A Large Cross-Sectional Study of Health Attitudes, Knowledge, Behaviour and Risks in the Post-War Croatian Population (The First Croatian Health Project*)

As the liberation of occupied Croatian territories ended the war in the country in 1995, the Ministry of Health and Croatian Health Insurance Institute have agreed to create the new framework for developing a long-term strategy of public health planning, prevention and intervention. They provided financial resources to develop the First Cro-atian Health Project, the rest of the support coming from the World Bank loan and the National Institute of Public Health. A large cross-sectional study was designed aiming to assess health attitudes, knowledge, behaviour and risks in the post-war Croatian population. The large field study was carried out by the Institute for Anthropological Research with technical support from the National Institute of Public Health. The field study was completed between 1995–1997. It included about 10,000 adult volunteers from all 21 Croatian counties. The geographic distribution of the sample covered both coastal and continental areas of Croatia and included rural and urban environments. The specific measurements included antropometry (body mass index and blood pressure). From each examinee a blood sample was collected from which the levels of total plasma cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), HDL-cholesterol (High Density Lipoprotein), LDL-cholesterol (Low Density Lipoprotein), lipoprotein Lp(a), and haemostatic risk factor fibrinogen (F) were determined. The detailed data were collected on the general knowledge and attitudes on health issues, followed by specific investigation of smoking history, alcohol consumption, nutrition habits, physical activity, family history of chronic non-communicable diseases and occupational exposures. From the initial database a targeted sample of 5,840 persons of both sexes, aged 18–65, was created corresponding by age, sex and geographic distribution to the general Croatian population. This paper summarises and discusses the main findings of the project within this representative sample of Croatian population

The effects of progressive exercise on cardiovascular function in elite athletes: Focus on oxidative stress

Some side-effects of excessive physical training are ascribed to reactive oxygen species production. In this work we investigated the effects of progressively imposed maximal physical effort (levels I to V), using progressive maximal exercise test, on peripheral blood lactate, NO (through NO2-), superoxide anion (O2-) and methemoglobin (MetHb) in a group of 19 elite soccer players. Blood lactate (mmol/L) was increased (4.55, level V vs. resting level, 1.95). The basal production of NO2- was in the direct relation with O2 consumption. Significant increase (p<0.05) in O2- values at effort level I (4.18) as compared to the resting value (4.01), and the significant increase (p<0.01 or p<0.05) in the MetHb (%) was found between II (18.79) and III (19.63) or between II and IV (19.24) effort levels, respectively. The regression lines of NO2- and O2- crossed at the level of the respiratory compensation point (RC), suggesting that RC could be of a crucial importance not only in the anaerobic and aerobic metabolism but in mechanisms of signal transductions as well. The results could be of the theoretical interest and also useful in designing an athlete training strategy

Comparison of blood pro/antioxidant levels before and afer acute exercise in athletes and non-athletes

The aims of our study were to assess the redox state of adolescent athletes and non-athletes both at rest and afer acute exposure to physical load and to find relations between parametersof redox state and morphofunctional characteristics of subjects. 58 young handball players and 37 non-athletes were subjected to body composition analysis, measuring of maximal oxygen consumption and blood sampling immediately before and afer a maximal progressive exercise test. At rest, athletes had significantly higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity, higher levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and nitric oxide (NO) and lower levels of lipid peroxidation (TBARS) compared with non-athletes. A maximal exercise test induced statistically significant rise of superoxide anion radical (O 2-), hydrogen peroxide (H 2O 2) and NO levels in non-athletes, while TBARS levels decreased. Athletes experienced the fall in NO levels and the fall in CAT activity. Afer exercise, athletes had significantly lower levels of O 2- compared with non-athletes. Two way repeated measures ANOVA showed that the response of O 2-, NO and TBARS to the exercise test was dependent on the sports engagement (training experience) of subjects. Significant correlations between morphofunctional and redox parameters were found. These results suggest that physical fitness affects redox homeostasis

Changes in athlete's redox state induced by habitual and unaccustomed exercise

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of sport-specific and nonspecific bouts of exercise on athletes' redox state. Blood samples were collected from 14 handball players immediately before and after graded exercise test on the cycle ergometer and handball training. Levels of superoxide anion radical (O 2 -), hydrogen peroxide (H, nitrites (N O 2 -) as markers of nitric oxide, index of lipid peroxidation (TBARs), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activity were determined. Exercise intensity was assessed by a system for heart rate (HR) monitoring. Average athletes' HR was not significantly different between protocols, but protocols differed in total time and time and percentage of time that athletes spent in every HR zone. The laboratory exercise test induced a significant increase of Hand TBARs as well as the decrease of the SOD and CAT activity, while after specific handball training, levels of N O 2 - were increased and SOD activity decreased. It seems that unaccustomed short intensive physical activity may induce oxidative stress in trained athletes, while sport-specific activity of longer duration and proper warm-up period may not. Further research should show whether the change of protocol testing and the implementation of various supplementations and manual methods can affect the redox equilibrium. © 2012 Dusica Z. Djordjevic et al

Effects of different pufa supplementation on inflammatory response markers in young soccer players

© 2015, University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Science. All rights reserved. Considering the limited knowledge regarding the effects of n-3 and n-6 PUFAs on the inflammatory response during physical activity, we aimed to evaluate the level of pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines in young soccer players before and after a maximal physical load test at the beginning and end of a two-month training process. The study included 75 young footballers from Football School “Kragujevac,” who were followed during the two-month training programme. The subjects were divided into the following groups: 1) control group (consumed a standard diet); 2) group that consumed fish oil (2500 mg of n-3 PUFAs per day); 3) group that consumed nutritional sunflαower oil (2500 mg of n-6 PUFAs daily). The maximal progressive exercise test was performed using a treadmill belt. Venous blood samples were drawn 4 times for the determination of cytokine levels (IL-6 and TNF-α): before and after the exercise load test before the two-month training programme (initial measurement) and immediately before and after the exercise load test after the two-month training programme (control measurement). Supplementation with fishoil (n-3) has been associated with reduced levels of IL-6 compared with the initial values. After an acute bout of exercise, n-3 PUFAs did not show a significant effect on inflammatory marker dynamics, whereas n-6 PUFAs slightly stimulated the production of TNF-α

The redox state of young female handball players following acute exercise and a one-month precompetitive training period

Although the relationship between exercise and oxidative stress has been intensively investigated for over 3 decades, there remains a lack of empirical data on exercise-induced oxidative stress in athletes engaged in sporting games, specifi cally among the population of elite female athletes. Blood samples were taken from female handball players on the Serbian U20 national team at the beginning and end of a one-month preparatory training period, as well as immediately before and after acute treadmill exercise. Levels of superoxide anion radical, hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide and lipid peroxidation were measured in plasma samples, while levels of reduced glutathione and the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase were measured in erythrocytes. Both experimental protocols demonstrated signifi cant increases in plasma levels of hydrogen peroxide and decreases in superoxide dismutase activity in erythrocytes. Despite the increase in plasma levels of hydrogen peroxide after both the treadmill exercise and the one-month training period, the levels of the two antioxidants responsible for eliminating H2O2 hydrogen peroxide were not signifi cantly diff erent, as may be expected. Moreover, the marker of lipid peroxidation, TBARS, was not signifi cantly increased. Th ese fi ndings suggest that the fi rst line of antioxidative defence was eff ective in the prevention of oxidative stress among young female handball players

Redox balance in elite female athletes: differences based on sport types

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to analyze changes in redox balance throughout parameters of oxidative stress and activities of antioxidant enzymes in elite female water polo (N.=15) and football players (N.=19) aged between 20 and 23. Fourteen age-matched sedentary women were also included in the study. METHODS: Blood sampling was performed to measure levels of lipid peroxidation (MDA), total antioxidant status (TAS), superoxide anion radical (OD, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), reduced glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG), nitrites, superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), catalase activity (CAT) and glutathione-peroxidase activity (GPx). RESULTS: Levels of MDA, TAS, GSSG and H2O2 were significantly higher in athletes than in the control women. Football players had higher levels of O-2(-) than the other two groups. Activity of SOD was higher in water polo players when compared with the football and control groups, CAT was increased in all athletes, while GPx did not differ among groups. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, prolonged intensive training markedly increases oxidative stress in women, which depends on the type of sport. Lower concentration of O-2(-) and increased activity of SOD in water polo players compared to football players suggest that mechanisms of adaptation of antioxidative defense are related to the type of exercise