Effects of Short-Term Physical Activity Interventions on Simple and Choice Response Times

Enhancing Behavioural Changes: A Narrative Review on the Effectiveness of a Multifactorial APP-Based Intervention Integrating Physical Activity

The rapid evolution of technologies is a key innovation in the organisation and management of physical activities (PA) and sports. The increase in benefits and opportunities related to the adoption of technologies for both the promotion of a healthy lifestyle and the management of chronic diseases is evident. In the field of telehealth, these devices provide personalised recommendations, workout monitoring and injury prevention. The study aimed to provide an overview of the landscape of technology application to PA organised to promote active lifestyles and improve chronic disease management. This review identified specific areas of focus for the selection of articles: the utilisation of mobile APPs and technological devices for enhancing weight loss, improving cardiovascular health, managing diabetes and cancer and preventing osteoporosis and cognitive decline. A multifactorial intervention delivered via mobile APPs, which integrates PA while managing diet or promoting social interaction, is unquestionably more effective than a singular intervention. The main finding related to promoting PA and a healthy lifestyle through app usage is associated with "behaviour change techniques". Even when individuals stop using the APP, they often maintain the structured or suggested lifestyle habits initially provided by the APP. Various concerns regarding the excessive use of APPs need to be addressed.

Appropriate and acceptable health assessments for people experiencing homelessness

BACKGROUND

Appropriate and acceptable recruitment strategies and assessment tools are essential to determine the health needs for people experiencing homelessness. Based on a systematic review and known feasible community-based health assessments for people who are not homeless, a set of health assessments were trialled with people experiencing homelessness.

METHODS

Participants were recruited via support agencies. They completed a health risk assessment, demographic and self-report health questionnaires, and objective assessments across 17 domains of health.

RESULTS

Fifty-three participants (43.3% female, mean age 49.1 years) consented and completed 83-96% of assessments. Consent was reversed for assessments of grip, foot sensation, body measures (11%), and walking (30%), and initially refused for stress, sleep, cognition (6%); balance, walk test (9%) and oral examination (11%). There was one adverse event. Most assessments were both appropriate and acceptable. Some required modification for the context of homelessness, in particular the K10 was over-familiar to participants resulting in memorised responses. Recruitment strategies and practices must increase trust and ensure participants feel safe.

CONCLUSIONS

This set of health assessments are appropriate and acceptable for administration with people experiencing homelessness. Outcomes of these assessments are essential to inform public and primary health service priorities to improve the health of people experiencing homelessness.

Choice reaction time can be influenced by intervention protocols after stroke: A systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Post-stroke individuals usually present a delay in choice reaction time (CRT), and it would be important to verify the efficacy in the reduction of CRT after intervention protocols.

OBJECTIVE

The main question of this review is 'What are the characteristics of the CRT test and the interventions that decrease the CRT?'

STUDY DESIGN

Systematic review.

METHODS

The search was performed in March 2019 using the electronic databases, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, Lilacs, Cinahal, Cochrane, Ovid, Scielo, PEDro, and Embase. There was no restriction regarding publication dates, and studies written in English that were conducted on poststroke patients and presented CRT results were included.

RESULTS

Six studies were included in this systematic review, and the majority showed varied objectives, methodologies, and groups, regarding the number and characteristics of the sample, varying from complex to simple tasks for the CRT evaluation.

CONCLUSION

This review suggests the investigation of the CRT in stroke patients with functional tasks using auditory and/or visual stimulus. About the CRT training in stroke patients, this review also suggests bilateral training, including functional tasks, and the use of structural practice blocks, but more studies are needed to better demonstrate the effects of interventions on the CRT.

REGISTRATION NUMBER

PROSPERO (protocol no. CRD42017073995).

The Impact of Aerobic Exercise on Female Bone Health Indicators

Introduction:

Females usually suffer from bone health problems, particularly with aging. Aerobic exercise has been shown to have health benefits for females.

Aim:

The main objective of this study was to investigate the impact of aerobic exercise on female bone health by measuring serum trace elements and bone metabolism markers.

Methods:

Prospective interventional study was conducted at rehabilitation clinics in Royal Medical Services, Jordan. A total of 65 female participants were included. Participants were assigned into three groups: control group (N = 20), osteopenic group (N = 22), and osteoporotic group (N = 23). A standard aerobic exercise protocol was followed for 12 weeks. Endurance exercise protocol involved three sessions weekly for 60 minutes each. At basal level and after the experiment, the following parameters were assessed: body mass index (BMI), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), T-score, bone mineral density (BMD), and calcium. The analysis of data was carried out using SPSS version 21. The difference in means was computed based on t-test. Significance was considered at p < 0.05.

Results:

Aerobic training exercise improved the levels of all parameters in all groups for both sexes significantly, including BMI, BAP, T-score, BMD, and calcium (p < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Aerobic training exercise improves bone health and restores the hemostasis of bone tissue by restoring bone biomarkers, including BAP and calcium.

Effect of Vigorous Physical Activity on Executive Control in Middle-School Students

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the acute effect of vigorous physical activity on executive control in eighth grade students from the U.S. Participants were eighth grade students (N = 68; 26 girls, 42 boys) recruited from one middle school located in the Mountain West region of the U.S. Two groups of participants were assigned to receive either a vigorous physical activity or a sedentary condition within a counter-balanced cross-over design using a 2-week washout. Both groups were administered Trails Making Tests A (TMT-A) and B (TMT-B) at 20- and 25-min post-treatment, respectively. Mixed design ANOVA tests with repeated measures examined differences between treatments on TMT-A and TMT-B performance and the modifying effect of sex. Students who completed the physical activity condition displayed a faster time to completion on the TMT-B compared to students who completed the sedentary condition (Mean difference = −6.5 s, p = 0.026, d = 0.42). There were no differences between treatment groups on TMT-A and no sex × treatment interactions (p > 0.05). This pilot study suggests that vigorous physical activity may improve executive control in middle-school students and adds to the existent literature that continues to examine the emerging link between physical activity and cognition in school-based settings.

Feasibility of population screening tests to establish a healthy ageing trajectory

Objectives:

There are no agreed comprehensive tests for age-related changes to physical, emotional, mental and social functioning. Research into declining function focuses on those 75 years and older and little is known about age-related changes in younger people. The aims of this project were (1) to ascertain a comprehensive test battery that could underpin community-based health screening programmes for people aged 40–75 years and pilot both (2) community-based recruitment and (3) the utility, acceptability, response burden and logistics.

Methods:

A total of 11 databases were searched using a broad range of relevant terms. An identified comprehensive, recent, high-quality systematic review of screening instruments for detection of early functional decline for community-dwelling older people identified many relevant tools; however, not all body systems were addressed. Therefore, lower hierarchy papers identified in the rapid review were included and expert panel consultation was conducted before the final test battery was agreed. Broad networks were developed in one Australian city to aid pilot recruitment of community-dwellers 40–75 years. Recruitment and testing processes were validated using feasibility testing with 12 volunteers.

Results:

The test battery captured (1) online self-reports of demographics, health status, sleep quality, distress, diet, physical activity, oral health, frailty and continence; and (2) objective tests of anthropometry; mobility; lung function; dexterity; flexibility, strength and stability; hearing; balance; cognition and memory; foot sensation; and reaction time. Recruitment and testing processes were found to be feasible.

Conclusion:

This screening approach may provide new knowledge on healthy ageing in younger people.

Physical Activity as a Determinant of Quality of Life in Working-Age People in Wrocław, Poland

Regular physical activity can greatly contribute to the improvement of physical fitness and performance, reduction of the incidence risk of some occupational diseases, and as a consequence, to a general improvement of quality of life in terms of health status. The aim of the article was to assess relationships between the quality of life and physical activity of a working-age population. The study material comprised 4460 residents of the city of Wrocław, Poland (2129 men, 2331 women) aged 18-64 years. The study was a questionnaire survey using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and The World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaires. The highest levels of overall quality of life and its four particular domains (physical, psychological, social, and environmental), as well as perceived health conditions were found among the most physically active respondents. Furthermore, the odds of high assessment of perceived overall quality of life were shown to increase with the increasing levels of physical activity. Activities aimed at the improvement of the quality of life of working-age people should involve programs enhancing the development of physical activity.

Effects of Water-Based Exercise Training on the Cognitive Function and Quality of Life of Healthy Adult Women

BACKGROUND

Research regarding the impact of aquatic exercise on cognition is scarce. This study aimed at identifying the effects of water-based exercise training on the cognitive function and quality of life of healthy adult women.

METHODS

Fifty-one healthy women [mean age: 46.5 (12.3) y] were assigned to group A or B and followed a water-based exercise program for 6 months. During the first 3 months, the sessions performed by group A were focused on stimulating cognitive function. For the next 3 months, the sessions were mainly aimed at improving physical fitness. Participants in group B followed the same program in reverse order. The trail making and symbol digit modality tests were used to assess the impact of the program on cognition. The effects of the intervention on the participants' physical and mental health were measured by means of the medical outcomes study 36-item short-form health survey.

RESULTS

Once the intervention ended, significant improvements were observed in the participants' cognitive function and mental health domain, regardless of the group in which they were initially included.

CONCLUSION

Water-based exercise is a training modality capable of enhancing cognitive function and quality of life through improvements in mental health in healthy adult women.