Protocol for Fit Bodies, Fine Minds: a randomized controlled trial on the affect of exercise and cognitive training on cognitive functioning in older adults

Background. Declines in cognitive functioning are a normal part of aging that can affect daily functioning and quality of life. This study will examine the impact of an exercise training program, and a combined exercise and cognitive training program, on the cognitive and physical functioning of older adults. Methods/Design. Fit Bodies, Fine Minds is a randomized, controlled trial. Community-dwelling adults, aged between 65 and 75 years, are randomly allocated to one of three groups for 16 weeks. The exercise-only group do three 60-minute exercise sessions per week. The exercise and cognitive training group do two 60-minute exercise sessions and one 60-minute cognitive training session per week. A no-training control group is contacted every 4 weeks. Measures of cognitive functioning, physical fitness and psychological well-being are taken at baseline (0 weeks), post-test (16 weeks) and 6-month follop (40 weeks). Qualitative responses to the program are taken at post-test. Discussion. With an increasingly aged population, interventions to improve the functioning and quality of life of older adults are particularly important. Exercise training, either alone or in combination with cognitive training, may be an effective means of optimizing cognitive functioning in older adults. This study will add to the growing evidence base on the effectiveness of these interventions. Trial Registration. Australian Clinical Trials Register: ACTRN012607000151437

Úlcera de pressão e estado nutricional: revisão da literatura Ulcera de presión y estado nutricional: revisión de la literatura Decubitus ulcer and nutritional status: literature review

Para melhor compreender os aspectos envolvidos na avaliação nutricional de pacientes em risco para úlcera de pressão, desenvolvemos uma revisão bibliográfica da literatura nacional e internacional indexada nas bases de dados bibliográficos LILACS e MEDLINE, no período de 1987 a 2001. O objetivo foi investigar a produção do conhecimento sobre úlcera de pressão e estado nutricional, assim como a autoria principal e o enfoque das publicações. Concluiu-se que os pacientes que apresentam risco para o desenvolvimento de úlcera de pressão podem ser identificados precocemente através da avaliação nutricional, incluindo os dados bioquímicos, mensurações antropométricas, sinais clínicos, história dietética e gasto energético. As alterações são mais freqüentes em pacientes idosos, hospitalizados, portadores de doenças crônicas como acidente vascular cerebral, câncer e lesão de medula espinhal.<br>Para una mejor compresión de los aspectos envueltos en la evaluación nutricional de enfermos en peligro de úlcera por decúbito, los autores desarrollaron una revisión bibliográfica de la literatura nacional e internacional indexada en las basis de datos LILACS y MEDLINE durante el período de 1987 a 2001. El objetivo fue investigar la producción del conocimiento sobre úlcera de presión y estado de nutrición, así como la autoría principal y el enfoque de las publicaciones. Los autores concluyeron que los enfermos presentando peligro para el desarrollo de úlcera de presión pueden ser identificados de modo prematuro vía la evaluación nutricional, incluyendo los datos bioquímicos, mensuraciones antropométricas, indicios clínicos, historia dietética y expensas energéticas. Las alteraciones son más frecuentes en enfermos ancianos, hospitalizados, portadores de enfermedad crónica como accidente vascular cerebral, cáncer y lesión de la medula espinal.<br>In order to better understand aspects related to the nutritional assessment of patients in risk for pressure ulcers, we reviewed the national and international literature indexed on Medline and LILACS bibliographic dadtabases, from 1987 to 2001. The aim of this research was to investigate the knowledge production on pressure ulcers and nutritional status, as well as to learn about the authors and the publication focus. We concluded that patients in risk for pressure ulcers can be early identified based on nutritional assessment, including biochemical data, anthropometric evaluation, clinical data, diet history and energetic consumption. The alterations are frequent in elderly patients, hospitalized patients, patients with a chronic disease such as a vascular cerebral accident, cancer and spinal cord injury