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OBJETIVO: Identificar o que motiva o idoso a participar em programas de atividade física em duas universidades conveniadas, uma no Brasil e outra em Portugal. MÉTODOS: O estudo caracterizou-se como descritivo transversal de caráter quantitativo. A amostra foi composta por 263 participantes de ambos os sexos, com média de idade de 69,8±6,44 anos. Destes, 213 participavam do Núcleo de Atividades para a Terceira Idade da Escola Superior de Educação Física da Universidade Federal de Pelotas-RS, Brasil, e 50 participavam do Projeto Exercício e Saúde: Envelhecimento Ativo, da Faculdade de Desporto da Universidade do Porto, Portugal. Para a coleta dos dados, foi aplicado um questionário sobre características sociodemográficas e determinantes da prática de atividade física. Na análise estatística, foi utilizado o teste t Student para amostras independentes e o valor de confiança de p<0,05 para calcular a diferença das médias entre os grupos. RESULTADOS: Quanto aos motivos de adesão aos projetos, houve diferença significativa para "indicação médica" (p<0,001), "recuperação de lesões" (p=0,003), "ocupação do tempo livre" (p<0,001) e "motivos estéticos" (p=0,001). Quanto à importância da atividade física, houve diferença para "recuperação de lesões" (p=0,002) e "motivos estéticos" (p<0,001). Diferenças significativas relacionadas tanto a variáveis sociodemográficas quanto aos determinantes para a prática de atividade física entre os grupos foram identificadas. CONCLUSÕES: Mesmo vivendo em diferentes realidades culturais, os idosos analisados compartilham os mesmos objetivos e motivação para a prática de atividade física, percebendo a saúde como uma preocupação em comum.

Introduction: Handgrip is an excellent indicator of functionality, nutritional status and mortality among the elderly. Objective: To compare the handgrip strength of hypertensive elderly individuals classified by different levels and types of physical activity. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out with a sample of 80 individuals divided into three physical activity groups, according to the leisure-time and transportation sections of the long version of the IPAQ: active (≥150 min/week), insufficiently active (<150 min/ week) and sedentary (10 min/week). The active individuals were also separated by type of physical activity: gymnastics, hydro gymnastics and weight training. Strength was measured by a Jamar dynamometer and consisted of a continuous handgrip movement lasting for 30 seconds. Information about demographic, socio-economic and behavioral variables was collected by questionnaire. ANOVA and paired t-test were used to compare the means of strength. The significance level was 5%. Results: Dominant and non-dominant handgrip average was 24.2 kgf (+8.3) and 22.0 kgf (+7.3), respectively. There was no significant difference in the mean handgrip strength between the active and sedentary groups; however, when the type of physical activity was evaluated, the weightlifting group had a significantly higher mean than the gym and aerobics groups. Conclusion: Handgrip strength seems to be associated with the type of activity performed, rather than the amount of time the activity is performed per week.

-Training programs that include aerobics and strength exercises, either at the same session or alternate days are defined as concurrent training (CT). The objective of this study was to verify the effects of a CT program on biochemical parameters, cardiovascular fitness, body composition and neuromuscular aspects. Twenty two elderly women physically active were randomly allocated to one of the five groups: AS (aerobic exercises followed by strength training; n=5), SA (strength activities followed by aerobics exercises; n=5), AG (aerobics exercise only; n=5), SG (strength activities only; n=4), CG (control group; n=3). The program lasted 12 weeks. Tests of dynamic and static strength, flexibility, aerobic power, body composition and biochemical parameters were conducted. In the aerobics power test, AS and SA groups showed differences in the post-test compared to the CG. In dynamic strength test of upper limbs, the groups S, SA, AS showed statistical differences from the CG in the post-test (p=0.009, 0.006 and 0.002 respectively). Only the AS group presented some difference from the pre to post-tests (P=003). AG, SG, SA, AS showed differences in the post-test in relation to the CG for the lower limbs strength test (p<0.001). From pre to post-test within the same group, the groups SG, SA and AS showed differences (p=0.001, 0.03, 0.02). Stretching, static strength, biochemical factors and body composition showed no association with any of the groups. We concluded that CT was equivalent to the strength and aerobics exercises performed exclusively. Key words: Aging; Physical exercise; Physical fitness. Resumo -Programas de treinamento, incluindo exercícios aeróbios e de força, seja em uma mesma sessão ou em dias alternados, é definido como treinamento concorrente (TC). O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar os efeitos de um programa de TC sobre parâmetros bioquímicos, condicionamento cardiovascular, composição corporal e aspectos neuromusculares. Vinte e duas idosas fisicamente ativas foram aleatorizadas para um dos cinco grupos: AF (atividade aeróbia seguida de treinamento de força N=5), FA (treinamento de força seguido de atividade aeróbia N=5), GA (treinamento aeróbio N=5), GF (treinamento de força N=4) e GC (grupo controle N=3 438Effects of concurrent training on health aspects of elderly women Campos et al.

Background The novel genre of pervasive games, which aim to create more fun and engaging experiences by promoting deeper immersion, could be a powerful strategy to stimulate physical activity among older adults. To use these games more effectively, it is necessary to understand how different design elements affect player behavior. Objective The aim was to vary a specific design element of pervasive games for older adults, namely social interaction, to test the effect on levels of physical activity. Methods Over 4 weeks, two variations of the same pervasive game were compared: social interaction for the test group and no social interaction for the control group. In both versions, players had to walk to physical locations and collect virtual cards, but the social interaction version allowed people to collaborate to obtain more cards. Weekly step counts were used to evaluate the effect on each group, and the number of places visited was used as an indicator of play activity. Results A total of 32 participants were recruited (no social interaction=15, social interaction=17); 18 remained until the end of the study (no social interaction=7, social interaction=11). Step counts during the first week were used as the baseline (no social interaction: mean 17,099.4, SE 3906.5; social interaction: mean 17,981.9, SE 2171.1). For the following weeks, changes to individual baseline were as follows for no social interaction (absolute/proportional): 383.8 (SE 563.8)/1.1% (SE 4.3%), 435.9 (SE 574.5)/2.2% (SE 4.6%), and −106.1 (SE 979.9)/−2.6% (SE 8.1%) for weeks 2, 3, and 4, respectively. For social interaction they were 3841.9 (SE 1425.4)/21.7% (SE 5.1%), 2270.6 (SE 947.1)/16.5% (SE 4.4%), and 2443.4 (SE 982.6)/17.9% (SE 4.7%) for weeks 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Analysis of group effect was significant (absolute change: η 2 =.19, P =.01; proportional change: η 2 =.27, P =.009). Correlation between the proportional change and the play activity was significant ( r =.34, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.56), whereas for absolute change it was not. Conclusions Social interaction design elements of the pervasive game may have some positive effects on the promotion of physical activity, although other factors might also have influenced this effect. Trial Registration Japan Medical Association Clinical Trial Registration Number JMA-IIA00314; https://dbcentre3.jmacct.med.or.jp/JMACTR/App/JMACTRS06/JMACTRS06.aspx?seqno=7274 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/761a6MVAy)

A cross-sectional study was conducted in three Municipal Health Centers located in Aichi prefecture, central Japan. The main purpose of this study was to verify the interaction between maternal leisure-time physical activities prior to and/or during pregnancy and preterm birth and also, to determine the risk factors related to preterm birth. In this study of the 2,682 questionnaires delivered within one year to mothers or relatives at the Municipal Health Centers, 1,714 questionnaires were analyzed. In a univariate analysis the results showed that mothers who had a previous low birthweight or a premature baby, or who were hospitalized during pregnancy before the 37 th week of gestation, or had an occupational activity, or carried out their household chores, or were sick, or received much medical advice and did not exercise were more likely to have a preterm baby. In multivariable logistic regression analyses, maternal hospitalization before the 37 th week of gestation and occupational activities were significant determinants associated with preterm birth. Thus, it was verified that maternal leisure-time physical activities prior to and/or during pregnancy were not related to preterm birth.

There is a general recognition of the role of low birthweight (LBW) as a major determinant of infant mortality rates. Since the rate of LBW has been increasing over the past fifteen years in Japan, we decided to ascertain the risk factors related to it, and also to verify whether or not maternal leisure-time physical activities including sports activities, before pregnancy and during gestation, affected the rate of LBW babies. In our study of the 2,682 questionnaires delivered within a year to the Municipal Health Centers of the three cities chosen for this study, 1,714 questionnaires were analyzed. The results in a univariate analysis showed that maternal height, pre-pregnancy weight, length of gestation, smoking, hospitalization before the 37th week of gestation, a history of LBW, and occupational activities were significantly associated with LBW. In logistic regression analyses, mothers of smaller stature, less pre-pregnancy weight, less length of gestation and mothers who were, furthermore, hospitalized before the 37th week of gestation, smoked, had previously delivered a LBW baby or had experienced stressful events during pregnancy were more likely to have LBW babies. The results showed that maternal leisure-time physical activities before and/or during pregnancy had no bearing on the delivery of a LBW baby.

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