Browsing by Author "Santos, Carla"
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- Physical fitness spurts in childhood: a study in boysPublication . Pereira, Sara; Garbeloto, Fernando; Guimarães, Eduardo; Santos, Carla; Baxter‐Jones, Adam; Tani, Go; Freitas, Duarte; Bustamante, Alcibíades; Katzmarzyk, Peter T.; Maia, JoséThis study aimed to (1) estimate age-at-mid-growth spurt (age-at-MGS) in Portuguese boys from two different regions—the Azores islands and Viana do Castelo, and (2) identify spurts in a variety of physical fitness (PF) components aligned by age-at MGS in the two samples. A total of 176 (Azores, n = 91; Viana do Castelo, n = 85) boys aged 6 years old were followed annually to 10 years of age. Age-at-MGS and spurts in PF components (speed, explosive muscular strength, abdominal muscular strength, agility, and flexibility) were identified for each sample. The timing and intensities of the spurts were estimated using a non-smooth mathematical proce dure. In Azorean boys, age-at-MGS occurred at 7.8 years (6.99 cm y−1), whereas in Viana do Castelo it occurred at 7.9 years (6.20 cm y−1). Spurt in speed was at tained 12 months after the MGS in both samples (0.53 and 0.35 cm y−1 in Azores and Viana do Castelo, respectively), whereas spurts in explosive muscular strength and flexibility occurred 12 months before the MGS and at the MGS (Azores: 21.59 and 5.52 cm y−1 and Viana do Castelo: 14.12 and 2.5 cm y−1, respectively). Agility and abdominal muscular strength peaked between 0 and 12 months after the MGS (Viana do Castelo: 0.37 m s−1 y −1 and 6.71 reps y−1 and Azores: 0.28 m s−1 y −1 and 19.36 reps y−1, respectively). Results indicate that developmental spurts in explosive strength and flexibility occur before, or are coincident with, the mid-growth spurt in height, whereas spurts in speed, agility, and abdominal muscular strength occur after, or coincident with, the mid-growth spurt in height.
- Physical fitness spurts in pre-adolescent boys and girls: Timing, intensity and sequencingPublication . Pereira, Sara; Santos, Carla; Tani, Go; Freitas, Duarte; Garbeloto, Fernando; Guimarães, Eduardo; Robinson, Leah E.; Baxter-Jones, Adam; Katzmarzyk, Peter T.; Maia, JoséWe aim to (1) estimate age of attainment of the peak mid-growth spurt in stature (age-at-peak MGS) in pre-adolescent boys and girls; (2) identify the timing, intensity, and sequences of physical fitness (PF) spurts aligned by the age-at-peak MGS; and (3) identify any sex differences in PF spurts aligned by age-at peak MGS. The sample included 180 Portuguese children (90 girls) aged 6 to 10 years at study entry who were followed annually for 4 years. Height, health-, and performance-related PF were assessed. Age-at peak MGS and PF spurts were estimated using a non-smooth mathematical procedure. Boys’ and girls’ age-at-peak MGS occurred at 7.8 ± 0.47 years and 8.0 ± 0.72 years, respectively. PF spurts’ timing aligned by age-at-peak MGS were as follows: (1) before age-at-peak MGS: boys – static strength, aerobic capacity, explosive leg strength, and flexibility; girls – speed, agility, aerobic capacity, and upper body strength; (2) coincident with age-at-peak MGS: girls – explosive leg strength and flexibility; (3) after age-at-peak MGS: boys – abdominal strength, upper body strength, agility, and speed; girls – abdominal strength and static strength. Boys and girls attained their MGS at relatively similar ages. However, the timing and sequences of PF spurts, aligned on age-at-MGS, were different between boys and girls.
- Regional variation in growth status. The Peruvian health and optimist growth studyPublication . Bustamante, Alcibiades; Santos, Carla; Pereira, Sara; Freitas, Duarte; Katzmarzyk, Peter T.; Maia, JoséObjective: This study aims to (1) investigate differences in weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference (WC) among Peruvian children and ado lescents living in three areas located at different altitudes; (2) compare age and sex-specific height, weight, and BMI within each site with US reference data. Methods: We sampled 8753 subjects (4130 boys), aged 4 to 17 years from sea level, rainforest, and high-altitude. Height, weight, and WC were measured and BMI was calculated. Analysis of variance was used to compare variables across geographic regions, and the Hoff and Blackburn procedure was used to compare the Peruvian results with US reference data. Results: Participants living at sea level were taller, heavier, had greater BMI and WC relative to those living at high-altitude and in the rainforest. Peruvian schoolchildren of both sexes from the three geographical areas were shorter and lighter than their American peers. Boys and girls living in the rainforest and at high-altitude had lower BMI, whereas WC values of American schoolchildren are higher than those of the Peruvian children by age and gender. Conclusions: Peruvians living at different altitudes differ in their growth indi cators (height, weight, BMI, and WC), with significant differences between those living at sea level relative to their peers from other regions. Further, Peruvian schoolchildren of both sexes from the three geographical areas signif icantly differ from their US counterparts