The knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours of pregnant women regarding seafood consumption during the antenatal period: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Maternal nutrition impacts fetal growth and development. The Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) guidelines recommend pregnant women consume 2-3 servings (224-336 g) of fish/seafood per week to support intake of long chain omega 3 fatty acids, given adequate consumption supports numerous health benefits including reduced risk of preterm and early preterm birth. Evidence indicates that pregnant women purposely lower their fish/seafood intake, largely due to fears of methylmercury exposure. The aim of this study was to explore pregnant women's knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours regarding their fish/seafood consumption during the antenatal period. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted between October 2018 and December 2020 among a purposive sample of 12 pregnant women from the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using an interpretative phenomenological approach. Themes were developed on the women's lived experience related to fish/seafood knowledge, attitudes, and consumption behaviour. RESULTS: The most prominent finding was widespread non-adherence to fish/seafood consumption guidelines. This was largely owing to a lack of proactive health promotion related to the health benefits of fish/seafood throughout pregnancy, including the health promoting roles of long chain omega 3 fatty acids for fetal growth and development. Three themes were identified: nutrition knowledge; sources of health promotion; and barriers and enablers to fish/seafood consumption. CONCLUSIONS: To support adequate maternal consumption of fish/seafood throughout pregnancy, emphasis should be placed on the benefits of consuming this food group regularly. Additionally, pregnant women should receive education about the health promoting role of long chain omega 3 fatty acids. Dietitians are well placed to provide this information.

Maternal body mass index and country of birth in relation to the adverse outcomes of large for gestational age and gestational diabetes mellitus in a retrospective cohort of Australian pregnant women.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus in Australia has been rising in line with the increased incidence of maternal overweight and obesity. Women with gestational diabetes mellitus, high body mass index or both are at an elevated risk of birthing a large for gestational age infant. The aim was to explore the relationship between country of birth, maternal body mass index with large for gestational age, and gestational diabetes mellitus. In addition to provide additional information for clinicians when making a risk assessment for large for gestational age babies. METHOD: A retrospective cohort study of 27,814 women residing in Australia but born in other countries, who gave birth to a singleton infant between 2008 and 2017 was undertaken. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between the aforementioned variables. RESULTS: A significantly higher proportion of large for gestational age infants was born to overweight and obese women compared to those who were classified as underweight and healthy weight. Asian-born women residing in Australia, with a body mass index of ≥40 kg/m2, had an adjusted odds ratio of 9.926 (3.859-25.535) for birthing a large for gestational age infant. Conversely, Australian-born women with a body mass index of ≥40 kg/m2 had an adjusted odds ratio of 2.661 (2.256-3.139) for the same outcome. Women born in Australia were at high risk of birthing a large for gestational age infant in the presence of insulin-requiring gestational diabetes mellitus, but this risk was not significant for those with the diet-controlled type. Asian-born women did not present an elevated risk of birthing a large for gestational age infant, in either the diet controlled, or insulin requiring gestational diabetes mellitus groups. CONCLUSIONS: Women who are overweight or obese, and considering a pregnancy, are encouraged to seek culturally appropriate nutrition and weight management advice during the periconception period to reduce their risk of adverse outcomes.

Timing of high-intensity intermittent exercise affects ad libitum energy intake in overweight inactive men.

The present study sought to clarify the impact of exercise intensity and timing on energy intake and appetite-related blood variables. Fourteen inactive overweight men were included in the study. Firstly, maximal aerobic power (MAP) was measured. Then, participants randomly performed 5 experimental sessions consisting of 30 min of steady-state exercise (SSE) at 50% of MAP, high-intensity intermittent exercise (HIIE) with 30s repetitions at MAP and 30s of passive recovery or no exercise (CTRL). Sessions were performed 1h (SSE1h and HIIE1h) or 2.5h (SSE2.5h and HIIE2.5h) after the consumption of a standardized breakfast. An ad libitum buffet was offered 3.5h after the completion of the breakfast. Absolute energy intake (EI) and relative energy intake (REI) (relative energy intake = energy intake - energy expenditure from exercise) were measured. Appetite (hunger, fullness and desire for specific foods) scores and circulating concentration of insulin and IL-6 were determined at 1h, 1.75h, 2.5h and 3.25h after breakfast while lactate was measured post-exercise. EI was greater after the CTRL session compared to HIIE2.5h (5045.9 ±â€¯1873.5 kJ vs. 3716.1 ±â€¯1688.7 kJ). REI was greater for the CTRL session (5045.9 ±â€¯1873.5 kJ) than HIIE1h (3386.5 ±â€¯1660.1 kJ), HIIE2.5h (2508.5 ±â€¯1709.3 kJ) and SSE2.5h (3426.6 ±â€¯1788.0 kJ). Higher hunger scores were observed following the CRTL session with respect to those of HIIE2.5h. Insulin and IL-6 concentrations were greater after HIIE1h and SSE1h with respect to those obtained after HIIE2.5h, SSE2.5h and CTRL. Lactate concentrations were higher in HIIE1h and HIIE2.5h compared to those of SSE1h and SSE2.5h. These results show that HIIE performed 2.5h after a breakfast reduced appetite (hunger scores) and EI through mechanism that need to be characterized. This approach can be applied to individuals aiming to create an energetic deficit.

Effects of Different Fatigue Levels on Physiological Responses and Pacing in Judo Matches.

Franchini, E, Takito, MY, Alves, ED, Shiroma, SA, Julio, UF, and Humberstone, C. Effects of different fatigue levels on physiological responses and pacing in judo matches. J Strength Cond Res 33(3): 783-792, 2019-The objective of this study was to compare athletes' pacing during judo match simulation between different fatigue states. Twelve judo athletes (30.2 ± 3.2 years old, 85.6 ± 10.8 kg, 181.0 ± 5.7 cm, 19 ± 7 years of judo experience) completed three 4-minute matches against the same opponents, at 15-minute intervals in 3 different conditions: after warm-up (Control; C); after a regular training session (totaling 90 minutes); after a high-intensity interval exercise (2 blocks of 10 sets of 20-second all-out uchi-komi, with 10-second interval between sets and 5-minute interval between blocks). All matches were mediated according to the official rules, filmed, and analyzed concerning: rating of perceived recovery (RPR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), heart rate (before and after match), blood lactate concentrations [La] before, peak after match and delta (peak minus the prematch values), and time-motion measures (frequencies and durations of actions). Time-motion measures included athlete displacement without contact, gripping, attack, feint, groundwork combat, pauses, and high- to low-intensity effort ratio. The experimental conditions resulted in different physiological and perceived responses prematch (HR, [La], RPR) and postmatch simulations (HR and [La]peak), with no change in RPE and few changes in technical variables. There was a decrease in grip dispute time, and increase in time of displacement without contact. These technical changes were enough to preserve the pace during the matches, which seemed to be controlled by the athletes to maintain their number of attacks, feints, and RPE.

Educational intervention regarding diet and physical activity for pregnant women: changes in knowledge and practices among health professionals.

BACKGROUND: The knowledge and practices of health professionals have a recognized role in behaviors related to the health of their patients. During pregnancy, this influence can be even stronger because there is frequent contact between women and doctors/nurses at periodic antenatal visits. When trained, supported and motivated, these professionals can act as health promoters. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a focused educational intervention on improving the knowledge and practices of health professionals concerning diet and physical activity during pregnancy. METHODS: A controlled, non-randomized study was performed to assess the effects of an educational intervention on the knowledge and practices of nurses and doctors who provide primary care to pregnant women. The intervention group, doctors and nurses (n = 22) from the family health units in a medium-sized city of São Paulo State, Brazil, received 16 h of training comprising an introductory course and three workshops, whereas the control group, doctors and nurses (n = 20) from traditional basic health units in Botucatu, did not. The professionals' knowledge was assessed at two time points, 1 month prior to and 1 year after the beginning of the intervention, using an ad hoc self-report questionnaire. The increases in the knowledge scores for walking and healthy eating of the intervention and control groups were calculated and compared using Student's t-test. To analyze the professionals' practice, women in the second trimester of pregnancy were asked whether they received guidance on healthy eating and leisure-time walking; 140 of these women were cared for by professionals in the intervention group, and 141 were cared for by professionals in the control group. The percentage of pregnant women in each group that received guidance was compared using the chi-square test and the Prevalence Ratio (PR), and the corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. RESULTS: The intervention improved the professionals' knowledge regarding leisure-time walking (92 % increase in the score, p < 0.001). The women who were cared for by the intervention group were more likely to receive guidance regarding leisure-time walking (PR = 2.65; 95 % CI = 1.82-3.83) and healthy eating (PR = 1.76; 95 % CI = 1.34-2.31) when compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: It is possible to improve the knowledge and practices of health professionals through the proposed intervention aimed at primary health care teams providing antenatal care.

Cadet and Junior Performance Is Associated With Senior's World Championship and Olympics Achievement in Judo.

Purpose: We determined whether cadet and junior Judo World Championship participation and medal achievement would predict senior performance at World Championship (WC) and Olympic Games (OG). Methods: We analyzed retrospectively a total of 7780 athletes who competed at the OG and WC in the cadet, junior, and senior between 2009 and 2021. Results: There was an increase in the probability of winning a medal in the senior category (WC and OG, and only WC) ranged from 4.3 to 4.5 for medal-winning cadets compared to non-medalists and this probability remained around 3.3-3.8 for medalists in the male and 5.3-5.4 for the female medalists in cadet WC. Moreover, the chance of winning a medal in the senior category (WC and OG) was 8.1-8.5 times greater for medalists when compared to non-medalists in the junior WC. In turn, the probability of winning a medal in the senior (WC) was 1.5-1.7 times greater for athletes who did not compete in the junior WC. In the OG, the probability of winning a medal was 3.5 greater times for medalists when compared to non-medalists at cadet and junior WC. Conclusion: Thus, being a cadet or junior WC medalist increases the probability of winning a senior WC or an Olympic medal.

Effect of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Perceived Exertion During Aerobic Exercise in Eumenorrheic Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: The rating of perceived exertion (RPE) is a readily available and practical tool widely used in exercise science to monitor exercise load, but a rigorous review of the effect of menstrual cycle (MC) phases on RPE within continuous aerobic exercise has not yet been completed. Objective: This study investigated the effects of the MC phase on RPE during aerobic exercise. Study Design: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: The search strategy was carried out using the 5 most common scientific databases. While qualitative analyses were performed in all included studies, random effects to standard mean difference were calculated and meta-analysis was performed where possible. This study addresses comparison for RPE at the beginning, middle, and end of the exercise adopting 2 mains analysis. The first adopted early cycle (first session of the cycle) as control compared with the subsequent phases, and the second adopted days 1 to 5 (early follicular) as control compared with the subsequent phases. Results: A total of 17 studies (n = 160) were included in the qualitative synthesis. The meta-analysis showed that MC phases did not impact RPE (P > .05). Conclusions: The current meta-analysis showed that MC does not impact RPE. Although acute RPE is not impacted by MC phases, future studies and practitioners should pay attention to the impact of RPE session by session throughout the MC.

Home advantage in judo: a study of the world ranking list.

In 2009, the International Judo Federation established a ranking system (RS) to classify athletes and to distribute the competitor quotas of the Olympic Games. However, the RS does not consider the home advantage. This issue has not been studied in judo, and its implications for the RS have not been determined. The objective was to verify the home advantage in judo in terms of winning a medal or the number of matches won. Therefore, 25 competitions that computed points for the RS in 2009 were analysed. Logistic regression analysis and the Poisson generalised linear model were used for the analyses, which included the relative quality of the athletes. The sample was composed only of athletes who had competed both at home and away. The odds ratio for winning medals was higher for athletes who competed at home for both males and females. The association between the number of matches won and competing at home was significant only for the male athletes. The home advantage was observed in the competitions that used the judo RS. Thus, it is likely that athletes from countries that host competitions using the RS have an advantage in terms of obtaining their Olympic classification.

Different experiences of weight management and physical activity during pregnancy - a qualitative study of women and healthcare professionals in Australia.

OBJECTIVE: Pregnancy is often described as a pivotal life stage for women, where regular contact with health professionals may play an important role in lifestyle awareness. This study explored the knowledge, practices, and beliefs of health professionals and pregnant women regarding physical activity and weight management during the antenatal period. METHODS: A qualitative study was undertaken in southeastern Australia using individual interviews. Recruitment sought women of gestation >12 weeks, experiencing an uncomplicated pregnancy (n = 6), and antenatal health professionals including midwives (n = 4) and an obstetrician (n = 1). Data were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. RESULTS: Three major themes emerged: (1) women rely on multiple sources of pregnancy-related healthy lifestyle information; (2) discussions around healthy lifestyle behaviours are low priority and often inconsistent; and (3) lifestyle-related topics perceived as sensitive make some conversations and actions difficult. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnant women expressed gaps in lifestyle-related knowledge and education being provided by health professionals. In turn, health professionals expressed difficulty discussing sensitive topics such as weight with pregnant women and had limited knowledge of pregnancy-specific physical activity guidelines. The themes generated by this study may form the foundation for further research to inform clinical policy and practice regarding advice in antenatal care.

Relative Age Effect in Judo Competitions: Influence of Age, Weight Category, Sex, and Time Frames.

This study was conducted to determine whether the relative age effect (RAE) is present in different age groups, weight categories, sexes, and across different time frames in international-level judo competition. A total of 9451 judo athletes competing at the Olympic Games and/or World Championships in the Cadet, Junior and/or Senior age groups between 1993 and 2020 were considered. Athletes' birthdate distributions were grouped in four quartiles (Q1: January-March; Q2: April-June; Q3: July-September; Q4: October-December) and compared to a day-corrected theoretical distribution using Chi-squared analysis. Poisson regression was also used to evaluate the ability to explain weekly birth count. RAE was more prevalent in males than females (p < .05), and for Cadets and Juniors compared to Seniors (p < .05). Heavyweight and middleweight categories presented RAEs in Senior and Junior males, while for females it was present in Cadet heavyweights (p < .05). RAE was more prevalent in recent years (2009-2021) for Senior male judo athletes (p < .05). Poisson analysis illustrated some nuanced information, including RAE detection during an earlier time frame, not readily apparent with the traditional analysis.

Effects of acute physical exercise on executive functions: a comparison between aerobic and strength exercise.

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of acute aerobic and strength exercises on selected executive functions. A counterbalanced, crossover, randomized trial was performed. Forty-two healthy women were randomly submitted to three different conditions: (1) aerobic exercise, (2) strength exercise, and (3) control condition. Before and after each condition, executive functions were measured by the Stroop Test and the Trail Making Test. Following the aerobic and strength sessions, the time to complete the Stroop "non-color word" and "color word" condition was lower when compared with that of the control session. The performance in the Trail Making Test was unchanged. In conclusion, both acute aerobic and strength exercises improve the executive functions. Nevertheless, this positive effect seems to be task and executive function dependent.

Post-exercise energy intake: do the intensity and mode of exercise matter? A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing high-intensity interval with moderate-intensity continuous protocols.

The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the impact of exercise intensity and mode (high-intensity interval exercise-HIIE or sprint interval exercise-SIE versus moderate-intensity continuous exercise-MICE) on post-exercise ad libitum energy intake. The studies were required to have at least two exercise conditions (HIIE or SIE vs MICE). Overall, 642 manuscripts were initially identified and 17 met the eligibility criteria. The random effect meta-analysis did not reveal differences for absolute energy intake (28 pairwise comparisons) between HIIE (p = 0.54; 95% Confidence Interval - CI: -0.14 to 0.26; 22 pairwise comparisons) or SIE (p = 0.08; 95% CI -0.65 to 0.03; 6 pairwise comparisons) versus MICE, neither for relative energy intake (p = 0.97; 95% CI: -0.35 to 0.10 for HIIE; p = 0.28; 95% CI: -1.03 to 0.06 for SIE) with five and one pairwise comparisons, respectively. Subgroup analyses for methods to evaluate ad libitum energy intake, body mass, sex, volume, and timing of exercise were non-significant. Inspecting each study, two pairwise comparisons reported lower post-exercise absolute energy intake in HIIE compared to control (CRTL), and three pairwise comparisons reported lower absolute energy intake after SIE compared to MICE. None pairwise comparison reported differences between protocols (HIIE or SIE versus MICE) for relative energy intake. In conclusion, the meta-analysis did not show differences between protocols for absolute and relative energy intake; five pairwise comparisons from 28 demonstrated lower absolute energy intake in HIIE or SIE compared to CRTL or MICE. Further studies are needed to address the key relevant variables in which exercise intensity and mode may impact energy intake.

The impact of the social isolation in elderly Brazilian mental health (anxiety and depression) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The impact of social isolation in the pandemic context on elderly Brazilian mental health is little known, especially about the occurrence of depressive symptoms. In this study, we evaluated elderly people undergoing social isolation in order to identify factors associated with depression and which of these are more important to characterize elderly Brazilians with depression. In a cross-sectional, exploratory, and analytical study of a quantitative nature, the mental profile of elderly individuals subjected to social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic period was used. A total of 450 participants was divided into normal and depressive groups, and a form covering sociodemographic data, opinions/perceptions about the pandemic, and a Reduced Geriatric Depression Scale was used to assess participants' mental health. To assess the statistical significance between the variables, chi-square test was applied, considering the p-value <0.05. The effect size was analyzed to identify the magnitude of the difference between groups. To identify the most important characteristics to define the groups Multilayer Perceptron algorithm were applied. We found that elderly people with a depressive profile are (in Multilayer Perceptron rank order) (1) showing signs of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) of low education, (3) being divorced, (4) having more than one mental disorder, (5) reading, watching, or listening to information about COVID-19, and (6) being previously diagnosed with depression. In conclusion, elderly Brazilians in social isolation tend to develop depressive disorders during quarantine. Thus, we can consider that the pandemic requires effective and safe gerontological care and monitoring, especially with regard to mental health.

Might High-Intensity Interval Exercise Be Remembered as More Pleasurable? An Attempt to Test the Peak-End Rule in the Exercise Context.

Given humans' limited ability to recall past experiences for evaluation, scholars have proposed the peak-end rule stating that if perceived discomfort at the end of an aversive experience is lower than the peak discomfort experienced, the aversive experience will be remembered more positively. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the peak-end rule as applied to high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE). Participants were 30 inactive men (M age = 27.9, SD = 5.2 years). In the first session they performed a graded exercise test on cycle-ergometer to determine their maximal aerobic power (MAP) (M = 233, SD = 35W); and, in the second and third sessions, they performed two HIIE protocols in randomized order: (a) Short trial - 20-minutes of HIIE, composed of 30-second efforts at 100% of MAP interspersed by 30-seconds of passive recovery; and (b) Long trial - 20-minutes of the short trial, plus 10-minutes more of HIIE, decreasing 3% of MAP in each additional bout, resulting in 70% of MAP in the last bout. During exercise, we recorded the participants' rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and affect, using the Feeling Scale (FS). At 30-minutes post-exercise, we again recorded the participants' affect, using the Global Affect Evaluation (GAE) and their session-RPE, and we recorded their enjoyment, using the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES). In the last session, the participants chose a favorite protocol to repeat. All sessions were interspersed by at least 72 hours. The 10-minutes extra HIIE in the Long-trial condition resulted decreased heart rate values (M = 157, SD = 13bpm to M = 144, SD = 14bpm; p < 0.001), but psychological responses during and after exercise did not differ, nor did participants' preferred HIIE protocol. As the load drop for the Long-trial was not enough to change the psychological responses during exercise, there was no difference in the retrospective evaluation as the peak-end rule would have suggested.

Effectiveness of an intervention focusing on diet and walking during pregnancy in the primary health care service.

Interventions during prenatal care can mitigate negative outcomes of a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet during pregnancy. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention that promoted healthy diet and leisure-time walking during antenatal care in a pragmatic, controlled, non-randomized intervention study. Physicians and nurses from all health care units of the Family Health Strategy model of health assistance participated in educational training to promote leisure-time walking and healthy diet during antenatal care visits. Pregnant women who received health care from these professionals constituted the intervention group (n = 181). The control group (n = 172) included pregnant women who received routine antenatal care, in health care units of the traditional model of health assistance. Data were collected in each trimester of pregnancy. Diet was investigated using a food frequency questionnaire adapted from Risk and Protective Factors Surveillance System for Chronic Non-Comunicable Diseases Through Telephone Interview (Vigitel). Leisure-time walking in a typical week was assessed using questions from the Physical Activity in Pregnancy Questionnaire. There were positive effects on leisure-time walking during the second trimester and the third trimester of pregnancy and on the women who achieved 150 minutes per week of walking during the third trimester. The intervention reduced the risk of pregnant women consuming soft drinks and/or commercially prepared cookies in the third trimester. This lifestyle intervention was partially effective, tripling the proportion of pregnant women who achieved the recommended walking time and reducing by half the proportion of women who had a high weekly consumption of soft drinks and industrially processed cookies.

The Association Between Pre-Pregnancy Body Mass Index, Perinatal Depression and Maternal Vitamin D Status: Findings from an Australian Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the relationship between early-pregnancy Body Mass Index (BMI), perinatal depression risk and maternal vitamin D status. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study from 2013 to 2017 was undertaken involving 16,528 birth events in the Australian Capital Territory. Multivariate binary logistic regression was conducted using the forced entry method. Mediation of the association between maternal early-pregnancy BMI and perinatal depression risk by vitamin D status was also tested. RESULTS: Adjusted logistic regression models found that high maternal early-pregnancy BMI was associated with increased risk of developing perinatal depression (AOR 1.421; 95% CI, 1.191, 1.696) as well as increased odds of being vitamin D deficient (AOR 1.950; 95% CI; 1.735, 2.191). In comparison to women with low perinatal depression risk, women with high perinatal depression risk had increased odds of being vitamin D deficient (AOR 1.321; 95% CI, 1.105, 1.579). Maternal early-pregnancy BMI was a weak significant predictor of perinatal depression risk after including vitamin D as a mediator, consistent with partial mediation, Path C: B=0.016 (95% CI 1.003, 1.030), p= 0.02. Path C´: B=0.014 (95% CI 1.001, 1.028), p= 0.04. CONCLUSION: In line with current Australian recommendations, women with high early-pregnancy BMI should be screened for both perinatal depression risk and vitamin D deficiency, with referral to relevant support services when indicated.

Effects of recovery type after a judo match on blood lactate and performance in specific and non-specific judo tasks.

The objective of the present study was to verify if active recovery (AR) applied after a judo match resulted in a better performance when compared to passive recovery (PR) in three tasks varying in specificity to the judo and in measurement of work performed: four upper-body Wingate tests (WT); special judo fitness test (SJFT); another match. For this purpose, three studies were conducted. Sixteen highly trained judo athletes took part in study 1, 9 in study 2, and 12 in study 3. During AR judokas ran (15 min) at the velocity corresponding to 70% of 4 mmol l(-1) blood lactate intensity (approximately 50% VO(2) peak), while during PR they stayed seated at the competition area. The results indicated that the minimal recovery time reported in judo competitions (15 min) is long enough for sufficient recovery of WT performance and in a specific high-intensity test (SJFT). However, the odds ratio of winning a match increased ten times when a judoka performed AR and his opponent performed PR, but the cause of this phenomenon cannot be explained by changes in number of actions performed or by changes in match's time structure.

[Association between maternal physical activity, gestational weight gain and birth weight in a cohort of 118 pregnant women in Campina Grande, Northeast of Brazil]. / Associação entre o padrão de atividade física materna, ganho ponderal gestacional e peso ao nascer em uma coorte de 118 gestantes no município de Campina Grande, Nordeste do Brasil.

OBJECTIVE: This survey evaluated the effects of physical activity on gestational weight gain and birth weight of pregnant women attended by the Family Health Program in Campina Grande, Northeast of Brazil. METHODS: A cohort study enrolling 118 pregnant women was conducted between 2005 and 2006. Evaluation of the initial nutritional status was performed following Atalah's criteria and gestational weight gain was evaluated according to the Institute of Medicine. The pattern of physical activity was evaluated according to METs (metabolic equivalent) and its association with weight gain and birth weight was determined. RESULTS: The predominant physical activity pattern at 16 weeks was mild, in 85.6% of pregnant women. An important reduction of physical activity levels was observed with evolution of pregnancy and 98.3% of pregnant women were sedentary at 24 weeks and 100% at 32 weeks. In the initial evaluation of nutritional status 50% were normal, 23% had low weight and 27% had overweight/obesity. At second and third trimesters about 45% of pregnant women had excessive weight gain. Adequate birth weight for gestational age was found in 85.6% of neonates but macrosomia was highly frequent (8.5%). A significant association between METs at 24 weeks and gestational weight gain was found in the second trimester (p=0.045). CONCLUSION: All the pregnant women were sedentary in the third trimester and a significant association between physical activity pattern and gestational weight gain was found in the second trimester, but there was no association between this pattern and birth weight.

Maximal isometric handgrip strength: comparison between weight categories and classificatory table for adult judo athletes.

The aims of this study were to compare the maximal isometric handgrip strength of judo athletes from different weight categories and to create a classificatory table for this test. A total of 406 athletes had their maximal isometric handgrip strength measured, following standardized recommendations. Absolute and relative values were calculated for each hand and for the sum of both hands. Weight categories were compared through a one-way analysis of variance, followed by Tukey test. The effect size was determined by partial eta squared, and the relationship between variables was determined using Pearson correlation coefficient. There was a large effect of weight category in absolute handgrip strength for each hand and for the sum of both hands, with lower values for the lighter categories. Conversely, when the relative strength was considered higher values were found for the lighter categories (P<0.001). Very large and significant positive correlations (P<0.001) were found between right and left for absolute (r=0.886) and relative (r=0.883) handgrip values. Overall, there was an increase in absolute and a decrease in relative handgrip strength across weight categories. These differences found in grip strength in weight categories are probably linked to differences in muscle mass between them. There was a high correlation between each hand for absolute and relative values, which suggests that assessing only one hand may be enough, and therefore a faster way of evaluation. Finally, the normative classificatory table created may serve as a reference for different purposes.