California Adolescents Increasingly Inactive

Explores the health benefits of regular exercise; the extent to which adolescents in California are getting adequate levels of physical activity; and factors that affect high rates of inactivity. Provides policy recommendations

A methodological framework for capturing relative eyetracking coordinate data to determine gaze patterns and fixations from two or more observers

While physical activity during cancer treatment is found beneficial for breast cancer patients, evidence indicates ambiguous findings concerning effects of scheduled exercise programs on treatment-related symptoms. This study investigated effects of a scheduled home-based exercise intervention in breast cancer patients during adjuvant chemotherapy, on cancer-related fatigue, physical fitness, and activity level. Sixty-seven women were randomized to an exercise intervention group (n=33, performed strength training 3x/week and 30 minutes brisk walking/day) and a control group (n=34, performed their regular physical activity level). Data collection was performed at baseline, at completion of chemotherapy (Post1), and 6-month postchemotherapy (Post2). Exercise levels were slightly higher in the scheduled exercise group than in the control group. In both groups, cancer-related fatigue increased at Post1 but returned to baseline at Post2. Physical fitness and activity levels decreased at Post1 but were significantly improved at Post2. Significant differences between intervention and control groups were not found. The findings suggest that generally recommended physical activity levels are enough to relief cancer-related fatigue and restore physical capacity in breast cancer patients during adjuvant chemotherapy, although one cannot rule out that results reflect diminishing treatment side effects over time

Exercise addiction – the emergence of a new disorder

An optimal level of regular physical activity plays an important role in the maintenance of physical and mental health. However, excessive exercise in a minority of individuals can have adverse effects on health and lead to exercise addiction. Exercise addiction can be conceptualised as a behavioural addiction. The aim of this paper is to outline the current knowledge on the concept, epidemiology, aetiology, comorbidity, and possible interventions of exercise addiction

Cardiorespiratory fitness and sports activities in children and adolescents with solitary functioning kidney

Background: An increasing number of children with chronic disease require a complete medical examination to be able to practice physical activity. Particularly children with solitary functioning kidney (SFK) need an accurate functional evaluation to perform sports activities safely. The aim of our study was to evaluate the influence of regular physical activity on the cardiorespiratory function of children with solitary functioning kidney. Method: Twenty-nine patients with congenital SFK, mean age 13.9 ± 5.0 years, and 36 controls (C), mean age 13.8 ± 3.7 years, underwent a cardiorespiratory assessment with spirometry and maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing. All subjects were divided in two groups: sedentary (S) and trained (T) patients, by means of a standardized questionnaire about their weekly physical activity. Results: We found that mean values of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) and exercise time (ET) were higher in T subjects than in S subjects. Particularly SFK-T presented mean values of VO2max similar to C-T and significantly higher than C-S (SFK-T: 44.7 ± 6.3 vs C-S: 37.8 ± 3.7 ml/min/kg; p < 0.0008). We also found significantly higher mean values of ET (minutes) in minutes in SFK-T than C-S subjects (SFK-T: 12.9 ± 1.6 vs C-S: 10.8 ± 2.5 min; p <0.02). Conclusion: Our study showed that regular moderate/high level of physical activity improve aerobic capacity (VO2max) and exercise tolerance in congenital SFK patients without increasing the risks for cardiovascular accidents and accordingly sports activities should be strongly encouraged in SFK patients to maximize health benefit

The effect of 12 weeks regular physical activity and vitamin E in the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: A pilot study

Background: Despite the prevalence of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), there was no treatment has been proven to be effective in these common diseases. Although many studies have shown that lifestyle modifications such as increasing physical activities and exercise could be effective in the treatment of these common diseases, the optimal strategy was still not determined. According to the beneficial effects of antioxidant agents in the treatment of NASH, vitamin E has been used for this purpose by some clinicians. We designed this study for assessing beneficial effects of regular physical activity on the biochemical and imaging responses in patients with NASH and comparing this with vitamin E as an accepted treatment for NASH. Materials and Methods: This study was Randomized and single-blind clinical trials were carried out in Gonbad-e Kavus through which a total of 30 consecutive patients with the ultra sonographic diagnosis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)were enrolled and randomized to one of the three groups: Vitamin E 800 mg/day, regular physical activity, or both. Results: In all treatment groups improvement in liver transaminases level, serum lipids and ultrasonographic grading of fatty liver occurred after three months of treatment. When these decrement was compared between the treatment groups, there was no statistically significant difference in the value of improvement between the three groups (ANOVA: p>0.5). I.e. all three interventions improved the biochemical and ultrasonographic finding of fatty liver in the same way. Both groups with regular exercise had significant mean weight loss in comparison with the vitamin E group (a mean decrease of 3.0 kg in exercise group, 5.8 kg in subjects on regular exercise plus vitamin E and 0.2 kg in vitamin E group, ANOVA: p=0.04). Conclusion: There were no significant differences between exercise and vitamin E alone or in combination regarding the reduction in the level of liver enzymes and sonographic evidences of fatty liver although both resulted in significant improvements in biochemical endpoints. This implies that physical activity could be considered as effective as vitamin E in the improvement of biochemical and ultrasonographic presentations of NASH and the addition of Vitamin E does not offer any benefits. According to the findings of this pilot study a full-powered study with a control group should be designed. © 2015, Iranian Association of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. All rights reserved

The effect of 12 weeks regular physical activity and vitamin E in the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: A pilot study

Background: Despite the prevalence of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), there was no treatment has been proven to be effective in these common diseases. Although many studies have shown that lifestyle modifications such as increasing physical activities and exercise could be effective in the treatment of these common diseases, the optimal strategy was still not determined. According to the beneficial effects of antioxidant agents in the treatment of NASH, vitamin E has been used for this purpose by some clinicians. We designed this study for assessing beneficial effects of regular physical activity on the biochemical and imaging responses in patients with NASH and comparing this with vitamin E as an accepted treatment for NASH. Materials and Methods: This study was Randomized and single-blind clinical trials were carried out in Gonbad-e Kavus through which a total of 30 consecutive patients with the ultra sonographic diagnosis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)were enrolled and randomized to one of the three groups: Vitamin E 800 mg/day, regular physical activity, or both. Results: In all treatment groups improvement in liver transaminases level, serum lipids and ultrasonographic grading of fatty liver occurred after three months of treatment. When these decrement was compared between the treatment groups, there was no statistically significant difference in the value of improvement between the three groups (ANOVA: p>0.5). I.e. all three interventions improved the biochemical and ultrasonographic finding of fatty liver in the same way. Both groups with regular exercise had significant mean weight loss in comparison with the vitamin E group (a mean decrease of 3.0 kg in exercise group, 5.8 kg in subjects on regular exercise plus vitamin E and 0.2 kg in vitamin E group, ANOVA: p=0.04). Conclusion: There were no significant differences between exercise and vitamin E alone or in combination regarding the reduction in the level of liver enzymes and sonographic evidences of fatty liver although both resulted in significant improvements in biochemical endpoints. This implies that physical activity could be considered as effective as vitamin E in the improvement of biochemical and ultrasonographic presentations of NASH and the addition of Vitamin E does not offer any benefits. According to the findings of this pilot study a full-powered study with a control group should be designed. © 2015, Iranian Association of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. All rights reserved

Physical self-perceptions and body composition in fitness instructors, regular exercisers and non-exercisers.

This study investigated physical self-perceptions (PSPP and PIP) and the relationship between physical self-perceptions and body composition measures (BMI, WHR, percentage body fat) in fitness instructors (n = 36), regular exercisers (n = 29) and non-exercisers (n = 35). Gender differences were apparent in the physical self-perceptions, males scoring higher on the attractive body, sports competence and physical self-worth sub-scales of the PSPP. Fitness instructors rated their bodily attractiveness, physical condition and physical strength significantly higher and perceived them as more important than the regular and non -exercisers. Also, fitness instructors and regular exercisers had higher levels of physical self-worth and sports competence and perceived sports competence as more important than the non-exercisers. Relationships between physical self-perceptions and body composition were found. For females higher fat percentage or BMI values were negatively associated with most of the sub-domains of the PSPP. It was concluded that participation in regular exercise is associated with more positive physical self- perceptions that might contribute to a ‘life-time’ commitment to exercise participation. Secondly, more longitudinal research is required to investigate the relationship between physical self-perceptions and changes in body composition. Finally, it was suggested that exercise programs should promote competence and should be conducted in a relatively ‘body neutral’ environment. Such an approach would propagate a more intrinsically motivated orientation to exercise participation and might have a more pronounced effect on physical self-perceptions and global physical self-estee

Exercise epigenetics and the foetal origins of disease

Exercise epigenetics is a nascent area of research with vast health implications (e.g., from the treatment of obesity-related diseases to beneficially decoupling epigenetic and chronological age). Evidence is accumulating [1] that exercise can acutely modify the epigenome (e.g., via DNA methylation) for short-term regulatory purposes (e.g., mRNA expression). More speculatively perhaps, maternal exercise during the pre and post–partum period could cause epigenetic changes in offspring. It is generally believed that there are benefits of regular moderate exercise during pregnancy [2]. The phenotypic benefits of maternal exercise notwithstanding, exercise can be viewed as a type of organismal stressor [1]. There are a myriad of ways in which environmental perturbations can affect foetal development. For example gestational stress could alter the epigenome and subsequent physical development. We suggest that maternal exercise -- like most gestational stressors -- will have a dose-response relationship on an offspring’s epigenome (i.e., negative effects at high doses), akin to the phenomenon of hormesis. Interestingly there is no research investigating the epigenetic effects of maternal exercise in humans. This editorial is a call for research on the subject

Energy expenditure, physical activity and body-weight control

Regular physical exercise and endurance training are associated with low body weight and low body fat mass. The relationship between exercise and body-weight control is complex and incompletely understood. Regular exercise may decrease energy balance through an increase in energy expenditure or an increase in fat oxidation. It may also contribute to weight loss by modulating nutrient intake. An intriguing question that remains unresolved is whether changes in nutrient intake or body composition secondarily affect spontaneous physical activity. If this were the case, physical activity would represent a major adaptative mechanism for body-weight contro

Modulation of PGC-1α activity as a treatment for metabolic and muscle-related diseases

Physical inactivity is a predisposing factor for various disease states including obesity, cardiovascular disease, as well as for certain types of cancer. Regular endurance exercise mediates several beneficial effects such as increased energy expenditure and improved skeletal muscle function, and has been suggested as a therapeutic strategy for both metabolic and muscle‐related disorders. "Exercise mimetic" is a collective term for compounds that can pharmacologically activate pathways which are normally induced during skeletal muscle contraction, and that could be used in the treatment of metabolic or muscle related diseases. Two such experimental "exercise mimetics" are AICAR and resveratrol, which have both been extensively studied in the context of metabolic dysfunction and muscle wasting in rodent disease models. These compounds have been postulated to activate AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), respectively, in skeletal muscle, and to increase the activation of the peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC‐1α). PGC‐1α can mediate several metabolic and functional adaptations in skeletal muscle in response to physical exercise and is therefore an interesting target for the development of new "exercise mimetic" drugs