This study aimed to verify the relationship between anthropometric measures (AM), blood pressure (BP) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB), predicted BMI z-score, waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) variance. A total of 245 children (8.90 ± .80years-old) were recruited from a Portuguese school. WHtR was classified according the reference ≥ 0.5. WC was measured above iliac crest. BP was assessed using a sphygmomanometer, and CRF using 20-m run test. PA and SB were assessed by accelerometers (Actigraph GT3x) and by questionnaire. Participants did not meet recommendations on PA. CRF and vigorous PA (VPA) were inversely correlated with AM. Moderate and vigorous PA were positively correlated with CRF. CRF was inversely correlated with systolic and diastolic BP. CRF and PA explained BMI z-score variance. WC and WHtR variance was predicted by CRF. These results emphasize the importance of international recommendations for PA with the purpose of developing CRF. A new emphasis should be given to CRF and interdisciplinary approaches in international recommendations. This should provide new health implications for primary care providers and school services.

Abstract Aims: Cardiovascular disease risk factors occur more frequently in children with obesity. Project PANK is a multidisciplinary school-based intervention lasting 6 months to improve BMI z-score, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), blood pressure (BP), nutrition, physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides (TG). Methods/DesignA total of 77 children (7-10 years) were recruited from an urban school. The protocol includes PA and SB individual meetings for children/parents; increasing school exercise; PA and SB lessons for children; A goal in the number of steps/day to accomplish in and after school. In nutrition, the protocol includes three individual meetings for children/parents and six lessons for children. ResultsPositive associations were found between the BMI Z-score, WC, and WHtR with TG; the BMI Z-score and WHtR with glucose; the light PA time and HDL-C; the vigorous and moderate-to-vigorous PA with CRF; the caloric intake and lipids with LDL-C, BMI z-score, WC, and WHtR. A negative association was found between CRF and TG. ConclusionBaseline results stress the importance of multidisciplinary school-based interventions. We hypothesized that PANK will improve blood variables, anthropometric measures, and BP, by changing food intake, enhancing PA and CRF, and decreasing SB.

Em qualquer modalidade desportiva a tomada de decisão é uma variável que condiciona a consistência de desempenhos de sucesso. Os dois estudos de carácter longitudinal aqui apresentados têm como objectivo determinar a existência de diferenças na evolução no desempenho das seguintes tarefas -; a placagem no Rugby e o primeiro serviço no Ténis - como resultado da adopção de metodologias sustentadas por diferentes abordagens para treino da tomada de decisão: i) a abordagem cognitivista, a qual assenta na procura de um modelo ideal de execução, e ii) a abordagem ecológica, baseada na manipulação dos constrangimentos visando que o atleta encontre o seu próprio padrão de execução. Com base nos resultados da análise de estabilidade e comparações intra e inter-grupo, podemos concluir que a abordagem baseada nos constrangimentos se apresenta como a metodologia mais eficaz para o treino da tomada de decisão. A nossa interpretação sugere que a procura de modelos ideiais de execução, resulta em prescrições de treino desajustadas às características dos jogadores, o que faz com que existam grandes oscilações nos seus desempenhos e que um treino baseado na manipulação dos constrangimentos permite ao atleta adaptar as suas características às exigências do envolvimento, numa exploração activa do melhor caminho para alcançar um objectivo.

On every sport decision-making is variable that influence the stability of successful performances. This two studies aim to set the existence of differences on the evolution of performance of the following tasks - tackle in Rugby and the first serve on Tennis - as a result of the adoption of two methodologies sustained by different approaches to decision making training: i) a cognitive approach, which is sustain by ideal models of performance, and ii) an ecological approach, sustain by constraints manipulation. Based on the results of stability analysis and intra and inter-group comparison we can conclude that the constraints based approach was a better methodology to the training of decision making. Our discussion suggest that a decision making training based on a cognitive approach result on performance prescriptions that doesn’t fit on the players individual characteristics, resulting on wide performance fluctuations. On the other side the constraints based approach allows the athlete to adapt his individual characteristics to the environment demands, on active searching of the better path to achieve a goal.