Cora L. A. Post

Bio: Cora L. A. Post is an academic researcher from Universidade Federal de Pelotas. The author has contributed to research in topics: Population & Circumference. The author has an hindex of 8, co-authored 9 publications receiving 495 citations.

Prevalência de obesidade em adultos e seus fatores de risco

Abstract: INTRODUCAO: Foi realizado estudo transversal em uma amostra representativa da populacao adulta de Pelotas para determinar a prevalencia de obesidade e os fatores a ela associados, tendo em vista o acentuado aumento de excesso de peso no Brasil, entre 1974 e 1989 MATERIAL E METODO: Foram estudadas 1035 pessoas com idade entre 20 e 69 anos, residentes na zona urbana do municipio A obesidade foi definida a partir do indice de massa corporal (IMC) igual ou superior a 30 kg/m² A analise multivariada foi realizada considerando um modelo hierarquico das variaveis associadas com obesidade em ambos os sexos RESULTADOS: A prevalencia de obesidade foi de 21% (IC95% 18 - 23), sendo de 25% (IC95% 22 - 29) entre as mulheres e 15% (IC95% 12 - 18) entre os homens A relacao entre as variaveis socioeconomicas e a obesidade foi inversa entre as mulheres e direta entre os homens Entre as mulheres, as variaveis que se mantiveram associadas significativamente com obesidade foram: obesidade dos pais, ocorrencia de diabete ou hipertensao, nao fumar, menor numero de refeicoes diarias e nao ter realizado exercicio fisico no lazer durante o ultimo ano Para os homens somente a ocorrencia de obesidade nos pais e a hipertensao arterial sistemica estiveram significativamente associadas, enquanto a protecao do maior numero de refeicoes apresentou uma associacao quase significativa (p = 0,07) CONCLUSAO: Os resultados indicam que os determinantes de obesidade sao diferentes entre os sexos, ocorrendo em maior frequencia entre as mulheres e com o aumento da idade

The Low Prevalence of Weight-for-Height Deficits in Brazilian Children Is Related to Body Proportions

Abstract: Compared with children from other regions, Latin American children living in poverty have much lower prevalences of weight-for-height deficits than would be expected given the observed rates of stunting. This study was aimed at investigating whether variations in body proportions, particularly abdominal circumference, could explain this paradoxical finding. In a cross-sectional study, children aged 12-35 mo (n = 197) were studied in Southern Brazil. Half of these children were from a high socioeconomic status (SES) group whose growth closely resembled that of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)/WHO reference; the other half were from low income families. The following 11 anthropometric measurements were collected: weight, height, sitting height/ crown-rump length, head, chest, upper arm and abdominal circumference, triceps, biceps, subscapular and suprailiac skinfolds. These measures were compared between the two groups of children and with values for North American children [mostly from Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II)]. For nearly all measures, low SES Brazilian children tended to be smaller than both high SES and North American children. However, when body proportionality was assessed by dividing the measurements by the child's height, these differences tended to disappear or even to change direction, as was the case for head, chest and abdominal circumferences. Mean abdominal circumference was virtually identical between low and high SES children, and the former had larger abdomens for a given height. Despite slight differences in measuring techniques, Brazilian children had larger abdomens than North Americans. These findings may explain in part why deprived Latin American children have higher weights for their height compared with the NCHS/WHO reference.

Fatores prognósticos de letalidade hospitalar por diarréia ou pneumonia em menores de um ano de idade: estudo de caso e controle

Abstract: Estudou-se a letalidade hospitalar devido a diarreia ou pneumonia em menores de um ano de idade na Regiao Metropolitana do Rio de Janeiro cujo obito ocorreu entre abril/86 e maio/87. Foram investigados possiveis fatores prognosticos de letalidade hospitalar em relacao a condicoes socioeconomicas, biologicas e amamentacao aos 30 dias de vida. Foi utilizada metodologia de caso-controle, sendo casos as criancas internadas por diarreia ou por pneumonia que morreram, e controles aquelas que sobreviveram. Referencias sao feitas aos fenomenos de causalidade reversa e "overmatching" como possiveis vieses neste tipo de estudo. Razao de produtos cruzados (RPC) foi utilizada para estimar os riscos relativos, atraves de regressao logistica nao condicional. Os principais fatores prognosticos encontrados foram prematuridade, baixo peso ao nascer, mau estado geral e deficit peso/idade na hospitalizacao. Nas criancas com pneumonia a duracao do aleitamento materno esteve associado com a letalidade (RPC=2,0). As condicoes biologicas evidenciaram-se como os principais fatores prognosticos de letalidade hospitalar por diarreia ou pneumonia.

Entendendo a baixa prevalência de déficit de peso para estatura em crianças brasileiras de baixo nível sócio-econômico: correlação entre índices antropométricos

Abstract: The sample for this study consisted of 386 children from six to 59 months of age. The objective was to study the association between wasting and abdominal circumference. Thirteen anthropometric measurements were taken: weight, height or length, crown-rump length, 4 circumferences, 4 skin fold thicknesses, and 2 breadths. Muscle, fat, and total upper arm areas and leg length were calculated. Indices of body proportionality were obtained by dividing the anthropometric variables by height. Height-for-age, weight-for-age, and weight-for-height deficits were 25.9%, 14.4%, and 3.5%, respectively. The smallest and lightest children were those with the highest abdominal circumferences divided by height. According to this study, abdominal circumference for Brazilian children without height-for-age deficit is, on average, 1.2 cm larger than for US children. Using this as a basis, the study calculated that prevalence of weight-for-height deficit would increase from 3.5% to 7.0% by increasing 2 cm in the abdominal circumference. The low prevalence of wasting and the high prevalence of stunting as indicated by several Brazilian studies could be explained partially by larger mean abdominal circumference values.

Bioelectrical impedance analysis in clinical practice: a new perspective on its use beyond body composition equations.

Abstract: Purpose of reviewThe bioelectrical impedance analysis is not a direct method for estimating body composition. Its accuracy depends on regression equations, and recent papers have suggested that this approach should not be used in several clinical situations. Another option is to obtain information a

Uma abordagem epidemiológica da obesidade

Abstract: Obesity, a disease of the Noncommunicable Disease Group, is the excess of body fat accumulated to an extent that health may be adversely affected. The etiology of obesity is a multifarious process that involves environmental and genetic factors. Nowadays, obesity is a world-wide public health problem showing an increased prevalence in developing countries, as well as in developed ones. The nutritional transition is a process of sequential changes in the nutrition and consumption patterns, that follows economic, social and demographic changes, and changes in the health profile of populations. In this new profile, the urbanization led to a change in behavior patterns of eating, and a decrease in the populations physical activity, both becoming important trends nowadays. The increase of obesity prevalence in Brazil is considerable and proportionally higher in low-income families. The nutritional epidemiological picture of Brazil shows a situation that chaims for public health strategies, able to solve the malnutrition and obesity trends in the same attention-model in health, and to mediate the consequences and connections of economic policies within the populations, process of disease and death. The aim of the present literature revision is to emphasize the epidemiological aspects of adults overweight and obesity as a considerable problem of public health.

Obesity prevalence and trends in Latin-American countries.

Abstract: The prevalence of obesity in some lower-income and transitional countries is as high as, or even higher than, the prevalence reported in developed nations, and it seems to be increasing rapidly. In most countries, the prevalence of obesity is higher in women than in men, and higher in urban than in rural areas. Preobesity prevalence is very high in most Latin-American countries. Sixty per cent of the population in Venado Tuerto (Argentina) has a body mass index (BMI) of > or = 25 kg m-2, as do 35% of the population in Brazil, 60% in Mexico, 68% in Paraguay and 53% in Peru. Trends are available from Brazil, where marked increases in the prevalence of obesity have occurred, except in women from higher-income groups. Women from the higher-income quartiles in urban regions experienced a marked reduction in obesity prevalence from 1989 to 1997 (12.8 to 9.2%). Although data in children is scant, the prevalence of undernutrition is decreasing and the prevalence of obesity is high also in Latin-American children. The prevalence of obesity is high even in minority Indian groups. Rapid changes in dietary structure (in particular associated with urbanization) and major changes in the levels of physical activity, both occupationally and during leisure time, may explain these changes.

Aspectos das práticas alimentares e da atividade física como determinantes do crescimento do sobrepeso/obesidade no Brasil

Abstract: Data from Brazilian national surveys conducted since the 1970s have indicated an increase in the prevalence of overweight/obesity. The two most frequently cited causes of this trend have been dietary changes and reduction in physical activity, characterizing a "contemporary Western lifestyle". The objective of this paper is to identify and assess some indicators associated with changes in eating habits and physical activity patterns in the Brazilian population in the last 30 years. Despite the lack of detailed data, the following factors appear to play an important role in the process: internal migration; dining out; increased consumption of fast food; labor changes; transportation; and the use of home appliances. More information on dietary and physical activity patterns in association with anthropometric data on the Brazilian population are needed for a better understanding of each factor's role in these relationships. Meanwhile, inter-sector programs and projects with well-defined targets and outcomes are needed for the population's adherence to a healthier lifestyle, in order to control the increase in overweight/obesity.