Abstract Background: The relationship between exercise and atrial fibrillation (AF) is controversial. Objectives: To analyze the effects of physical activity on the incidence of atrial fibrillation using systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that relate physical exercise and atrial fibrillation. The following databases were searched: PubMed, BVS Saúde and Cochrane. The following descriptors were used: "atrial fibrillation", "exercise", "physical activity" and "exercise therapy". All prospective, retrospective, cross-sectional and cohort studies were investigated. All statistical analyzes were provided using Review Manager 5.3 to provide the mean difference (MD) and relative risk (RR) ratio with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). The statistical method of heterogeneity index was used to assess heterogeneity. Level of significance was 5%. Results: Combined analysis of 11 studies totaling 276,323 participants aged between 12 and 90 years did not suggest a significant increase in AF in individuals submitted to physical exercise (RR = 0.914, 95% CI = 0.833-1.003, heterogeneity: p < 0.001). Conclusions: Physical exercise, lato sensu, without stratification by intensity, sex or age does not seem to be associated with an increase of atrial fibrillation.

OBJETIVOS: apresentar o perfil de desenvolvimento somático de crianças e adolescentes brasileiros de 7 a 17 anos; propor normas de avaliação para o crescimento e comparar o comportamento das curvas de estatura e massa corporal dessas crianças e adolescentes com as curvas da referência internacional.. MÉTODOS: amostra composta por 55679 escolares de 72 municípios brasileiros. Foram consideradas as medidas de estatura e massa corporal. Para as análises descritivas, foram consideradas as escalas percentílicas (percentis 10, 50 e 90) dos padrões de crescimento das crianças e jovens brasileiros e da referência internacional (National Center for Health Statistics - Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2000). RESULTADOS: a estatura dos meninos tende a desacelerar o crescimento por volta dos 16 anos de idade, apresentando valores superiores em relação ao padrão internacional até essa idade. Nas meninas, tende a desacelerar o crescimento por volta dos 13 anos de idade, assim como ocorre com as americanas. Na massa corporal observou-se variabilidade no desenvolvimento entre as diferentes curvas percentílicas e em relação ao padrão internacional para os dois sexos. CONCLUSÕES: os resultados reforçam a necessidade de considerar normas nacionais para avaliação do crescimento somático de crianças e adolescentes brasileiros.

OBJECTIVES: to present the profile of body development in Brazilian children and adolescents aged between 7 and 17 years old; to propose a growth norms evaluation for 7 to 17 year-old Brazilian children and adolescents; and to compare the Brazilian 7 to 17 year-old population's stature and body mass profile with the international benchmark. METHODS: the sample comprised 55,679 schoolchildren from 72 Brazilian cities. Height and weight measurements were taken into consideration. For the purpose of analysis, percentile scales (the 10th, 50th and 90th percentiles) for growth of Brazilian children and adolescents and for the international growth standard (National Center for Health Statistics - Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2000) were considered. RESULTS: the boys' height tends to decelerate growth by 16 years of age, displaying values higher than the international standard up to this age. In girls, growth tends to decelerate by 13 years old, as in US girls. The weight showed variability in the profile of development across the different percentile curves and in relation to the international standard for both sexes. CONCLUSIONS: the results strengthen the argument that there is a need to consider adopting national norms for evaluation of body growth in Brazilian children and adolescents.