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OBJETIVO: Descrever a metodologia de avaliação da atividade física habitual, utilizanda em uma pesquisa em população masculina, por meio de um questionário já validado. MÉTODOS: O questionário de atividade física habitual de Baecke, traduzido para a língua portuguesa e, a seguir, foi realizado o back translation. Em sua versão final o questionário foi aplicado em estudo epidemiológico transversal, realizado com 326 homens com idade igual ou superior a 50 anos. A consistência interna entre as questões foi analisada pelo a de Cronbach e foram calculados os coeficientes de correlação de Spearman entre os escores de atividade física habitual, bem como os coeficientes de correlação parcial, ajustados por idade, índice de massa corporal e escolaridade. RESULTADOS: A consistência interna mostrou-se satisfatória nas magnitudes de atividade física ocupacional e exercícios físicos no lazer. Foram obtidas correlações significativas entre todos os escores de atividades físicas com o escore total de atividade física habitual, independente da idade, escolaridade e índice de massa corporal. CONCLUSÕES: O questionário Baecke mostrou-se um instrumento prático para avaliar a atividade física habitual, aliando rapidez na aplicabilidade e facilidade no entendimento para as respostas, sendo indicado para estudos epidemiológicos no Brasil.

Background. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between habitual physical activity (HPA) during life and bone mineral density (BMD) in men aged 50 years and older. Methods. A total of 326 men aged 50 years and older, volunteers living in Sao Paulo city, Brazil, were studied. BMD was measured in the whole body, femoral neck, Ward's triangle, trochanter, and lumbar spine (L2-L4) with a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometer. The HPA data were collected with questionnaires inquiring about physical exercise and occupational physical activity in the past and during the past 12 months and leisure and locomotor physical activity in the preceding 12 months. The relationship between BMD and HPA was analyzed using multiple linear regression models adjusted for age and body mass index (BMI). Results. Practice of physical exercise in the past 10-20 years and leisure and locomotor physical activity in the preceding 12 months showed a significant positive correlation with BMD of whole body, femoral neck, trochanter, and lumbar spine, and this association was independent of age and BMI. Conclusions. HPA can contribute to preserving BMD in men aged 50 years and older in Brazil, when it is practiced in the past 10-20 years and even in the present.

The role of expectancies regarding negative mood regulation in improving the mood states of undergraduate students when they experience both negative and positive life events was investigated. In Study 1, a Japanese language scale for measuring expectancies for negative mood regulation (NMR scale) was developed. In Study 2, undergraduates (n = 95) completed the NMR scale twice within an interval of five-weeks. They also completed a self-rating depression scale and a scale of life events in interpersonal and achievement domains. The results indicated that participants with high NMR scores did not experience depression when they faced negative events, if they concurrently experienced positive life events. These results suggest that expectancies for negative mood regulation alleviate the negative mood states by using a mood regulation strategy moderated by positive life events, and predict the level of depression.

Objective: To describe the methodology for evaluating habitual physical activity that was adopted for a survey among the male population utilizing a questionnaire validated earlier., Methods: The Baecke questionnaire on habitual physical activity was translated into Portuguese and then back-translated into English by two anglophone teachers. The final version of the questionnaire was applied in a cross-sectional epidemiological study done on 326 men aged 50 years or over. The internal consistency among the questions was evaluated using the Cronbach a statistic. The Spearman correlation coefficients between the habitual physical activity scores were calculated. Partial correlation coefficients with adjustments for age, body mass index and schooling were also calculated., Results: There was satisfactory internal consistency in relation to the magnitudes of occupational physical activity and leisure-time physical exercises. Significant correlation was obtained between all the physical activity scores and the total habitual physical activity score, independent of age, body mass index and schooling., Conclusions: The Baecke questionnaire was found to be a practical instrument for assessing habitual physical activity that is quickly applied and easily understood, and it is recommended for epidemiological studies in Brazil.