BackgroundBrazil is currently experiencing a nutrition transition: the displacement of traditional diets with foods high in saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol and an increase in sedentary lifestyles. Despite these trends, our understanding of child obesity in Brazil is limited. Thus, the aims of this study were (1) to investigate the current prevalence of overweight and obesity in a large sample of children and adolescents living in São Paulo, Brazil, and (2) to identify the lifestyle behaviors associated with an increased risk of obesity in young Brazilians.MethodsA total of 3,397 children and adolescents (1,596 male) aged 7-18 years were randomly selected from 22 schools in São Paulo, Brazil. Participants were classified as normal weight, overweight, or obese based on international age- and sex-specific body mass index thresholds. Selected sociodemographic, physical activity, and nutrition behaviors were assessed via questionnaire.ResultsOverall, 19.4% of boys and 16.1% of girls were overweight while 8.9% and 4.3% were obese. Two-way analysis of variance revealed that the prevalence of overweight and obesity was significantly higher in boys and in younger children when compared to girls and older children, respectively (P < 0.05 for both). Logistic regression analysis revealed that overweight was associated with more computer usage, parental encouragement to be active, and light soft drink consumption after controlling for differences in sex, age, and parental education (P < 0.05 for all). Conversely, overweight was associated with less active transport to school, eating before sleep, and consumption of breakfast, full-sugar soft drinks, fried food and confectionery (P < 0.05 for all).ConclusionsOur results show that obesity in São Paulo children and adolescents has reached a level equivalent to that seen in many developed countries. We have also identified three key modifiable factors related to obesity that may be appropriate targets for future intervention in Brazilian youth: transport mode to school, computer usage, and breakfast consumption.

Our aerobic + resistance exercise program prevented fat gain, but may not have been sufficient to improve metabolic or bone health markers in older breast cancer survivors undergoing aromatase inhibitor therapy.

RUSH, ELAINE C., JENNIFER CROWLEY, ISMAEL F. FREITAS, AND AMY LUKE. Validity of hand-to-foot measurement of bioimpedance: standing compared with lying position. Obesity. 2006;14:252-257. Objective: To assess the reliability of the standing measurement of hand-to-foot bioimpedance compared with measurements made in the lying position. Research Methods and Procedures:In 205 volunteers 6 to 89 years of age, 111 males and 94 females from six ethnic groups, effects of posture, time, and age on hand-to-foot resistance were studied over a range of body size. The effect of time in a position on resistance was also recorded in a small subset (n ϭ 10), and repeat measurements over 3 days at the same time of the day were recorded in another subset (n ϭ 12). Results: Lying impedance was consistently higher than standing, with the relationship (resistance lying/resistance standing) for the children (5 to 14 years) being 1.031, progressing to a ratio of 1.016 in those Ͼ60 years. The time spent static in either position did change resistance measurements-a decrease of up to 9 ⍀ (mean 5 ⍀, 1.0%) over 10 minutes of standing and an increase of up to 7 ⍀ (mean 3 ⍀, 0.7%) with lying. Discussion: In the field, measurements of hand-to-foot bioimpedance can be made in the standing position, and, with appropriate adjustment, previously validated recumbent equations can be used. Given that errors in the measurement of height and weight also affect the reliability of the derivation of body fat from bioelectrical conductance, the errors that may arise from a more practical standing measurement rather than lying are minimal.

The purpose of this study was to compare wholebody and segmental body composition variables of trained Brazilian table tennis players, according to different performance levels and gender. Sixty-four table tennis players (45 male and 19 female) were distributed in three groups according to performance level: international level players (ILP; 12 male; 8 female), national level players (NLP; 14 male; 6 female) and regional level players (RLP; 19 male; 5 female). The anthropometry measurements and body composition analysis were performed using Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Male players demonstrated higher fat-free mass (FFM), and lower fat mass (FM) and body fat percentage (%BF, p \ 0.05) compared to female players in all competitive levels, however, non-significant differences were found between whole-body composition and performance level. In the comparison between the dominant and non-dominant arms, FFM, fat-free soft tissue mass (FFSTM) and bone mineral density (BMD) were higher in the dominant arm (p \ 0.05) compared to the non-dominant arm in all competitive levels, however, the male ILP group presented lower FFM and FFSTM in the dominant arm compared to the NLP, while the female ILP group presented higher BMD compared to the NLP and RLP. In conclusion, male table tennis players presented higher FFM and lower FM and %BF than female players and the dominant arm presented higher FFM and BMD than the non-dominant, possibly due to the mechanical impact-load imposed by time of table tennis practice.

A duration of 16 weeks of aerobic or CT improved total and appendicular body composition and metabolic profile but after 6 months of detraining, leg lean mass returned to the values obtained pre-training in CT.