Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of anthropometric measures and physical activity level in the prediction of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in children.Design: Cross-sectional study with children from public and private schools. Children underwent an anthropometric assessment, blood pressure measurement and biochemical evaluation of serum for determination of TAG, HDL-cholesterol and glucose. Physical activity level was calculated and number of steps per day obtained using a pedometer for seven consecutive days.Setting: Viçosa, south-eastern Brazil.Subjects: Boys and girls (n 187), mean age 9·90 (sd 0·7) years.Results: Conicity index, sum of four skinfolds, physical activity level and number of steps per day were accurate in predicting MetS in boys. Anthropometric indicators were accurate in predicting MetS for girls, specifically BMI, waist circumference measured at the narrowest point and at the level of the umbilicus, four skinfold thickness measures evaluated separately, the sum of subscapular and triceps skinfold thickness, the sum of four skinfolds and body fat percentage.Conclusions: The sum of four skinfolds was the most accurate method in predicting MetS in both genders.

This study examined the association of low handgrip strength (HGS) for falls in middle-aged adults and older adults every half-decade of life. This cross-sectional study was conducted using the public data from the first wave of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSI-Brazil). The participants were allocated into seven age groups 50–54, 55–59, 60–64, 65–69, 70–74, 75–79, and ≥ 80 years. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the odds ratio (OR) of low HGS to the falls regardless of confounding variables such as sex, balance, gait speed, and total number of health conditions. A total of 8,112 participants aged 50–105 years (median = 62.0 years): 3,490 males (median = 60.0 years) and 4,622 females (median = 63.0 years) attended the study. Altogether, 21.5% of participants experienced at least one fall. HGS gradually decreases over each half-decade of life. In addition, low HGS presented a significative OR (p < 0.05) for falls for age groups, until 80 s, even when considering confounding variables. Low HGS is associated with falls in middle-aged adults over their 50 s and remained a strong measure of falls across each subsequent half-decade of life, until 80 s.

O objetivo deste estudo foi estimar entre homens e mulheres universitários de Minas Gerais, as prevalências de sobrepeso e obesidade e suas associações com atividade física e tempo sentado. Este estudo transversal estimou por meio das medidas referidas da massa corporal e estatura, o índice de massa corporal (IMC) e analisou o sobrepeso (IMC: 25,0 a 29,9 kg/m2) e a obesidade (IMC: ≥30,0 kg/m2). As variáveis independentes foram a atividade física e o tempo sentado, e as variáveis de controle foram sociodemográficas, de vínculo com a universidade e comportamentais, analisadas em três modelos. As associações foram estimadas via Odds Ratio (OR) por meio da Regressão Logística Multinomial. O nível de significância foi de 5%. Participaram 1.105 universitários, sendo 61,6% de mulheres. A média etária foi de 21,25 (desvio padrão = 4,1) anos para as mulheres e para os homens foi de 21,83 (desvio padrão = 4,2) anos. As prevalências de sobrepeso e obesidade foram, respectivamente, 27,5% e 6,9% em homens e 15,5% e 8,0% em mulheres. O tempo sentado associou-se à obesidade em homens, independente apenas das características sociodemográficas (OR = 3,54; IC95%: 1,04 – 12,12) e dos atributos sociodemográficos mais as características de vínculo com a universidade (OR = 3,48; IC95%: 1,01 – 11,99). Com o ajuste para os comportamentos alimentares não houve associação (OR = 3,49; IC95%: 0,99 – 12,23). Para as mulheres não foram observadas associações significativas. Conclui-se que a prevalência de sobrepeso foi elevada em homens. Os homens universitários com elevado tempo sentado apresentaram mais chances de serem obesos.

Objetivou-se verificar a prevalência de sintomas de ansiedade, sintomatologia depressiva e fatores sociodemográficos, comportamentais e aspectos de saúde associados em adolescentes de 14 e 18 anos de idade durante a pandemia da COVID-19. Estudo de delineamento transversal, foi utilizado o teste Qui-quadrado para comparar proporções, e para encontrar os fatores associados aos sintomas de ansiedade e sintomatologia depressiva a Regressão de Poisson, com intervalo de confiança de 95%. Participaram 157 adolescentes. Os sintomas de ansiedade foram encontrados em 65,6% dos adolescentes e a sintomatologia depressiva foi encontrada em 55,8% dos adolescentes. Adolescentes do sexo feminino apresentaram uma razão de prevalência (RP) = 1,84 [(IC95%: 1,32 – 2,58), p = 0,001] maior de sintomas de ansiedade e de sintomatologia depressiva quando comparadas aos adolescentes do sexo masculino RP = 1,74 [(IC95%: 1,19 – 2,53), p = 0,004]. Adolescentes com autopercepção de saúde negativa apresentaram razão de prevalência maior de sintomas de ansiedade RP = 1,31 [(IC95%: 1,08 – 1,59), p = 0,006], e maior de sintomatologia depressiva RP = 1,67 [(IC95%: 1,31 – 2,15), p = 0,001] em relação aos adolescentes que possuíam autopercepção de saúde positiva. Conclui-se que os sintomas de ansiedade e sintomatologia depressiva associaram-se a sexo e autopercepção de saúde em adolescentes.

To draw skinfold (SF) reference curves (subscapular, suprailiac, biceps, triceps) and to determine SF cutoff points for predicting the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in children aged 6-10 years old. This was a cross-sectional study with a random sample of 1480 children aged 6-10 years old, 52.2% females, from public and private schools located in the urban and rural areas of the municipality of Uberaba (MG). Anthropometry, blood pressure, and fasting blood samples were taken at school, following specific protocols. The LMS method was used to draw the reference curves and ROC curve analysis to determine the accuracy and cutoff points for the evaluated skinfolds. The four SF evaluated (subscapular, suprailiac, biceps, and triceps) and their sum (∑4SF) were accurate in predicting MetS for both girls and boys. Additionally, cutoffs have been proposed and percentile curves (p5, p10, p25, p50, p75, p90, and p95) were outlined for the four SF and ∑4SF, for both genders. SF measurements were accurate in predicting metabolic syndrome in children aged 6-10 years old. Age- and gender-specific smoothed percentiles curves of SF provide a reference for the detection of risk for MetS in children.