Population based data on COVID-19 are essential for guiding policy. We report on the first wave of seroprevalence surveys relying upon on household probabilistic samples of 133 large sentinel cities in Brazil, including 25,025 participants from all 26 states and the Federal District. Seroprevalence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, assessed using a lateral flow rapid test, varied markedly across the cities and regions, from below 1% in most cities in the South and Center-West regions to up to 25% in the city of Breves in the Amazon (North) region. Eleven of the 15 cities with the highest seroprevalence were located in the North, including the six cities with highest prevalence which were located along a 2,000 km stretch of the Amazon river. Overall seroprevalence for the 90 cities with sample size of 200 or greater was 1.4% (95% CI 1.3-1.6). Extrapolating this figure to the population of these cities, which represent 25% of the country population, led to an estimate of 760,000 cases, as compared to the 104,782 cases reported in official statistics. Seroprevalence did not vary significantly between infancy and age 79 years, but fell by approximately two-thirds after age 80 years. Prevalence was highest among indigenous people (3.7%) and lowest among whites (0.6%), a difference which was maintained when analyses were restricted to the North region, where most indigenous people live. Our results suggest that pandemic is highly heterogenous, with rapid escalation in the North and Northeast, and slow progression in the South and Center-West regions.
Physical inactivity causes 5.3 million deaths annually worldwide. We evaluated the impact on population leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) of scaling up an intervention in Brazil, Academia das Cidades program (AC-P). AC-P is a health promotion program classified as physical activity classes in community settings which started in the state of Pernambuco state in 2008. We surveyed households from 80 cities of Pernambuco state in 2011, 2012 and 2013, using monitoring data to classify city-level exposure to AC-P. We targeted 2370 individuals in 2011; 3824 individuals in 2012; and 3835 individuals in 2013. We measured participation in AC-P and whether respondents had seen an AC-P activity or heard about AC-P. We measured LTPA using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. We estimated the odds of reaching recommended LTPA by levels of exposure to the three AC-P measures. For women, the odds of reaching recommended LTPA were 1.10 for those living in cities with AC-P activity for less than three years, and 1.46 for those living in cities with AC-P activity for more than three years compared to those living in cities that had not adopted AC-P. The odds of reaching recommended LTPA increased with AC-P participation and knowledge about AC-P. AC-P exposure is associated with increased population LTPA. Extending AC-P to all cities could potentially impact non-communicable diseases in Brazil.
BackgroundWomen are encouraged to be physically active during pregnancy. Despite available evidence supporting antenatal physical activity to bring health benefits for both the mother and child, the most effective way to prevent some maternal and fetal outcomes is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an exercise intervention to prevent negative maternal and newborn health outcomes.MethodsA randomized controlled trial (RCT) nested into the 2015 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study was carried-out with 639 healthy pregnant women, 213 in the intervention group (IG) and 426 in the control (CG) group. An exercise-based intervention was conducted three times/week for 16 weeks from 16-20 to 32-36 weeks’ gestation. The main outcomes were preterm birth and pre-eclampsia. Gestational age was calculated based on several parameters, including routine ultrassounds and/or last menstrual period and categorized as < 37 weeks and ≥ 37 weeks for evaluation of preterm birth. Pre-eclampsia was self-reported. Secondary outcomes were gestational weight gain, gestational diabetes, birth weight, infant length, and head circumference. Analyses were performed by intention-to-treat (ITT) and per protocol (70% of the 48 planned exercise sessions). Odds ratio were derived using unconditional logistic regression.ResultsThe IG and CG did not differ at baseline regarding their mean age (27.2 years ± 5.3 vs. 27.1 years ± 5.7) and mean pre-pregnancy body mass index (25.1 ± 3.9 vs. 25.2 ± 4.1 kg/m2). The mean adherence to the exercise intervention was 27 ± 17.2 sessions (out of a potential 48) with 40.4% attending > = 70% of the recommended exercise sessions. A total of 594 participants (IG:198; CG: 396) were included in the ITT and 479 (IG: 83; CG: 396) were included in the per protocol analyses. There were no significant differences in the incidence of preterm birth and pre-eclampsia between groups in the ITT and per protocol analysis. There were also no differences between the two groups in mean gestational weight gain, gestational diabetes, birth weight, infant length, and head circumference.ConclusionsWhile the RCT did not support the benefits of exercise performed during pregnancy on preeclampsia and preterm birth, the exercise program also did not present adverse impacts on newborn health. Our findings may contribute to promote intervention strategies that motivate health providers to encourage pregnant women to be more physically active.Trial registration
Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02148965, registered on 22 May 2014.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12966-017-0632-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Surveillance, policy, and research indicators were positively correlated, suggesting that action at multiple levels tends to stimulate progress in other areas. Efforts to expand PA-related surveillance, policy, and research in lower income countries are needed.
Major overall physical activity is attributed to work-related physical activity. Leisure-time physical activity, a key domain for public health, presents important gender and socioeconomic inequalities.
Hypertension and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are global public health problems, both associated with higher risk of cardiovascular (CV) and renal events. This trial randomized non-diabetic adult patients with hypertension and CKD stages 2-4 to 16 weeks of aerobic and resistance training or usual care. The primary outcome was the change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Secondary outcomes included changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), body weight, fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and functional capacity. The analysis was performed by intention-to-treat, using linear mixed-effects models for repeated measures over time. A hundred fifty patients were included in the intervention (76) or control (74) groups. No difference was found in eGFR, BP, body weight, or lipid profile changes between the groups. However, there were significant decreases in hs-CRP [-6.7(-11.7 to -1.8) mg/L] and fasting blood glucose [-11.3(-20.0 to -1.8) mg/dL], and an increase in functional capacity [2' Step Test 33.9 (17.7-50.0); 30″ Stand Test 2.3 (0.9-3.7)] in exercise group compared with control group. The results of this RCT show that combined aerobic and resistance training could reduce inflammation and insulin resistance in hypertensive patients with earlier stages of CKD, without a significant effect on kidney disease progression. Clinical trials.gov NCT01155128.
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