Gender and Body Mass Index Difference in Aerobic Capacity: A Study in Moroccan High School Students

Different tests are used to evaluate the aerobic capacity of a person. This study aims to investigate the gender and Body Mass Index (BMI) difference in aerobic capacity measured by using shuttle and Spartacus test. The study was conducted on 230 high school students (135 girls and 95 boys) followed their study in public establishment in kenitra city (Morocco). All participants were classified according to their gender (male vs. female) and their BMI (normal weight vs. overweight-obese) and performed the both test of shuttle and Spartacus. Running speed at the last completed stage, run time, maximum heart rate (max HR) max HR and perceived exertion were measured and analyzed. For each test, VO2max was estimated by using the proposed equation. There was significant BMI difference in the measured parameters (p<0.001). Difference in VO2max between male and female remained significant with high-speed level in boys. A significant difference between males and females (p < 0.001) was observed in shuttle test. Participants with normal weight or physical activity had good aerobic capacity. Compared to the Shuttle test, the Spartacus provides a 11.5% higher final speed (11.2 vs. 9.7km/h) and a total test time 2.3 times longer (11.3vs. 4.9 min) (p < 0.001). Our study underlines the interest of the Spartacus test and is preliminary. Indeed, these results must now be replicated in a larger sample of obese adolescents.

Effects of COVID-19 home confinement on musculoskeletal health and physical performance in a cross-sectional study: results of the COVID-19 era online survey

Introduction

the global pandemic of COVID-19 is the unique health crisis, the populations were exposed to situations of unprecedented confinement, this represents a major public health challenge, with a high risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders. The objective of the present work is to identify the potential effects of sedentary behavior on musculoskeletal health and physical performance.

Methods

after two months of confinement a survey was uploaded and shared on Google's online survey platform. Two research laboratories, University Moulay Ismail, University Ibn Tofail, promoted the survey which was developed on the basis of two questionnaires: the French version of the Nordic questionnaire musculoskeletal disorders and the French version of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ).

Results

out of 384 respondents, 209 (54.4%) were females 124 (32.3%) were between 30-49 years old (6.8%) and 123 (32%) had an underweight and overweight levels, respectively. One hundred and thirty-nine 139 (36.2%) reported sitting more than eight hours. The results of our survey show that many of our respondents had developed some sort of musculoskeletal pain during the confinement. One hundred and sixty two (42.2%) reported to have pain in the lower back region, 108 (28.1%) of participants reported to have pain in the neck region, 93 (28.2%) in the shoulder region, 97 (25.3) - in the upper back region and more women than men reported musculoskeletal pain in more than five regions. The results of our survey also show that 322 (83,9%) of the participants, after two months of confinement, were unable to do high intensity exercises for at least 10 min per day in their usual daytime activity, the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain differed across categories of body mass index (BMI) between males and females, (p<0.05).

Conclusion

the results of this study show the existence of musculoskeletal disorders and deterioration in physical performance and strongly recommend the urgent implementation of prevention and remediation interventions.

The Effects of Swallowing Disorders and Oral Malformations on Nutritional Status in Children with Cerebral Palsy

Nutrition plays an important role both from a nutrition and a socio-psychological point of view; this part seems to be even more crucial in cerebral palsy where undernutrition is responsible for an increase in morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of swallowing disorders and oral malformations on the nutritional status of children with cerebral palsy. We evaluated 65 patients aged 2 to 17 years using a cross-sectional, descriptive and observational approach. All patients had a definite diagnosis of cerebral palsy. The measurement of anthropometric variables (weight, height, Body Mass Index (BMI) and circumferences) was performed according to recognized techniques and measurements. The Z-score was also calculated using the World Health Organization (WHO) references. The 5-level Gross Motor Function Classification System was used, providing a standardized classification of motor disability patterns for children with cerebral palsy. The population had a median age of 9.25 (4.50−16.00) and was about 53% female. Furthermore, 75% of the patients had a height inferior to 158 cm. The results of our study show that 42 (64.6%) had false routes, 17 (26.2%) had oral-facial malformations and 51 (78.5%) did not have lip prehensions during meals. The results also show that growth retardation is closely related to gross motor function with p = 0.01, as well as all nutritional indices (Z-score weight for age, Z-score height for age and Z-score BMI for age) are affected by swallowing disorders and oral malformations, with statistically significant values < 0.05. In conclusion, a preventive and curative management specific to this population of children with cerebral palsy must be implemented with an interdisciplinary concertation.