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Objective To evaluate the cross-sectional association of physical activity during pregnancy with gestational weight gain and verify if associations are modified by levels of sleep duration and efficiency. Methods: Mothers who were participants of the 2015 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort study were analyzed. Physical activity (PA) and sleep were measured using the nondominant wrist accelerometer model wGT3X-BT (ActiGraph, Pensacola, FL). Moderate-to-vigorous activities were measured in bouts of 5 minutes (MVPA 5-min bout). Activities were characterized as sustained and overall physical activity was expressed in mg, and MVPA (non-bouted) activities were characterized as not sustained. Sleep was presented as minute bouts, sleep time window, total sleep time, and sleep efficiency. Gestational weight gain (GWG) was calculated by a woman's weight at the end of gestation minus the pre-pregnancy weight. Linear regression models were used to evaluate the association between PA and GWG. Stratification by sleep characteristics in tertiles was performed. Results: The analytical sample included 1,938 women with information for PA, sleep, and GWG. The mean GWG was 12,030 g (SD = 6658.8). After adjustments, for every 15 minutes of sustained physical activity (MVPA 5-min bout), the GWG decreased by 591.3 g [β= -591.3 (95%CI: -1,147.1; -35.5). A statistically significant association was observed between 15 minutes of sustained physical activity (MVPA 5-min bout) and GWG in the second and third tertiles of healthier sleep efficiency. Conclusion: MVPA with 5-min bouts is associated with lower GWG. The GWG reduction was greater in the higher sleep efficiency strata.

Introduction: The prevalence of chronic conditions is increasing worldwide. The objective of this study was to describe the trajectory of the occurrence of multiple chronic conditions during 6 years of follow-up and investigate their association with demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral health characteristics of older adults in Southern Brazil., Methods: We used data from a longitudinal study (the Como Vai? study) of noninstitutionalized adults aged 60 or older living in the urban area of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul. We assessed the number of chronic conditions based on a list of 24 conditions in 3 interviews, conducted in 2014, 2016-2017, and 2019-2020. We used group-based semiparametric modeling to identify groups of participants based on the number of chronic conditions. For associations with participant characteristics, we performed multinomial logistic regression and considered a low, moderate, and high burden of chronic conditions., Results: Of the 1,451 older adults in the cohort, 1,098 (75.7%) were included in analysis. Almost one-third (30.9%) had a low burden (2.3 conditions), more than half (52.0%) had a moderate burden (5.6 conditions), and 17.1% had a high burden (9.7 conditions). Men (relative risk [RR] = 6.10; 95% CI, 3.64-10.22), those aged 80 years or older (RR = 2.33; 95% CI, 1.15-4.72), those with no education (RR= 4.78; 95% CI, 2.19-10.45), and former smokers (RR = 1.53; 95% CI, 0.96-2.44) had a higher risk of being classified in the high-burden group than in the low-burden group., Conclusion: Most older adults belonged to the group with a moderate number of chronic conditions. Several sociodemographic characteristics were associated with belonging to the trajectory with a greater number of conditions.

Brazil is characterized by an unfinished agenda of health inequalities, which impact health problems in the childhood. This study aimed to evaluate the socioeconomic inequalities of health problems in the early childhood. This is a prospective study, using data from the birth cohort carried out in the city of Pelotas (Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil) in 2015. The outcomes were health problems presented at 12 and 24 months: cough, breathing difficulty, diarrhea, ear pain, pneumonia, urinary infection, hospitalization, and other health problems. Socioeconomic inequalities were measured applying the slope index of inequality (SII) and the concentration index (CIX), with wealth index and maternal schooling being the socioeconomic variables. The inequalities in the number of health problems were evaluated by Poisson regression. The perinatal sample comprised 4,275 children. At 12 months approximately 74% of the children presented 1 or more health problems, while at 24 months, approximately 44% presented 2 or more health problems. For all period, the mean number of health problems was 2.9 (standard deviation = 2.0). Higher frequencies were observed for children belonging to the poorest income quintile and with lower maternal education, except for 1 or more health problems at 24 months. The greatest absolute and relative inequality was observed for 2 or more health problems at 12 months (SII: -0.23, 95%CI: -0.29; -0.18 and CIX: -0.19, 95%CI: -0.25; -0.14). There is an opposite dose-response relation for the risk of accumulation of health problems according to maternal schooling (1.07, 95%CI: 1.04; 1.09) and wealth categories (1.03, 95%CI: 1.01; 1.04), in the full adjusted models. The study confirms inequalities due to health problems in Brazilian children, especially in the first year of life.

Background: The aims of the study were to: (a) describe BMI-for-age trajectories in children up to four years of age; (b) evaluate the association between prepregnancy maternal BMI and the BMI-for-age trajectories., Methods: Data from 3218 (75.3% of the original cohort) children from the Pelotas 2015 Birth Cohort were analyzed. Prepregnancy BMI (kg/m 2 ) was measured on the perinatal interview. Z-scores of BMI-for-age were calculated for children at three months, 1, 2 and 4 years. Trajectories were identified using a semi-parametric group-based modeling approach. Multinomial logistic regression was used to test the association between prepregnancy BMI (weight excess: BMI ≥ 25 kg/m 2 ) and BMI-for-age trajectories., Results: Four trajectories of the BMI-for-age, in z-score, were identified and represent children in the "increasing", "adequate", "stabilized" and "risk for weight excess" group. A total of 196 children (7.1%) belonged to the group that was at risk of weight excess. Adjusted analyses showed that children whose mothers presented prepregnancy weight excess had 2.36 (95%CI 1.71; 3.24) times more risk of belonging to group "risk for weight excess" when compared to those children whose mothers presented underweight/normal weight before pregnancy., Conclusion: The risk of weight excess in children up to 4 years of age were greater in mothers who presented prepregnancy weight excess., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Blueberries and cranberries are berry fruits with the highest number of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) focusing on blood pressure (BP). This systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs analyzed the effects of blueberry and cranberry supplementation alone and in concert with systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) in patients with cardiometabolic diseases. The searches were performed until August 2023 in the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Embase. Studies that examined the effects of blueberry or cranberry intake/supplementation were included. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Rob 2 scale. A meta-analysis was performed to estimate the effects of blueberry and cranberry supplementation on BP levels in patients with cardiometabolic diseases. A total of 17 articles were included, from which two found significant results from blueberry and/or cranberry supplementation in reducing BP. Pooled results revealed statistically non-significant reductions of -0.81 mm Hg for SBP (95% confidence interval [CI]: -2.26, 0.63; I 2  = 0%) and -0.15 mm Hg for DBP (95% CI: -1.36, 1.05; I 2  = 27%). Blueberry and/or cranberry supplementation had neutral effects on SBP and DBP in patients with cardiometabolic diseases, regardless of duration or age. Further high-quality studies are needed to firmly establish clinical efficacy., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Background: The association of physical activity through early childhood on children's chronic stress still is unclear. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to test the association of physical activity through early childhood (1-4 y) with chronic stress, measured by hair cortisol at age 4., Methods: Longitudinal study including children from the 2015 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort. Cortisol at age 4 was measured using a hair sample, which provided cortisol concentration from the past months. Physical activity was measured using accelerometers at 1, 2, and 4 years. Linear regression models were used to assess the association between physical activity and chronic stress. Trajectory models were also applied to examine chronic stress in relation to physical activity patterns throughout early childhood., Results: Children with valid physical activity and hair cortisol data were included in the analyses (N = 1475). Three groups of physical activity trajectories between 1 and 4 years were identified: low, medium, and high. No association between physical activity at 1, 2, and 4 years and chronic stress at age 4 was observed. However, children in the "high" physical activity trajectory presented low cortisol concentration; the magnitude of the regression coefficient was slightly larger in girls (β = -0.125; 95% confidence interval, -0.326 to 0.074) than boys (β = -0.051; 95% confidence interval, -0.196 to 0.09)., Conclusion: There was no clear association between physical activity and chronic stress in early childhood. Trajectories models suggest that higher activity throughout early childhood may positively impact chronic stress; however, more studies are needed to confirm that hypothesis.

The objectives of this study were (1) to systematically review the literature on the association between birth weight in children born in the first and second generation and (2) to quantify this association by performing a meta-analysis. A systematic review was carried out in six databases (PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL and LILACS), in January 2021, for studies that recorded the birth weight of parents and children. A meta-analysis using random effects to obtain a pooled effect of the difference in birth weight and the association of low birth weight (LBW) between generations was performed. Furthermore, univariable meta-regression was conducted to assess heterogeneity. Egger's tests were used to possible publication biases. Of the 9878 identified studies, seventy were read in full and twenty were included in the meta-analysis (ten prospective cohorts and ten retrospective cohorts), fourteen studies for difference in means and eleven studies for the association of LBW between generations (twenty-three estimates). Across all studies, there was no statistically significant mean difference (MD) birth weight between first and second generation (MD 19·26, 95 % CI 28·85, 67·36; P = 0·43). Overall, children of LBW parents were 69 % more likely to have LBW (pooled effect size 1·69, 95 % CI (1·46, 1·95); I 2 :85·8 %). No source of heterogeneity was identified among the studies and no publication bias. The average birth weight of parents does not influence the average birth weight of children; however, the proportion of LBW among the parents seems to affect the offspring's birth weight.

The current study aims to describe the consumption of ultra-processed foods, from 2 to 4 years old, and evaluate its association with growth outcomes during the same period. It is a prospective cohort study using data from the 2015 Pelotas-Brazil Birth Cohort. Outcomes assessed at the 2- and 4-year-old follow-ups were BMI-for-age Z -score and length/height-for-age Z -score. The exposure was a score of ultra-processed food consumption calculated at each follow-up by summing up the positive answers for the consumption of nine specific items/subgroups of ultra-processed foods: (i) instant noodles; (ii) soft drink; (iii) chocolate powder in milk; (iv) nuggets, hamburger or sausages; (v) packaged salty snacks; (vi) candies, lollipops, chewing gum, chocolate or jelly; (vii) sandwich cookie or sweet biscuit; (viii) juice in can or box or prepared from a powdered mix and (ix) yogurt. Crude and adjusted analyses between the score of ultra-processed foods and the outcomes were run using generalised estimating equations. Prevalence of consumption of ultra-processed foods increased from 2 to 4 years old, for all evaluated items/subgroups, except yogurt. In prospective analyses, higher scores of ultra-processed food consumption were associated with higher BMI-for-age Z -score and lower length/height-for-age Z -score, after adjustment for confounders. Ultra-processed food consumption, measured using a short questionnaire with low research burden, increased from 2 to 4 years old and was related to deleterious growth outcomes in early childhood. These results reinforce the importance of avoiding the consumption of these products in childhood to prevent the double burden of malnutrition and non-communicable chronic diseases throughout the life.

This study aimed to review and quantify the association between overweight and obesity in the risk of multimorbidity among the general population. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis in the databases of Pubmed, Lilacs, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase. We included cohort studies that assessed the association between overweight and/or obesity with the risk of multimorbidity. The Newcastle-Ottawa assessed the studies' individual quality. A random-effect model meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the association between overweight and obesity with the relative risk (RR) of multimorbidity; the I 2 test evaluated heterogeneity. After excluding duplicates, we found 1.655 manuscripts, of which eight met the inclusion criteria. Of these, seven (87.5%) evidenced an increased risk of multimorbidity among subjects with overweight and/or obesity. Overall, we observed an increased risk of multimorbidity among subjects with overweight (RR: 1.26; CI95%: 1.12; 1.40, I 2  = 98%) and obesity (RR: 1.99; CI95%: 1.45;2.72, I 2  = 99%) compared to normal weight. According to the I 2 test, the heterogeneities of the meta-analyses were high. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale showed that all studies were classified as high quality. Further longitudinal studies are needed, including different populations and stratifications by sex, age, and other variables., (© 2023 World Obesity Federation.)

Physical activity for young children provides a wealth of benefits for health and development. However, little is known about the inter-relationship of physical activity and growth indicators. The aim of this study was to test the bi-directional associations of physical activity and growth indicators in children under five years of age. This prospective study included 1,575 children with data on physical activity and growth indicators at ages 12, 24 and 48 months. Accelerometers were used to measure physical activity. Z-scores for length/height-for-age, weight-for-length/height, weight-for-age and body mass index (BMI)-for-age were calculated. Bi-directional associations between physical activity and growth indicators were evaluated using cross-lagged panels based on Generalized Estimating Equations and cross-lagged structural equation models. Physical activity was consistently associated with lower weight-related growth indicators: BMI-for-age: β=-0.12; Weight-for-age: β=-0.11; Weight-for-length/height: β=-0.12. Higher BMI-for-age indicated lower physical activity (β=-0.06). When the exposure was lagged, the association of physical activity on weight-related growth indicators remained, but weight-related growth indicators showed a negative association on physical activity. A bi-directional association between physical activity and weight-related growth indicators was observed. The magnitude of associations were stronger when physical activity was modelled as exposure. These results reinforce the importance of physical activity since early years.

Objetivo: To describe the initial baseline results of a population-based study, as well as a protocol in order to evaluate the performance of different machine learning algorithms with the objective of predicting the demand for urgent and emergency services in a representative sample of adults from the urban area of Pelotas, Southern Brazil., Methods: The study is entitled "Emergency department use and Artificial Intelligence in PELOTAS (RS) (EAI PELOTAS)" (https://wp.ufpel.edu.br/eaipelotas/). Between September and December 2021, a baseline was carried out with participants. A follow-up was planned to be conducted after 12 months in order to assess the use of urgent and emergency services in the last year. Afterwards, machine learning algorithms will be tested to predict the use of urgent and emergency services over one year., Results: In total, 5,722 participants answered the survey, mostly females (66.8%), with an average age of 50.3 years. The mean number of household people was 2.6. Most of the sample has white skin color and incomplete elementary school or less. Around 30% of the sample has obesity, 14% diabetes, and 39% hypertension., Conclusion: The present paper presented a protocol describing the steps that were and will be taken to produce a model capable of predicting the demand for urgent and emergency services in one year among residents of Pelotas, in Rio Grande do Sul state.

The aim of this review article was to evaluate the association between the intake of ultra-processed foods and sleep-related outcomes through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Pubmed, LILACS, Scielo, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science were searched on December 31, 2021, for studies that evaluated the association between ultra-processed foods and sleep-related outcomes (self-reported sleep duration and quality). Pooled odds ratios were assessed through a random-effects model; heterogeneity was evaluated using the I 2 statistic. Fifteen cross-sectional studies were included; 14 showed that the high intake of ultra-processed foods was statistically significantly associated with sleep-related outcomes (sleep duration and quality). In the crude analysis, compared with low intake, high intake of ultra-processed foods increased the odds of sleep-related outcomes, with increased odds among children and/or adolescents, and null results among adults. When adjusted for cofounders, we found statistically significant results for all ages. The high intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with sleep-related outcomes, with moderate credibility of the evidence. Longitudinal studies and clinical trials confirming these findings are necessary., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

To evaluate time evolution of receiving advice on healthy habits among Brazilians with hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Cross-sectional study with data from the 2013 and 2019 National Health Survey. We used linear regression weighted by least squares of variance to verify time evolution of the outcome estimating the annual percentage change (APC) presented according to sex, skin color, age group, and quintiles of wealth index. The analytical sample in 2013 was 11,129 individuals with hypertension and 3,182 individuals with diabetes, and in 2019 19,107 individuals with hypertension and 6,317 individuals with diabetes. For those with hypertension, there were statistically significant reductions in receiving advice for not smoking (APC: -1.49), not drinking excessive alcoholic beverages (APC: -1.48), ingesting less salt (APC: -0.56), and for all healthy habits (APC: -1.17). For those with diabetes, statistically significant reductions were observed only for not smoking (APC: -1.13) and not drinking excessive alcoholic beverages (APC: -1.11). The results suggest a reduction in all types of advice on healthy habits evaluated for hypertension and diabetes, with greater magnitude among individuals belonging to the richest quintiles.

To evaluate the relationship between the grandmother's maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) (first generation-G1), the BMI of the female members of the birth cohort of Pelotas/RS, Brazil, 1993 (second generation-G2) and the children of the cohort members (third generation-G3). a longitudinal study using data from the 1993 Pelotas/RS cohort. The maternal pre-pregnancy BMI of the mothers of the members (first generation-G1) was self-reported, and of the participants in the cohort (second generation-G2) was collected using weight and height in follow-ups prior to 22 years of age. Children from the third generation (G3) were included in this last follow-up (22 years) and anthropometric measurements were collected. The outcome was BMI-for-age z-score obtained using weight and height measures collected in every follow-up. Linear regression was performed with adjustment for possible confounding factors. The cohort's original sample consists of 5249 participants and 855 children (their first children). At 12 and 48 months, the average increase in BMI-for-age z-score of children of women with pre-pregnancy weight excess was 0.11 and 0.47 kg/m 2 , respectively, increasing to around 0.60 kg/m 2 in adolescence, reaching an average increase of 2.71 kg/m 2 in BMI at 22 years of age. The G2 pre-pregnancy weight excess was also associated with G3 BMI-for-age z-score [β = 0.43 kg/m 2 (95% CI 0.21; 0.65)]. Maternal pre-pregnancy weight excess was associated with the child's BMI-for-age z-score, in both G2 and G3, suggesting a proximal relationship, with no association between G1 and G3., (© 2022 World Obesity Federation.)

Background: The consumption of some food groups is associated with the risk of diabetes. However, there is no evidence from meta-analysis which evaluates the consumption of ultra-processed products in the risk of diabetes. This study aimed to review the literature assessing longitudinally the association between consumption of ultra-processed food and the risk of type 2 diabetes and to quantify this risk through a meta-analysis., Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis with records from PubMed, Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS), Scielo, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science. We included longitudinal studies assessing ultra-processed foods and the risk of type 2 diabetes. The review process was conducted independently by two reviewers. The Newcastle Ottawa scale assessed the quality of the studies. A meta-analysis was conducted to assess the effect of moderate and high consumption of ultra-processed food on the risk of diabetes., Results: In total 2272 records were screened, of which 18 studies, including almost 1.1 million individuals, were included in this review and 72% showed a positive association between ultra-processed foods and the risk of diabetes. According to the studies included in the meta-analysis, compared with non-consumption, moderate intake of ultra-processed food increased the risk of diabetes by 12% [relative risk (RR): 1.12; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06-1.17, I2 = 24%], whereas high intake increased risk by 31% (RR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.21-1.42, I2 = 60%)., Conclusions: The consumption of ultra-processed foods increased the risk for type 2 diabetes as dose-response effect, with moderate to high credibility of evidence., (© The Author(s) 2021; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.)

To investigate the associations of maternal excess weight before pregnancy with (1) weaning at 3 months of age, (2) duration of exclusive breast-feeding at 6 months of age, (3) duration of any breast-feeding at 12 months of age and (4) to compare the magnitude of these associations over four decades. Data were from participants in the Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohorts born in 1982 ( n 5334), 1993 ( n 1442), 2004 ( n 4092) and 2015 ( n 4102). Maternal pre-pregnancy weight was collected after the delivery and breast-feeding status was assessed when children were 3 and 12 months old. Only in the most recent cohort (2015), women with excess weight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m 2 ) before pregnancy had higher risk of discontinuing exclusive breast-feeding within the first 6 months postpartum than women with normal weight (hazard ratio = 1·22 (95 % CI 1·15, 1·30)). Duration of any type of breast-feeding until 12 months of age was not affected by pre-pregnancy weight. Excess weight before pregnancy is associated with exclusive breast-feeding only in the most recent birth cohort coinciding with increases in excess weight and breast-feeding over time.

Food consumption, when performed in an unhealthy manner, has consequences for the health of individuals, such as a higher incidence of excess weight and the exacerbation of pre-existing chronic diseases. The scope of this article was to assess summary inequalities in food consumption among the elderly population in Brazil. It involved a cross-sectional study, with data from the 2019 National Health Survey. The following outcomes were evaluated: consumption of beans, greens/vegetables, fruit, milk, meat, soda, candies and salt. The main exposure variable was education. An adjusted analysis was conducted and two indices were also used to measure inequality: the slope index (SII) and the concentration index (CIX). A total of 43,554 elderly people were investigated. It was identified that the more educated were 80% more likely to consume vegetables, fruit and milk, while the consumption of beans and meat was up to 50% lower among the less educated. The analyses of relative and absolute inequality reinforce the lower consumption of foods considered healthy among the less educated elderly individuals. The results reveal inequalities in food consumption among the elderly, with greater magnitude in food recognized as being healthy.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate inequalities in care for people with diabetes in Brazil. This cross-sectional population-based study was carried out in 2019 and evaluated care provided by receiving advice, requesting laboratory tests, and performing examinations. We used the slope index of inequality and concentration index to assess inequalities according to educational level and Poisson regression to estimate prevalence ratios for each outcome in the education category. We assessed a total of 6317 people with diabetes, 41.8% had their eyes checked, and 36.1% had their feet examined in the previous year. Prevalence for both examinations was 2.45 times higher in those from the highest level of education compared to those from the lowest level. The largest absolute differences (in percentage points) between the lowest and highest education levels in care indicators were the following: request for glycated hemoglobin test (39.0), glucose curve test (31.4), and eyes checked in the previous year (29.7). There were notable inequalities in the prevalence ratios of care provided to people with diabetes in Brazil. Requests for glycated hemoglobin tests, glucose curve tests, eye and feet examinations should be emphasized, especially for people from lower educational levels., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Aims: Blueberry and cranberry are rich in polyphenols that are associated with diabetes reduction. This study aimed: 1) to systematically review the literature on the effects of blueberry and cranberry consumption and type 2 diabetes parameters in individuals with or without type 2 diabetes and 2) to quantify these effects by carrying out a meta-analysis., Data Synthesis: A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed using articles present in seven databases (PubMed, LILACS, Scielo, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Embase), including publications until May 2021. We included randomized clinical trials that compared blueberry or cranberry effects on type 2 diabetes parameters, such as fasting blood glucose, insulin resistance, and glycated hemoglobin. Quality of the studies was performed using the Cochrane scale, while the Egger test assessed the publication bias and meta-regression the estimated effect sizes with potential moderator variables. From the 2034 studies identified, 39 were read in full and 22 were included in meta-analysis. In individuals with diabetes, the consumption of blueberry or cranberry significantly reduced fasting blood glucose [MD: -17.72 mg/dl; 95% CI: -29.62, -5.82; p = 0.03; I2 = 57%] and glycated hemoglobin [MD: -0.32%; 95% CI: -0.57, -0.07; p = 0.15; I2 = 39%], whereas for insulin resistance the effects were null. Results were not significant for the general population, except in the sensitivity analysis for fasting blood glucose., Conclusions: The consumption of blueberry and cranberry significantly reduced fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels in individuals with diabetes, with high credibility of the evidence., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 The Italian Diabetes Society, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of delay in the three doses of quadrivalent vaccine (DTP+Hib) in children 12 to 23 months of age in Brazil, based on data from the Brazilian National Health Survey (PNS) of 2013 and to analyze the delay in each of the doses according to sociodemographic variables and use of health services and public health interventions. The data are from the PNS a cross-sectional study performed in 2013. The outcome was delay in at least one of the three doses of the quadrivalent vaccine. Delay was defined as a dose received at least 30 days after the recommended date according to information on the child's vaccination card. Prevalence of delay was analyzed according to sociodemographic variables and use of health services. A descriptive analysis was performed to obtain absolute and relative frequencies and their respective 95% confidence intervals. Of the 2,016 children with information collected, 1,843 were analyzed. The prevalence of delay in at least one dose of the vaccine was 44%. There was a delay of 14.8% in the first dose, 28.8% in the second, and 45.4% in the third, and 10% of the children had delays in all three doses. Higher prevalence of delay was associated with male gender, brown skin color, the poorest income quintile, and residence in rural areas and the North of Brazil. The study revealed high prevalence of delay with the quadrivalent vaccine (DTP+Hib) in children 12 to 23 months of age in Brazil, with the highest delay in the third dose.

Objective: The aims of this study were: 1) to estimate the prevalence of multimorbidity in 2013 and 2019 in adults aged 20-59 years; 2) to assess inequalities in the prevalence of multimorbidity in 2013 and 2019 according to educational level., Methods: Data from two cross-sectional surveys from the Brazilian National Health Survey in 2013 and 2019 were used. Multimorbidity was assessed from 14 lifetime self-reported morbidities (except back problems) and defined using the cutoff point of ≥2 diseases. The prevalence of multimorbidity and individual morbidities were described according to gender, age, skin color, and education. For education, crude, and relative inequalities in prevalence of multimorbidity were calculated using the Slope Index of Inequality and the Concentration Index, respectively., Results: The prevalence of multimorbidity increased from 18.7% (95%CI 18.0-19.3) in 2013 to 22.3% (95%CI 21.7-22.9) in 2019, being higher among women and adults between 30-59 years in both periods. Asthma/bronchitis, depression, and back problems were the conditions that increased the most in the study period. Absolute and relative inequalities by education status were observed in the study period, with worse multimorbidity profiles among the less educated., Conclusion: The prevalence of multimorbidity increased between 2013 and 2019. Inequalities in the prevalence of multimorbidity were observed according to educational level.

This article aims to describe the reasons for sport participation in the Brazilian adult population according to gender, age and schooling level. This is a cross-sectional study with data from a National Household Sample Survey - 2015. The reasons to practice or not practice sports in the previous year were obtained by questionnaire with predetermined answer options. All analyses were performed in Stata 12.1 and stratified by gender. The prevalence of sports participation for men and women were 31.7% and 16.9%, respectively. The most frequent reasons for sports participation among men were: having fun, quality of life and performance. Among women, the most frequent reasons were: quality of life, performance and medical recommendation. Regarding reasons for not practicing sports, the most reported ones were: lack of time (38.8% for men and 37.8% for women), not enjoying (34.8% for men and 35.3% for women) and health problem (20.3% for men and 17.9% for women). The study findings showed the most frequent reasons for sport participation in Brazil. Understanding these reasons and how they affect different age ranges and educational levels may contribute to improve strategic planning to promote sports in middle-income countries.

The scope of this study was to characterize the prevalence of violent behaviors such as aggression, robbery and carrying a weapon, according to sociodemographic and lifestyle variables such as physical inactivity, use of illicit drugs, harmful alcohol consumption, smoking habits and unhealthy food consumption among university students. A cross-sectional, census-type study was carried out with students aged 18 years or older, in face-to-face classrooms at a public higher education institution in southern Brazil. In the data analysis Poisson regression was used to calculate Prevalence Ratios (PR) with adjustment based on a hierarchical conceptual model. The prevalence of one or more violent behaviors was 15.1%. After adjustment, the prevalence was significantly greater for males [PR=1.40 (95%CI 1.10; 1.77), p=0.01]. Violence was associated with higher levels of physical activity, use of illicit drugs and harmful consumption of alcohol. The findings show the sociodemographic profile of students who perpetrate violent behaviors, and can be useful for planning health promotion interventions aimed at preventing modifiable risk factors associated with violent behavior in this population.

Background: The aims were to compare: (1) baseline weights and weight gain trajectories; (2) sociodemographic, behavioural and health characteristics driving weight gain; and (3) estimated average weight in 20 years' time, in two cohorts of young women., Methods: Data were from 16066 participants in two population-based cohorts of young adult women, born in 1973-78 ("GenX") and 1989-95 ("millennials"). Weight was reported at baseline (age 18-23 in both cohorts) and 4 years later. High weight gain was defined as >2.5% per year. Data were analysed in 2020., Results: Women born in 1989-95 were almost 4 kg heavier at age 18-23 and gained weight over 4 years 1.7 times faster than those born in 1973-78. Prevalence of high weight gain was 34.2% in the 1989-95 cohort and 24% in the 1973-78 cohort. In both cohorts, older age, higher education and high physical activity were associated with lower odds of high weight gain, and more hours in paid work, poorer self-rated health and higher baseline BMI were associated with higher odds of high weight gain. Five factors (outer regional areas, one child, ex or current smoker, high stress and depression) were determinants of high weight gain in the 1989-95 cohort, but not in the 1973-78 cohort. Based on average weight at age 21 and annual percentage weight gain, we estimate that women born in 1989-95 will, on average, be 16.7 kg heavier at age 41 (93.2 kg), than women in the 1973-78 cohort (76.5 kg)., Conclusion: High weight gain was evident in every sociodemographic group in both cohorts but most evident in millennial women with high levels of stress and depression. Without effective weight gain prevention strategies we estimate that more than 50% of the millennial women will be in the obese BMI category in 20 years. This will have serious economic, health and societal consequences.

Background: An increase in body mass index (BMI) is strongly associated with the occurrence of multimorbidity, and overweight and obesity are contributing factors for the increase in morbidities. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of multimorbidity and associated factors in Brazilian adults with and without overweight or obesity., Methods: This was a cross-sectional population-based study with data from the National Health Survey (2013) including individuals aged 18 years or older. Multimorbidity was defined as having ≥2 diseases from the list of 15 morbidities on the self-reported questionnaire (self-reported medical diagnosis in life). BMI was categorized as: ≤24.9 kg/m 2 (low weight and eutrophy), 25.0-29.9 kg/m 2 (overweight), and ≥30.0 kg/m 2 (obesity). Sex, age, and schooling were the covariates. Poisson regression was used for crude and adjusted analyses for the variables representing access to health services estimating the prevalence ratio (PR) and 95% confidence interval (CI)., Results: The total sample consisted of 59,402 individuals. The prevalence of multimorbidity was 25% overall and was higher among overweight (25.8%) and obese (32.5%) individuals. Obese women 60 years or older had a higher occurrence of multimorbidity (80%). In the adjusted analysis, a lower prevalence of multimorbidity was observed among those with higher educational levels in all BMI classifications: low weight/eutrophy, PR=0.66 (95% CI, 0.58-0.75); overweight, PR=0.62 (95% CI, 0.56-0.70); and obesity, PR=0.75 (95% CI, 0.67-0.85)., Conclusion: A higher prevalence of multimorbidity was found among obese women who were 60 years of age or older. Schooling was an associated factor regardless of BMI.

This article aims to evaluate the coverage and inequalities in prenatal assistance. Data from the Brazilian National Health Survey cross-sectional study in 2013. Prenatal assistance assessed through indicators: counseling, guidance received, procedures, and exams performed during the pregnancy. An asset index constructed, the Slope Index of Inequality (SII) and Concentration Index (CIX) were used to measure. About 90% received counseling on healthy eating, not smoking and drinking, 80% not to use dye/hair straightening, and all the advice. Approximately 70% received guidance on delivery and signs of risk and 83.4% for breastfeeding and 60% all the guidelines. About 80% had the measure of pressure and weight checked, the measure of the abdomen and the auscultation of the heart of the baby, only 36.7% had their breasts examined e 33.4% all procedures performed. More than 90% held for HIV and urine and 77.9% for syphilis, 81.4% of women have carried out all the exams and 21.7% all the indicators. No significant absolute differences (SII) found. CIX evidenced in counseling for healthy eating and guidance for breastfeeding. There were no marked inequalities in prenatal assistance.

The scope of this paper was to identify patterns of food consumption and associated factors among children under two years of age in Brazil. It involved a cross-sectional, population-based study using data from the National Health Survey conducted in 2013. Food consumption was measured by dichotomous questions, listing the food ingested solely on the day prior to the interview. The patterns were identified through principal component analysis. Poisson regression was used to obtain a crude and adjusted prevalence ratio. The sample design effect was considered in the analyses that were stratified according to age. Among the 5,052 children, three patterns were identified, being defined as: a "healthy food consumption pattern," a "milk consumption pattern" and an "unhealthy food consumption pattern." There was an association between the patterns in each age group, mainly related to skin color, gender, schooling of the head of the family, area of residence and region. A quarter of the children from 12 to 23 months consumed soft drinks, more than a third drank artificial juices and almost half ate candies the day before the interview. Three dietary patterns were identified, besides observing early food ingestion among children under six months of age.

The study's objectives were to describe the prevalence of gestational weight gain and weight retention at 3 and 12 months postpartum and to identify possible socioeconomic inequalities in adequate gestational weight gain. A longitudinal study was performed with data from the 2015 Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, birth cohort. Gestational weight gain was classified according to the US Institute of Medicine guidelines. Weight retention at 3 and 12 months was calculated according to the mother's weight at each period, subtracting pregestational weight. To identify possible inequalities, the study used Slope Index (SII) and Concentration Index (CIX). The sample included mothers with information on the study's outcome (n = 4,102). Prevalence of adequate gestational weight gain was 33.5% (95% confidence interval - 95%CI: 32.1; 35.0). Slight inequalities were observed in the prevalence of adequate weight gain in mothers with less schooling [CIX = 1.88 (95%CI: -0.76; 4.52); SII = 4.27 (95%CI: -0.87; 9.41)] and in mothers belonging to the poorest income quintile- 1st quintile- [CIX = 1.04 (95%CI: -1.60; 3.67); SII = 2.93 (95%CI: -2.06; 7.92)], but these differences were not statistically significant. Mean postpartum weight gain was 2.3kg (standard deviation - SD = 6.4) and 1.4kg (SD = 8.8) at 3 and 12 months, respectively. One-third of the women showed adequate weight gain. The observed inequalities in prevalence of adequate gestational weight gain in women with less schooling and in the poorest income quintile were not statistically significant.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the validity of a portable anthropometer against the gold standard among 2-year-old infants from the 2015 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort., Design: Birth cohort study., Setting: A fixed Harpenden® infant anthropometer was considered as the gold standard for measuring infant length due to its greater precision and stability. The portable SANNY® (model ES2000) anthropometer was the instrument to be validated. The acceptable mean difference in length between the anthropometers was 0·5 cm. In order to compare length estimates, the interviewers carried out two length measures for each of the anthropometers (fixed and portable) and for each child. The mean of the two lengths was calculated for each anthropometer, and their difference was calculated., Participants: A subsample of 252 24-month-old members of the 2015 Pelotas (Brazil) birth cohort study., Results: Children's mean age was 23·5 months. According to Bland-Altman plot, there were no differences in overall lengths between the portable and the fixed anthropometers, or in lengths according to sex. There was a high overall concordance between the length estimates of the fixed and portable anthropometers (ρ = 0·94; 95 % CI 0·92, 0·95)., Conclusions: The portable anthropometer proved to be accurate to measure the length of 24-month-old infants, being applicable to studies using the same standardised protocol used in the present study.

This cross-sectional study sought to assess the effect of demographic and socioeconomic factors, chronic diseases, and health counseling on dietary patterns of the elderly. Food consumption was assessed by means of a reduced eating frequency questionnaire distributed to 1,426 elderly residents in Pelotas, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and dietary patterns were obtained using main component analysis. Two dietary patterns were identified: healthy diet (wholegrain food, fruits, vegetables, and milk) and Western diet (sweet snacks, fried foods, frozen foods, processed meats, and fast food). Females, non-smokers, and alcohol-free individuals tended more toward the healthy diet, whereas males, smokers, alcohol-dependent, and overweight individuals tended more toward the Western diet. Higher income and schooling were associated with a higher tendency toward both diets, and chronic diseases were not associated with either diet. Receiving counseling for adopting healthy habits was associated with a higher tendency toward a healthy diet and a lower tendency toward the Western diet. There is a need to increase effective guidance on healthy habits by health services to promote healthier eating practices, with special attention to elderly males, smokers, alcohol-dependent and overweight individuals.

Aim: To verify the prevalence of recommendation of iron supplementation among children aged 12 and 24 months., Methodology: All children born in the maternities of Pelotas/RS in 2015 were eligible for the Cohort. The outcomes were the recommendation of ferrous sulphate by health professionals and its use., Results: The cohort followed up 4,275 children. Approximately 64.0% of them were recommended to receive iron supplementation until 12 months of age. Among these, 68.8% used iron. From 12 to 24 months, 39.4% of the children received a prescription of iron supplementation, and among them, 26.2% actually used it. At 12 months, after adjusted analysis, higher maternal education, higher family income, lower parity, and low birth weight remained associated with the outcome. At 24 months, after adjusted analysis, we observed a higher recommendation of iron supplementation among mother with lower parity and for children with low birth weight., Conclusion: There was a low frequency of recommendation and low rate of use of iron among children. These findings are highly relevant given the high prevalence of anemia observed in children this year. The low recommendation of iron use among children up to 24 months of age, and the low use among those who are recommended to use it reflect the need for coordinated actions among health professionals and the expansion of knowledge among mothers to enable a wider reach of this important public policy.

This study aims to describe the prevalence of sleep disturbances and daytime fatigue and their association with socio-demographic and behavioral factors. Data from the Brazilian National Health Survey conducted in 2013 with 60,202 adults (≥ 18 years old) were used. The outcomes evaluated were self-reported sleep disturbances and daytime fatigue in the last two weeks. Sleep disturbance was defined as the presence of difficulty to fall asleep, frequently waking up during the night or sleeping more than usual; daytime fatigue was defined as the presence of not feeling rested and motivated during the day, feeling tired and lacking energy. Sociodemographic, lifestyle and chronic health aspects were explored as exposures for both outcomes. Prevalence of sleep disturbances and daytime fatigue were 14.9% (14.4-15.4) and 11.9% (11.4-12.3), respectively. Both outcomes were more common in women, older people, people with no formal education, smokers and among physically inactive individuals. The association with education was inverse (the highest the level of education the lower the prevalence ratio - PR - of sleep disturbances and daytime fatigue; adjusted p-value for trend < 0.001). Prevalence of sleep disturbances combined with daytime fatigue was 6.7% (6.4-7.1) and was about 6 times higher among those with three or more chronic health disturbances (PR = 6.2; 95%CI: 5.3-7.2). Strategies to decrease the prevalence of sleep disturbances and daytime fatigue should be encouraged and focused on chronically ill individuals that share other modifiable risk factors.

Lower socioeconomic level is positively related to multimorbidity and it is possible that the clustering of health conditions carries the same association. The aim of this study was to identify prevalence of multimorbidity and clusters of health conditions among elderly, as well the underlying socioeconomic inequalities. This was a cross-sectional population-based study carried out with 60-year-old individuals. Multimorbidity was defined as the presence of 2+, 3+, 4+ or 5+ health conditions in the same individual. Schooling levels and the National Economic Index were used to investigate inequalities in the prevalence of multimorbidities among elderly. Slope and concentration indexes of inequality were used to evaluate absolute and relative differences. A factorial analysis was performed to identify disease clusters. In every ten older adults, about nine, eight, seven and six presented, respectvely, 2+, 3+, 4+ and 5+ health conditions. Three clusters of health conditions were found, involving musculoskeletal/mental/functional disorders, cardiometabolic, and respiratory factors. Higher inequalities were found the higher amount of health conditions (5+), when considering economic level, and for 3+, 4+ and 5+, when considering educational level. These findings show high multimorbidity prevalence among elderly, highlighting the persistence of health inequalities in Southern Brazil. Strategies by the health services need to focus on elderly at lower socioeconomic levels.

Aim: To evaluate the relationship between leisure-time activities at 11 years old and the incidence of school failures from 11 to 15 years in adolescents., Methods: The sample comprised 4,090 adolescents from the 1993 Pelotas Birth Cohort, Brazil. The outcome was measured as the number of school failures from 11 to 15 years, based on reported information from cohort participants and their parents. The exposures were collected at 11 years old, as follows: reading; meeting friends; talking to parents; and dating., Results: In the group from 11 to 15 years old, 53.3% failed at school at least once. Meeting friends 4-7 times/week (RR = 1.15) and dating 1-3 times/week (RR = 1.22) were associated with high risk for school failure. Reading showed an inverse relationship with school failures (1-3 times/week RR = 0.83; 4-7 times/week RR = 0.71). Reading at least once a week could prevent around 16% of school failures., Conclusion: The context in which adolescents are inserted plays a relevant role in school performance. Understanding these factors may help to propose actions to reduce school failure rates even further., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Objective: to analyze the Family Health Strategy (FHS) coverage time trend in Brazil, its Regions and Federative Units (FUs) in 2006-2016., Methods: this was an ecological study with time series analysis of Ministry of Health Primary Care Department data; Prais-Winsten regression was used., Results: FHS coverage in Brazil in 2006 and 2016 was 45.3% and 64.0%, respectively, with an increasing trend of coverage (annual variation = 8.4%: 95%CI 7.4;9.3); all five regions showed an increasing trend in coverage, as did the majority of FUs, with the exception of Roraima, Amapá, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte and Paraíba, which showed stability; in 2016, 14 FUs had coverage of between 75 and 100%, and 11 had coverage of between 50 and 74,9%; coverage in São Paulo and Federal District was below 50%., Conclusion: although, overall, FHS coverage increased, 13 FUs presented coverages below 75% in 2016; therefore, more efforts are needed to universalize coverage.

Objective: To measure the prevalence of various care services offered to the elderly with diabetes mellitus in Brazil, and to assess the social inequalities in these services., Methods: This cross-sectional, population-based study was carried out in 2013. The care services offered were evaluated in terms of the following eight indicators: recommendations to lower carbohydrates, to measure blood glucose, and to examine the feet; requests made for blood tests, for glycated hemoglobin tests, and for glycemic curve tests; and whether service users had had their eyes or feet examined in the previous year. We used the slope index of inequality and the concentration index to assess the inequalities among wealth quintiles., Results: A total of 1 685 elderly persons with diabetes were evaluated. Overall, 41.7% of them had had their eyes examined in the preceding year, 35.4% had had their feet examined in the preceding year, and 10.9% had been offered all eight of the care services. The largest absolute differences (in percentage points) between the first (poorest) and fifth (richest) wealth quintiles in terms of the care services that were offered to the users were for: a recommendation to measure blood glucose (25.8), a glycated hemoglobin test request (27.4), a glycemic curve test request (31.9), having the eyes examined in the preceding year (29.3), and having the feet examined in the preceding year (27.0)., Conclusion: There were notable inequalities in the prevalences of the care services. In the future, measurement of blood glucose and examination of the feet should be emphasized, especially for elderly persons in a lower socioeconomic level., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest. None declared.

Recent studies have identified a relationship between maternal body mass index during prepregnancy (BMI) and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), which is less common among mothers with higher BMI. The purpose of this literature review is to provide a pooled effect for the association between maternal excess weight during prepregnancy and cessation of exclusive breastfeeding. A systematic review was performed using articles present in six databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web off Science, Science direct, CINAHL and LILACS) published till February 2017. Studies investigating the association between excess maternal weight during prepregnancy and cessation of exclusive breastfeeding were included in the review. A meta-analysis using random effects to obtain a pooled effect of the studied association was conducted only with studies reporting odds ratio (OR) or available data for the calculation. Univariate meta-regression was performed to evaluate possible sources of heterogeneity. Egger's tests were also performed to verify possible publication bias. From the 6889 studies identified, 102 were read in full and 17 were included in the meta-analysis, providing 28 estimates for the association. Overall, a positive association was observed between maternal excess weight during prepregnancy and cessation of exclusive breastfeeding (ES: 1.60 (95% CI: 1.47, 1.74), I 2 : 93.2%). According to the used independent variables, no sources of heterogeneity were identified between studies Bias in publication was found. Maternal excess weight during prepregnancy was associated with cessation of exclusive breastfeeding. A standardized measure for exclusive breastfeeding is still needed for estimating its duration, in addition to further studies in developing countries to understand what could explain the heterogeneity of the findings.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between sedentary behavior and consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) among Brazilian adolescents. The study used data from the 2015 edition of the Brazilian National School Health Survey (PeNSE). Daily consumption of at least one group of UPF was the outcome, and the principal exposure was daily time spent in sedentary behavior (hours spent sitting, except for time sitting at school). We calculated prevalence rates, prevalence ratios, and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). The analyses were adjusted for gender, age, skin color, maternal schooling, household assets index, major geographic region, and school's administrative jurisdiction (public versus private). Forty percent of the schoolchildren reported daily consumption of at least one group of UPF (39.7%; 95%CI: 39.2-40.3), while 68.1% (95%CI: 67.7-68.7) reported > 2 hours/day of sedentary behavior. Among schoolchildren with sedentary behavior > 2 hours/day, prevalence of daily consumption of UPF was 42.8% (95%CI: 42.1-43.6%), higher than among those without sedentary behavior (29.8%; 95%CI: 29.0-30.5%). Longer time spent in sedentary behavior was associated with higher prevalence of consumption of UPF (p-value for linear trend < 0.001). Strategies to promote healthy eating and decrease sedentary behavior, as well as regulation of advertising for UPF, are necessary to prevent unhealthy lifestyles from persisting into adulthood.

Objective: to analyze the association between counseling by health care professionals and healthy behaviors among the elderly., Methods: population-based, cross-sectional study with elderly individuals (≥60 years) interviewed in 2014; Poisson regression was used to estimate crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) of associations between counseling by health professionals on the reduction of salt, sugar and fat and on the practice of physical activity during the year previous to the interview and healthy behaviors., Results: 1,281 elderly individuals were interviewed; after adjustments, the elderly who mentioned receiving counseling by health professionals reported reduction in the intake of salt (PR 1.64; 95%CI 1.41;1.91), sugar and sweets (PR 1.21; 95%CI 1.08;1.36) and greater practice of physical activity (PR 1.21; 95%CI 1.06;1.39), when compared to the elderly who had not received any counseling., Conclusion: the counseling carried out by health professionals seems to favor the practice of healthy habits among elderly individuals.

The objective was to assess the prevalence of maternal breastfeeding and associated factors in Brazilian children under two years of age. This was a cross-sectional nationwide study in 2013. The outcomes were breastfeeding in children under 24 months and exclusive breastfeeding under six months of age. A hierarchical analysis was performed for associated factors. The analyses were stratified by age (0-5 months and 29 days; 6-11 months and 29 days; 12-23 months and 29 days of age). Prevalence of maternal breastfeeding was 56% for the total sample, and as follows according to age: 80% (0-5 months and 29 days), 62.3% (6-11 months and 29 days), and 40.1% (12-23 months and 29 days). In the adjusted analyses, in all the age brackets, higher prevalence of breastfeeding was associated with consumption of fewer milk products. In children from 6 months to 11 months and 29 days, living in the North of Brazil, black skin color, and the lowest quintile of household assets were associated with higher breastfeeding prevalence. In children from 12 months to 23 months and 29 days of age, higher breastfeeding prevalence was associated with black skin color, consumption of healthy liquids and foods, living in urban areas, head-of-household's higher educational level, and more household assets. Overall prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was 20.6% and was higher in the South, in families with head-of-household's higher educational level, and more household assets. The prevalence rates for breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding of Brazilian children under two years can be considered low. Existing policies to increase the prevalence rates of maternal breastfeeding at any age should be reinforced.

This study aimed to assess the attention paid by health professionals to elderly individuals with hypertension and related inequalities in Brazil, using level of schooling as the socioeconomic indicator. This was a cross-sectional study with data from the Brazilian National Health Survey, 2013. Attention was assessed according to the following indicators: recommendations for healthy eating, maintaining adequate weight, less salt, regular exercise, prevention of smoking and excessive drinking, and regular medical checkups with blood and urine tests, ECG, and stress test. The recommendations to consume less salt (91%), healthy diet (88%), and regular medical checkups (88%) were the most common. Elderly with complete university degrees showed the highest prevalence rates for recommendations to maintain a healthy diet (PR = 1.12), adequate weight (PR = 1.21), regular exercise (PR = 1.29), regular medical checkups (PR = 1.11), and stress test (PR = 2.26) and all the indicators combined (PR = 2.14) when compared to elderly without schooling. The attention paid to the elderly by health professionals is suboptimal throughout the country. In addition, inequalities in attention to the elderly's needs still persist. Given the growth in the elderly population and chronic non-communicable diseases, efforts are needed to improve the quality of their care and mitigate the related inequalities.

Objective: to analyze the simultaneity of two groups of risk behaviors for sexually transmitted infections in Brazilian adolescents., Methods: cross-sectional study with data from the National Adolescent School-based Health Survey 2012; the outcomes were (1) simultaneous consumption of alcohol, tobacco and drugs (at least two), and (2) no use of condom and having two or more sexual partners., Results: simultaneity of consumption of alcohol, tobacco and drugs was present in 14.7% of the boys and 21.5% of the girls, and was more prevalent among white individuals, with more educated mothers, and who did not live with their parents; approximately 12.0% of the adolescents presented simultaneity of no use of condom and having two or more sexual partners; this was more common among younger boys, not white (PR=1.22; 95%CI 1.10;1.36), and who did not live with their parents (PR=1.78; 95%CI 1.48;2.16), whilst among girls, this outcome was associated with higher age., Conclusion: both outcomes were associated with different characteristics, depending on the sex of the adolescent.

Objectives: The study aims to evaluate the magnitude of multimorbidity in Brazilian adults, as well to measure their association with individual and contextual factors stratified by Brazilian states and regions., Methods: A national-based cross-sectional study was carried out in 2013 with Brazilian adults. Multimorbidity was evaluated by a list of 22 physical and mental morbidities (based on self-reported medical diagnosis and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for depression). The outcome was analysed taking ≥2 and ≥3 diseases as cut-off points. Factor analysis (FA) was used to identify disease patterns and multilevel models were used to test association with individual and contextual variables., Results: The sample comprised 60 202 individuals. Multimorbidity frequency was 22.2% (95% CI 21.5 to 22.9) for ≥2 morbidities and 10.2% (95% CI 9.7 to 10.7) for ≥3 morbidities. In the multilevel adjusted models, females, older people, those living with a partner and having less schooling presented more multiple diseases. No linear association was found according to wealth index but greater outcome frequency was found in individuals with midrange wealth index. Living in states with higher levels of education and wealthier states was associated with greater multimorbidity. Two patterns of morbidities (cardiometabolic problems and respiratory/mental/muscle-skeletal disorders) explained 92% of total variance. The relationship of disease patterns with individual and contextual variables was similar to the overall multimorbidity, with differences among Brazilian regions., Conclusions: In Brazil, at least 19 million adults had multimorbidity. Frequency is similar to that found in other Low and and Middle Income Countries. Contextual and individual social inequalities were observed., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)

Objective: To review literature and provide a pooled effect for the association between multimorbidity and mortality in older adults., Methods: A systematic review was performed of articles held on the PUBMED database published up until January 2015. Studies which used different diseases and other conditions to define frailty, evaluated multimorbidity related only to mental health or which presented disease homogeneity were not included. A meta-analysis using random effect to obtain a pooled effect of multimorbidity on mortality in older adults was conducted only with studies which reported hazard ratio (HR). Stratified analysis and univariate meta-regression were performed to evaluate sources of heterogeneity., Results: Out of 5806 identified articles, 26 were included in meta-analysis. Overall, positive association between multimorbidity and mortality [HR: 1.44 (95%CI: 1.34; 1.55)] was detected. The number of morbidities was positively related to risk of death [HR: 1.20 (95%CI: 1.10; 1.30)]. Compared to individuals without multimorbidity, the risk of death was 1.73 (95%CI: 1.41; 2.13) and 2.72 (95%CI: 1.81; 4.08) for people with 2 or more and 3 or more morbidities, respectively. Heterogeneity between studies was high (96.5%). The sample, adjustment and follow-up modified the associations. Only nine estimates performed adjustment which included demographic, socioeconomic and behaviour variables. Disabilities appear to mediate the effect of multimorbidity on mortality., Conclusions: Multimorbidity was associated with an increase in risk of death. Multimorbidity measurement standardization is needed to produce more comparable estimates. Adjusted analysis which includes potential confounders might contribute to better understanding of causal relationships between multimorbidity and mortality., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: to analyze the time trend on the demand and lack of access to public health services in Brazil., Methods: this is a panel of cross-sectional studies with data of the National Household Sample Survey (1998, 2003, 2008) and the National Health Survey (2013); the prevalence of demand and lack of access within the fifteen days prior to the survey was estimated; Poisson regression was used for trend analysis., Results: the demand for health services increased from 13.0% (95%CI 12.3;13.7), in 1998, to 15.0% (95%CI 14.5;15.4), in 2013; the lack of access remained stable, being of 3.7% (95%CI 3.2;4.2) in 1998 and 4.5% (95%CI 4.0;5.0) in 2013., Conclusions: the increase in demand for health services and the stability in the lack of access indicate improvements in the Brazilian public health system performance; additional efforts are required to ensure universal access to public health services in Brazil.

Objective: to analyze dengue incidence trend in Brazil from 2002 to 2012., Methods: this was an ecological study with data of the Information System for Notifiable Diseases (Sinan); the incidence rate was calculated by age groups, states and macroregions, through Prais-Winsten regression., Results: dengue incidence rates in Brazil, in 2002 and 2012, were of 401.6 and 301.5 per 100,000 inhabitants, respectively; annual increment rates were stable (21.4%; 95%CI -19.8;83.7) in most of the states, except for Alagoas (38.9%; 95%CI 5.1;83.5) and Tocantins (50.4%; 95%CI 12.6;100.7); the North Region was the only region to present increase trend in the incidence of dengue., Conclusion: although rates have remained stable in most of the states, they are still high in Brazil; broader public policies focusing on new dengue control strategies are necessary.

Objective: To describe the prevalence of guidance on healthy habits received from health professionals by elderly and its relation to socioeconomic demographic, behavioral and health indicators, and the type of services., Methods: Cross sectional population based study including individuals aged 60 years or more in the urban area of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Seven guidance on healthy habits were evaluated: weight control, reduction in salt, sugar and fat intake, physical activity practice, not smoking and not drinking alcohol., Results: Among the 1,451 elderly interviewed, 1,281 (88.3%) consulted in the last year. The orientations more refereed were to fat (61.7%) and salt (61.5%) intake reduction and physical activity (58.2%). Elderly who consulted three times or more and in services financed by the Unified Health System received more guidance. Those elderly from the socioeconomic classes A/B were more likely to receive guidance for weight control (RP = 1.27; 95%CI 1.06 - 1.70) and physical activity (RP = 1.34; 95%CI 1.06 - 1.69)., Conclusion: The orientation from health professionals were uncommon and, in some cases, unfocused.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the participation of the coagulation system in the differential diagnosis of pleural effusions., Introduction: Imbalance between immunologic and metabolic factors triggers a sequence of events resulting in pleural reactions and accumulation of fluid. The coagulation system, which is fundamental for the maintenance of homeostasis, contributes to the inflammatory process responsible for pleural effusions, and participates in cellular proliferation and migration as well as in the synthesis of inflammatory mediators., Methods: We evaluated the laboratory profile of coagulation and fibrinolysis in 54 pleural fluids (15 transudates and 39 exudates)., Results: The coagulation system acts according to the pathophysiologic mechanisms involved in the development of pleural effusions. In inflammatory effusions (exudates), there is activation of coagulation with increased levels of fragment 1+2 and thrombin-antithrombin complex in addition to reduction of fibrinogen levels due to fibrinolysis and fibrin tissue incorporation. As a consequence, there is activation of the fibrinolytic system with increased levels of fibrin degradation products, including the D-dimer. These changes are not sufficient for differentiation of different subgroups of exudates. In transudates, these events were observed to a lesser degree., Conclusion: The coagulation system plays an important role in the development of pleural diseases. Coagulation tests show differences between transudates and exudates but not among exudate subgroups. Understanding the physiopathological mechanisms of pleural disorders may help to define new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.