RESUMO OBJETIVO: Correlacionar diferentes métodos para avaliação de composição corporal em escolares diagnosticados com sobrepeso e obesos com o uso como referência da diluição de óxido de deutério (D2O). MÉTODOS: O percentual de água corporal total (%ACT), massa livre de gordura (%MLG) e gordura corporal (%GC) foi obtido pelo D2O e pela bioimpedância elétrica tetrapolar (BIA), em 54 estudantes com sobrepeso e obesos, entre seis-nove anos. O método das dobras cutâneas (DC) com o uso de triciptal e panturrilha, índice de massa corporal (IMC), índice de conicidade (IC), circunferência de cintura (CC), relação cintura/estatura (RCE) e relação cintura/quadril (RCQ) também foi usado. RESULTADOS: Os valores médios para composição corporal aferidos pelo D2O foram 38,4 ± 8,4%GC, 44,9 ± 6,1%ACT e 61,6 ± 8,4%MLG. Não houve diferença significativa entre peso corporal, massa corporal de gordura (MG), ACT e MLG entre os sexos. Considerando o D2O, DC subestimou o %GC e superestimou o %MLG em ambos os sexos (p < 0,05); BIA superestimou %ACT no grupo como um todo e no masculino (p < 0,05). As únicas correlações fortes e positivas ocorreram no grupo feminino nas variáveis CC (s = 0,679), IC (r = 0,634) e RCE (r = 0,666). CONCLUSÕES: Nessa amostra de crianças obesas e com sobrepeso, houve fortes correlações entre a composição corporal mensurada pelo D2O e alguns índices e indicadores antropométricos nas meninas, mas nenhuma correlação forte e positiva do tecido adiposo foi encontrada com os índices/indicadores em todas as idades e ambos os sexos.

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To correlate different methods of body composition assessment in overweight or obese schoolchildren, using deuterium oxide (D2O) dilution as a reference. METHODS: Percentage of total body water (%TBW), fat free mass (%FFM), and body fat (%BF) were assessed by D2O and tetrapolar electrical bioimpedance analysis (BIA) in 54 obese and overweight students aged 6-9 years. Skinfold thickness (ST), body mass index (BMI), conicity index (CI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and waist-to-hip (WHR) ratio were also used. RESULTS: Mean values for body composition were 38.4% ± 8.4% BF, 44.9% ± 6.1% TBW and 61.6% ± 8.4% FFM. There was no significant difference in body weight, body fat mass (FM), TBW, and FFM between genders. Regarding D2O, ST underestimated %BF, and overestimated %FFM in both genders (p < 0.05). BIA overestimated %TBW in the group as a whole and in males (p < 0.05). The only positive and strong correlations occurred in females regarding the WC (s = 0.679), CI (r = 0.634), and WHtR (r = 0.666). CONCLUSIONS: In this sample of obese and overweight children, there were strong correlations between body composition measured by D2O and some indices and anthropometric indicators in females, but there was no positive and strong correlation of fat tissue with the indices/indicators at all ages and in both genders.

This study aimed to evaluate the genetic variability of B. orbignyanus in cultivated and natural populations of the Upper Paraná River, using molecular RAPD markers and mtDNA control region. Specimens were collected in the Paraná River and in the Piracema fish farm in Maringá, State of Paraná, Brazil. RAPD primers produced 82 loci with consistent expression. The population from the Paraná River showed 28 polymorphic loci, whereas the population from the fish farm presented only 12. Data revealed genetic differentiation between the two populations, although not very pronounced. These results were corroborated by the principal coordinate analysis and by neighbor-joining clustering. The alignment of the D-loop sequences of B. orbignyanus indicated the existence of polymorphism only in the natural population. These data could be helpful for the formulation of management strategies and conservation of the genetic diversity of the species.