Active commuting and its associations with blood pressure and adiposity markers in children.

OBJECTIVE: The positive impacts of active travel on health markers still require further research, especially in youth populations with higher risk of obesity. The present study aimed to analyze the associations between blood pressure and adiposity risk (BPAR) and active travel to school in children. METHODS: The sample comprised 665 Portuguese children (345 boys) aged 7-9 years. Data on height, weight, and skinfold thickness were collected by a trained fieldworker as well as data on BPAR between March 2009 and January 2010 (data were analyzed in 2012-2013). Information on mode and duration of travel to school (i.e. exposure) was gathered by questionnaire. Outcome variables were statistically normalized and expressed as Z scores. A BPAR score was computed as the mean of the Z scores. Multiple linear regression, with adjustments for confounders, was used. RESULTS: Active commuting was inversely associated with BPAR after adjustment for several potential confounders. After adjusting for BMI, the strength of the relationship between BPAR and active commuting was significantly improved (p≤0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Findings showed an independent association between the clustered BPAR and active commuting in children aged 7-9 years.

Parental perceptions of neighborhood environments, BMI, and active behaviors in girls aged 7-9 years.

OBJECTIVES: Habitual physical activity (PA) may be influenced by a broad range of neighborhood, school, community, and family factors. Young people, particularly girls, tend to show lower habitual PA than boys and should be a target for prevention strategies aimed at healthy lifestyles. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to determine which perceived attributes about neighborhoods are related to active behaviors; (2) to analyze which perceived attributes about neighborhoods are related to body mass index (BMI) of children. METHODS: The sample was comprised of 1,886 girls aged 7-9 years. Height and weight were measured, and BMI was calculated subsequently. Participants were classified as normal weight or overweight/obese (Cole et al. [2000]: BMJ 320: 1240-1243). Environmental variables and physical activities were assessed by questionnaire filled out by their parents-the Environmental Module of the International Physical Activity Prevalence Study (IPS, 2002) was used. Multiple linear regressions, with adjustments for confounding variables, were used. RESULTS: Data revealed that neighborhoods with recreational facilities and infrastructure for walking and cycling were predictors of active behaviors; neighborhood safety was an additional related factor of habitual PA. On the other hand, neighbors with better access to destinations and with interesting things to look at while walking were significantly associated with lower BMI in Portuguese children. CONCLUSION: The study found some significant relationships between parental perceptions of the environment and BMI and habitual PA of Portuguese girls, especially related to security for walking and unpleasant neighborhoods, and access to destinations.

BMI and self-perceived body shape in Portuguese children

Objetivos: Este estudio examinó la relación entre la percepción subjetiva forma del cuerpo (silueta) y el índice de masa corporal (IMC) en niños portugueses, de acuerdo con el género, y se determinaron los valores del IMC para cada una de las siluetas. Método: Participó una muestra de 4211 niños, de entre 7 y 10 años de edad. La imagen corporal se evaluó utilizando las Siluetas de Imagen Corporal de Collins de la imagen corporal y se utilizaron las Curvas de Cole et al. para definir la obesidad. Resultados: La media del IMC fue mayor cuando el número de la silueta seleccionado aumentaba, excepto en las siluetas 2 y 7 para los niños y para la 7 en las niñas. La mayoría de las personas que seleccionaron la silueta número 5 o superior eran obesos/as. El ANOVA mostró diferencias significativas en el IMC según las figuras seleccionadas en ambos sexos (p < .001). El coeficiente de correlación entre las siluetas de la imagen corporal y el IMC fue de .54 (p < .001) para la muestra total; de .50 (p < .001) para los niños, y de .57 (p < .001) para las niñas. En los modelos de regresión, el porcentaje de varianza explicada del IMC por las imágenes seleccionadas fue del 25.6% en los varones y del 30.8% en las niñas. Conclusiones: El presente estudio sugiere que en la infancia (7-10 años), la conciencia de la forma del cuerpo no se halla estabilizada, y que las niñas son más precisas que los niños. La forma del cuerpo evaluado por la escala correlacionó moderadamente con el IMC, lo que sugiere que las Siluetas de Collins podrían ser una medida válida para evaluar la obesidad en niños portugueses (AU)

Objectives: This study examined the relationship between Portuguese children’s self-perceived body shape and body mass index (BMI) by gender, and BMI values were determined for each silhouette. Method: A sample of 4,211 children aged 7-10 was used. Their body image was assessed using Collins’s body image silhouettes, while cole et al.’s cutoffs were used to define obesity. Results: The higher the number of the selected silhouette, the higher the mean BMI, except in the case of silhouettes 2 and 7 for boys and 7 for girls. Most of the individuals who selected silhouette number 5 or higher were obese. For both sexes, the ANOVA showed significant differences in the BMI depending on the selected figures (p < .001). The correlation coefficient between the body image silhouettes and the BMI was .54 (p < .001) for the total sample, .50 (p < .001) for males and .57 (p < .001) for females. in the regression models, the percentage of variance in the BMI explained by the selected images was 25.6% in boys and 30.8% in girls. Conclusion: The study suggested that in childhood (7-10 years), no stable awareness of body shape has been developed, with girls being more accurate than boys. The body shape obtained with the scale was moderately correlated with the BMI, suggesting that Collins’ silhouettes could be a valid measure for assessing obesity in Portuguese children (AU)

La hipomagnesemia como factor asociado a morbimortalidad en pacientes con sepsis en el Servicio de Emergencia del Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati Martins durante el periodo Abril-Setiembre del 2013 / Hypomagnesemia as a factor associated with morbidity and mortality in patients with sepsis in the Emergency Service at the National Hospital Edgardo Rebagliati Martins during the period April-September 2013

Objetivos: Determinar la relación entre la hipomagnesemia y la morbimortalidad en pacientes sépticos en el Servicio de Emergencia del Hospital Edgardo Rebagliati Martins en el periodo comprendido de Abril-Septiembre del 2013. Material y métodos: Se realizó un estudio, analítico comparativo, retrospectivo de casos y controles. Casos: Pacientes sépticos fallecidos. Controles: Pacientes sépticos no fallecidos. Se tomaron los datos de acuerdo a la ficha de recolección de datos de 51 pacientes pertenecían al grupo de Casos y 45 pacientes pertenecían al grupo de Controles en el periodo que correspondió al estudio. Resultados: El 69 por ciento fueron del sexo masculino y el 31 por ciento fueron del sexo femenino. La media de la edad fue de 65,2 años con una desviación estándar de 4,88 años siendo la mínima edad de 49 años y la máxima de 79 años. El 83 por ciento provienen de Observación del Servicio de Emergencia y el 17 por ciento provienen de UCE (Unidad de Cuidados de Emergencia). El diagnóstico de mayor frecuencia fue sepsis severa: en el 88,54 por ciento de los casos. Conclusiones: Hay una asociación estadísticamente significativa entre hipomagnesemia y mortalidad en pacientes sépticos. Los pacientes sépticos con hipomagnesemia tienen una media de estancia hospitalaria mayor en relación a los pacientes sépticos sin hipomagnesemia.

An oximetry-based method for monitoring reactions of autistic subjects under music auditions / Metodologia baseada em oximetria para monitoramento das reações de sujeitos autistas em audções musicais

This work aims to create a methodology to analyse the physiological effects of people exposed to sounds, specifically music and its elements, using techniques of data acquisition and signal processing to provide objective information on the subjects’reactions, in order to help the use of music in music therapy for autistics. We used a pulse oximeter with data transmission capability, data acquisition and signal processing software. The subjects and/or groups were exposed to several types of music, varying its elements, and the physiologic measurement signals were made. The acquired information data base was then converted into graphics representative of heart rate and arterial hemoglobin saturation. During the measurements, the subjects’ behaviour has been observed to relate subjective and objective results. Two groups of subjects (six non autistics and six autistics with diagnosis established) participated on this research, with ages ranging from 7 to 24 years old. As the majority of autistics are male, only boys have been invited to participate of this study. An observation protocol based on autistics behaviour was developed, the vital signals and the subjects reactions were observed and recorded. The results allow to identify and establish in an objective way any influence of music in human behaviour through sound stimulation and vital signals monitoring: SpO2 and HR.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi criar uma metodologia que possibilite analisar os efeitos fisiológicos produzidos pela exposição de pessoas à música e seus elementos, utilizando princípios de detecção, aquisição de dados e processamento de sinais, obtendo-se informações objetivas sobre as reações dos sujeitos, para dar subsídios ao emprego da música na musicoterapia com autistas. Foram utilizados um oxímetro de pulso com capacidade de transmissão de dados e aplicativos para aquisição de dados e processamento dos sinais. Foram realizados experimentos com a exposição dos sujeitos a vários tipos de músicas, com a variação de seus elementos, criando-se, assim, um banco de dados com as medições realizadas, a seguir transformando essa informação em gráficos representativos da evolução dos sinais de FC e de SpO2. Durante as medições, o comportamento dos sujeitos foi observado para que o resultado da análise subjetiva fosse relacionado com as medições objetivas. Os sujeitos desta pesquisa encontram-se na faixa etária entre 7 e 24 anos, sendo que a amostra estabelecida foi composta por seis indivíduos não autistas e seis indivíduos com diagnóstico de autismo estabelecido. Como o maior percentual de autistas é do sexo masculino, apenas de sujeitos do sexo masculino participaram. Foi desenvolvido um protocolo de observação baseado no comportamento de autistas, e os sinais vitais foram adquiridos e processados. Como resultado, foi identificada de forma objetiva a influência da música no comportamento humano pelo monitoramento dos estímulos sonoros e dos sinais vitais de SpO2 e FC.