Growth, physical fitness, and maximal mechanical aerobic and anaerobic power output on a bicycle ergometer of schoolchildren aged 8-9 years living in underprivileged environments in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

"The subjects of the present study were 60 girls and 71 boys aged 8 and 9 years attending a public school and living in underprivileged environments in Rio de Janeiro. The nutritional status of the children was evaluated by comparing their growth to the NCHS reference data. Stunting and wasting were found in 7% and 4% of the children, respectively. Physical fitness was evaluated by performance field tests (PFT) which included hand grip strength (HGS), vertical jump (VJ), shuttle run, 50-m run, sit and reach, and the number of sit-ups in 1 minute. Maximal mechanical power output on a bicycle ergometer was measured for aerobic (McMaster test) and anaerobic (Peak and Mean Power in the Wingate test) conditions. Results indicated no difference in anthropometric measures between girls and boys. Boys presented higher mean scores than girls on the PFT and the bicycle power tests (BPT) in both age groups. Performance on the BPT was lower in absolute terms than ""normative"" data found in the literature. In relation to body weight (BW), children in the present study presented similar peak anaerobic power but lower aerobic and mean anaerobic power values than ""normative"" data. Body size measures correlated low to moderately with HGS and BPT. After adjusting for age and height, BW was still positively and significantly correlated with the results of the BPT. Children with the greatest height deficit had similar performance in BW-adjusted HGS and VJ to children without height deficit. However, performance in the 50-m run both in absolute and adjusted for BW was significantly reduced in the former than the latter. Boys with the greatest deficits in height also had aerobic and anaerobic power values significantly lower than boys without height deficits. BW-adjusted values for BPT were not different between the two groups of boys. Height adjusted values of mean power were significantly lower in boys with height deficits. In conclusion, children living in chronic undernourished environments in Rio de Janeiro show reduced growth but appear to maintain physical performance in proportion to their smaller body size in HGS and BPT but not in running tasks."

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education, Physical

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Anjos, Luiz Antonio dos

• Education, Physical

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1989 Anjos, Luiz Antonio dos

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI9010795
(UMI)AAI9010795

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/23585