Abstract Objective Children with spina bifida (SB) are at risk for stunting and overweight. However, height and Body Mass Index (BMI) z-score distribution in children and adolescents with SB are unclear. The aim of this study was to examine height and BMI z-score distribution in Brazilian children and adolescents with and without SB. This study further aimed to examine whether height and BMI z-scores differ between individuals with and without SB. Method This study included 101 participants (SB: n= 18; non-SB: n= 83, aged 7-16 years). The World Health Organization (WHO) AnthroPlus software was used to calculate height and BMI z-scores. AnthroPlus z-score distribution graphs were used to examine individual z-scores based on the 2007 WHO normal distribution curve. Effects of the group (SB vs non-SB) on height and BMI z-scores were examined with sequential regression. Results In the WHO distribution graph analysis, height z-scores of participants with SB were slightly left-shifted compared to the WHO normal distribution curve. In the regression analysis, group (SB vs non-SB) was a significant predictor of height z-scores after controlling for sex and age (ΔR2= 0.064, p= 0.010). BMI z-scores of participants with SB were right-shifted compared to the WHO normal curve. However, there was no contribution of the group to BMI z-scores (ΔR2= 0.011, p= 0.301). Conclusions These findings suggest that Brazilian children and adolescents with SB may be at risk for reduced height and increased BMI.

RESUMO O estudo analisou o efeito da obesidade na atividade física diária (AFD) e nas atividades físicas leves (AFL), moderadas (AFM) e vigorosas (AFV). Trata-se de um estudo longitudinal com seguimento de um ano. Participaram 462 estudantes de escola pública (53,6% meninos; 7-12 anos de idade). Atividades físicas foram relatadas no questionário Consumo Alimentar e Atividade Física de Escolares (Web-CAAFE). Obesidade foi avaliada pelo escore z do Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC-para idade ≥+2). Obesidade ocorreu, na média, em 16,5% dos participantes, mas não influenciou as AFL, AFM ou AFD. Porém, reduziu em 20% as AFV (β2=0,80; IC95%: 0,66-0,98). Maiores reduções ocorreram em meninas com obesidade comparadas a meninos sem obesidade (Diferença Média = -0,97; IC95%: -1,36 a -0,57) e em meninas sem obesidade comparadas a meninos sem obesidade (Diferença Média = -1,18; IC95%: -1,40 a -0,95) e com obesidade (Diferença Média = -0,58; IC95%: -0,90 a -0,24). AFV declinou mais em meninos com obesidade comparados aos congêneres sem obesidade (Diferença Média = -0,61; IC95%: -0,96 a -0,26). Quando apreciada a interação entre obesidade, sexo e idade, meninas com obesidade com 10 anos ou mais só não exibiram maior redução na AFV, quando comparadas às congêneres sem obesidade na mesma faixa etária (Diferença Média: -0,181; IC95%: -0,48 a 0,12). A frequência diária de AFV cresceu com o aumento dos comportamentos sedentários. Obesidade reduziu a AFV na amostra, sobretudo entre meninas com 10 anos ou mais.

ABSTRACT We analyzed the effect of obesity on daily physical activity (DPA), light-intensity physical activity (LPA), moderate-intensity physical activity (MPA) and vigorous- intensity physical activity (VPA) in children and adolescents. Overall, 462 students from a public school (53.6% boys; aged 7-12 years) were involved in this one-year longitudinal study. Physical activities and sedentary behaviors (SB) were reported in the questionnaire Food Intake and Physical Activity of Students (Web-CAAFE). Obesity was evaluated through Body Mass Index (BMI z score ≥ 2). Obesity was observed in 16.5% of participants, but it did not influence LPA, MPA or DPA. However, VPA were 20% less frequent among obese students (β2=0.80; CI 95%: 0.66-0.98). Obese girls showed less frequency of VPA than non-obese boys (Mean Difference = -0.97; CI 95%: -1.36 to -0.57). Non-obese girls showed less VPA than non-obese boys (Mean Difference = -1.18; CI 95%: -1.40 to -0.95) and obese ones (Mean Difference = -0.57; CI 95%: -0.90 to -0.24). Obese boys showed fewer VPA, if compared to non-obese ones (Mean Difference = -0.61; CI 95%: -0.96 to -0.26). The analysis of the obesity-sex-age interaction showed a greater reduction in VPA among obese girls aged 10 years or more when compared to obese girls aged 7-9 years, and among boys obese and non-obese regardless of age. Amounts of VPA and SB increased simultaneously among non-obese boys and non-obese children aged 7-9 years. Obesity reduced VPA in the sample during the follow up of one year, independently of age and SB.

To test the hypothesis that the physiognomy, structure and dynamics of woody species are influenced by the spatial gradient edge-interior, data were collected from these parameters in 2004, 2007 and 2010 in an Atlantic forest fragment. Species were sampled for the Canopy (DS), with circumference > 15 cm to 1.3 m soil and understory (SB) in circumference between ground level> 3 cm and CAP <15 cm on edge-gradient formed within 35 years. In 2004, we assessed three positions in the fragment: edge, intermediate and inner (> 150 m from the forest boundary), and analyzed 1,000 m² per site, divided into plots of 10 m², to measure individuals of higher class. In each plot a sub-plot of 5 m² for sampling understory was installed. Branches were collected from three adult individuals from the species to obtain the density of the wood. The number of individuals (NI), basal area (BA), mortality (TM), recruitment rate (TR), periodic annual diameter increment (IPA), loss rate (P) and gain rate (G) Area and basal turnover rates in number of individuals (TN) and basal area (TA) class tree component in the three locations showed no significant edge effect. At the edge, the understory had lower values of NI and AB and higher TM than in the forest interior. Differences between the strata occur regardless of edge sealing, since young plants present in most individuals in the sample class SB, which are more sensitive than adult trees to changes caused by the creation of the edge. Rates of loss and gain of AB and AB turnover in NI and in SB presented higher values than on the DS, which points to a stratum with larger changes. In DS there were no differences in species richness among environments differs from that observed in SB. The floristic composition of the DS in environments closer to the forest limit was quite distinct from that of the interior, indicating that there has been no recovery of floristic composition. All environments SB had low similarity. The edges of the DS and SB had a higher concentration of individuals in class intervals smaller density values timber. The DS has already recovered biomass, although the edge and intermediate environments have not recovered species composition late. The SB still suffers the edge effect. Possibly, the highest concentration of individuals is in class with lower density wood result on edge.