No abstract

BackgroundChronic low back pain (CLBP) is a highly disabling morbidity with high social, economic and individual effects. Demographic, occupational and behavioral changes that took place in Brazil over the last decade are related with an increasing burden of chronic conditions. Despite these changes, comparison studies on CLBP prevalence and associated factors, over time are scarce in the literature in general, and unknown in Brazil. The present study compared the CLBP prevalence in a medium sized city in Brazil between the years 2002 and 2010 and examined factors associated with prevalence in 2010.MethodsTwo cross-sectional studies with similar methodology were conducted in a medium-sized city in southern Brazil, in 2002 and 2010. 3182 individuals were interviewed in the first study and 2732 in the second one, all adults aged twenty years or more. Those who reported pain for seven weeks or more in the last three months in the lumbar region where considered cases of CLBP.ResultsThe CLBP prevalence increased from 4.2% to 9.6% in 8 years. In most of the studied subgroups the CLBP prevalence has at least doubled and the increase was even larger among younger individuals with more years of education and higher economic status.ConclusionsIncrease in CLBP prevalence is worrisome because it is a condition responsible for substantial social impact, besides being an important source of demand for health services.

PurposeTo evaluate the association between physical activity changes in those aged 11 to 15 years and lung function at age 15 years.MethodsThe original cohort comprised 5,249 hospital-born children during the calendar year of 1993 in Pelotas, Brazil. In 2004–2005 and 2008–2009, all cohort members were sought for follow-up visits. Self-reported physical activity was measured at ages 11 and 15 years. At the 2008–2009 visit, when participants were 15 years old, spirometry was performed. Linear regression was used, and all analyses were stratified by sex.ResultsOf the 5,249 original members of the cohort, 4,325 were located at 15 years of age, and spirometry was performed on 4,010 members. Forced expiratory volume in 1 second was not associated with physical activity. In girls, those who were active in leisure time in both periods have better percent-predicted forced vital capacity (β = 3.573 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.015, 6.130]) and forced expiratory volume in the 6 seconds (β = .095 [95% CI: .021, .168]) than those who were inactive in the two periods. Also in girls, those who became active at 15 years of age had higher peak expiratory flow than those who were inactive at 11 and 15 years of age. In boys, only those who became inactive in leisure time had worse peak expiratory flow (β = −.180 [95% CI: −.339, −.021]) than boys who were inactive at ages 11 and 15 years.ConclusionsSelf-reported leisure-time physical activity was associated with better effort-dependent lung function parameters, particularly among girls.

No abstract

Background: To investigate whether engagement in leisure-time physical activity before or during pregnancy is associated with low back pain (LBP) outcomes during pregnancy and postpartum prevalence of LBP in women who reported LBP during pregnancy. Methods: Data from the 2015 Pelotas Birth Cohort Study, were used. Demographic, socioeconomic, and gestational characteristics, as well as physical activity prior to and during pregnancy were recorded at perinatal assessment. LBP outcomes during pregnancy (pain intensity, activity limitation, and care seeking) and postpartum (prevalence of LBP) were collected at the 1-year follow-up. Results: Pain intensity, care seeking, and prevalence of LBP postpartum period were not associated with physical activity either before or during pregnancy. However, women engaged in physical activity during pregnancy and at least for 2 trimesters had lower odds ratio of activity limitation associated with LBP during pregnancy (odds ratio: 0.60; 95% confidence interval, 0.41 to 0.88; odds ratio: 0.20; 95% confidence interval, 0.04 to 0.86, respectively). Conclusion: Meeting the recommended levels of physical activity during pregnancy is associated with less activity limitation related to LBP during pregnancy. However, physical activity levels, either before or during pregnancy, were not associated with pain intensity, care seeking, and postpartum LBP.