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This proof-of-concept study evaluated the acute effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) on cardiac vagal activity in people living with HIV. Twenty-one men living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy participated in a single-blind, crossover clinical trial. Participants underwent two counterbalanced stimulation conditions (taVNS and sham) with a 48-hour washout period. Cardiac vagal activity was assessed using vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) indices, including the root mean square of successive differences (rMSSD) and the percentage of differences between adjacent normal intervals greater than 50 ms (pNN50), recorded before, during, and after stimulation. No significant changes in vmHRV parameters were observed over time or between conditions. These findings suggest that an acute taVNS session does not modulate cardiac vagal activity in people living with HIV. We discuss potential explanations for these results and highlight considerations for future research on taVNS as a non-pharmacological approach to autonomic modulation.

The biological maturation (BM) analyzed by peak height velocity (PHV) and bone age (BA), and lean body mass has been associated with the strength and muscle power of young athletes. However, the ability of BM (PHV and BA) and LM markers to predict muscle strength and power in young athletes remains uncertain. The Aim was determine the predicting power of BM markers (PHV and BA) and LM in relation to muscle power of upper and lower limbs and muscle strength of upper limbs in adolescent athletes at puberty. Ninety-two adolescent athletes (both sexes; age 12.4 ± 1.02 years) were assessed for body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Power of upper limbs (ULP), force handgrip (HG), vertical jump (VJ) and countermovement jump (CMJ) were recorded. BM was predicted by mathematical models to estimate PHV and BA. Multilayer artificial neural network analyses (MLP's) were used to determine the power of prediction of LM, PHV and BA on muscle power and strength of upper- and lower-limbs of the athletes. LM, BA and PHV were associated with HG (r>0.74, p0.60, p0.55, p0.53, p0.60, p<0.05) with BA and with PHV (r<0.83, p 72% of probability to predict the muscle power of upper- and lower-limbs, and the strength of the upper limbs; whereas PHV provides > 43% and bone age >64% in both female and male adolescent athletes. We identified that, like PHV and BA, LM is a strong predictor of low cost of both upper limbs muscle strength and upper and lower limbs power in adolescent athletes.

The aim of this study was to synthesize the evidence on the effects of active video games (AVGs) on mental health, physical fitness and body composition of children and adolescents. A search was conducted in the following databases: PubMed; MEDLINE (by Ovid); SportDiscus, Cochrane library systematic reviews (CENTRAL) and EMBASE with no language restrictions during October 2020. Reviews on the use of AVGs were included in the study. We use the AMSTAR (A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews) scale to analyze the methodological quality of the studies. Seventeen systematic reviews and meta-analyzes were included on the effects of AVGs with 30 to 4728 children and adolescents of both sexes with ages ranging from 6 to 19 years. In five studies, the population was overweight or obese. Regarding the quality, 12 studies were of moderate quality, two had high quality, two had low quality and one showed very low quality. The analyzed data indicate that the use of AVGs with a frequency of 1 to 3 times a week with durations of between 10 and 90 min per day shows positive effects on mental health and physical functioning. There was moderate quality evidence that AVGs can result in benefits for self-esteem, increased energy expenditure, physical activity and reduced body mass index in children and adolescents who used AVGs in the home environment. Further research is needed on this tool to help in the process of social isolation and consequently in promoting health and well-being.

Background: The adverse effects of antiretroviral therapy associated with complications generated by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) promote impairments in physical fitness in adolescents. Objective: To analyze the aerobic capacity, muscle strength, and body composition of adolescents living with HIV compared with a healthy population of the same age. Methods: Searches were performed in the MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and SportDiscus databases until September 2019 and updated in April 2020. Eligibility Criteria: adolescents of both sexes in the age group from 10 to 19 years; living with HIV; cross-sectional, case–control, cohort studies; comparing with a healthy population. Mean differences and 95% Confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using RevMan (software for systematic reviews). Results: Five articles were included, involving 197 adolescents living with HIV (16 to 18 years) and 185 without infection (13 to 18 years), with the sample in each study ranging from 15 to 65 adolescents. Aerobic capacity and muscle strength were reduced in adolescents with HIV, and body mass index was also significantly lower in this group. Conclusion: Adolescents living with HIV have impaired cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and body composition when compared to their uninfected peers. However, this systematic review provides limited evidence on the differences between the physical fitness outcomes of adolescents living with HIV compared to healthy adolescents.

We analyze the influence of dietary counseling and physical activity on biochemical and metabolic parameters in children and adolescents with HIV. A longitudinal experimental study, including three analyses: At the beginning, 4th month, and 8th month. A sample of 18 subjects with HIV of both sexes, mean age 10.4 ± 4.50 years. Usual food intake (24 h recall and food intake marker), level of habitual physical activity, biochemical parameters, resting metabolic rate, as well as body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), biological maturation, and anamnesis with clinical data and socioeconomic were evaluated. There was an effect of time on the reduction of blood glucose and triglycerides and the resting metabolic rate. There was a significant increase in fruit consumption throughout the study. The consumption of soft drinks decreased when comparing analysis periods 1 and 2, however, it increased again in analysis period 3. There was no significant effect of time on the set of variables related to a food recall. Counseling healthy habits and regular clinical follow-up were relevant for improving biochemical parameters (glucose, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol), maintaining the resting metabolic rate, increasing fruit consumption, and decreasing the consumption of soft drinks, in part of the time, of children and adolescents with HIV. Finally, we emphasize that counseling positively influenced healthy habits, and these, in turn, improved health-related parameters.

Introduction: Motor development studies and debates reveal that sport and physical activity develop and improve motor skills. These studies seek to understand the changes that occur with movement, which becomes more complex as it develops through physical activity. Objective: To compare the level of physical activity and motor coordination of students in different maturational stages and to relate the level of physical activity with the motor coordination of young people. Methods: Descriptive research with cross-sectional design. A total of 46 male subjects aged 10 to 14 years participated in the study. Baecke's usual physical activity questionnaire was applied; the maturity stage was verified through the Puberal Maturation Prediction Equation; the body composition was evaluated through the Guedes protocol for children and adolescents; Finally, the coordinative performance was classified using the Korperkoordinationstest fur Kinder (KTK) test battery. Results: There were significant differences for the variables Age and Height among all stages: P3, P4 and P5 maturation. The differences found in the variable body weight occurred only between the P3 and P5 stages; P4 and P5. It was also observed that no significant differences were found for motor coordination between maturation stages. The same occurred when physical activity indexes were compared. Conclusion: There is no difference in the level of physical activity between stages 3, 4 and 5 of sexual maturation, nor does the maturational stage seem to influence the level of motor coordination of young students. Introdução: Estudos e debates na área do desenvolvimento motor revelam que o esporte e a atividade física desenvolvem e melhoram as habilidades motoras. Esses estudos buscam compreender as mudanças que ocorrem com o movimento, o qual se torna mais complexo à medida que se desenvolve através da atividade física. Objetivo: Comparar o nível de atividade física e coordenação motora de escolares em diferentes estágios maturacionais e relacionar o nível de atividade física com a coordenação motora de jovens. Método: Pesquisa descritiva com corte transversal. Participaram do estudo 46 indivíduos do sexo masculino, com idades entre 10 e 14 anos. Foi aplicado o questionário de Atividade Física Habitual de Baecke; o estágio de maturidade foi verificado através da Equação de Predição da Maturação Puberal; a composição corporal foi avaliada através do protocolo de Guedes para crianças e adolescentes; por fim, o desempenho coordenativo foi classificado por meio da bateria de testes Korperkoordinationstest fur Kinder (KTK). Resultados: Houve diferenças significativas para as variáveis Idade e Estatura entre todos os estágios: P3, P4 e P5 de maturação. As diferenças encontradas na massa corporal ocorreram apenas entre os estágios P3 e P5; P4 e P5. Observou-se também que não foram encontradas diferenças significativas para a coordenação motora entre os estágios de maturação. O mesmo ocorreu quando os índices de atividade física foram comparados. Conclusão: Não existe diferença no nível de atividade física entre os estágios 3, 4 e 5 da maturação sexual, assim como o estágio maturacional não parece influenciar o nível de coordenação motora de jovens escolares.

Introdução: Estudos e debates na área do desenvolvimento motor revelam que o esporte e a atividade física desenvolvem e melhoram as habilidades motoras. Esses estudos buscam compreender as mudanças que ocorrem com o movimento, o qual se torna mais complexo à medida que se desenvolve através da atividade física. Objetivo: Comparar o nível de atividade física e coordenação motora de escolares em diferentes estágios maturacionais e relacionar o nível de atividade física com a coordenação motora de jovens. Método: Pesquisa descritiva com corte transversal. Participaram do estudo 46 indivíduos do sexo masculino, com idades entre 10 e 14 anos. Foi aplicado o questionário de Atividade Física Habitual de Baecke; o estágio de maturidade foi verificado através da Equação de Predição da Maturação Puberal; a composição corporal foi avaliada através do protocolo de Guedes para crianças e adolescentes; por fim, o desempenho coordenativo foi classificado por meio da bateria de testes Korperkoordinationstest fur Kinder (KTK). Resultados: Houve diferenças significativas para as variáveis Idade e Estatura entre todos os estágios: P3, P4 e P5 de maturação. As diferenças encontradas na massa corporal ocorreram apenas entre os estágios P3 e P5; P4 e P5. Observou-se também que não foram encontradas diferenças significativas para a coordenação motora entre os estágios de maturação. O mesmo ocorreu quando os índices de atividade física foram comparados. Conclusão: Não existe diferença no nível de atividade física entre os estágios 3, 4 e 5 da maturação sexual, assim como o estágio maturacional não parece influenciar o nível de coordenação motora de jovens escolares.