mikel Izquierdo and his collaborative network topped the lists of prominent and prolific co-authors. Spain was the leading country in number of publications. Various thematic lines and keywords regarding strength, sarcopenia, quality of life, falls, balance, dual-task exercise, and cognitive and physical functioning were identified. In conclusion, this work confirmed that research on this topic is going through an exponential growth phase and provided detailed information about the journals, authors, and countries involved in the subject, as well as the keywords most frequently used in the subject matter.

High-Intensity GPS-Derived Parameters in Semi-Professional Soccer: Home vs. Away Roles of the Team and Their Relationship with the Match's Final Score.

High-intensity activities are related to success in football. We looked at whether high-intensity activity differed between home and away matches and its impact on the final score. Thirty football players (20.3 ± 0.8 years) were recruited from a Spanish semi-professional team. Footballers wore a GPS device to monitor high-intensity parameters from competition matches. The final score of every match was also recorded. Playing at home showed greater total distance (TD) > 24 km/h, >27 km/h, >85% Vmax, and the number of sprints > 24 km/h (all p < 0.05) than playing away. Positive correlations were also found between the match score and high-speed running (HSR) distance covered by the team per minute (r = 0.401), TD > 21 km/h (r = 0.417), TD > 24 km/h (r = 0.343), number of sprints > 24 km/h (r = 0.337), and HSR per minute (r = 0.459) (all p < 0.05). The results suggest that playing at home is associated with greater high-intensity effort than playing away. Moreover, the volume of high-intensity effort influences the final score.

Cross-validation of the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy second edition (CAPL-2) for Spanish children.

Background/objective: This study aimed to explore physical literacy (PL) using the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy, second edition (CAPL-2), adapt it to the Spanish context and provide evidence of its validity for use in Spanish children aged 8-12. Methods: A total of 280 students (150 girls, mean age 10.5±0.9 years) from Extremadura (Spain) completed the CAPL-2. Means and SDs were used to present CAPL-2 scores according to age and sex, as well as frequencies to place participants at different PL levels. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to establish the best model fit for the data. Results: The median PL of Spanish children was progressing, and girls had a lower PL than boys for all ages except 12 years. The results supported a four-domain model for the CAPL-2 Spanish version and reported good fit indices after CFA (χ2 per df ratio=1.118; P (χ2)=0.256; root mean square error of approximation=0.021; comparative fit index=0.987; Tuker-Lewis index=0.991; normed fit index=0.895). Conclusion: The CAPL-2 model is a valid and reliable instrument for Spanish children aged 8-12. It represents the first tool that assesses PL in Spanish children, covering the domains of motivation and confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding, and daily behaviour. It may be relevant for all professionals related to physical activity, education and the health field.

Greater physical activity levels are associated with lower prevalence of tumors and risk of cancer in Spanish population: A cross-sectional study.

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and insufficient physical activity is a significant risk factor. This study analyzed the tumor prevalence based on sex, age, smoking, BMI, and physical activity level (PAL) in the Spanish people. Data from the Spanish National Health Survey (ENSE) was used, comprising a sample of 17,704 people diagnosed with malignant tumors. The findings revealed compelling associations (P < 0.001) between all variables examined and the prevalence of malignant tumors. Notably, women exhibited a higher prevalence than men (P < 0.05). Furthermore, individuals classified as obese displayed a greater prevalence of tumors than those within the normal weight range (P < 0.05). The analysis also showed that the inactive group had a higher prevalence of malignant tumors than the active group (P < 0.05). This study identified significant dependency relationships (P < 0.001) between PAL and the various population groups examined. Additionally, the general population analyzed in the ENSE2017 study demonstrated a reduced risk of developing malignant tumors among the active (P < 0.05) and very active groups (P < 0.05) compared to the inactive group. This risk reduction was consistently observed across different subgroups, including men, women, specific age groups, smoking, and BMI categories (P < 0.05). This study highlighted the importance of regular physical activity in reducing the risk and prevalence of malignant tumors in the Spanish population. These findings underscore the critical role of engaging in physical activity as a protective measure against cancer. Encouraging individuals to adopt an active lifestyle could significantly contribute to cancer prevention efforts and promote overall well-being.

Role of Satisfaction with Life, Sex and Body Mass Index in Physical Literacy of Spanish Children.

Physical activity (PL) is essential to achieve good health, prevent cardiovascular diseases, obesity and overweight, as well as to achieve a better quality of life. Therefore, PL could become the tool to increase the practice of physical activity among young people, thus increasing life satisfaction (LS) given its positive relationship with physical activity. A single-measure cross-sectional correlational study was carried out, involving 135 children aged 8-12 years from Extremadura. They were administered the SWLS questionnaire and the Canadian assessment of physical literacy (CAPL-2). Significantly higher levels of PL (p = 0.010) were found in normal-weight children compared to overweight and obese children, due to the physical competence domain score (p < 0.001). PL was directly related to SWLS (p < 0.001), but inversely related to BMI (p = 0.018). The daily physical activity behaviour domain was explained by SWLS (p < 0.001) and sex (p < 0.001). Physical competence was described by SWLS (p < 0.001) and BMI (p = 0.045). Finally, the motivation and confidence domain were only significantly associated with SWLS (p < 0.001). It was concluded that boys and girls of normal weight achieved higher levels of PL and LS than those with overweight and obesity, establishing a negative relationship of PL with BMI and positive with LS.

Portuguese translation and validation of the questionnaires from the Canadian Physical Literacy Assessment-2: a pilot study.

Background/objective: Physical literacy assessment is considered a vital resource to decrease the prevalence of sedentary lifestyles and physical inactivity in children and adolescents worldwide. In Portugal, there is no physical literacy assessment tool for children under 15 years old. The main objective of this study was to carry out a translation and cultural adaptation of the Canadian Physical Literacy Assessment 2 (CAPL-2) into Portuguese, as well as to test its psychometric properties, in children between 8 and 12 years of age. Methods: The questionnaires included in the CAPL-2 were translated using the translation-back-translation method and adapted to their context. The test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and confirmatory factor analysis of the CAPL-2 Portuguese version were analyzed in a sample of 69 and 138 students, respectively, from a school in the Alentejo region (Portugal). Results: The Portuguese version of the CAPL-2 questionnaires demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's α: 0.713-0.979) and test-retest reliability ranging from moderate to nearly perfect in the motivation and confidence domain and knowledge and comprehension domain (ICC = 0.549-0.932). The results showed a good fit after adjusting for covariation paths (CMIN/DF = 1.382, p = 0.105, RMSEA = 0.053, CFI = 0.971, TLI = 0.955, NFI = 0.907). Conclusion: The CAPL-2 version of the questionnaires, translated and adapted to the Portuguese context, demonstrated validity and reliability, making them suitable for assessing physical literacy in children aged 8-12 years.

Translation, Cultural Adaptation and Validation of Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument-Spanish Version (PPLI-Sp) for Adults.

To translate and culturally adapt the Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument (PPLI) questionnaire, as well as to evaluate the factor structure. A single-measure cross-sectional study was conducted. For the first phase of the study, a translation and cultural adaptation of the PPLI questionnaire was carried out, as well as an interview, with the aim of assessing the understanding of the instrument. In the second part of the study, exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory (CFA) factorial analyses were conducted. A total of 213 Spanish adults with a mean age of 27.40 (10.58) participated. EFA was performed because of the good results offered by the sampling adequacy indices (Bartlett test = 1081.848; df = 153; p < 0.001; and KMO test = 0.825). The factor solution comprised three correlated factors:1) physical competence, 2) motivation and confidence, and 3) knowledge and understanding. After the EFA, items 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 17 were excluded. Therefore, through CFA, a factor structure of 9 items grouped into three dimensions was extracted. The PPLI-Sp version for adults, obtained from the back-translation process as well as after individual interviews, proved to be valid and reliable after the EFA and CFA analyses, obtaining an instrument of nine items, divided into three dimensions. This instrument can be used to determine the perception of physical literacy among different Spanish adult populations.

El estudio de los efectos de la modalidad lingüística en el léxico mental / The study of the effects of linguistic modality on the mental lexicon

Resumen El estudio se cuestiona sobre un abordaje fructífero en el estudio de los efectos de la modalidad lingüística (de señas versus oral) en la organización de la memoria semántica. Para responder la pregunta de investigación, un aspecto central es definir criterios y procedimientos capaces de distinguir entre los factores transportados por la modalidad lingüística de los que le son propios. Entre los primeros, se encuentran la edad de exposición a la lengua natural y su distribución funcional, etaria o geográfica. Entre los aspectos propios de la modalidad se incluyen la iconicidad y el grado de concreción/abstracción de las piezas léxicas. Se sugiere centrarse en el uso de dicho gradiente para evocar dominios conceptuales. Si lo concreto/abstracto es un continuo, entonces hay que preguntarse qué forma de organización es predominante en el léxico mental de las poblaciones señantes u oyentes y qué factores modulan el perfil de esa organización.

Abstract The efforts to understand the relationship of the meaning of a lexical piece to the object to which it refers, the relationship between the lexical pieces and the concepts, and the understanding of the meanings shared between two speakers who use the same lexical pieces have all constituted major problems for the semantic memory models. According to contemporary literature, perceptual-motor, linguistic, and social information have different weights in the formation of concepts, whether concrete or abstract, stored in the aforementioned memory. Regardless of the models developed so far, it is interesting to note that semantic knowledge is represented by various ways of relating the concepts and the types of relationships between them. In this context, studies in sign languages and comparative studies between spoken and sign languages are scarce. Thus, little is known about the effect of linguistic modality on the semantic networks. After all, the theory on semantic networks and norms for the production of features has been grounded on theories of language and its processing adjusted to spoken languages. As the incorporation of the sign language and the Deaf population has shown in other psycholinguistic and linguistic topics, the importance of including these languages and populations, and comparatives with spoken languages, might increase the explanatory power of the theory to account for the universal and contextual aspects of language and its processing. In this effort, there is a latent risk: the linguistic modality can be only a vehicle for more well-known or studied cross-modal variables (e. g., age of acquisition, functional distribution of language, size of the available lexicon, etc.). If it is considered that languages are not stored together, but similar processes can occur in them, it is essential to find out what may be a singular feature of each modality (spoken versus sign) that might ground differentiated processes. Considering the high iconicity of the sign languages and the possibility of a high concreteness of the lexical pieces in the sign language as distinctive features -not collapsible into well-known variables such as the aforementioned-, this article suggests a careful approach to avoid the aforementioned risk in the study of the effects of the linguistic modality (sign versus oral) in the organization of semantic memory. Since perceptual-motor and social information are the main sources of iconicity, a balanced instrument is necessary in the evocation of perceptual-motor, social, and linguistic information. Repeated free word association tasks seem like an appropriate paradigm for a suggested approach. The reasons for this are that, by not censoring the types of response, then free association tasks allow capturing all kinds of concepts (concrete or abstract), all kinds of semantic relationships/organization (paradigmatic versus thematic) and all kinds of processes (comparison versus interaction). This type of task therefore makes it possible to collect meanings related to linguistic information and non-linguistic experience because affective and experiential information is accessible by doing the task in different repetitions. The approach and the tool are exemplified by an ongoing comparative study between Deaf signing and hearing populations. The partial findings of this study also serve to focus on the expected effects of the difference in iconicity and the level of concreteness/abstractness of the lexical pieces of each linguistic modality; namely, the differences between an abstract and a concrete conceptualization of the conceptual domains. Taxonomic and introspective labels might appear as indicative of paradigmatic relationships, of a taxonomic organization, and of underlying comparison processes. On the other hand, the situational and entity labels, indicative of syntagmatic relationships, of a thematic organization and of underlying interaction processes, might suggest a predominantly concrete organization.

Effects of a 4-Week After-School Physical Literacy Program on Health-Related Quality of Life and Symptomatology in Schoolchildren with ADHD: A Study Protocol.

Research has shown that physical activity programs led to improvements in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, no study evaluating the impact of a physical literacy (PL) program has been conducted. This study aims to examine PL and the effects of an after-school PL program on Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and ADHD symptomatology including quality and sustained attention. A parallel-group randomised controlled trial will be conducted assessing PL, HRQoL and ADHD symptomatology, both at the beginning and the end of the PL after-school program implementation. The program will last 4 weeks, including two sessions per week lasting 55 min. Sessions will be divided into several parts: greeting (5 min), block I (20 min), block II (20 min) and relaxation and feedback (10 min). Block I will focus on the acquisition of content that contributes to the development of the domains of knowledge and understanding and daily activity; and block II, in addition to favouring physical competence, will seek to improve motivation. If this program proves its effectiveness, it could be an alternative to be included in educational systems, representing a scientific breakthrough regarding physical activity adherence and inactivity-related disease prevention, HRQoL and management of ADHD-associated symptomatology.

8 weeks of 2S-hesperidin prevents a decrease in pO2 at submaximal intensity in amateur cyclists in off-season: randomized controlled trial.

Although chronic supplementation with 2S-hesperidin has been shown to improve performance, to date, the possible mechanisms underlying this effect have not been explored. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess whether changes in gasometry may be associated with improved performance after the intake of 2S-hesperidin (500 mg d-1, 8 weeks). Forty amateur cyclists (n = 20 2S-hesperidin, n = 20 placebo) performed a rectangular test, during which capillary blood samples were taken at the baseline, FatMax1, ventilatory threshold 1 and 2 (VT1 and VT2), power maximum (PMAX), FatMax2 and excess post-exercise O2 consumption (EPOC) to measure gasometry parameters. Significantly increased CO2 and tCO2 was found at FatMax1, VT1, FatMax2 and EPOC (p = <0.05) after 8 weeks of 2S-hesperidin ingestion. Conversely, the placebo group had a significant decrease in pO2 at VT2 (p = 0.04) during the rectangular test, with no changes in the 2S-hesperidin group. Therefore, chronic supplementation with 2S-hesperidin prevents decreases in pO2 at submaximal intensities in amateur cyclists in an off-season period.

The effects of whole-body muscle stimulation on body composition and strength parameters: A PRISMA systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This systematic review and meta-analysis set out to determine the efficacy of whole-body muscle electrostimulation on body composition, strength, and muscle power in active and non-active adults (aged ≥18 years). METHOD: This review was reported in accordance with the Protocol Statement of Preferred Reporting Element Guidelines for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis included controlled trials; whole-body electromyostimulation trials with at least 1 exercise and control group; participants >18 years old. Outcome measures were defined as standardized mean differences for muscle mass, body fat mass, strength, and power. Studies were searched in the following electronic databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and EMBASE for all articles published up to July 30, 2021. The risk of bias was assessed by 2 independent researchers using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations approach. Analyses were performed using the metafor package of the statistical software R (version 4.0.3; R Core Team, 2020). Random effects models, forest, and funnel plots to quantify the asymmetry associated with publication bias were fitted using the metafor library in R. Statistical heterogeneity was assessed using I2 statistics. RESULTS: In total, 26 studies representing 1183 participants were included (WB-electromyostimulation: n = 586 and control group: n = 597). The mean age of the participants ranged from a minimum of 20.4 to a maximum of 77.4 years old. Interventions lasted a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 54 weeks. Standardized mean difference was 0.36 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.16-0.57) for muscle mass, -0.38 (95% CI: -0.62-0.15) for body fat, 0.54 (95% CI: 0.35-0.72) for strength, and 0.36 (95% CI: 0.02-0.71) for power with significant differences between groups (all P < .04). I2 revealed low heterogeneity of muscle mass (15%) and power (0%) between trials and medium heterogeneity of body fat (45%) and strength (55%). CONCLUSION: We concluded that WB-electromyostimulation has significant positive effects on muscle mass, body fat, strength, and power.

Weekly variations of accelerometer variables and workload of professional soccer players from different positions throughout a season.

The current study aimed to analyze, using accelerometer-based activity, acute workload, chronic workload, acutechronic workloads ratio, training-monotony and training-strain throughout a competitive soccer-season and to compare these variables between players from different playing positions. Twenty-one professional soccer-players were monitored during the 48 weeks of the season. Players were grouped according to their position. Four lateral-defenders and four winger-players formed LDW group, four central-defenders and four forwards formed CDF group, and six midfielder-players formed MDF group. Accelerometer-based variables were collected during training and match contexts and were used to generate indicators of weekly acute and chronic workload, training monotony, training strain and metabolic power. A one-way ANOVA compared all dependent variables between groups, and effect sizes for pairwise comparisons were calculated. Results revealed variations in the weekly load throughout the season, which demands caution from coaches to avoid injuries. There were no differences in weekly-loads for all dependent variables (P > 0.05, small-to-moderate effects). We conclude that the weekly-load is not constant during a competitive season and players from different positions have similar weekly-loads. Therefore, previously reported in the literature, possible match-related positional differences might be compensated by differences in training-related loads, leading to a similar profile when considering the whole week.

Association between GHQ-12, Duke-UNC-11, Physical Activity, and Self-Perceived Health in Spanish Adults with Cancerous Tumours: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: In Spain, people who have overcome some type of cancer have significantly worse self-perceived health (SPH) and higher rates of depression than people who have never suffered any type of cancer. Objective: to explore the relationships among physical activity levels (PAL), perceived social support (PSS), and SPH in terms of mental health and its dimensions in Spanish adults with cancerous tumours. Methods: A correlational study rooted in the National Health Survey 2017 for adults was carried out, including 627 Spanish residents who reported having malignant tumours. Results: A dependent association was found between PAL and SPH (p < 0.001). The mental health mean score decreased as PAL increased for the total sample and for both sexes, separately (p < 0.001). Low reverse associations were also observed between PAL and mental health (rho: −0.274; p < 0.001), successful coping (rho: −0.239; p < 0.001) and self-confidence (rho: −0.264; p <0.001). Moreover, PSS weakly and inversely correlates with mental health (r: −0.225; p < 0.001), successful coping (r: −0.218; p < 0.001) and self-confidence (r: −0.231; p < 0.001). A binary logistic model showed that active and very active people presented less threat of poor SPH, as did people with higher PSS (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Greater levels of physical activity are associated with larger mean scores in the three dimensions of mental health, perceived social support and self-perceived health in people with cancerous tumours.

Fibromyalgia, Pain, and Physical Activity: A Bibliometric Analysis.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a rheumatic disease characterized by pain, fatigue, low-quality sleep, depression, anxiety, stiffness, fall risk, mood disturbance, cognitive impairment, poor physical condition, and other symptoms leading to a worse quality of life. Physical activity (PA) and exercise are effective methods to reduce FM symptoms, including pain. This study presents the first bibliometric study on FM, pain, and PA. An advanced search of the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection database performed on this topic using was carried out traditional bibliometric laws. A total of 737 documents were found. Annual publications presented an exponentially growing trend (R2 = 85.3%). Rheumatology International, Kaisa Mannerkorpi, and the USA were the journal, co-author, and country most productive, respectively. The exponential growth of annual publications on FM, PA, and pain shows the high interest of researchers and publishers in this topic. The document "Fibromyalgia A Clinical Review" was the most cited. Moreover, Kaisa Mannerkorpi was the most prolific co-author, Rheumatology International was the most prolific journal, "Fibromyalgia: a clinical review" was the most highly cited document, and Daniel Clauw was the most cited co-author.

Comparison of Glycosylated Haemoglobin, Blood Pressure, and Anthropometric Measurements Depending on Gender and Bodyweight State in Adolescents.

Background/Objective: The greatest anthropometric and physiological changes occur during adolescence. Assessment of growth patterns is necessary to prevent future health risks. Aims: To describe the values of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, triceps skinfold, and abdominal circumference according to gender and age (between 12 and 17 years), as well as explore the differences between body weight conditions. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out, including 4130 adolescents between 12 and 17 years old. SBP and DBP, HbA1c, triceps skinfold, and abdominal circumference were evaluated. Results: Significant differences were observed between males and females for HbA1c (p < 0.001), SBP (p < 0.001), triceps curl (p < 0.001), and abdominal circumference (p < 0.001), independently of the age group. Regardless of gender and age groups, significant differences were observed between overweight/obese and normal-weight adolescents in SBP (p < 0.001), DBP (p < 0.001 to 0.009), triceps skinfold (p < 0.001), and abdominal perimeter (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our findings revealed higher SBP, DBP, triceps skinfold, and abdominal circumference in overweight/obese adolescents compared to normal-weight adolescents in both genders.

Three verbal fluency tasks: Normative data and convergent validity in Argentines over 50 years.

Verbal fluency tasks are frequently used in neuropsychological assessment, standing out for their easy application and good sensitivity to early cognitive impairment. However, in Argentina, the availability of updated norms is limited, especially for the action fluency variant. There is also little evidence of validity. Objectives: The aim of this study was to obtain Argentine norms for three verbal fluency tasks and to analyze their convergent validity. Methods: Using a nonprobability sampling method, 303 Argentines from a nonclinical population (age mean=66.8, 50-91 years) were recruited to participate in this study. Those with medical conditions that could compromise neuropsychological performance were excluded. Three verbal fluency tasks (i.e., phonological, semantic, and action), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test, and the Digit Span-WAIS III test were administered. Correlations and multiple regressions were subsequently performed. Results: Education and age significantly explained 11.8% of the variance in phonological fluency, 15.8% of the variance in semantic fluency, and 20.2% of the variance in action fluency. Hence, the normative data varied according to educational level and age group, with normal performance limit values between 9 and 14 for phonological fluency, 11 and 18 for semantic fluency, and 8 and 17 for action fluency. Positive correlations were obtained between all verbal fluency tasks, as well as between the MoCA test and the Digit Span test. Conclusions: This study supports the applicability of three verbal fluency tasks in an Argentine context by providing age- and education-corrected norms and acceptable evidence of convergent validity.

As tarefas de fluência verbal são frequentemente utilizadas na avaliação neuropsicológica, destacando-se pela facilidade de aplicação e boa sensibilidade ao comprometimento cognitivo incipiente. No entanto, na Argentina, a disponibilidade de padrões atualizados é limitada, especialmente pela variante de fluência de ações. Assim sendo, a evidência de validade é escassa. Objetivos: Obter normas argentinas para três tarefas de fluência verbal e analisar sua validade convergente. Métodos: Usando um método de amostragem não probabilística, 303 argentinos de uma população não clínica (idade M=66,8, 50­91 anos) foram recrutados para participar deste estudo. Foram excluídos aqueles com condições médicas que pudessem comprometer o desempenho neuropsicológico. Três tarefas de fluência verbal (ou seja, fonológica, semântica e ações), o teste Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) e o teste Digit Span-WAIS III foram administrados. Correlações e regressão múltipla foram realizadas posteriormente. Resultados: A escolaridade e a idade explicaram significativamente 11,8% da variância da fluência fonológica, 15,8% da variância da fluência semântica e 20,2% da variância da fluência de ações. Assim, os dados normativos variaram de acordo com a escolaridade e a faixa etária, com limite de desempenho normal entre 9 e 14 para fluência fonológica, 11 e 18 para fluência semântica e 8 e 17 para fluência de ações. Foram obtidas correlações positivas entre todas as tarefas de fluência verbal, bem como entre estas, o teste MoCA e o Digit Span. Conclusões: Este estudo apoia a aplicabilidade de três tarefas de fluência verbal no contexto argentino, fornecendo normas corrigidas por idade e educação e evidências aceitáveis de validade convergente.