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Ricardo Santos Oliveira

Ricardo Santos Oliveira

Principal Investigator (PI) · MoVa lead · Associate Professor, UFRN

Coordenador · Líder do MoVa · Professor Adjunto, UFRN

Education & training

Formação acadêmica

BSc & MSc, State University of Londrina · PhD Health & Sport Sciences, University of Exeter · Postdoc in epidemiology, UFPel · Honorary Researcher, University of Exeter (CHERC & Vascular Research Group).

Graduação e mestrado, UEL · Doutorado em Health & Sport Sciences, University of Exeter · Pós-doutorado em epidemiologia, UFPel · Pesquisador Honorário, University of Exeter (CHERC e Vascular Research Group).

Ricardo Santos Oliveira holds a BSc and MSc in Physical Education from the State University of Londrina (Brazil) and a PhD in Health and Sport Sciences from the University of Exeter (UK), funded by CAPES through the Science Without Borders programme. At Exeter he worked at the Children's Health and Exercise Research Centre (CHERC), where he is now an Honorary Researcher, also affiliated with the Vascular Research Group. He completed postdoctoral training in epidemiology at the Federal University of Pelotas (Brazil), working with birth cohorts. He is currently an Associate Professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), where he leads the Human Movement and Vascular Health research group (MoVa). His research seeks to understand how human movement — including physical (in)activity and exercise — influences health and arterial function, with a focus on children and adolescents.

Graduado e mestre em Educação Física pela Universidade Estadual de Londrina (Brasil) e doutor em Health and Sport Sciences pela University of Exeter (Reino Unido). O doutorado foi realizado com financiamento da CAPES pelo programa Ciência sem Fronteiras. Na University of Exeter atuou no Children's Health and Exercise Research Centre (CHERC), onde hoje é Pesquisador Honorário, atuando também no Vascular Research Group. Concluiu estágio pós-doutoral em epidemiologia na Universidade Federal de Pelotas (Brasil), com atuação nas coortes de nascimento. Atualmente é Professor Adjunto na Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), onde lidera o Grupo de Pesquisa em Movimento Humano e Saúde Vascular (MoVa). Sua pesquisa busca entender como o movimento humano — incluindo a (in)atividade física e o exercício — influencia a saúde e a função arterial, com foco em crianças e adolescentes.

Understanding how human movement — physical (in)activity, sedentary behaviour, sleep and exercise — shapes cardiovascular and arterial health across childhood and adolescence, and how fitness and movement behaviours can protect vascular function early in life, particularly in low- and middle-income settings.

Compreender como o movimento humano — (in)atividade física, comportamento sedentário, sono e exercício — molda a saúde cardiovascular e arterial na infância e na adolescência, e como a aptidão e os comportamentos de movimento podem proteger a função vascular desde cedo, sobretudo em contextos de baixa e média renda.

Vascular structure & function — flow-mediated dilation, arterial stiffness (pulse-wave velocity), carotid intima-media thickness, cerebral blood flow (transcranial Doppler) and post-exercise vascular assessment.

Cardiac autonomic function — heart-rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity.

Movement behaviours & fitness — 24-hour accelerometry and cardiorespiratory fitness testing.

Body composition — DEXA, anthropometry and bioimpedance.

Study design & analysis — birth cohorts and epidemiology, randomised/effectiveness trials, and mixed/linear models with mediation and interaction analysis.

Estrutura e função vascular — dilatação mediada por fluxo, rigidez arterial (velocidade de onda de pulso), espessura médio-intimal da carótida, fluxo sanguíneo cerebral (Doppler transcraniano) e avaliação vascular pós-exercício.

Função autonômica cardíaca — variabilidade da frequência cardíaca e sensibilidade barorreflexa.

Comportamentos de movimento e aptidão — acelerometria de 24 horas e avaliação da aptidão cardiorrespiratória.

Composição corporal — DEXA, antropometria e bioimpedância.

Delineamento e análise — coortes de nascimento e epidemiologia, ensaios randomizados/de efetividade e modelos mistos/lineares com análise de mediação e interação.

PRAIA · Royal Society

Establishing a paediatric research and outreach centre in northeast Brazil

Estabelecendo um centro de pesquisa e extensão em pediatria no nordeste do Brasil

Royal Society · £263,667 (~R$ 1,9 mi) · 2025– · Coordinator

Royal Society · £263,667 (~R$ 1,9 mi) · 2025– · Coordenador

A collaboration between CHERC (University of Exeter) and UFRN to build children's-health research capacity in Natal. A cross-sectional study of around a thousand schoolchildren examines how movement behaviours and fitness shape vascular physiology across the transition to adolescence — the first such study in the southern hemisphere — alongside outreach with families and schools. With A. Barker and B. Bond.

Colaboração entre o CHERC (University of Exeter) e a UFRN para ampliar a capacidade de pesquisa em saúde infantil em Natal. Um estudo transversal com cerca de mil escolares investiga como os comportamentos de movimento e a aptidão moldam a fisiologia vascular na transição para a adolescência — o primeiro do hemisfério sul — com ações de extensão junto a famílias e escolas. Com A. Barker e B. Bond.

ECO Not yet underwayAinda não iniciado

Cerebral autoregulation in children: impact of obesity and effects of changes in physical activity

Autorregulação cerebral em crianças: impacto da obesidade e efeitos das alterações na atividade física

CNPq (442563/2024-8) · R$ 562.000 · 2025– · Coordinator

CNPq (442563/2024-8) · R$ 562.000 · 2025– · Coordenador

⏳ The project has not started yet, pending release of the funding.

⏳ O projeto ainda não iniciou, aguardando o repasse do financiamento.

Investigates how childhood obesity affects the regulation of cerebral blood flow, and whether a six-month physical-activity counselling intervention improves cerebral autoregulation — using accelerometry, DEXA, cardiorespiratory fitness and middle-cerebral-artery responses.

Investiga como a obesidade infantil afeta a regulação do fluxo sanguíneo cerebral e se uma intervenção de aconselhamento em atividade física de seis meses melhora a autorregulação cerebral — com acelerometria, DEXA, aptidão cardiorrespiratória e respostas da artéria cerebral média.

ECO

A 24-hour movement-behaviour counselling programme on BMI, vascular and metabolic health in children with obesity — an effectiveness trial

Programa de aconselhamento para o comportamento de movimento de 24h sobre IMC, saúde vascular e metabólica em crianças com obesidade — ensaio de efetividade

CNPq (405991/2023-1) · R$ 129.000 · 2024– · Coordinator

CNPq (405991/2023-1) · R$ 129.000 · 2024– · Coordenador

An effectiveness trial in secondary care (Hospital Infantil Varela Santiago) testing whether family-centred counselling to improve 24-hour movement behaviours — activity, sedentary time and sleep — benefits BMI, metabolic syndrome and vascular/cerebral health in children with obesity.

Ensaio de efetividade na assistência secundária (Hospital Infantil Varela Santiago) que testa se o aconselhamento centrado na família para melhorar o comportamento de movimento de 24h — atividade, tempo sedentário e sono — beneficia IMC, síndrome metabólica e saúde vascular/cerebral em crianças com obesidade.

CORAL

CORAL — childhood obesity, cardiometabolic parameters & clinical change

CORAL — obesidade infantil, parâmetros cardiometabólicos e mudança clínica

Hospital Varela Santiago · 2021– · Coordinator

Hospital Varela Santiago · 2021– · Coordenador

A longitudinal study following children (5–10 y) in a multidisciplinary obesity intervention to identify the determinants of clinical change and the long-term cardiometabolic impact of weight change.

Estudo longitudinal que acompanha crianças (5–10 anos) em intervenção multidisciplinar da obesidade para identificar os determinantes das alterações clínicas e o impacto cardiometabólico de longo prazo das mudanças de peso.

Master's dissertations (PPGEF/UFRN):

Dissertações de mestrado (PPGEF/UFRN):

  • Dayene Cardozo Brito Dias (2025) — Impacto de um programa interdisciplinar na composição corporal e marcadores clínicos em crianças com obesidade. MSc · AdvisorMestrado · Orientador
  • Túlio Chaves Mendes (2025) — Associação conjunta entre atividade física, tempo de tela e transtorno mental comum em adolescentes brasileiros. MSc · Co-advisorMestrado · Coorientador
  • Eliete Samara Batista dos Santos (2024) — Padrões de atividade física e associações com aptidão física e composição corporal em crianças com obesidade. MSc · AdvisorMestrado · Orientador
  • Maria Karolina Ferreira de Sousa (2022) — Associação da atividade física e aptidão cardiorrespiratória com estrutura e função vascular em idosos. MSc · AdvisorMestrado · Orientador
  • Jaimar Felipe Silva de Macedo (2022) — Bio-banding: influência sobre a carga interna e externa de jovens atletas. MSc · Co-advisorMestrado · Coorientador

See dissertations on the theses page →Ver dissertações na página de teses →

Competitive funding securedFinanciamento competitivo captado

National and international agencies, with collaborative partnerships in Brazil and abroad.

Agências nacionais e internacionais, com parcerias colaborativas no Brasil e no exterior.

≈ R$ 2,6 miin competitive grantsem auxílios competitivos
  • 2024 — Low and Middle Income Research Investigation Award, Human Biology of Movement Behaviours — The Society for the Study of Human Biology (Porto, Portugal).Low and Middle Income Research Investigation Award, Human Biology of Movement Behaviours — The Society for the Study of Human Biology (Porto, Portugal).
  • 2017 — Runner-up, Pediatric Work Physiology meeting XXX.Runner-up, Pediatric Work Physiology meeting XXX.
  • 2010 — Odorico Machado de Sousa Award (best work on EMG fundamentals) — 1st Brazilian Congress of Electromyography and Kinesiology (Piracicaba).Prêmio Odorico Machado de Sousa (melhor trabalho sobre fundamentos em eletromiografia) — 1º Congresso Brasileiro de Eletromiografia e Cinesiologia (Piracicaba).
  • 2009 — Featured work, 18th National Meeting of Scientific Initiation (UEL).Trabalho destaque do XVIII Encontro Nacional de Iniciação Científica (UEL).

Class patron · paraninfoParaninfo de turma

Invited class patron for the graduating classes of 2025.1 and 2025.2 in Physical Education — a distinction chosen by the students.

Paraninfo das turmas de formandos 2025.1 e 2025.2 em Educação Física — uma escolha dos formandos.

Peer-reviewed articles (43). Grouped by year — click a year to expand. DOI links where available.

Artigos revisados por pares (43). Agrupadas por ano — clique no ano para expandir. Link do DOI quando disponível.

  1. Souto GC, Freire YA, de Melo Silva R, Câmara M, de Almeida Correia M, Oliveira RS, Browne RAV, Costa EC. Immediate post-exercise blood pressure at moderate intensity and carotid intima-media thickness in older adults: a cross-sectional study. Sport Sciences for Health, 22:1, 2026. find ↗buscar ↗
  2. Mendes TC, Oliveira RS, dos Santos DF, Christofaro DGD, Elsangedy HM, Bloch KV, Schaan BD, Cureau FV. Joint associations between physical activity, screen time, and common mental disorders in Brazilian adolescents: findings from ERICA. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 30:100767, 2026. DOI ↗
  3. Scott E, Langson-Justice E, Smail O, Lester AB, Oliveira R, Pugh CJA, Weston ME, Bond B. Cerebral blood velocity responses during and after sprint interval exercise in healthy young adults. Physiological Reports, 14:1, 2026. DOI ↗
  1. Torres W, Maillane-Vanegas S, Urban JB, da Silva DRP, Oliveira RS, Haapala EA, Fernandes RA. Mediating role of organized sports participation on the relationship between body fatness and arterial wall thickness among adolescents: ABCD Growth Study. BMC Pediatrics, 25:1, 2025. find ↗buscar ↗
  2. de Macedo JFS, Ribeiro BLL, de Morais Ferreira AB, Oliveira RS, Mortatti AL. Effects of biobanding on training loads and technical performance of young football players. PLoS One, 20:e0317432, 2025. DOI ↗
  3. Santos ESB, Medeiros IACM, Oliveira MSS, Cureau FV, Mortatti AL, Oliveira RS. The association between physical activity and markers of obesity in children living with obesity. Pediatric Exercise Science, 37:1-8, 2025. DOI ↗
  4. Menezes GB, Oliveira RS, Oliver JL, Lloyd RS, Mortatti AL. Agility and not change of direction speed discriminates competitive level in young soccer players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 1:1, 2025. find ↗buscar ↗
  1. Silva MES, Ribeiro BLL, Ferreira ABM, Nakamura FY, Oliveira RS, Mortatti AL. Impact of altering the method to score during small-sided games on internal and external training loads in youth soccer players. Revista Portuguesa de Ciências do Desporto, 2023:43-58, 2024. find ↗buscar ↗
  2. de Lima MNM, Oliveira GTA, Araújo AO, Pereira LC, Cevada T, e Silva NSS, Oliveira RS, Silva RRV, Cureau FV, Elsangedy HM. The relationship between physical inactivity, excessive screen time, and health indicators among teachers working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Work, 1:1, 2024. find ↗buscar ↗
  1. Kranen SH, Oliveira RS, Bond B, Williams CA, Barker AR. The effect of 4 weeks of high-intensity interval training and 2 weeks of detraining on cardiovascular disease risk factors in male adolescents. Experimental Physiology, 108:595-606, 2023. DOI ↗
  2. de Sousa MKF, Silva RM, Freire YA, Souto GC, Câmara M, Cabral LLP, Macêdo GAD, Costa EC, Oliveira RS. Associations between physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness with vascular health phenotypes in older adults: a cross-sectional study. Frontiers in Physiology, 14:1, 2023. DOI ↗
  3. Kranen SH, Oliveira RS, Bond B, Williams CA, Barker AR. The utility of the reperfusion rate of tissue oxygen saturation as a measure of vascular endothelial function in adolescents. Frontiers in Physiology, 14:1, 2023. DOI ↗
  4. de Moraes LS, Agostinete RR, Ribeiro BLL, Oliveira RS, Mortatti AL. Upper and lower limb bone mass accrual in adolescent footballers across a short period of training and competition. Jornal de Pediatria, 13:S0021, 2023. DOI ↗
  1. Bielemann RM, Oliveira R, Bertoldi AD, Tomasi E, Demarco FF, Gonzalez MC, Bohm AW, Brage S, Ekelund U. Objective and self-reported physical activity and risk of falling among community-dwelling older adults from southern Brazil. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 2022. find ↗buscar ↗
  2. Oliveira RS, Wehrmeister FC, Oliveira IO, Gonçalves H, Menezes AMB. Ideal cardiovascular health, inflammation, and arterial stiffness in the transition to adulthood. International Journal of Cardiology, 26:297-302, 2022. DOI ↗
  3. Ricardo LIC, Hallal P, Domingues MR, Oliveira RS, Blumenberg C, Tornquist D, Tornquist L, Barros F, Crochemore-Silva I. Association between objectively measured physical activity of parents and children: the 2015 Pelotas birth cohort. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 32:1287-1296, 2022. DOI ↗
  1. Oliveira RS, Schneider BC, Callo-Quinte G, Oliveira IO, Gonçalves H, Wehrmeister F, Menezes AMB. Prevalence of ideal cardiovascular health in young adults: a birth cohort from southern Brazil. American Heart Journal, 1:1, 2021. find ↗buscar ↗
  2. Santos IKD, Medeiros RCSC, Medeiros JA, Almeida-Neto PF, Sena DCS, Cobucci RN, Oliveira RS, Cabral BGAT, Dantas PMS. Active video games for improving mental health and physical fitness — an alternative for children and adolescents during social isolation. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18:1641, 2021. find ↗buscar ↗
  3. Cerqueira MS, Costa EC, Santos Oliveira R, Pereira R, Brito Vieira WH. Blood flow restriction training: to adjust or not adjust the cuff pressure over an intervention period? Frontiers in Physiology, 12:1-11, 2021. find ↗buscar ↗
  4. Oliveira RS, Barker AR, Kranen SH, Debras F, Williams CA. Effects of high-intensity interval training on the vascular and autonomic components of the baroreflex at rest in adolescents. Pediatric Exercise Science, 1:1-7, 2021. find ↗buscar ↗
  5. Menezes GB, Oliveira RS, Ferreira ABM, Assis TVL, Batista ES, Oliver JL, Lloyd RS, Mortatti AL. Does motor coordination influence perceptual-cognitive and physical factors of agility in young soccer players in a sport-specific agility task? Sports Biomechanics, 28:1-14, 2021. find ↗buscar ↗
  1. Leppänen MH, Haapala EA, Veijalainen A, Seppälä S, Oliveira RS, Lintu N, Laitinen T, Tarvainen MP, Lakka TA. Associations of cardiometabolic risk factors with heart rate variability in 6- to 8-year-old children: the PANIC Study. Pediatric Diabetes, 21:251-258, 2020. find ↗buscar ↗
  2. Oliveira-Dantas FF, Browne RAV, Oliveira RS, Cabral LLP, de Farias Junior LF, Costa EC. Effect of high-velocity resistance exercise on 24-h blood pressure in hypertensive older women. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 2020. find ↗buscar ↗
  3. Kranen SH, Oliveira RS, Bond B, Williams CA, Barker AR. The acute effect of high- and moderate-intensity interval exercise on vascular function pre and post a glucose challenge in adolescents. Experimental Physiology, EP089159, 2020. find ↗buscar ↗
  1. Oliveira RS, Barker A, Debras F, Kranen S, Williams C. Effects of exercise intensity on vascular and autonomic components of the baroreflex following glucose ingestion in adolescents. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2:1-12, 2019. DOI ↗
  1. Oliveira RS, Barker AR, Debras F, O'Doherty A, Williams CA. Reliability of autonomic and vascular components of baroreflex sensitivity in adolescents. Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging, 2018. find ↗buscar ↗
  2. Oliveira R, Barker A, Williams C. Cardiac autonomic function, cardiovascular risk and physical activity in adolescents. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 39:89-96, 2018. DOI ↗
  3. Oliveira RS, Barker AR, Debras F, O'Doherty A, Williams CA. Mechanisms of blood pressure control following acute exercise in adolescents: effects of exercise intensity on hemodynamics and baroreflex sensitivity. Experimental Physiology, 103:1056-1066, 2018. find ↗buscar ↗
  1. Oliveira RS, Ramos SP, Dias IFL, Toginho Filho DO, Nakamura FY. Effects of light-emitting diodes phototherapy on autonomic modulation of footballers. Revista Brasileira de Educação Física e Esporte, 31:5, 2017. DOI ↗
  2. Oliveira RS, Barker AR, Wilkinson KM, Abbott RA, Williams CA. Is cardiac autonomic function associated with cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity in children and adolescents? A systematic review of cross-sectional studies. International Journal of Cardiology, 236:113-122, 2017. DOI ↗
  3. Peçanha T, Bartels R, Brito LC, Paula-Ribeiro M, Oliveira RS, Goldberger JJ. Methods of assessment of the post-exercise cardiac autonomic recovery: a methodological review. International Journal of Cardiology, 227:795-802, 2017. DOI ↗
  1. Leme LC, Milanez VF, Oliveira RS, Ramos S, Leicht A, Nakamura FY. The influence of a weekend with passive rest on the psychological and autonomic recovery in professional male handball players. Kinesiology, 47:44-52, 2015. find ↗buscar ↗
  2. Silva CC, Goldberg TBL, Soares-Caldeira LF, Oliveira RS, Ramos SP, Nakamura FY. The effects of 17 weeks of ballet training on the autonomic modulation, hormonal and general biochemical profile of female adolescents. Journal of Human Kinetics, 47:127-135, 2015. find ↗buscar ↗
  1. Freitas VH, Souza EA, Oliveira RS, Pereira LA, Nakamura FY. Efeito de quatro dias consecutivos de jogos sobre a potência muscular, estresse e recuperação percebida em jogadores de futsal. Revista Brasileira de Educação Física e Esporte, 2014. find ↗buscar ↗
  2. Pedro RE, Oliveira RS, Vasconcelos PSS, Pires Junior R, Milanez VF. Efeito temporal sobre a resposta da percepção subjetiva do esforço. Revista Brasileira de Medicina do Esporte, 20:350-353, 2014. find ↗buscar ↗
  1. Oliveira RS, Leicht AS, Bishop DJ, Barbero-Alvarez JC, Nakamura FY. Seasonal changes in physical performance and heart rate variability in high level futsal players. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 34:424-430, 2013. find ↗buscar ↗
  2. Oliveira RS, Bortolotti H, Pereira LA, Cyrino ES, Altimari LR. Enxágue bucal com carboidrato não melhora o desempenho em sprints repetidos. Revista Brasileira de Cineantropometria & Desempenho Humano, 15:639, 2013. find ↗buscar ↗
  3. Oliveira RS, Pereira LA, Pasquarelli BN, Machado FA, Nakamura FY. Relação entre desempenhos em testes de campo específicos em jogadores jovens de futebol. Revista Brasileira de Futebol, 6:23-32, 2013. find ↗buscar ↗
  1. Oliveira RS, Vitor-Costa M, Pedro RE, Polito MD, Avelar A, Cyrino ES, Nakamura FY. Acute cardiac autonomic responses after a bout of resistance exercise. Science & Sports, 27:357-364, 2012. find ↗buscar ↗
  2. Oliveira RS, Pedro RE, Bortolotti H, Silva RA, Abrão T, Altimari JM, Camata TV, Moraes AC, Altimari LR. Spectral analysis of EMG signal in supramaximal effort in cycle ergometer using Fourier and Wavelet transforms. Revista Andaluza de Medicina del Deporte, 5:48-52, 2012. find ↗buscar ↗
  3. Oliveira RS, Pedro RE, Milanez VF, Vitor-Costa M, Bortolotti H, Nakamura FY. Relação entre variabilidade da frequência cardíaca e aumento no desempenho físico em jogadores de futebol. Revista Brasileira de Cineantropometria & Desempenho Humano, 713-722, 2012. find ↗buscar ↗
  1. Bortolotti H, Vitor-Costa M, Oliveira RS, Pedro RE, Altimari LR, Cyrino ES. Desempenho de jogadores de elite de futsal e handebol no 30-15 intermittent fitness test. Brazilian Journal of Sports and Exercise Research, 1:89-92, 2010. find ↗buscar ↗
  1. Pedro RE, Costa MV, Oliveira RS, Soares-Caldeira LF. Cinética de frequência cardíaca de recuperação: comparações entre diferentes tempos de análise. Revista Brasileira de Prescrição e Fisiologia do Exercício, 3:493-499, 2009. find ↗buscar ↗