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Despite high levels of body dissatisfaction and an increasing drive for muscularity among Brazilian women, most of the existing literature on muscle dysmorphia focuses on men and has mainly been conducted in Western and English-speaking regions. As a result, one of the most widely used assessment tools for symptoms of the disorder, the Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory (MDDI), has not yet been evaluated in Brazilian women-an at-risk population. In the present study, we perform a psychometric evaluation of the Brazilian Portuguese translation of the MDDI in a sample of 515 women. We evaluated the factor structure using a two-step, split-sample exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic approach, which supported the original three-factor structure of the measure. Additionally, we found good internal consistency, convergent validity, and test-retest reliability of the measure. Collectively, these results support the use of the measure in Brazilian women and provide a foundation to expand the literature in this population., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The present study investigated the psychometric properties of the Brazilian adaptation of the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire-Appearance Scales, a widely used instrument in body image research., Methods: We translated the MBSRQ-AS and determined its psychometric properties among 2 community samples, totaling 387 men and 381 women, and 1 college sample of 104 men and 133 women, aged from 16 to 67 years old (totaling 1005 participants). Near half of the sample (n = 606) was recruited online (SurveyMonkey Database) and the other half was personally recruited from universities, technical schools and libraries., Results: The translated version was similar to the original, and the items were easily understood. After the exclusion of the negatively worded questions, the Brazilian version had the same factor structure as the original MBSRQ-AS. Internal consistency ranged from .73 to .90 and test-retest reliability indices ranged from .76 to .92. The measure captured sex and weight status differences. Women reported significantly higher levels of investment in appearance, lower levels of satisfaction with specific parts of the body, higher concerns with being overweight, and classified themselves as heavier than men. Overweight and obese men and women reported lower satisfaction with specific parts of their bodies, higher concerns with being overweight, and classified themselves as heavier than their normal weight counterparts. Convergent validity was demonstrated by the significant correlations between the MBSRQ-AS subscales and investment in appearance, internalization of beauty ideals, disordered eating and self-esteem., Conclusions: In summary, the Brazilian MBSRQ-AS appears to be a good option for researchers in the country. Furthermore, the study provides substantial parameters for comparison with other adaptations of the instrument around the world., Level of Evidence: Level V, descriptive study.

Background & Aims: Although the mechanisms by which statins promote muscle disorders remain unclear, supplementation with dietary antioxidants may mitigate statins' side effects. This study aimed to investigate whether the consumption of Brazil nuts modulates serum creatine kinase (CK) activity in patients regularly using statins., Methods: The study was performed in the Ribeirão Preto Medical School University Hospital. Thirty-two patients in regular use of statins were divided according to CK activity levels (G1: increased or G2: normal) and received one unit of Brazil nut daily for 3 months. Body composition, blood selenium (Se) concentrations, erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity, oxidative stress parameters, and CK activity were evaluated before and after supplementation., Results: In both groups, supplementation with one Brazil nut daily for 3 months contributed to achieve decreased levels of CK activity in serum, with positive changes in plasma and erythrocyte Se concentrations (p < 0.0001), and increased levels of GPX activity. Among the parameters related to curbing of oxidative stress, we observed reduced levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in both groups after supplementation. We also found a moderately negative association between CK and GPX activity (r = -41; p < 0.02). Expression of selenoproteins GPX1, SELENOP, and SELENON after Brazil nut supplementation was unchanged., Conclusion: Brazil nut consumption enhanced the control of CK activity by improving oxidative stress biomarkers in patients using statins but did not modulate mRNA expression of selenoproteins., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest The authors declare they have no financial conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.)

We examined the psychometric properties of a Brazilian Portuguese translation of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2; Tylka & Wood-Barcalow, 2015). A sample of 990 Brazilian adults (560 women, 430 men; M age  = 31.10, SD = 8.94) completed the BAS-2 and measures of life satisfaction, self-esteem, actual-ideal weight discrepancy (women only), breast size dissatisfaction (women only), drive for muscularity (men only), and disordered eating behaviours. Exploratory factor analyses indicated that BAS-2 scores reduced to a single dimension with all 10 items in women and men. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the fit of this one-dimensional factor structure following freeing of error covariances between two pairs of items. BAS-2 scores achieved full scalar invariance across sex, and men had significantly higher BAS-2 scores than women. Internal consistency coefficients were adequate and test-retest reliability was supported up to three weeks in a subsample of 221 participants (140 women, 81 men). Evidence of construct validity was demonstrated through positive associations with indices of psychological well-being and negative associations with indices of negative body image and disordered eating behaviours. Availability of a Brazilian Portuguese translation of the BAS-2 should help to promote greater understanding of positive body image in the Brazilian context., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The present study examined the psychometric properties of a Brazilian Portuguese translation of the Breast Size Rating Scale (BSRS). A total of 194 Brazilian university women completed the BSRS along with measures of body satisfaction, body appreciation, weight discrepancy, and attitudes toward societal appearance ideals. They also had their actual bra size and body mass indices (BMIs) objectively measured. Results indicated evidence of adequate convergent validity insofar as greater breast size dissatisfaction was significantly associated with greater weight discrepancy, higher BMI, lower body appreciation, lower body satisfaction, greater use of information from society about appearance ideals, greater perceived pressure from society about appearance ideals, and greater internalisation of general and athletic appearance ideals, respectively. In our sample, 20.6% of women reported no breast size dissatisfaction, 65.5% desired a larger breast size, and 13.9% desired a smaller breast size. Findings demonstrate that BSRS scores are psychometrically sound and that breast size dissatisfaction is common among Brazilian women., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The effects of cafeteria and high fat diets were investigated on animal models of behavior., Methods: Male Wistar rats were treated with Control (C), Cafeteria (CD) and High Fat (FD) diets and tested in the Elevated Plus-Maze (EPM) and Morris Water Maze (MWM) procedures. Body weight, length, abdominal circumference, retroperitoneal and epididymal adipose tissues were recorded. Physical parameters, weight of tissues, EPM, and MWM data were subjected to ANOVA followed by Newman-Keuls test (P < 0.05)., Results: There were no differences on weight and length parameters between CD and C rats up to 98 days of age. However, abdominal circumferences were higher in CD as compared to C at 35 and 70 days of age, respectively, the 5th and the 7th weeks. FD presented lower measures of weight and abdominal circumference; nevertheless there was an increase on those parameters at the end of the nutritional treatment. Even without an apparent weight gain of CD and FD these animals presented a greater accumulation of retroperitoneal and epididymal adipose tissues. In addition, CD and FD demonstrated behaviors that can suggest lower anxiety. CD showed a better learning performance and FD showed better recall of previous learned information in the memory retention test., Discussion: According to those data it was concluded that hypercaloric diet ingestion was capable of triggering metabolic alterations and possibly lowering anxiety associated to learning or memory improvement on a spatial task.

This study compared body image concerns among adolescents from different geographic locations in Brazil, and the influence of sex and nutritional status. Seven hundred eighty-eight adolescents completed the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and had their weight and height measured. There were significant cross-regional differences in BSQ scores. Also, body image concerns were more prevalent among girls and among overweight adolescents. It is suggested that sex and nutritional status may play an important role in body image concerns, which is more common between adolescents from urban areas. Furthermore, our findings contribute to the literature by examining patterns of body image concerns within subgroups of adolescents who have received little research attention on these issues.

The objective of the present study was to determine the consequences of Zn2+ deficiency on the gestational process. The study was conducted on adult Wistar virgin female rats fed isocaloric diets containing 16% protein and different Zn2+ concentrations, i.e., 2 ppm (severe restriction), 6 ppm (moderate restriction), and 20 ppm (control). Rats received the diets and water ad libitum for 7, 14 or 21 days before mating and throughout pregnancy. Survival of dams and pups decreased with increasing Zn2+ restriction and with time of exposure to the deficient diet. Mean survival rate for control dams and pups was 100%, whereas severe restriction (2 ppm for 21 days premating and during pregnancy) resulted in survival rates of 25% and 0 for dams and pups, respectively. Dam and pup survival rates for moderate restriction (6 ppm) for the same period were 83% and 72%, respectively. These results indicate the importance of Zn2+ before and during pregnancy and show that Zn2+ deficiency causes metabolic alterations which impair normal reproductive processes.