Cesarean Delivery and Risk of Excess Weight Among Brazilian Preschool Children.

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between cesarean Delivery (CD) and overweight in preschool children, considering the presence of birth aspects and demographic characteristics that have been associated with the risk of excess weight. METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional analysis used representative data of children from 2 to 6 years of age at municipal daycare centers in Taubaté, São Paulo, Brazil. The sample included 752 preschoolers. Weight and height were collected in daycare centers, and the nutritional status classification was performed using z scores of Body Mass Index (zBMI). Data analysis was performed in the bivariate and multivariate manner, the latter with the inclusion of another possible risk factor. Adjustments were made for daycare centers time, sex, birth length and weight and maternal schooling. RESULTS: The mean age of preschool children was 4.7 years, and 53.8% were boys. The prevalence of overweight children was 21.7%. The median zBMI of the children born by CD was higher than that of vaginal Delivery (p = 0.0194). The prevalence of overweight showed association with CD (p = 0.0196; PR = 1.397 with 95% CI of 1065-1831). Logistic binary multivariate regression analysis confirmed the association, even in the presence of other possible risk factors (CR: 1.580, 95% CI: 1.072-2.330). CONCLUSION FOR PRACTICE: Birth by CD is one of the factors that are associated with the early development of overweight in preschoolers.

Determinants of exclusive breast-feeding discontinuation in southeastern Brazil, 2008-2013: a pooled data analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the determinants of exclusive breast-feeding (EBF) discontinuation in southeastern Brazil between 2008 and 2013. DESIGN: Secondary cross-sectional data were analysed from three waves of child feeding surveys conducted in the city of Marília, São Paulo, Brazil, in 2008, 2011 and 2013 (n 1645 children under 6 months). Multivariable Poisson regression models were used to test the association between EBF discontinuation and socio-economic, demographic and biomedical factors in a pooled sample and within each survey wave. SETTING: Regionally representative cross-sectional survey from Brazil. PARTICIPANTS: The analytical sample included 1645 infants under 6 months old. RESULTS: In the pooled sample, 40·7 % of the infants were exclusively breastfed. Between 2008 and 2013, there was a significant increase in C-section (35·1-42·7 %) and pacifier use (41·4-48·8 %). The determinants of EBF discontinuation in the pooled analysis were mothers working outside the home (adjusted prevalence ratio (APR) = 1·10; 95 % CI 1·00, 1·21), first-time mothers (APR = 1·10; 95 % CI 1·01, 1·20), pacifier use (APR = 1·48; 95 % CI 1·36, 1·61) and low birth weight (APR = 1·17; 95 % CI 1·05, 1·32). CONCLUSIONS: Mothers working outside the home, first-time moms, pacifier use and low birth weight were the factors associated with EBF discontinuation. Evidence-based counselling strategies during antenatal and early postpartum care in primary healthcare are needed to address the modifiable determinants of EBF discontinuation and ultimately to improve its rates in southeastern Brazil.

Tri-Ponderal Mass Index: A Screening Tool for Risk of Central Fat Accumulation in Brazilian Preschool Children.

Background and Objectives: To verify the use of the tri-ponderalmass index (TMI) as a screening tool for risk of central fat accumulation in preschool children. Materials and Methods: An observational, analytical study was carried out on samples from children 2 to 5 years of age. The body mass index (BMI) and the tri-ponderalmass index (TMI: Weight/height3) were calculated. The waist circumference-to-height ratio (WHtR) was used to classify central fat accumulation risk. Preschoolers whose WHtRwas in the upper tertile of the sample were classified as at risk for central fat accumulation. A comparison of the two indicators (BMI and TMI) was made from the area under the receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curve (AUC) in the discrimination of the WHtR. Results: The sample used for analysis was 919 preschoolers. The mean age of the children was 3.9 years (SD = 0.7). The difference in AUC was 5% higher for TMI (p < 0.0001). In the individual analysis of the ROC curve of the TMI, favoring a higher sensitivity, the cutoff point of 14.0 kg/m3 showed a sensitivity of 99.3% (95% CI: 97.6-99.9). Conclusion: Considering WHtR as a marker of possible future metabolic risk among preschool children, TMI proved to be a useful tool, superior to BMI, in screening for risk of central fat accumulation in preschool children.

Short-term motor learning through non-immersive virtual reality task in individuals with down syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Down syndrome (DS) has unique physical, motor and cognitive characteristics. Despite cognitive and motor difficulties, there is a possibility of intervention based on the knowledge of motor learning. However, it is important to study the motor learning process in individuals with DS during a virtual reality task to justify the use of virtual reality to organize intervention programs. The aim of this study was to analyze the motor learning process in individuals with DS during a virtual reality task. METHODS: A total of 40 individuals participated in this study, 20 of whom had DS (24 males and 8 females, mean age of 19 years, ranging between 14 and 30 yrs.) and 20 typically developing individuals (TD) who were matched by age and gender to the individuals with DS. To examine this issue, we used software that uses 3D images and reproduced a coincidence-timing task. RESULTS: The results showed that all individuals improved performance in the virtual task, but the individuals with DS that started the task with worse performance showed higher difference from the beginning. Besides that, they were able to retain and transfer the performance with increase of speed of the task. CONCLUSION: Individuals with DS are able to learn movements from virtual tasks, even though the movement time was higher compared to the TD individuals. The results showed that individuals with DS who started with low performance improved coincidence- timing task with virtual objects, but were less accurate than typically developing individuals. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02719600 .

Breastfeeding, comnlementarv food introduction and overweight in preschool children.

Growing phenomenon, which involves high morbidity and consequently high costs for health systems, obesity has been found also among the pediatric population and is currently considered a public health problem. The aim of this study was to verify if in children in the early preschool age we can see the prevalence of overweight and if introducing complementary feeding as well as the type of food introduced, are associated with this condition in this age group. It is an observational analytic study with children born in 2011-2012 that attended public schools in Taubat6 -SP during 2014. In addition to the weight and height of children, information about the history of feeding and birth were collectedusing a standardized questionnaire.The nutritional status was defined as having overweight children with z-scores for body mass index (zIMC) > 1.We conducted bivariate analysis and then linear regression analysis of multiple variables.The prevalence of overweight was elevated (27.5%). Only birth weight showed significant correlation with respect to zIMC (r = 0.22, p < 0.0001). The multivariable analysis showed no relationship with the various foods, but showed birth weightas a high risk factor, the male and the total duration of breastfeeding as protective factors. As a result, we conclude that the early introduction of new foods is not a risk factor for the development of overweight at the beginning of pre-school age.

Is waist-to-height ratio a useful indicator of cardio-metabolic risk in 6-10-year-old children?

BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity is a public health problem worldwide. Visceral obesity, particularly associated with cardio-metabolic risk, has been assessed by body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, but both methods use sex-and age-specific percentile tables and are influenced by sexual maturity. Waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) is easier to obtain, does not involve tables and can be used to diagnose visceral obesity, even in normal-weight individuals. This study aims to compare the WHtR to the 2007 World Health Organization (WHO) reference for BMI in screening for the presence of cardio-metabolic and inflammatory risk factors in 6-10-year-old children. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was undertaken with 175 subjects selected from the Reference Center for the Treatment of Children and Adolescents in Campos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The subjects were classified according to the 2007 WHO standard as normal-weight (BMI z score>-1 and<1) or overweight/obese (BMI z score≥1). Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), fasting glycemia, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglyceride (TG), Homeostatic Model Assessment--Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), leukocyte count and ultrasensitive C-reactive protein (CRP) were also analyzed. RESULTS: There were significant correlations between WHtR and BMI z score (r=0.88, p<0.0001), SBP (r=0.51, p<0.0001), DBP (r=0.49, p<0.0001), LDL (r=0.25, p<0.0008, HDL (r=-0.28, p<0.0002), TG (r=0.26, p<0.0006), HOMA-IR (r=0.83, p<0.0001) and CRP (r=0.51, p<0.0001). WHtR and BMI areas under the curve were similar for all the cardio-metabolic parameters. A WHtR cut-off value of >0.47 was sensitive for screening insulin resistance and any one of the cardio-metabolic parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The WHtR was as sensitive as the 2007 WHO BMI in screening for metabolic risk factors in 6-10-year-old children. The public health message "keep your waist to less than half your height" can be effective in reducing cardio-metabolic risk because most of these risk factors are already present at a cut point of WHtR≥0.5. However, as this is the first study to correlate the WHtR with inflammatory markers, we recommend further exploration of the use of WHtR in this age group and other population-based samples.

Osteometabolic profile and bone mass in the transition phase: ethnic differences in Brazilians treated with somatropin during childhood.

OBJECTIVE: The main growth hormone action is to promote linear growth increasing protein synthesis stimulation and osteoblastic activity. Peak bone mass extends from adolescence to 30 years of age. Several factors may influence this acquisition and prevent fracture risk in adulthood, such as genetic potential, GH, ethnicity, and lifestyle factors. This study aims to compare bone mass and osteometabolic profile of white and Afro-descendant Brazilian adolescents in the transition phase, who were treated with human recombinant growth hormone in childhood. METHODS: The authors selected 38 adolescents from the Transition Outpatient Clinic of the University of São Paulo. Lumbar spine and total body bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC), serum calcium, 25-OH-vitamin D and bone markers were analyzed at the rhGH withdrawal. RESULTS: The mean age was 16.8 ± 1.6 years. There were 21 Afro-descendant and 17 whites. Thirty-four percent of the sample presented vitamin D insufficiency, 66% inadequate calcium intake and 44.7% physical inactivity. The Afro-descendants showed a lower lumbar spine and total body Z scores than those of the whites (p = 0.04 and p = 0.03, respectively), as well as their mean body weight (p = 0.03). There were no differences in the remaining osteometabolic parameters. CONCLUSION: As most adolescents had vitamin D insufficiency, low calcium intake, and physical inactivity, calcium, and cholecalciferol supplementation and lifestyle changes should be encouraged. The Brazilian Afro-descendant may be a vulnerable group for low bone mass, requiring special strategies to increase bone accrual and body weight. More studies are necessary to compare ethnic differences in this population.

Fluid intake patterns: an epidemiological study among children and adolescents in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Energy from liquids is one of the most important factors that could impact on the high prevalence of children and adolescents obesity around the world. There are few data on the liquid consumption in Brazil. The aim of this study is to evaluate the volume and quality of liquids consumed by Brazilian children and adolescents and to determine the proportion of their daily energy intake composed of liquids. METHODS: A multicenter study was conducted in five Brazilian cities; the study included 831 participants between 3 and 17 years of age. A four-day dietary record specific to fluids was completed for each individual, and the volume of and Kcal from liquid intake were evaluated. The average number of Kcal in each beverage was determined based on label information, and the daily energy intake data from liquids were compared with the recommendations of the National Health Surveillance Agency (Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária- ANVISA), the Brazilian food regulation authority, according to each subject's age. RESULTS: As the children aged, the volume of carbonated beverages that they consumed increased significantly, and their milk intake decreased significantly. For children between the ages of 3 and 10, milk and dairy products contributed the greatest daily number of Kcal from liquids. Sugar sweetened beverages which included carbonated beverages, nectars and artificial beverages, accounted for 37% and 45% of the total Kcal from liquid intake in the 3- to 6-year-old and 7- to 10- year-old groups, respectively. Among adolescents (participants 11- to 17- years old), most of the energy intake from liquids came from carbonated beverages, which accounted for an average of 207 kcal/day in this group (42% of their total energy intake from liquids). Health professionals should be attentive to the excessive consumption of sugar sweetened beverages in children and adolescents. The movement toward healthier dietary patterns at the individual and population levels may help to improve programs for preventing overweight and obesity in children and adolescents. CONCLUSION: From childhood to adolescence the daily volume of liquid ingested increased reaching a total of 2.0 liters on average. Of this volume, the daily volume of milk ingested decreased while the carbonated drinks, sweetened, nectars and artificial beverages increased significantly. The proportion of water remained constant in about 1/3 of the total volume. From 3 to 17 years of age the energy intake from carbonated beverages increased by about 20%. The carbonated drinks on average corresponded to a tenth of the daily requirements of energy of adolescents.

Nutritional status of pre-school children from low income families.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated growth and nutritional status of preschool children between 2 and 6 years old from low income families from 14 daycare centers. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 1544 children from daycare centers of Santo Andre, Brazil. Body weight (W), height (H) and body mass index (BMI) were classified according to the 2000 National Center for Health Statistics (CDC/NCHS). Cutoff points for nutritional disorders: -2 z scores and 2.5 and 10 percentiles for malnutrition risk, 85 to 95 percentile for overweight and above BMI 95 percentile for obesity. Stepwise Forward Regression method was used including age, gender, birth weight, breastfeeding duration, age of mother at birth and period of time they attended the daycare center. RESULTS: Children presented mean z scores of H, W and BMI above the median of the CDC/NCHS reference. Girls were taller and heavier than boys, while we observed similar BMI between both genders. The z scores tended to rise with age. A Pearson Coefficient of Correlation of 0.89 for W, 0.93 for H and 0.95 for BMI was documented indicating positive association of age with weight, height and BMI. The frequency of children below -2 z scores was lower than expected: 1.5% for W, 1.75% for H and 0% for BMI, which suggests that there were no malnourished children. The other extremity of the distribution evidenced prevalence of overweight and obesity of 16.8% and 10.8%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Low income preschool children are in an advanced stage of nutritional transition with a high prevalence of overweight.

Effects of vitamin E supplementation on renal non-enzymatic antioxidants in young rats submitted to exhaustive exercise stress.

BACKGROUND: Exercise stress was shown to increase oxidative stress in rats. It lacks reports of increased protection afforded by dietary antioxidant supplements against ROS production during exercise stress. We evaluated the effects of vitamin E supplementation on renal non-enzymatic antioxidants in young rats submitted to exhaustive exercise stress. METHODS: Wistar rats were divided into three groups: 1) control group; 2) exercise stress group and; 3) exercise stress + Vitamin E group. Rats from the group 3 were treated with gavage administration of 1 mL of Vitamin E (5 mg/kg) for seven consecutive days. Animals from groups 2 and 3 were submitted to a bout of swimming exhaustive exercise stress. Kidney samples were analyzed for Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances to (TBARS) by malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) and vitamin-E levels. RESULTS: The group treated with vitamin E and submitted to exercise stress presented the lowest levels of renal MDA (1: 0.16+0.02 mmmol/mgprot vs. 2: 0.34+0.07 mmmol/mgprot vs. 3: 0.1+0.01 mmmol/mgprot; p < 0.0001), the highest levels of renal GSH (1: 23+4 µmol/gprot vs. 2: 23+2 µmol/gprot vs. 3: 58+9 µmol/gprot; p < 0.0001) and the highest levels of renal vitamin E (1: 24+6 µM/gtissue vs. 2: 28+2 µM/gtissue vs. 3: 43+4 µM/gtissue; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Vitamin E supplementation improved non-enzymatic antioxidant activity in young rats submitted to exhaustive exercise stress.

Evaluation of mid-upper arm circumference in pre-school children: comparison between NCHS/CDC-2000 and WHO-2006 references.

We aimed to evaluate the classification of arm circumference (AC) in pre-school children by using National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS/CDC-2000) and World Health Organization (WHO-2006) references. We evaluated 205 children: weight, height and AC were assessed and the body mass index (BMI) was calculated. The BMI values were classified into Z-scores by the WHO referential. The AC was classified into Z-cores by two references, comparing the whole-sample value and among groups (tercis) of BMI Z-score. The correlation was also evaluated between differences of AC with BMI Z-score. The WHO referential classified the AC in Z-scores greater than the NCHS/CDC, which is more specific and less sensitive than the NCHS/CDC for lean children and at the same time more sensitive and less specific for children with overweight. In conclusion, a significant difference in the AC classification occurs according to the referential used.

The Use of Cardiac Autonomic Responses to Aerobic Exercise in Elderly Stroke Patients: Functional Rehabilitation as a Public Health Policy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The development of public policies must be guided by full knowledge of the health-disease process of the population. Aerobic exercises are recommended for rehabilitation in stroke patients, and have been shown to improve heart rate variability (HRV). Our aim was to compare the cardiac autonomic modulation of elderly stroke patients with that of healthy elderly people during and after an acute bout of aerobic exercise. METHODS: A total of 60 elderly people participated in the study (30 in the control group, mean age of 67 ± 4 years; 30 in the stroke group, mean age of 69 ± 3 years). HRV was analyzed in rest-10 min of rest in supine position; exercise-the 30 min of peak exercise; and recovery-30 min in supine position post-exercise. RESULTS: Taking rest and exercises together, for SDNN, RMSSD, pNN50, RRTri, and TINN, there was no difference between the stroke and control groups (p = 0.062; p = 0.601; p = 0.166; p = 0.224, and p = 0.059, respectively). The HF (ms2) was higher and the LF/HF ratio was lower for the stroke group than the control group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.007, respectively). The SD2 was lower for the stroke group than for the control group (p = 0.041). CONCLUSION: Stroke patients present reduced variability at rest, sympathetic predominance during exercise, and do not return to baseline after the 30 min of recovery, with similar responses found in the healthy elderly group.

Early neonatal mortality trend in adolescent pregnant women in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, from 1996 to 2017.

BACKGROUND: The Infant mortality rate indicates the quality of life of a population. Infant mortality has two important components: neonatal mortality, divided into early and late and post-neonatal mortality. The more developed a country is and the greater its population's well-being, the greater the weight of the neonatal component on infant mortality. In addition several factors may determine or be associated with the occurrence of infant deaths including maternal age. The teenage pregnancy rates in Latin America and the Caribbean remain the second highest in the world, In Brazil, between 2010 and 2015, for every thousand adolescents between 15 and 19 years old, about 69 became pregnant and gave birth to their babies. Thus, the objective of this study is to evaluate the trend of Early Neonatal Mortality Rates in children of pregnant adolescents, which occurred in the period 1996-2017, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, according to the maternal age group. METHODS: This is an ecological study of time series using official mortality data obtained from the Mortality Information System and live birth data obtained from the Live Birth Information System. Deaths of newborns aged between zero and six complete days were collected by place of residence. The trends in rates per 1,000 live births were calculated by Prais-Winsten regression, obtaining their annual percentage change (VPA) and the respective 95% confidence intervals, analyzed by age group. All analyzes were processed using the STATA 15.1 software. RESULTS: In the state of São Paulo, between 1996 and 2017, 16,161 deaths were reported in children from zero to six days old and 2,320,584 live births in mothers aged 10-19 years, living in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Of this total, it was observed that the early neonatal mortality rate decreased until the year 2005-2006, remained stationary after, and was higher in newborns of mothers aged 10-14 years (13.18 per 1,000) compared to mothers between 15-19 years (6.75 per 1,000). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, although the early neonatal mortality rate showed a significant decreasing trend until approximately 2005, it remained stables after that.

Echocardiographic study of paediatric patients with mucopolysaccharidosis.

PRINCIPLE: Mucopolysaccharidosis is an inborn error of metabolism causing glucosaminoglycans tissue storage. Cardiovascular involvement is variable but contributes significantly towards the morbidity and mortality of the patients. OBJECTIVE: To characterise the echocardiographic abnormalities in children and adolescents with different types of mucopolysaccharidosis. METHOD: Echocardiograms and medical records of 28 patients aged 2-14 years, seen from 2003 to 2005, were revised. At that time, the enzymatic replacement therapy was still not available in our institution. RESULTS: Echocardiographic alterations were detected in 26 patients (93%), whereas 16 (57%) had abnormal auscultation, and only 6 (21%) presented with cardiovascular complaint. Mitral valve thickening with dysfunction (regurgitation, stenosis, or double lesion) was diagnosed in 60.8%, left ventricular hypertrophy in 43% and aortic valve thickening with regurgitation in 35.8% of the patients. There was no systolic dysfunction and mild left diastolic dysfunction was shown in 21.5% of the patients. Pulmonary hypertension was present in 36% of the patients, causing the only two deaths recorded. There was a strong association between the accumulation of dermatan sulphate and the presence of mitral valve dysfunction (p = 0.0003), aortic valve dysfunction (p = 0.006), and pulmonary hypertension (p = 0.006). Among individuals with two or more examinations, 82% had a worsening evolution. CONCLUSIONS: Echocardiographic alterations in children with Mucopolysaccharidosis are frequent and have a progressive character. Left valve lesions, ventricular hypertrophy, and pulmonary hypertension were the most common findings and there was an association between the accumulation of dermatan sulphate and cardiovascular involvement. Unlike in adults, pulmonary hypertension was the main cause of death, not left ventricle systolic dysfunction.

Combined Fuzzy and Genetic Algorithm for the Optimisation of Hybrid Composite-Polymer Joints Obtained by Two-Step Laser Joining Process.

In the present work, genetic algorithms and fuzzy logic were combined to model and optimise the shear strength of hybrid composite-polymer joints obtained by two step laser joining process. The first step of the process consists of a surface treatment (cleaning) of the carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminate, by way of a 30 W nanosecond laser. This phase allows removing the first matrix layer from the CFRP and was performed under fixed process parameters condition. In the second step, a diode laser was adopted to join the CFRP to polycarbonate (PC) sheet by laser-assisted direct joining (LADJ). The experimentation was performed adopting an experimental plan developed according to the design of experiment (DOE) methodology, changing the laser power and the laser energy. In order to verify the cleaning effect, untreated laminated were also joined and tested adopting the same process conditions. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was adopted to detect the statistical influence of the process parameters. Results showed that both the laser treatment and the process parameters strongly influence the joint performances. Then, an uncertain model based on the combination of fuzzy logic and genetic algorithms was developed and adopted to find the best process parameters' set able to give the maximum joint strength against the lowest uncertainty level. This type of approach is especially useful to provide information about how much the precision of the model and the process varies by changing the process parameters.

Learning Assessment from a Lecture about Fundamentals on Basic Life Support among Undergraduate Students of Health Sciences.

Introduction: Cardiac arrest is one of the leading public health problems worldwide and in Brazil. A victim of cardiorespiratory arrest needs prompt basic life support (BLS) to increase survival. Objective: To evaluate the performance of a synthesis lecture on BLS given to university students in Health Sciences. Methods: A total of 422 undergraduate students in Nursing, Physiotherapy, and Medicine participated in this study. Data were collected by applying a pre-test through a BLS questionnaire based on the American Heart Association guidelines. Results: Students obtained a minimum grade of 40% of the pre-test questions. The score increased to 75% in the post-test; the students with the best performance in the pre-test maintained a higher total number of correct answers in the post-test. There was also better performance in those with previous training in BLS. The students from the first year of medical school were the ones who benefited the most from the lecture. Conclusion: Regardless of the grade course, the Health Science students showed a significant improvement in their level of knowledge after attending the synthesis lecture, indicating its adequacy to promote initial learning about BLS.

IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH SOCIOECONOMIC VULNERABILITY.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association of anemia with the socioeconomic vulnerability of preschoolers in public day care centers, in the city of Taubaté, SP, Brazil. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study with a probabilistic sample that analyzed 363 children assisted in public day care centres in low-income and high-income areas of Taubaté, SP, Brazil. The hemoglobin concentration (Hb), dependent variable, was obtained by digital puncture, considering anemic children with Hb concentration <11.0 g/dL. The independent variables such as socioeconomic and demographic conditions were collected by a semi-structured questionnaire. RESULTS: The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia was 19.3% among preschoolers. Children from day care centers with high socioeconomic vulnerability had lower Hb concentration than those from a non-vulnerable area (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The lower concentration of hemoglobin in preschoolers is associated with the location of day care centers in an area of socioeconomic vulnerability. Children attending these day care centers face adverse family conditions such as low income, working mothers, and mothers with low schooling, though they receive social benefits and monitoring by public health services.

Systematic Review of the Main Motor Scales for Clinical Assessment of Individuals with down Syndrome.

Objective: The aim of the present review was to identify the motor scales currently used to assess individuals with Down Syndrome (DS).Method: PubMed, WOS and BVS databases were systematically searched to identify the most relevant published studies that used motor scales in the evaluation of individuals with DS.Results: Of the 99 studies that met the eligibility criteria in this process, 20 experimental and observational studies were found to fully meet the eligibility criteria.Conclusion: We identified several motor scales including the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS), Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP), BAYLEY, Peabody Gross Motor Scale (PGMS-PDMS-GM), Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM), Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC) and Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI).

Challenges of nutritional assessment in pediatric ICU.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The nutritional assessment of children in the pediatric ICU is unique in view of the metabolic changes of the underlying disease. This review addresses the use and limitations of anthropometry and laboratorial and body composition markers in the diagnosis of the nutritional status of such patients. RECENT FINDINGS: The presence of inflammatory activity leads to body composition changes (lean mass reduction) and undernutrition. Nutritional assessment in pediatric ICU must prioritize anthropometric and laboratory markers that can differentiate body composition to detect specific macronutrient and micronutrient deficiencies and assessment of the inflammatory activity. SUMMARY: Nutritional assessment is one of the main aspects of the pediatric intensive care patient and is the most important tool to avoid hospital undernutrition. There is currently no gold standard for nutritional assessment in the pediatric ICU. The results of anthropometric and laboratory markers must be jointly analyzed, but individually interpreted according to disease and metabolic changes, in order to reach a correct diagnosis of the nutritional status and to plan and monitor the nutritional treatment.

Nutrition profile of children in Maranhão state. / Perfil nutricional de crianças no estado do Maranhão.

INTRODUCTION: Combating malnutrition is among the greatest health challenges and needs to be guided by the reality of each region. Studies that assess nutritional status are essential to support interventions, especially in children. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the nutritional status of under-five children attended by the family health strategyin the state of Maranhao. METHOD: Cross-sectional study with children of a sample of probabilistic and stratified representative for the state, six to 59 months. The variables age of the child, gender, household situation and Food Insecurity (Brazilian Scale of Food Insecurity) classification were collected through interviews. The z-score (Z) values ​of height for age, weight for height and Body Mass Index (BMI) for age were calculated.Thenutritional status of the children was classified according to the norms of the Ministry of Health. Statistical methods of correlation were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Of the 956 children, 9.6% had low or very low height for age. According to the BMI for age overweight was observed in 23.2% of children. The rural children have on average less height and body mass index Z. In total 70.4% of children were food insecure with inverse correlation with height-for-age Z (r = -0,15, p < 0,0001) and no correlation with BMI z score for age (r = -0,05, p= 0,09). CONCLUSION: Chronic malnutrition can still be considered a public health problem despite the nutritional transition that already occurs in these families.

INTRODUÇÃO: O combate à má nutrição está entre os maiores desafios de saúde e precisa ser norteado conforme a realidade de cada região. Estudos que avaliem o estado nutricional são imprescindíveis para embasar intervenções, principalmente em crianças. OBJETIVO: Analisar o perfil epidemiológico nutricional de crianças menores de cinco anos atendidas pela Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF) no Maranhão. MÉTODO: Estudo transversal com crianças de 6 a 59 meses, de uma amostra do tipo probabilística e estratificada, representativa para o estado. Foram coletadas, por entrevistas, as variáveis "idade da criança", "sexo", "situação do domicílio" e "classificação de Insegurança Alimentar" (Escala Brasileira de Insegurança Alimentar). Foi realizado o cálculo dos valores de escore z (Z) de estatura para a idade, peso para a estatura e índice de massa corpórea (IMC) para a idade. Oestado nutricional foi classificado segundo as normas do Ministério da Saúde. Para a análise dos dados foram utilizados métodos estatísticos de correlação. RESULTADOS: Das 956 crianças, 9,6% apresentaram estatura baixa ou muito baixa. Segundo o Z de IMC, o excesso de peso foi observado em 23,2% das crianças. As crianças da zona rural têm média Z de estatura e de IMC menor. No total, 70,4% das crianças apresentaram situação de insegurança alimentar, com correlação inversa com a estatura (r: -0,15; p < 0,0001) e sem correlação com o Z de IMC (r: -0,05; p = 0,09). CONCLUSÃO: A desnutrição crônica ainda pode ser considerada um problema de saúde pública no Maranhão, a despeito da transição nutricional que já ocorre nessas famílias.