Assessment of physical activity by applying IPAQ questionnaire

Effects of concurrent heat and hypoxic training on cycling anaerobic capacity in men

Physical training in heat or hypoxia can improve physical performance. The purpose of this parallel group study was to investigate the concurrent effect of training performed simultaneously in heat (31 °C) and hypoxia (FIO2 = 14.4%) on anaerobic capacity in young men. For the study, 80 non-trained men were recruited and divided into 5 groups (16 participants per group): control, non-training (CTRL); training in normoxia and thermoneutral conditions (NT: 21 °C, FIO2 = 20.95%); training in normoxia and heat (H: 31 °C, FIO2 = 20.95%); training in hypoxia and thermoneutral conditions (IHT: 21 °C, FIO2 = 14.4%), and training in hypoxia and heat (IHT + H: 31 °C, FIO2 = 14.4%). Before and after physical training, the participants performed the Wingate Test, in which peak power and mean power were measured. Physical training lasted 4 weeks and the participants exercised 3 times a week for 60 min, performing interval training. Only the IHT and IHT + H groups showed significant increases in absolute peak power (p < 0.001, ES = 0.36 and p = 0.02, ES = 0.26, respectively). There were no significant changes (p = 0.18) after training in mean power. Hypoxia appeared to be an environmental factor that significantly improved peak power, but not mean power. Heat, added to hypoxia, did not increase cycling anaerobic power. Also, training only in heat did not significantly affect anaerobic power. The inclusion of heat and/or hypoxia in training did not induce negative effects, i.e., a reduction in peak and mean power as measured in the Wingate Test.

Determinants of Weight Status and Body, Health and Life Satisfaction in Young Adults

Health behaviors include behavioral patterns and habits that relate to health maintenance, restoration and improvement. They do not only affect the physical condition; they are also associated with life satisfaction. In our study, we focused on young adulthood, a specific lifespan period for establishing long-term health behavior patterns. The aim of the present study was to investigate depressive symptoms, lifestyle and eating behaviors and delineate their associations with overweight/obesity and body, health and life satisfaction in young adults in Poland. We enrolled 800 students (81.4% females and 18.6% males). Diet, physical activity, depressive symptoms, eating behaviors and body, health and life satisfaction were assessed. Multivariate logistic regression models were employed. Almost half of the participants in our study had at least mild symptoms of depression. Symptoms of depression significantly reduced the odds of satisfaction with body, health and life, whereas physical activity increased them. Overweight/obesity significantly reduced the odds of body and health satisfaction. In women, a history of depression and emotional eating increased the odds of being overweight/obese. The results of our study may contribute to the development of educational programs and intervention strategies for young adults.

Association between plant and animal proteins intake with lipid profile and anthropometric indices: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Results of studies on the effects of plant and animal proteins on lipid profile are controversial. So we aimed to assess the relationship between plant and animal protein intake with lipid profile and novel anthropometric indices in healthy individuals.

METHOD

In this cross-sectional study, 236 participants have selected from Shiraz medical centers (Iran) through random cluster sampling. Food intakes were assessed using a 168-items food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglyceride (TG) were measured. Anthropometric indices including a body shape index (ABSI), abdominal volume index (AVI), buddy roundness index (BRI), and conicity index (CI) were calculated.

RESULTS

In the crude and fully adjusted models, more consumption of plant proteins was associated with TG levels (OR = 2.31; 95% CI: 1.08, 4.95; P = 0.03 and OR = 2.39; 95% CI: 1.03, 5.15; P = 0.04). Also, there was a significant direct association between plant proteins and BRI in the curd model (OR = 3.55; 95% CI: 1.32, 9.54; P = 0.01), and after adjusting for age and energy intake (OR = 3.32; 95% CI: 1.21, 9.14; P = 0.01). More consumption of plant proteins was related to higher CI in the crude model (OR = 3.06; 95% CI: 1.12, 8.31; P = 0.03), but not in the fully adjusted model.

CONCLUSION

We found that a higher intake of plant proteins was associated with a higher TG level, BRI, and CI index. However, more research is needed to confirm these relations and provide the evidence needed to exert these findings into clinical practice.

Association between ultra-processed foods intake with lipid profile: a cross-sectional study

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the association between ultra-processed foods (UPFs) intake and lipid profile in Iranian people. The study was performed on 236 individuals with the age range of 20-50 years in Shiraz, Iran. Food intakes of the participants were evaluated using a 168-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) which was previously validated in Iranian populations. In order to estimate the ultra-processed foods intake, classification of NOVA food group was used. Serum lipids including total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were measured. The results showed that mean of age and body mass index (BMI) of the participants were 45.98 years and 28.28 kg/m², respectively. Logistic regression was used to evaluation the relation between UPFs intake and lipid profile. Higher UPFs intake was associated with increased OR of TG and HDL abnormality in both crude (OR 3.41; 95% CI 1.58, 7.34; P-trend = 0.001 and OR 2.99; 95% CI 1.31, 6.82; P-trend = 0.010) and adjusted models (OR 3.69; 95% CI 1.67, 8.16; P-trend = 0.001 and OR 3.38 95% CI 1.42, 8.07; P-trend = 0.009). But, there were no association between UPFs intake and other indices of lipid profile. Also, we found significant associations between UPFs intake and dietary nutrient profiles. In conclusion, UPFs consumption could worsen the nutritional profile of the diet and lead to negative changes in some indices of the lipid profile.

The Effect of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior on Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among the Adult Population in the Rural Area of Perambalur: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background The global COVID-19 pandemic has been incredibly destructive, especially for mental health. The lockdown measures required people to stay in their homes. This lifestyle caused them to become sedentary, which could have an impact on both their physical and mental well-being. We used the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) to measure the physical activity (PA) and mental health of adults in Perambalur, India, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods The researchers conducted a cross-sectional investigation among people ages 15-60 years old from September 2021 to February 2022. In this study, we included 400 individuals through the method of convenient sampling. We conducted a population-based survey in which a semi-structured questionnaire was used to gather information on the age, gender, weight, height, physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire {IPAQ}), and mental health (General Health Questionnaire-12 {GHQ-12}) of the participants. We conducted an analysis of the data using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20 (IBM SPSS Statistics, Armonk, NY). Results Most of the participants (65.8%) were female, and 69.5% belonged to the age group of 20-24 years; their mean age was 23 years. Physical activity was scored using the IPAQ, and we divided the participants into three categories: 37%, insufficient; 58%, sufficient; and 5%, high activity. The GHQ-12 assessment revealed that around half of the participants (47.8%) had psychological distress. In a bivariate analysis, those in the 15-19 and 24-29 age groups reported more distress than those in the other age groups (p = 0.006). Those who engaged in sufficient physical activity (54.7%) reported more distress than those who engaged in high (25%) or insufficient activity (p = 0.002). Conclusion Nearly half of the participants experienced psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who were engaging in sufficient physical activity experienced higher levels of distress than those with high and insufficient activities.

Dietary Antioxidant Capacity Indices are Negatively Correlated to LDL-Oxidation in Adults

INTRODUCTION

Former research studies have demonstrated controversial associations between dietary indices and oxidative stress biomarkers including oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and malondialdehyde (MDA). So, in this cross-sectional study, we aimed to assess the association of dietary total antioxidant capacity (DTAC), oxidative balance score, and phytochemical index (PI) with ox-LDL/MDA in a healthy adult population of Shiraz, Iran.

METHODS

236 individuals participated in this cross-sectional study. DTAC, OBS, and PI were calculated using a 168-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), which was previously validated in Iran. We measured ox-LDL and MDA in blood samples of the participants using commercially existing kits. Crude and adjusted models of linear regression were used to evaluate the relation of dietary indices with ox-LDL and MDA.

RESULTS

There was a significant association between ox-LDL and DTAC in both crude (β = -1.55; 95% CI: -2.53, -0.58; P-trend = 0.002) and adjusted (β = -1.65 95% CI: -2.66, -0.64; P-trend = 0.001) models. Also, a negative association was observed between ox-LDL and PI in the crude (β = -1.26 95% CI: -2.33, -0.29; P-trend = 0.01) and adjusted (β = -1.36 95% CI: -2.38, -0.34; P-trend = 0.01) models.

CONCLUSION

Results of this study showed that DTAC and PI were inversely associated with ox-LDL as markers of lipid peroxidation. But no correlations were seen between MDA and dietary antioxidant indices.

Health and related behaviours of fly-in fly-out workers in the mining industry in Australia: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Fly-In Fly-Out (FIFO), which entails travelling mostly from the urban areas to stay and work in remote areas for designated periods and travel back home to spend designated days of leave, has become a common work arrangement in the mining sector globally. This study examined the mental and physical health of FIFO workers and described their health-related behaviours during on-and off-shift periods.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted with FIFO workers (N = 216) in the mining industry in Australia who completed an online survey. Paired t-test and McNemer's analysis examined the differences in health-related behaviours during workers' on-and off-shift days. Logistic regression examined the predictors of physical health and psychological distress status of FIFO workers.

RESULTS

Workers reported longer sleep duration (7.5 ± 1.5 h vs 6.3 ± 1.2 h, p < 0.001) and better sleep quality (78.2% vs 46.3%, p < 0.001) during off-shift nights than on on-shift nights. Smoking prevalence was 26.4%, and workers reported smoking a similar number of cigarettes per day during on-and off-shift days. Most workers reported drinking alcohol (86.1%) and more often at risky levels during off-shift than on-shift days (57.9% vs 34.3%, p < 0.001). Fruits and vegetable consumption was low but with higher vegetable intake during off-shift days (2.8 ± 1.4 vs 2.3 ± 1.3 serves, p < 0.001). Workers had good physical health status (91.2%), but 71.4% were overweight/obese and 33.4% indicated high levels of psychological distress. Working on long shifts (OR 6.63, 95% CI 1.84-23.91) and smoking (OR 7.17, 95% CI 2.67-19.26) were linked to high psychological distress.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of psychological distress and risky health behaviours was high. Interventions should aim to reduce psychological distress and support multiple behaviour changes, considering FIFO work-related characteristics including long shift hours.

Multiple health-related behaviours among Fly-In Fly-Out workers in the mining industry in Australia: A cross-sectional survey during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Fly-In-Fly-Out (FIFO) workers travel to work at isolated locations, and rotate continuous workdays with leave periods at home, and such work practice is common in the offshore oil and gas and onshore mining industry worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying public health actions appear to have had a negative impact on several health-related behaviours among the general population. However, little is known about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health behaviours of FIFO workers, who have shown higher pre-pandemic rates of risky behaviours than the general population in Australia. This study examined the health-related behaviours of FIFO workers in the mining industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. FIFO workers from an Australian mining company who underwent COVID-19 screening between May and November 2020 completed an online survey about their regular health-related behaviours. The independent sample t-test and Pearson's chi-square test where appropriate were conducted to examine the differences between males and females for the behavioural outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 768 FIFO workers (633 males and 135 females) participated in the study. Prevalence of smoking was high (32%). Males smoked more cigarettes per day than females (15.2±7.0 vs 13.1±7.1, p = .174). Most participants (74.7%) drank alcohol on more than two days per week. Compared to females, more males (20.2% vs 8.0%) consumed alcohol at short-term harmful levels (p = .010). About a third (34.4%) of the workers (33.5% of males and 38.5% of females, p = .264) engaged in inadequate moderate-vigorous exercises/physical activity. About a third (33.1%) of workers (33.7% of males and 30.4% of females; p = .699) had multiple risk behaviours.

CONCLUSIONS

Prevalence of multiple risk behaviours was high. Interventions aimed at the prevention of risky health-related behaviours should target the different behavioural patterns and may require emphasis on gender-informed techniques particularly when addressing alcohol consumption.

Assessment of the Level of Physical Activity and Body Mass Index of Soldiers of the Polish Air Force

Level of physical activity positively affects health condition, correlates highly with level of physical fitness and contributes to the efficient performance of military tasks. The aim of the study was to assess the level of physical activity and body mass index of the Polish Air Force soldiers. A total of 543 professional soldiers (men) doing military service in military units of the Polish Air Force underwent the examination. The average age of examined soldiers amounted to 34.8 ± 9.0 years. In order to carry out the research, the long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used. Out of the total of 477 questionnaires that qualified for the analysis, a high level of physical activity was found among 81.1% of subjects, moderate 10.5% and low 8.4%. Average MET values were obtained in the following: job-related, relocation (transportation), housekeeping, recreation (leisure activities and sport). The average MET values were 4173 ± 5306 MET; 2371 ± 2725 MET; 2455 ± 4843 MET; 2421 ± 2802 MET, respectively. The average level of body mass index amounted to 25.98 ± 3.38 kg/m². The tested Air Force soldiers were generally characterized by a high and moderate level of physical activity. Generally, there was no difference in the level of physical activity between the flight crew and the ground staff.

Using the TUG Test for the Functional Assessment of Patients with Selected Disorders

One of the tests used for quantitative diagnostics is Timed Up-and-Go (TUG), however, no reports were found regarding the percentage share of individual test components, which seems to have a greater diagnostic value in differentiating the functional status of the patients. The aim of the study was to analyze the percentage of the individual components of the TUG test in functional assessment in a population of healthy children and in clinical trials patients with various diseases. Material and Methodology. The material consisted of patients with orthopedic (n = 165), metabolic (n = 116) and neurological dysfunctions (n = 96). Results. The components of the TUG test that differentiated the studied groups of patients to the greatest extent were in the order: relapse tug3%, initial transition tug2%, sitting tug5% and standing up tug1%, while during the final transition tug4% statistically significant differences were found only between healthy children and the studied groups of patients. Conclusions. The TUG test turned out to be a good diagnostic tool, differentiating the studied groups of patients. The analysis of the percentage of the components of the TUG test can help in assessing the mobility of children and adolescents, monitor the effects of physiotherapy or the effects of surgical procedures.

Eating Behaviors, Depressive Symptoms and Lifestyle in University Students in Poland

Young adulthood is the period from the late teens through the twenties and is associated with life transitions that could contribute to the development of obesity. Targeting this group will be critical to reversing the obesity epidemic. The aim of the study was to investigate the eating behaviors and lifestyle of healthcare students in Poland. We enrolled 227 students in the study. Convenience sampling was employed. Diet (Food Frequency Questionnaire), physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire), depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory), impulsivity (Barratt Impulsivity Scale), and eating behaviors (Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire) were assessed. One in three students exhibited depressive symptoms, one in four showed low levels of physical activity. More than 40% of the students did not consume vegetables at least once a day, and more than half did not consume fruit. Only approximately 50% of the students ate fish several times a month. There was an association between high scores of specific eating behaviors and body weight, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and consumption of specific product groups (sweets, alcohol). The results of our study are expected to contribute to a better understanding of dietary habits and overweight/obesity in university students, and support the development of programs to promote healthy lifestyles in that population.

Quality of Life of Physically Active and Inactive Women Who Are Older after Surgery for Stress Urinary Incontinence Using a Transobturator Tape (TOT)

Urinary incontinence is a major health problem. According to various authors, it concerns 30–40% of the population and grows with age, affecting approximately 50% of women aged over 70. According to the recommendations of the International Continence Society, the treatment of urinary incontinence should commence with conservative treatment and, above all, with physiotherapy. If the conservative treatment fails or the level of urinary incontinence is too high, surgery is recommended. With regard to female patients examined at work, the TOT method was applied. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between regular physical activity and the quality of life of women aged 65–87 who underwent surgical treatment for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) using the TOT method. The study group involved 60 postmenopausal women, patients of the Department of Gynaecology of the Hospital of Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Wroclaw, with SUI diagnosed during ultrasonography. The female patients were surveyed before and 12 months after the surgery using standardised IPAQ and WHOQOL-BREF.FL questionnaires. Significant positive relationships between quality of life and physical activity before and 12 months after the surgery were demonstrated in the somatic and social domains. Physically active postmenopausal women presented higher values in all domains and total quality of life according to the WHOQOL-BREF compared with physically inactive women, both before and 12 months after the procedure using the TOT method.

Gender Self-Perception and Psychological Distress in Healthcare Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The aim of this study was to analyze university Health Sciences students’ self-perception regarding gender stereotypes, and to explore whether there was any association between gender stereotypes and clinical/socio-demographic variables. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 252 university students who completed a self-administrated online questionnaire (18.3% males, 81.7% females). We evaluated the self-perception of gender stereotypes as determined using the BSRI-12 questionnaire and explored the association of this measure with the impact of perceived stress measured using a modified scale (PSS-10-C) as well as anxiety and depression according to scores on the Goldberg scale (GADS). Results: According to the students’ self-perception of gender stereotypes, 24.9% self-perceived themselves as feminine, 20.1% as masculine, 24.9% as androgynous, and 30% as undifferentiated. The degree determines self-identification with gender stereotypes. Nursing and Occupational Therapy are studied mostly by women, 28.4% and 45%, respectively, while Physiotherapy is studied mainly by men (71.2%). Females indicated more anxiety (75.7%) and depression (81.7%) than males (52.9% and 67.3%, respectively). In contrast, males developed more stress (88.5%) than females (74.1%). Conclusions: University degree, anxiety, depression, and stress determined self-identification with gender stereotypes. The results of this study indicate that gender roles influence the possibility of developing mental disorders and should be taken into account in future studies.

Evaluation of hydration status during the COVID-19 pandemic: a study of Turkish young adults

Adequate hydration is an essential component of health at every stage of life. Although many factors such as age, gender, physical activity, drug use, and illness affect hydration status, it is vital to maintain water balance, especially in infectious diseases. This study was conducted to estimate the hydration status of young adults living in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic. The total water intake (TWI) and total water loss of the individuals were determined using the Water Balance Questionnaire (WBQ), which consists of questions about physical activity status, frequency of food and beverage consumption, water consumption, and water loss with urine and feces. The TWI of men and women was found to be 4,776.1 and 4,777.3 mL/day, respectively (p > 0.05). It was determined that 29% of the total water was obtained from drinking water, 49% from other beverages, and 22% from food. A positive net water balance was found in all body mass index (BMI) groups, men, and women. The net water balance was statistically lower in men (2,230.6 mL) than women (2,783.8 mL) (p < 0.05). As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, studies should be done on hydration status in the more balanced populations in terms of BMI and age groups.

A Pilot Study of Influence of Endurance Training on the Prooxidative and Antioxidant Status of Women after Breast Cancer

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of 8-week long endurance training on the prooxidative–antioxidative status of plasma in women treated for breast cancer. The participants of the study were 12 women after radical mastectomy aged 45 to 56 years (M = 50.6 ± 2.9 years), who had undergone full cancer treatment, on average more than 5 years after the treatment (M = 5.9 ± 0.9 years). Body mass components were measured twice using the method of bioelectric impedance analysis. In order to optimize training loads and to assess the level of exercise tolerance of the participants, the group was subject to an ergospirometric exercise test twice, before (1st) and after (2nd) the completion of the training cycle. The blood was also taken twice for biochemical analyses. Statistically significant differences were noted in the maximum exercise load, the level of which increased in the second test (p < 0.05). No change was observed in the level of antioxidative potential, i.e., the content of some variables, ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), urea, total phenolics, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and in the blood indices of the body’s nutritional status during the project (total protein, albumin. Endurance training caused an increase in exercise tolerance and did not cause an aggravation of oxidative stress in women undergoing breast cancer treatment.

The LIBRA Index in Relation to Cognitive Function, Functional Independence, and Psycho-Behavioral Symptoms in a Sample of Non-Institutionalized Seniors at Risk of Dementia

BACKGROUND

Alzheimer's disease is the principal cause of dementia and is determined, in at least one third cases, by modifiable risk factors (MRF). The "Lifestyle for Brain Health (LIBRA)" index was recently developed to quantify the individual risk of progression to dementia ascribable to MRF.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between LIBRA scores and markers of cognitive performance, functional independence, and psycho-behavioral symptoms in a community-based sample of Italian elders.

METHODS

308 senior participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or subjective cognitive decline (SCD) were evaluated with a complete neuropsychological battery and semi-structured interviews for the assessment of depression, apathy, and functional autonomy. All the 12 LIBRA MRF were available for the calculation of LIBRA scores. A modified version of the index (LIBRA-2) was calculated by removing depression weight from the LIBRA index. Partial correlation analyses, controlling for age and education, assessed the association between LIBRA indices and cognitive, functional, and behavioral outcomes. Separate analyses were repeated in the MCI and SCD subgroups.

RESULTS

In participants with SCD (SCDp), significant correlations existed between LIBRA and markers of impairment in global cognition, visuo-spatial attention, and semantic fluency. LIBRA-2 associated with psycho-behavioral symptoms in the whole sample and in SCDp. LIBRA-2 only associated with apathy in the MCI subgroup.

CONCLUSIONS

The LIBRA index might be useful to determine the lifestyle-attributable risk of cognitive and psycho-behavioral decline in Italian seniors at risk, while in those with overt cognitive impairment, these outcomes are presumably mainly associated with non-modifiable factors.

Determinants favoring weight regain after weight-loss therapy among postmenopausal women

Little is known about the factors affecting body weight-loss maintenance among postmenopausal women. We thus performed an analysis to identify some sociodemographic, physiological, and behavioral predictors of weight regain in a targeted subpopulation of women who had lost weight 1 year earlier. We also measured how eating behaviors and habits as well as physical activity pattern differ among successful and unsuccessful weight-loss maintainers over the trial. Sixty-four postmenopausal women were followed up for a year after dieting, and the successful and unsuccessful maintainers were identified. The regainers had regained an average of 4.9 kg of their lost body weight, while the maintainers had regained only 1.5 kg. Regainers had fewer years of education and lower initial body weight loss than maintainers. They also showed poor dietary adherence during dieting, and had unhealthy patterns of eating involving the avoidance of breakfast and a lower intake of nuts, seeds, and pulses, and a higher intake of sweets, biscuits, cakes, and pastries over time (excluding the dieting period). All the significant sociodemographic, physiological and behavioral variables differentiating regainers and maintainers before and after dieting were then examined as independent variables in a logistic regression model. The model showed that less weight reduction during dieting, higher disinhibition scores after dieting, and avoidance of breakfast before dieting were significant predictors of body weight regain in postmenopausal women. From a practical point of view, early identification of postmenopausal women who are at risk of regaining lost weight can allow health professionals to create behavioral and dietary supports to help prevent this. A regular schedule of follow-ups over at least the first year should be considered for them—including psychological and dietary intervention, if necessary. Since this sample study included only postmenopausal women, our findings are not generalizable to other populations.

Gender-specific differences of normative values of pelvic floor muscle function in healthy adults population: an observational analytical study

Females and males differ significantly in gross anatomy and physiology of the pelvic floor muscle, and these differences are commonly discussed in the scientific literature. However, less attention is dedicated to investigating the normative values of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) function between females and males. Our study aims to describe the normal reference values of PFM function in females and males of a healthy adult population using transabdominal ultrasound (TAUS). A total of 200 healthy adults, including 71 males and 129 females consented to participate in this study. Bladder base displacement was measured using a sagittal curved linear array 2-5 MHz transducer over the suprapubic region. The amount of bladder base movement on ultrasound was measured in all subjects from freeze frame ultrasound images and considered as an indicator of PFM function. The average age of subjects was (26.1 ± 2.6 years), (24.4 ± 3.7 BMI). Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference in transabdominal ultrasound measurement for PFM function (p = .00000). The bladder base displacement was significantly greater in males compared to females (0.65 ± 0.42 vs. 0.38 ± 0.35, p <.001, 95% CI:0.16-0.38). The present study provides evidence of a gender-related PFM functional differences creating a baseline for the clinic to establish the normal percentile values of PFM function.

Calcium-Sensing Receptor Gene Polymorphisms (CASRV1 and CASRV2) and the Physical Activity Level of Men in Lower Silesia, Poland

Calcium-sensing receptors (CASR) are a dimeric family of C-class G-protein-coupled receptors that play a crucial role in bone and mineral metabolism by regulating parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion, skeletal development, and urinary Ca²⁺ excretion. Genetic factors mainly impact bone mineral density (BMD). However, many variable factors may affect bone health, including physical activity. The aim of our study was to investigate the potential associations between calcium-sensing receptor gene polymorphisms (CASRV1 and CASRV2) and the level of physical activity in adult males from Lower Silesia, a region in the south of Poland. A total of 428 adult male inhabitants of Lower Silesia were included in the study. Their physical activity was evaluated using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The CASRV1 (rs 1801725, G>T, A986S) and CASRV2 (rs 761486, T>G, non-coding region) polymorphisms were determined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and mini-sequencing. The polymorphisms were identified with GeneScan software ver. 3.1.2. We did not observe any statistically significant differences between the total energy expenditure (total MET) and the CASRV1 and CASRV2 polymorphisms. We did not find any association between the level of physical activity and the frequency of genotypes at the polymorphic locus of the calcium-sensing receptor genes CASRV1 and CASRV2. We found that the number of hours the subjects spent in a sitting position was unrelated to the genotypes at the polymorphic locus of the calcium-sensing receptor gene CASRV1. Based on our studies, we concluded that there were no associations between CASR and physical activity in the men inhabiting Lower Silesia in Poland. Our results do not suggest any influence of the assessed genetic factors in the population variability of the level of physical activity of adults.

The Effects of COVID-19 and Quarantine Measures on the Lifestyles and Mental Health of People Over 60 at Increased Risk of Dementia

Background: The lockdown strategies adopted to limit the spread of COVID-19 infection may lead to adopt unhealthy lifestyles which may impact on the mental well-being and future risk of dementia. Older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or subjective cognitive decline (SCD) may suffer important mental health consequences from measures of quarantine and confinement. Aims: The study aimed to explore the effects of COVID-19 and quarantine measures on lifestyles and mental health of elderly at increased risk of dementia. Methods: One hundred and twenty six community-dwelling seniors with MCI or SCD were phone-interviewed and assessed with questions regarding variables related to COVID-19 pandemic, lifestyle changes and scales validated for the assessment of depression, anxiety, and apathy. Results: The sample included 55.6% patients with MCI and 56 people with SCD. Over 1/3 of the sample reduced their physical activity and nearly 70% reported an increase in idle time. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet decreased in almost 1/3 of respondents and over 35% reported weight gain. Social activities were abolished and 1/6 of participants also decreased productive and mental-stimulating activities. 19.8% were depressed, 9.5% anxious, and 9.5% apathetic. A significant association existed between depression and living alone or having a poor relation with cohabitants and between anxiety and SCD, cold or flu symptoms, and reduction in productive leisure activities. Conclusions: Seniors with SCD and MCI underwent lifestyle changes that are potentially harmful to their future cognitive decline, even if, with the exception of leisure activities, they do not appear to be cross-sectionally associated with psychiatric symptoms.

Leisure-time physical activity and sports in the Brazilian population: A social disparity analysis

Objectives

To estimate the prevalence of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) or sports in the Brazilian population according to demographic and income variables.

Methods

Data from 60,202 Brazilian individuals (18 years and over) were analyzed, belonging to the National Health Survey 2013 sample. The prevalence of different modalities of LTPA and sports was estimated according to age, sex, skin color and income. The adjusted prevalence ratios were estimated by Poisson regression.

Results

Of every thousand Brazilians, 695 do not practice LTPA or sports. Walking is the most practiced LTPA (98/1000), followed by soccer (68/1000) and weight training (45/1000). For poor and black men, the most frequent LTPA was soccer, and, for women, gymnastics and walking. The prevalence of weight training and gymnastics was higher for white people compared with black people. All LTPA practices were more prevalent in individuals with higher income, except for soccer. Running on a treadmill and weight training had, respectively, 24.7 and 6.4 times higher prevalence in the richer quartile.

Conclusions

The study allowed identifying the type of LTPA and sport reported as the most frequent by the Brazilian population according to age, sex, skin color, and income, detecting strong social disparities in these practices.

Barriers of physical activity of women post breast cancer treatment in rural Poland

Physical activity (PA) is an important element of healthy lifestyle, plays a major part in primary and secondary prevention of environmental illness. We examined the level of PA over a period of 7 days using Silva ex3 Connect pedometers in women after breast cancer treatment (BCT). Participants were selected from rural areas with restricted access to recreational and rehabilitative services. Women post BCT exhibited a low level of PA, though not deviating significantly from that of healthy women of the same age. There is a need to increase the level of PA among both: women after BCT and healthy women.

Association Between Vitamin D Insufficiency and Metabolic Syndrome in Patients With Psychotic Disorders

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the association between vitamin D and metabolic syndrome in patients with psychotic disorders.

METHODS

The study enrolled 302 community-dwelling patients with psychotic disorders. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, including blood pressure, physical activity, and dietary habit were gathered. Laboratory examinations included vitamin D, lipid profile, fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, liver function, and renal function. Vitamin D insufficiency was defined as <20 ng/mL. Clinical characteristics associated with vitamin D insufficiency were identified.

RESULTS

Among the 302 participants, 236 patients (78.1%) had a vitamin D insufficiency and 97 (32.1%) had metabolic syndrome. Vitamin D insufficiency was significantly associated with the presence of metabolic syndrome (p=0.006) and hypertension (p=0.017). Significant increases in triglycerides and alanine transaminase were observed in the group with a vitamin D insufficiency (p=0.002 and 0.011, respectively). After adjusting for physical activity and dietary habit scores, vitamin D insufficiency remained significantly associated with metabolic syndrome and hypertension.

CONCLUSION

Vitamin D insufficiency was associated with metabolic syndrome and was particularly associated with high blood pressure, although the nature, direction and implications of this association are unclear.

Rating of perceived capacity: a proposal to predict adequate levels of physical activity in visually impaired individuals

BACKGROUND

There are several instruments that are generally used to analyze levels of physical activity (PA) in people with visual impairment. However, few instruments are validated for this population. The purpose of this study was to compare the subjective and objective variables of PA and to propose the use of the Rating of Perceived Capacity (RPC) to evaluate the level of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per day in this population.

METHODS

Thirty-seven individuals with visual impairment participated in the study (19 blind without light perception and 18 low-vision). For the subjective physical activity evaluation, it was used the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and for the objective evaluation, it was used the ActiGraph GT3X+.

RESULTS

Among the three analyzed (PA) intensities: moderate physical activity (MPA), vigorous physical activity (VPA) and MVPA, in VPA and MVPA was observed differences between the two methods (P=0.002 and P=0.011 respectively). Furthermore, the concordance between subjective and objective MVPA was not observed (ICC=0.239; P=0.176), and a greater variability of differences in MVPA between the two methods was observed by the Bland Altman scatter plot. However, positive correlation was found between the RPC and MVPA (P=0.470; P=0.003). In addition, in the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, it was verified that values greater than 8 points in the RPC showed a predictive capacity for sufficient levels of objective MVPA (AUC=0.809, sensitivity =66.7, specificity =90.9, P≤0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

We concluded that the MVPA per day obtained by IPAQ-SF did not show agreement for the objective MVPA in visually impaired individuals. On the other hand, RPC presented itself as an alternative, practical and accessible tool to predict adequate levels of MVPA per day in this population.

A telephone-based intervention to promote physical activity during smoking cessation: a randomized controlled proof-of-concept study

Smoking and physical inactivity contribute to disproportionate disease burden among underserved adults. Telephone-based interventions (quitlines) are becoming the standard care for addressing smoking. There is increasing interest to determine whether quitlines can be utilized to administer interventions for other unhealthy behaviors. This study aims to examine the proof-of-concept and potential efficacy of a telephone-based behavioral counseling intervention to boost daily low-to-moderate physical activity among low-income, physically inactive smokers. Participants (N = 101) were randomized to receive 4 weeks of counseling prior to their smoking quit day that included either standard smoking cessation counseling (control) or the Step-up to Quit (SUTQ) intervention. SUTQ promoted daily walking to foster physical activity as a primary smoking urge management strategy and facilitate incremental increases in daily steps with the goal of achieving 7500 steps/day by the quit day in week 4. Exploratory structural equation modeling tested SUTQ effects on six measures of low-to-moderate physical activity (primary outcome) and smoking cue reactivity (secondary outcome) simultaneously in a single multivariate model with controlling variables. The sample was 51 % female and 77 % African-American, with a mean age of 42.1 years (SD = 10.9). Compared to the control condition, SUTQ intervention was associated with greater physical activity at week 4 (b = 0.51, z = 1.71, p = 0.08), with between-group differences sustained at follow-up. At week 4, the SUTQ group had higher 7-day mean steps/day (M = 7,207.25, SD = 4,276.03) than controls (M = 3,947.03, SD = 3,655.03) (t = 3.35; p < .01); and had more participants reach the >7500 steps/day goal (49% vs. 11 %, c2 = 10.78; p < .01), a difference that was sustained at 1-month follow-up (X2 = 9.04, p < .01) Effects of SUTQ treatment on cue reactivity were in the hypothesized direction but not significant (b = -0.29; z = -1.09, p = 0.27). To our knowledge, this is the first study to promote physical activity using telephone counseling in an underserved population of smokers known to have greater challenges with physical activity adoption and smoking cessation. The SUTQ approach suggests that integration of physical activity advice and support within the context of smoking cessation treatment has the potential to promote physical activity among smokers intending to quit.

Physical activity, nutritional status, and dietary habits of students of a medical university

Nutritional habits and physical activity influence the health status of young adults. In this study, we engaged a group of 151 students from a medical university (90 female and 61 male subjects). Anthropometric parameters, dietary habits (a 7-day dietary recall), and level of physical activity were measured. It was found that the daily food rations of female (F) and male (M) students were improperly balanced and characterized by high amount of total and animal protein, phosphorus, vitamin A, cholesterol, and insufficient intake of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and vitamin C. Female subjects consumed low amounts of total fat and calcium. The intake of protein (total and animal), fat, phosphorus, and cholesterol correlated with higher body mass. The physical activity of the students was found to be higher than the average physical activity of the European Union populations, and a general tendency of lowering level of physical activity with age was observed. Students with the highest level of physical activity (MET > 1500) consumed lower amounts of simple carbohydrates (galactose and saccharose) when compared to students with lower physical activity (MET < 600, p < 0.05). Therefore, this study concluded that the dietary habits should be modified to prevent the development of diet-dependent diseases. Various forms of physical activity should be proposed to students and they should be encouraged to participate in high level of physical activity so as to promote good health status.

Promoting pre-quit physical activity to reduce cue reactivity among low-income sedentary smokers: A randomized proof of concept study

BACKGROUND

Smoking and lack of physical activity (PA) contribute to disproportionate rates of disease among low-income adults. Interventions that simultaneously address both risk behaviors have strong potential to reduce health disparities. Existing smoking-PA studies indicate promising results but have limited generalizability to low-income populations. The goal of this study is to assess the effects of an integrated behavioral counseling approach to promote low-to-moderate intensity PA (LMPA) and reduce short-term smoking cue reactivity among low-income sedentary smokers.

METHODS

This study uses a randomized, 2-group design with 4 measurement time points: baseline, quit day (week 4), 1-week and 1-month follow-up. Participants (sedentary, smoke>6 cigs/day) receive 4 weeks of either (a) standard smoking cessation counseling (SCC control) or (b) our Step-Up to Quit (SUTQ) intervention that integrates advice for LMPA with SCC. SUTQ counseling focuses on increasing daily steps (walking) to reach 7500-10,000/day by week 4 (quit day) and explicitly links short bouts of LMPA with smoking urge management. Potential for SUTQ to facilitate urge management will be assessed by comparing between-group differences in the reduction (extinction) of quit day cue reactivity. We will explore group differences in quit rates at 1-week and 1-month follow-up.

DISCUSSION

This novel approach overcomes gaps in the PA-smoking intervention literature by promoting a more realistic PA approach for sedentary populations, using an ecologically valid strategy, integrating LMPA with evidence-based SCC during a 4-week pre-quit period, and testing the SUTQ counseling model in a high-risk sample. Results will guide future efficacy and dissemination studies.

DRD2 C313T and DRD4 48-bp VNTR polymorphisms and physical activity of healthy men in Lower Silesia, Poland (HALS study)

BACKGROUND

Both animal and human studies have proved that the dopaminergic system of the brain controls many aspects of behavior, e.g. motivation, addiction, motor movement, locomotion. It has been hypothesized that dopamine signalling may regulate spontaneous physical activity as well.

AIM

Literature data suggests that an intact function of dopamine receptors (DRD2-DRD4) inhibits physical activity. This study searched for associations between a propensity to be active (or sedentary) and genetic variants of DRD2 and DRD4.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Invitations to participate in the study were sent to 900 randomly selected, adult men living in Lower Silesia, Poland. Genotyping of DRD2 C313T and DRD4 48-bp VNTR polymorphisms of enrolled subjects (371 (DRD2 C313T) and 397 (DRD4 48-bp VNTR)) was performed. Level of physical activity was evaluated using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ).

RESULTS

No associations were found between level of physical activity (low, moderate, high) and the two polymorphisms: DRD2 C313T (p = 0.49) and DRD4 48-bp VNTR (p = 0.31). Studied subjects did not differ as to the number of hours spent sitting either.

CONCLUSION

The results exclude the presence of significant relationships between polymorphic variants of the dopamine receptors genes and the level of physical activity in men.