The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the effect of two types of exercises interventions on the regularity and health-related physical fitness in HIV-infected individuals who use antiretroviral therapy (ART). A total of 53 HIV+ African women (mean age=39.5±8.4 years) on ART participated in the study. Subjects were randomly divided into 3 groups, namely, formal exercise (FEG), playful exercise (PEG) and control (CG). During 12 weeks, the exercise groups underwent a program of 1-hour duration with a frequency of 3 times a week. The FEG performed a protocol that included 20 minutes of exercise, cycling at 60 % of V̇O2peak, increasing to 75 % and 85 % in the 4th and 8th weeks, respectively, and a muscular endurance circuit consisted of 6 exercises at 15 repetitions per minute (RM). The PEG followed a program consisting of active games. Before and after the intervention the participants were submitted to a clinical evaluation including immunological parameters (CD4+), cardiovascular risk factors, physical fitness and anthropometry. Comparison of somatic variables before and after the program showed no exercise effect. Immunological and cardiovascular variables were also independent of the exercise group. The main effect was found in cardiorespiratory fitness: exercise groups increased significantly in V̇O2peak (FEG=14.7 %; PEG=11.1 %) with no significant differences in CG. The percentage of high attendance was identical between the two groups. It was concluded that there is no contraindication for exercise in this type of population and the beneficial effect was mainly in cardiorespiratory fitness, regardless of the type of exercise performed.

OBJECTIVES: Physical activity (PA) may reduce cardiovascular risk and preserve functional capacity of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, only limited research objectively measured PA in patients with low socioeconomic status (SES) in low-income countries, particularly in South America and sub-Saharan Africa. This study compared the PA assessed by accelerometers in women of low SES living with HIV under common antiretroviral therapy (cART) from two major cities in Brazil (Rio de Janeiro, n=33; 40.1±6.1 years) and Mozambique (Maputo, n=50; 38.8±8.7 years). METHODS: Eligible women wore triaxial accelerometers during seven consecutive days, to estimate their habitual PA and daily energy expenditure. RESULTS: The proportion of participants with overweight/obesity was greater in Rio than Maputo (57% vs . 30%; p =0.021), as well as those classified as sedentary based on steps/day (45% vs. 22%; p =0.02). Sedentary time was prevalent (Median±IQD: Rio-1236±142 vs. Maputo-1192±135 min/day; p =0.15). Time spent in PA was short, but Brazilians exhibited lower amount of light (111±56 vs. 145±51 min/day; p <0.001) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (88±3 vs. 64±36 min/day; p =0.001) vs. Mozambicans. The proportion of patients performing 60 min/day of moderate-to-vigorous PA were 58% (Rio) and 82% (Maputo), respectively. Despite of this, estimated daily energy expenditure was equivalent in both groups (1976±579 vs. 1933±492 kcal; p =0.731). CONCLUSIONS: Women with low SES living with HIV in Maputo were more active vs. patients from Rio de Janeiro. Albeit sedentary behavior was prevalent, the proportion of patients complying with the minimum recommended PA for health was higher than values usually reported in developed countries.

Introduction As a result of the effectiveness of antiretroviral drugs (ART), HIV/AIDS has become a chronic disease, which has enabled children living with HIV to reach adolescence and adulthood. However, the long exposure to both the disease and ART has caused undesirable effects that compromise the physiological functioning and the quality of life of the subjects. Objective To determine the body composition, physical fitness and habitual physical activity of children and adolescents living with HIV on ART. Methods A total of 79 subjects of both genders aged 8–14 years, living with HIV in ART, selected by convenience participated in the study. The subjects underwent anthropometric assessment, physical fitness assessment and physical activity assessment. Results Relative to reference norms, the values of the anthropometric indicators fell below 50th percentile (height/age = 92.4%; BMI/age 72.2%; sum of skinfolds = 51.9%; arm circumference = 63.3%). The prevalence of “low height/age” and “low weight/age” was 34.9% and 9.3%, respectively for boys, and 27.9% and 11.1%, respectively for girls. With the exception of trunk flexibility (12.3%), most subjects were considered unfit in the physical fitness tests (abdominal resistance = 76.4%; handgrip strength = 75.4%; lower limb power = 66.4%). The percentage of subjects with insufficient physical activity was 45.5% for boys and 77.8% for girls. The values for all variables were consistently and significantly lower when compared with studies done in Mozambicans boys and girls without HIV+ from both urban and rural areas. Conclusion The subjects participants in the study living with HIV and undergoing ART had impaired growth, low physical fitness and low levels of habitual physical activity in relation to the reference values of their peers without HIV, which compromised their physiological functioning and their quality of life.

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