José Marmeleira

Universidade de Évora | uevora · Department of Sport and Health

Extract: The World Health Organization advocates that a greater focus should be placed on the surveillance of patterns of physical activity and the identification of specific high-risk groups and measures to respond to their needs (World Health Assembly, 2004). From a public health perspective, it is important to examine if adults meet the current...

Physical activity positively influences brain health and cognitive functioning in older adults. Several physiological and psychological mechanisms have been identified to underlie such a relationship. Cardiovascular fitness is accompanied with changes in mechanisms such as cerebral blood flow, neurotrophic factors, neurotransmitter systems and neur...

The elderly represent the fastest growing driving population. Older drivers have a high crash rate per distance traveled, a high risk of injury or death in traffic accidents, and are commonly found to be ‘at fault’ in crashes. This reality has focused more interest on issues associated with the fitness to drive and the safety of older drivers. Many...

The main aim of this research was to study the effects of a specific exercise program on the speed of behavior of older adults during on-the-road driving. Twenty-six drivers (55-78 yr old) were randomly assigned to either an exercise group or a control group. The exercise program (3 sessions of 60 min/wk for 8 wk) incorporated tasks that induced th...

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of participation in an exercise program on several abilities associated with driving performance in older adults. Thirty-two subjects were randomly assigned to either an exercise group (60-81 years, n=16) or a control group (60-82 years, n=16). The exercise program was planned to stress perce...

Intimate Partner Violence negatively impacts both the physical and mental health of victims. General impairments include chronic pain, posttraumatic stress, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and eating disorders (WHO, 2021). There is growing evidence of the effectiveness of body-oriented interventions on most of those symptoms, namely through t...

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between the quality and speed of handwriting and the process characteristics of the handwriting of children in the second grade of elementary school considered as a function of age and gender. A sample of 57 children (mean age 7.25 years, SD 0.43) participated in the study. The Concise Asses...

Intimate-partner violence (IPV) is a major threat to women’s lives, with an impact on their physical and mental health, often causing trauma symptoms. The IPV consequences for embodiment-related features that are detrimental to the quality of life and identity structure of victims are understudied. With this study, we aim to examine embodiment-rela...

Intimate partner violence (IPV) impacts both physical and mental health of victims. The embodiment refers to the inner and outer features that structure how we feel and act within our bodies. The study of the impact of violence on embodiment has led to a growing interest among researchers and practitioners. This is a review chapter about the embodi...

There has been a recent increase in body-oriented interventions implemented in educational contexts. Body-oriented interventions are grounded on the body–mind relationship, involving body and movement awareness and expression. In this systematic review of the literature on body-oriented interventions implemented in preschool contexts, we review the...

Despite the increase of scientific evidence, there is a lack of studies focusing on the effects of specific BOI in educational context, such as loose parts play (LPP), on children’s social-emotional competence. The present study aims to analyze the impact of a 12-week loose parts play program (two 30-min sessions per week) on behavioral self-regula...

Background: This study aims to investigate the acute effects of an augmented reality session and a cycle ergometer session compared to no exercise on the reaction times, cognitive flexibility, and verbal fluency of older adults. Methods: Each participant did a familiarization with cognitive tests and the following three sessions: cycle ergometer...

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between phase angle (PhA) and physical function in institutionalized, independent older adults. Physical function was evaluated using the Senior Fitness Test Battery. PhA was measured by electrical bioimpedance at 50 khz, and body composition parameters were also registered. Results showed t...

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between performance in neurocognitive variables and daily functioning (basic or b- and instrumental or i-ADL) in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: A sample of 157 participants with MCI (73.65 ± 7.58 years) completed a battery of tests for assessing ADL and cogni...

Objective: Considering the impact of continued violence on general health, we aimed to assess the physical activity (PA) and quality of life of female victims of domestic violence (DV) living in shelters. Also, we aimed to search for associations between PA, quality of life and violence length among our sample. Methods: Seventeen female victims par...

Introduction: The Paralympic movement has grown considerably over the last decades, but few studies have analyzed the performance evolution of the best athletes with disabilities. This study examined the performance of athletes with visual impairments in track-and-field events over eight Paralympic Games (1988–2016). Method: Results in the Paralymp...

This systematic review aimed to identify the physical/motor fitness tests for nursing home residents and to examine their psychometric properties. Electronic databases were searched for articles published between January 2005 and October 2021 using MeSh terms and relevant keywords. Of the total of 4196 studies identified, 3914 were excluded based o...

Background Multimodal forms of exercise can influence several physical and mental factors important for successful aging. In the present study, we introduce a new type of multimodal intervention, combining movement (creative dance) with traditional singing. This study aims to compare physical fitness, functional physical independence, depressive sy...

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant alterations to and implications for the lives of millions of people, and especially for those with pre-existing medical conditions. The aim of this study was to explore the lived experience of older people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) throughout the first 9 months of the pandemic, with empha...

Objective A growing body of evidence supports the effectiveness of body-oriented interventions (BOI) in educational contexts, showing positive influences on social-emotional competence. Nevertheless, there is a lack of systematization of the evidence regarding preschool years. This is a two-part systematic review. In this first part, we aim to exam...

Background Falls in older adults are considered a major public health problem. Declines in cognitive and physical functions, as measured by parameters including reaction time, mobility, and dual-task performance, have been reported to be important risk factors for falls. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of two multimodal program...

A central notion in the field of embodiment is that body sensorimotor processes and body mental representations influence emotion, cognition and behavior. By affecting the body, intimate partner violence (IPV) can leave victims with a fragile self, and significant physical and mental health problems. In this study, we aim to examine embodiment-rela...

Background: A slower reaction time (RT) performance is considered a risk factor for falls. Different approaches as a psychomotor intervention (involving neuromotor exercises) or the whole-body vibration (inducing neurophysiological changes) may reduce the risk of falls. Nevertheless, a combined program may promote greater gains. This study aimed to...

Introduction: Higher education path is often marked by personal challenges which often overwhelm students, leading them, in some situations, to emotional exhaustion. Thus, it is essential to promote students’ social-emotional competence, allowing them to better deal with the stressful daily events. Social-emotional competence helps students to adap...

The aims of the present study were: (i) to compare the sense of body ownership between women with and without a history of IPV (ii) to analyze the relationships between body ownership and mental health variables (e.g., behaviors of self-injury, suicidal ideation, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Anxiety or Depression diagnoses). The RHI pr...

Introduction. Physical activity is fundamental to children's healthy development. School recess periods are one of the few moments in elementary schools' schedules in which children can use the outdoor school environment and engage in active play. Purpose. To examine the levels of physical activity of elementary Portuguese students during the schoo...

The aim of this study was to determine the absolute and relative reliability and validity of two reaction time (RT) tests in older adults using long-term facility: the ruler drop test (RDT, a simple RT) and the Deary-Liewald RT task (DLRT, simple and four-choice RT). Participants (≥65 years old) using long-term facilities were distributed into a gr...

Objective This study aimed to determine the absolute and relative test-retest reliability of the functional reach test (FRT) and the handgrip strength test (HGST) in older adults using nursing homes.Methods Participants (≥ 65 years old), living in nursing homes or using their day care services, were distributed into a group without cognitive impair...

The stepping-forward affordance perception test (SF-APT) fills an important gap within the screening of falls risk factors by considering the perception of affordances. The test showed to be a valid instrument for community-dwelling older adults falls risk assessment. The present study aimed to distinguish and test the key outcomes of the SF-APT us...

Participation in physical activity is recognized as one of the most critical factors in healthy lifespan trajectories. As physical activity can take multiple forms, it has the potential to be easily modified and adjusted to individual needs, abilities, health status, and motivations. In this chapter, we consider different aspects related to physica...

Apresentação oral no Congresso Nacional de Esclerose Múltipla

A inclusão de alunos com deficiência no sistema educativo deve ser acompanhada de recursos e serviços adequados que permitam combater potenciais desvantagens inerentes à deficiência. Nesta perspetiva, não é a deficiência em si a causa de eventuais dificuldades ao nível da participação dos alunos (modelo médico), mas antes, a forma como a sociedade...

Algumas formas de exercício dão especial relevância à relação entre aspetos físicos/fisiológicos e aspetos mentais/psicológicos. No centro desta interação, está a consciência corporal, referente à perceção de estados, processos e ações corporais, que tem na origem aferências interocetivas e propriocetivas (1). A propriocetividade é um sistema sensó...

Objective: The main purpose of this study was to investigate the health-related physical fitness of adults who are blind and its association with physical activity behaviour. Methods: Sixty-seven volunteers (47.5 ± 11.3 years) who were legally blind were evaluated on physical activity and physical fitness. Physical activity was assessed with accele...

The stepping-forward affordance perception test (SF-APT) fills an important gap within the screening of falls risk factors by considering the perception of affordances. The test showed to be a valid instrument for community-dwelling older adults falls risk assessment. The present study aimed to distinguish and test the key outcomes of the SF-APT us...

Introduction For dual-task paradigms, the timed up and go (TUG) test along with other cognitive or motor tasks has been used to evaluate and predict the risk of falling in older adults. However, the interference between motor-cognitive tasks can differ by the cognitive task. Objective To evaluate the performance of the TUG test under a single task...

This article approaches some theoretical notions that support a prophylactic and therapeutic intervention with pregnant women, through body mediation. Considering that the processes related to motherhood can make it difficult for the pregnant woman to accept their own body and the construction of their mother's identity, we present the psychocorpor...

Aim To examine the test-retest reliability of two upper-limb proprioception tests (Weight Detection Test, or WDT, and Arm Ruler Positioning Test, or ARPT) and two balance tests (Functional Reach Test, or FRT, and Timed Up and Go test, or TUG) in older nursing home residents. Methods Fifty-three nursing home residents (85.9 ± 3.9 years) participate...

This study evaluated the impact of a multicomponent exercise program on cognitive functions in participants with Type 2 Diabetes. Participants (n = 70, 65.6 ± 5.9 years) engaged in the program (75 min per session; 3 x week) for 32 weeks. A battery of cognitive tests was performed at baseline and study completion. Two groups were formed according to...

The stepping-forward affordance perception test (SF-APT) fills an important gap within the screening of falls risk factors by considering the perception of affordances. The test showed to be a valid instrument for community-dwelling older adults falls risk assessment.

Playing outdoors and being engaged in outdoor physical activities contributes to children’s motor development, and physical and mental health. Considering that the streets should be areas used not only for transportation but also for playing and learning, and assuming outdoor play as a crucial venue for development and education, an educational pla...

Background: Assessment is crucial for the quality of teaching and learning in physical education (PE). Currently little is known about the students’ level of achievement in PE and about the parameters used for calculating the PE grades. Although there is evidence that boys are more active outside school than girls and participate more in organized...

Objective: The main aim of this study is to identify, appraise and synthesize evidence on the level of physical activity and sedentary behavior in older adults. Method: This review was restricted to studies published between January 2006 and January 2019 and included studies that reported physical activity and sedentary behavior in older adults (≥6...

A violência doméstica contra as mulheres é uma realidade demasiado presente na sociedade contemporânea, sabendo-se muito pouco sobre todo o processo e, sobretudo, sobre as vítimas. É uma problemática de particular complexidade, por contar com múltiplos intervenientes, mas também pelas diferentes perspetivas teóricas que se podem adotar na sua compr...

It is becoming clear that to truly understand what it is to be human, focusing scientific efforts on the mind alone is insufficient. We are embodied minds, living and acting in a world full of meaningful things. In this article, we discuss how science has been informed by important research insights into the close relationship between the body, the...

The present pilot study was designed to examine the feasibility and the effects of a psychomotor relaxation program on nurses’ psychological (burnout symptoms, affective states) and physiological stress indicators (salivary cortisol). Fifteen nurses engaged in an 8-week psychomotor relaxation program (two 20-minute sessions per week) and 15 maintai...

Interoceptive awareness involves several mind–body dimensions and can be evaluated by self-report with the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA), which has been translated and validated in several countries and is being used in research and clinical contexts. This study systematically translated the MAIA with six additional...

Introduction For there to be a good development of the components of body weight, it is necessary that the body is in good health and nutrition. The imbalance between food consumption and requirements, either deficit or excess, has implications for the development of body components. Several studies report differences in body composition related to...

This work highlights the importance of the body in the comprehension and intervention in several health conditions associated with stress. Taking into consideration the relationship between the body and emotion, we develop the concept of interoception, which reflects the physiological state of the organism and have an essential role in body awarene...

Este trabalho aborda o papel das técnicas de relaxação ao nível da regulação emocional. Quer os modelos teóricos, quer os estudos empíricos sustentam o papel importante do corpo no processamento emocional, compreendido por três passos básicos: a atenção, a avaliação e a resposta. Apesar do papel motriz das emoções nos nossos comportamentos e decisõ...

Introduction. The loss of physical function, health problems, limited support from families and few financial resources, leads to institutionaliza-tion. Currently, one of the problems associated with institutionalization is the higher sedentary behavior and consequent loss of autonomy. Therefore , the main purpose of this study was to examine physi...

Background: Nursing home institutionalization tends to exacerbate loss of functioning. Aims: Examine the feasibility and the effect of a psychomotor intervention-a multimodal exercise program promoting simultaneous cognitive and motor stimulation-on the executive (planning ability and selective attention) and physical function of nursing home re...

Resumo Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar as barreiras para a prática de atividade física em pessoas com deficiência visual. Foi aplicado um questionário específico por telefone a 114 pessoas (moradores do Distrito Federal‐Brasil) com deficiência visual pouco ativas. Destacam‐se várias barreiras, como problemas com as calçadas, falta de instala...

This chapter (written in Portuguese) reviews relevant data from neuroscience that shows how both the brain and cognition benefit from the practice of physical activity.

Este trabalho estudou os efeitos de uma intervenção psicomotora baseada no Programa de Concentração-Relaxação de Jacques Choque ao nível de competências sócio-emocionais de crianças em idade pré-escolar. Um grupo de 20 crianças (5-6 anos) participou num programa de relaxação duas vezes por semana durante 12 semanas, enquanto outro grupo de 20 crian...

A imagem corporal é uma construção multidimensional sobre as perceções individuais internas a respeito de si mesmo associadas às modificações advindas das relações interpessoais (Cash, 2012). Esta temática carece ainda de investigações entre homens idosos e suas influências sócio culturais (Gonçalves, Campana, & Tavares, 2012). As representações so...

Physical activity and physical fitness are important for health, functional mobility and performance of everyday activities. To date, little attention has been given to physical activity and physical fitness among nursing home residents with cognitive impairment. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to examine physical activity behavior and ph...

The main purpose of this pilot study was to examine the feasibility and the effects of a multimodal exercise intervention on the physical and cognitive functioning of institutionalized older people. Twenty-one older adults (83.5 ± 4.9 years) living in two nursing home residences, were tested on two occasions 4 weeks apart to establish a baseline me...

To analyze the effect of a psychomotor intervention, accomplished by a multimodal exercise program

Objectives: To assess the available evidence on different applications of MAIA. Methods: This research followed three sequenced moments, done by two independent re- searchers. Included only published adult population studies (18-65 years old), which used complete MAIA survey, not only for translation and validation purposes. Data were ex- tracted...

Objetivos: O objetivo deste livro é proporcionar às pessoas idosas e respectivas famílias, profissionais de saúde e profissionais do exercício físico um método de rastreio do risco de queda da pessoa idosa. Um método que permite identificar os parâmetros funcionais de fragilidade que potencialmente contribuirão para a ocorrência de quedas. Esta ide...

The papers published in this book of abstracts / proceedings were submitted to the Scientific Commission of the International Congress of Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences & Human Development, held on 11 and 12 November 2016, at the University of Évora, Évora, Portugal, under the topic of Exercise and Health, Sports and Human Deve...

Aim: The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between motor skill competence and body composition of 6- to 10-year-old children. Methods: Seventy girls and 86 boys participated. Body composition was measured by body mass index and skinfold thickness. Motor proficiency was evaluated through the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Profic...

Background. To implement appropriate programs for promoting physical activity (PA) in people who are Deaf, it is important to have valid instruments for assessing PA in this population. Objective. The main purpose of this study was to examine the criterion validity of the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-S) in D...

Envelhecer bem e de forma bem‐sucedida é o que todas as pessoas aspi‐ ram. O desejo humano em acrescentar anos de vida saudável no decor‐ rer da sua velhice tem ganhado cada vez mais reconhecimento à luz dos olhos da comunidade científica, médica e sociedade civil. Este despertar da motricidade humana para o campo da gerontologia enquadra‐se num pa...

To analyze the impact of physical fitness and physical activity on the threat of older adults without cognitive impairment becoming institutionalized. This cross-sectional study involved 195 non-institutionalized (80.1±4.4yrs) and 186 institutionalized (83.8±5.2yrs) participants. Cognitive impairment was assessed using Mini-Mental State Examination...

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of creative dance on physical fitness and life satisfaction in older women. Methods: A total of 57 women (65–80 years old) were randomized to either an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group participated in a supervised creative dance program for 24 weeks. Phys...

The main purpose of our study was to quantify, by using accelerometry, daily physical activity (PA) in adults with visual impairments. Sixty-three adults (34.9% women) who are blind (18-65 years) wore an accelerometer for at least 3 days (minimum of 10 hr per day), including 1 weekend day. Nineteen participants (~30%) reached the recommendation of...

The continuous execution of swimming techniques may cause muscle imbalances in shoulder rotators leading to injury. However, there is a lack of published research studies on this topic. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of a competitive swim period on the shoulder rotator–cuff balance in young swimmers. A randomized controlled pret...

The purpose of this study was to analyze the informational constraints that influence the dynamics of 1v1 situations in football. Specifically, we analyzed the contribution of interpersonal distance and relative velocity to explain phase transitions that occurred between stable and unstable coordinative states in 1v1 in football. Participants were...