Does ulnar variance change with age and what is the influence of training and biological characteristics in this change? A short-term longitudinal study in Portuguese artistic gymnasts.

Objective: To analyze the variability and longitudinal stress-related changes in ulnar variance (UV) in a group of immature artistic gymnasts. The relationship between UV and a group of biological and training variables was also investigated.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Physical activity and determinants of sedentary behavior in Brazilian adolescents from an underdeveloped region.

The purpose of the study was to analyze the physical activity and the determinants of sedentary behavior in 1,268 Brazilian adolescents (638 girls, 630 boys) between the ages of 15 and 18 years, randomly selected from a relatively underdeveloped region. Data were collected from a community-based survey in the city of João Pessoa, Paraiba, Brazil. Information related to physical activity was derived on the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire.

Physical growth of schoolchildren from the Jequitinhonha Valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil: Comparison with the CDC-2000 reference using the LMS method.

Objective: To analyse the physical growth of a representative school population sample from the Jequitinhonha Valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil, in comparison with the reference proposed by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC-2000).

Methods: The sample was composed of 5100 individuals (2730 girls and 2370 boys), aged 6-18 years. Body weight-for-age and height-for-age percentiles were obtained using the LMS method.