Guidelines and Expert Consensus Documents summarize and evaluate all currently available evidence on a particular issue with the aim to assist physicians in selecting the best management strategies for a typical patient, suffering from a given condition, taking into account the impact on outcome, as well as the risk–benefit ratio of particular diagnostic or therapeutic means. Guidelines are not substitutes for textbooks. The legal implications of medical guidelines have been discussed previously.

A great number of Guidelines and Expert Consensus Documents have been issued in recent years by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) as well as by other societies and organizations. Because of the impact on clinical practice, quality criteria for development of guidelines have been established in order to make all decisions transparent to the user. The recommendations for formulating and issuing ESC Guidelines and Expert Consensus Documents can be found on the ESC web site (http://www.escardio.org/knowledge/guidelines/rules).

In brief, experts in the field are selected and undertake a comprehensive review of the published evidence for management and/or prevention of a given condition. A critical evaluation of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures is performed, including assessment of the risk–benefit ratio. Estimates of expected health outcomes for larger societies are included, where data exist. The level of evidence and the strength of recommendation of particular treatment options are weighed and graded according to predefined scales, as outlined in the tables below.

The experts of the writing panels have provided disclosure statements of all relationships they may have which might be perceived as real or potential sources of conflicts of interest. These disclosure forms are kept on file at the European Heart House, headquarters of the ESC. Any changes in conflict of interest that arise during the writing period must be notified to the ESC. The Task Force report was entirely …

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European guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice (version 2012) : the fifth joint task force of the European society of cardiology and other societies on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice (constituted by representatives of nine societies and by invited experts).

https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(12)60735-1.pdf

Correlates of physical activity: why are some people physically active and others not?

Overweight and obesity in youth are important public health concerns and are of particular interest because of possible long-term associations with adult weight status and morbidity. The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature and update evidence concerning persistence of childhood overweight. A computerized bibliographical search--restricted to studies with a prospective or retrospective longitudinal design--was conducted. Two authors independently extracted data and assessed the methodological quality of the included studies in four dimensions (i) study population and participation rate; (ii) study attrition; (iii) data collection and (iv) data analysis. Conclusions were based on a rating system of three levels of evidence. A total of 25 publications were selected for inclusion in this review. According to a methodological quality assessment, 13 studies were considered to be of high quality. The majority of these high-quality studies were published after 2001, indicating that recently published data, in particular, provide us with reliable information. All included studies consistently report an increased risk of overweight and obese youth becoming overweight adults, suggesting that the likelihood of persistence of overweight into adulthood is moderate for overweight and obese youth. However, predictive values varied considerably. Limiting aspects with respect to generalizability and methodological issues are discussed.

/pdf/tracking-of-childhood-overweight-into-adulthood-a-systematic-frvo09sa1x.pdf

Tracking of childhood overweight into adulthood: a systematic review of the literature

The "fetal" or "early" origins of adult disease hypothesis was originally put forward by David Barker and colleagues and stated that environmental factors, particularly nutrition, act in early life to program the risks for adverse health outcomes in adult life. This hypothesis has been supported by a worldwide series of epidemiological studies that have provided evidence for the association between the perturbation of the early nutritional environment and the major risk factors (hypertension, insulin resistance, and obesity) for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and the metabolic syndrome in adult life. It is also clear from experimental studies that a range of molecular, cellular, metabolic, neuroendocrine, and physiological adaptations to changes in the early nutritional environment result in a permanent alteration of the developmental pattern of cellular proliferation and differentiation in key tissue and organ systems that result in pathological consequences in adult life. This review focuses on those experimental studies that have investigated the critical windows during which perturbations of the intrauterine environment have major effects, the nature of the epigenetic, structural, and functional adaptive responses which result in a permanent programming of cardiovascular and metabolic function, and the role of the interaction between the pre- and postnatal environment in determining final health outcomes.

https://www.physiology.org/doi/pdf/10.1152/physrev.00053.2003

Developmental Origins of the Metabolic Syndrome: Prediction, Plasticity, and Programming

Purpose: The range of variability between individuals of the same chronological age (CA) in somatic and biological maturity is large and especially accentuated around the adolescent growth spurt. Maturity assessment is an important consideration when dealing with adolescents, from both a research perspective and youth sports stratification. A noninvasive, practical method predicting years from peak height velocity (a maturity offset value) by using anthropometric variables is developed in one sample and cross-validated in two different samples. Methods: Gender specific multiple regression equations were calculated on a sample of 152 Canadian children aged 8-16 yr (79 boys; 73 girls) who were followed through adolescence from 1991 to 1997, The equations included three somatic dimensions (height, sitting height, and leg length), CA, and their interactions. The equations were cross-validated on a Combined sample of Canadian (71 boys, 40 girls measured from 1964 through 1973) and Flemish children (50 boys, 48 girls measured from 1985 through 1999). Results: The coefficient of determination (R2) for the boys' model was 0.92 and for the girls' model 0.91 the SEEs were 0.49 and 0.50, respectively, Mean difference between actual and predicted maturity offset for the verification samples was 0.24 (SD 0.65) yr in boys and 0,001 (SD 0.68) yr in girls. Conclusion: Although the cross-validation meets statistical standards or acceptance, caution 1, warranted with regard to implementation. It is recommended that maturity offset be considered as a categorical rather than a continuous assessment. Nevertheless, the equations presented are a reliable, noninvasive and a practical solution for the measure of biological maturity for matching adolescent athletes.

An assessment of maturity from anthropometric measurements.

Regular aerobic physical activity (PA) increases exercise capacity and physical fitness (PF), which can lead to many health benefits. Accurate quantification of PA and PF becomes essential in terms of health outcome and effectiveness of intervention programmes. In this manuscript we present a review

http://www.luzimarteixeira.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/physical-activity-level-evaluation.pdf

How to assess physical activity? How to assess physical fitness?

Growth and physical performance relative to the timing of the adolescent spurt.

Background. Aims of this study were: a) to identify anthropometric variables correlated with gymnastic performance, and b) to predict performance scores from a combination of anthropometric dimensions. Methods. Experimental design: correlational analysis and a stepwise multiple regression were used. Setting: Subjects were participants at the 24th World Championships Artistic Gymnastics, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, in 1987. Participants: A total of 168 female gymnasts (mean age: 16.5±1.8 years) were investigated. Each gymnast participated in all events. Measures: An extensive battery of anthropometric dimensions was taken on each athlete. The somatotype was estimated. Skeletal maturation of the hand-wrist was assessed. Competition scores for the four individual gymnastic events (balance beam, floor exert cise, vault, uneven bars) and a composite score for each gymnast were the dependent variables. Results. Moderately high, significant correlations (p<0.01) were observed between skinfolds and endomorphy, and gymnastics performance scores, r varying from -0.38 to -0.60, for biceps skinfold and the score on balance beam, and for endomorphy and the total score, respectively. The correlations suggest that gymnasts with more subcutaneous fat and higher endomorphy have lower performance scores. About 32 % to 45 % of the variance in gymnastic performance scores could be explained by anthropometric dimensions and/or derived variables, but endomorphy and chronological age are the most important predictors. Conclusions. There is a relatively strong relationship between several anthropometric variables and gymnastic performance in a sample of elite female gymnasts, but the associations are not sufficiently high to predict performance scores on an individual basis.

The contribution of anthropometric characteristics to performance scores in elite female gymnasts.

Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, K.U.Leuven, Tervuursevest 101, B-3001 Leuven, BelgiumOBJECTIVE: The purpose is to review the existing literature on genetic determinants of sports participation, dailyphysical activity (PA) resting metabolic rate (RMR) and activity as a temperamental trait.DESIGN: A synthesis will be given of the published material on this topic with special focus on twin and family data,and association and linkage studies.MEASUREMENTS: Self reported sports participation, daily PA, RMR and activity as a temperamental trait.ANALYSIS: Transmission and heritability coefﬁcients calculated from twin and family data will be reported.RESULTS: The reported heritability coefﬁcients for sports participation vary between 0.35–0.83, and those for daily PAbetween 0.29–0.62. If one of the parents or co-twins is active in sports, it is more likely that the child or co-twin is alsoactive in sports (odds ratios (ORs) vary from 1.2–5.8). Twin and parent-child correlations for RMR also indicate amoderate genetic effect. At present, only a linkage between RMR and uncoupling protein 2 markers has beendemonstrated.CONCLUSION: The genetic determination of sports participation, daily PA and RMR, varies from low to moderatelyhigh, and only between the uncoupling protein 2 genetic marker and RMR has a linkage has been demonstrated.Keywords: physical activity; resting metabolic rate; family and twin studies; heritability; genetic variation; environ-mental variation; linkage; sports participation; temperament

Gaston Beunen

Papers

An assessment of maturity from anthropometric measurements.

How to assess physical activity? How to assess physical fitness?

Growth and physical performance relative to the timing of the adolescent spurt.

The contribution of anthropometric characteristics to performance scores in elite female gymnasts.

Genetic determinants of sports participation and daily physical activity.