Can Physical Activity Patterns before and during Pregnancy and Anxiety be Related to Preterm Birth?

AbstractIntroduction: Changes of physical activity before and during three trimesters of pregnancy known as pattern of physical activity and anxiety during pregnancy can be two concerns of pregnant women about preterm birth which require clarification. So, this retrospective study aimed to assess the effect of pattern of physical activity, and anxiety on preterm birth in Iranian pregnant women.Methods: This study was a kind of descriptive correlation which was performed retrospectively. Participants of this study (2019-2020) included 118 pregnant women with preterm (n=62) and term (n=56) birth who participated in the study voluntarily and were selected according to the study inclusion criteria. The energy cost of physical activity before and during three trimesters of pregnancy, and anxiety level were recorded through interview using pregnancy physical activity (PPAQ) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Rating Scale Anxiety (HADS) questionnaires respectively.Results: There was no significant difference between preterm and term birth groups regarding total physical activity, and sedentary behavior energy expenditure before and during pregnancy as well as anxiety during pregnancy(P>0.05). Physical activity pattern was not significantly different between the two groups (P>0.05). However, physical activity before pregnancy was significantly higher than all trimesters of pregnancy in both groups of the study (P<0.001). In two groups of preterm and term deliver, physical activity reduced in the third compared to the second trimester of pregnancy similarly.Conclusions: Physical activity reduced during pregnancy in preterm and term birth women similarly. In this study, physical activity, sedentary behavior and anxiety during pregnancy and before it were not effective on the pre-term birth

The Effect of Swimming on Anxiety-Like Behaviors and Corticosterone in Stressed and Unstressed Rats

This study assessed the effect of swimming training on anxiety-like behaviors and corticosterone. Thirty adult male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to five study conditions: swimming training (ST); exposure to chronic mild stress (CS); exposure to chronic mild stress followed by swimming training (CS + ST); exposure to chronic mild stress followed by a recovery period (CS + recovery); control. The exercise training consisted of 60 min of swimming exercise per day, for five days a week, and four consecutive weeks. A chronic mild stress program (CMS) was applied for a period of four weeks. Anxiety-like behaviors were measured by open field test (OFT). The number of excrements and blood corticosterone were used as physiological parameters of anxiety. To assess corticosterone, blood samples were taken 48 h after the last session of experiments. Compared to other study conditions, the lowest anxiety-like behaviors and corticosterone concentrations were observed in the ST condition in unstressed rats. In stressed rats, as in the ST + CS group, swimming training probably reduced some anxiety behaviors, but the results showed increased corticosterone compared to control and CS + Recovery. Anxiety parameters and corticosterone concentrations were greatest in the CS condition. In the ST group, anxiety parameters were less than for the ST + CS group. In the CS + Recovery group, anxiety parameters were less than for the CS group. In summary, self-paced swimming training could attenuate some anxiety parameters in both stressed and non-stressed rats. The effect of swimming training in unstressed rats was more prominent than in stressed rats. In stressed rats, a period of recovery was more effective than swimming training in reducing corticosterone. Mechanisms of anxiety reduction other than cortisol should be investigated in future research

Comparison of anxiety between students of physical education & sport science and other students in Iran

AbstractThe purpose of present study was Comparison of anxiety between students of physical education &sport science and other students in Iran. Subjects of this study were 72 students in Shiraz University in Iran, 42 students were students of physical education and sport sciences(SPESS) and 28 students were students of other fields (SOF), student fulfilled anxiety questionnaire of Beck (BAI). The questionnaire, reliability was (89%), its validity was 0.79, and contained 21 questions, With 5 scale of liker's, Findings of this study indicated that Anxiety score was higher in SOF than SPESS (P=0.05). But evaluating data with Chi square test indicated higher frequency of severe anxiety in SPESS (P=0.05),participating in physical education classes may reduce total score of anxiety, but can increase number of severe anxiety

Comparison ginger and resistance training on primary dysmenorrhea in female students of Shiraz university

Background: Although some remedies have been suggested for treatment of primary dysmenorrhea, some free of side effects treatment methods such as herbal drugs and exercise are especially important .The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of ginger and resistance training on physical and psychological symptoms of dysmenorrhea. Materials and Methods: 60 nonathletic female collegiate students of Shiraz university participated in this study voluntarily and were divided randomly to 4 groups including 15 persons ( exercise +placebo, exercise + ginger, ginger, and placebo). Ginger groups were prescribed 250 mg of ginger, four times a day for 3 days from beginning of menstruation and placebo groups were recommended the same prescription with 250 mg of placebo drug. Exercise with ginger or placebo groups participated in 2 months of progressive resistance training (3 times a week) besides consuming Ginger or placebo drugs. Menstrual symptoms were recorded with using validated questionnaire, before intervention and during two consecutive periods of menstruation. The analysis was performed with using Covariate analysis of variance with repeated measures by SPSS version 16 . Results: A significant reduction was found in physical symptoms of dysmenorrhea in groups of Ginger but no significant statistically changes were found within other groups. Comparison of four groups indicated more significant reduction of physical symptoms in ginger groups compared with other groups. There were no significant difference in psychologic symptoms within and between groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: Ginger is recommended for treatment of physical symptoms of dysmenorrhea

The effect of aquatic training and vitamin D3 supplementation on bone metabolism in postmenopausal obese women

Purpose: Despite prevalence of studies indicating the positive effect of land-based exercise on bone metabolism, there are limited findings regarding the effect of aquatic exercise. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of aquatic training and vitamin D3 supplementation on femur bone mineral density (BMD), serum 25(OH)D, and parathyroid hormone (PTH) in postmenopausal obese women with vitamin D insufficiency. Methods: 40 postmenopausal obese women were randomly divided into four groups of aquatic training + vitamin D3 intake group; (ATD), aquatic training with placebo intake group (AT), vitamin D3 intake group (D), and control group with placebo intake (CON). AT groups performed aerobic aquatic exercises for 8 weeks. Vitamin D3 supplementation groups consumed oral dose of 4000 IU/d for 8 weeks. Results: The femur BMD was significantly higher in the ATD than the AT and D and CON groups; in AT it was higher than the D and CON groups. Serum 25(OH)D level in the ATD was more than AT and CON, and in the D was more than the CON and AT. PTH in the ATD group was lower compared to AT, D, and CON groups. PTH was lower in the AT and D compared to the CON. Conclusion: In postmenopausal obese women with vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency, combining vitamin D supplementation and aquatic training was the most effective method for improving bone metabolism; Vitamin D supplementation (alone) was not sufficient to affect some of bone metabolism indices; Aquatic training could not improve serum vitamin D. By priority, ATD, AT, and D indicated better bone related metabolism indices

Probiotic Supplementation and High-Intensity Interval Training Modify Anxiety-Like Behaviors and Corticosterone in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity Mice

Evidence supports the role of exercise training and probiotics on reducing obesity. Considering the relationship between obesity and high-fat diet with anxiety indices, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of probiotic supplementation and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on anxiety-like behaviors, corticosterone and obesity indices in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity mice. Thirty male adult C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into five groups: (1) Control with normal diet (CON), (2) High-fat diet (HFD), (3) HFD + exercise training (HT), (4) HFD + probiotics supplement (HP) and (5) HFD + exercise training +probiotics (HTP). Exercise training consisted of 8 weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) programs. Probiotics supplement included 0.2 mL; Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG; . Anxiety-like behaviors were measured by open field (OF) and Elevated plus maze (EPM). OF and EPM tests, visceral fat mass (VFM) measurement, and blood sampling for corticosterone were performed after the intervention. Bodyweight was measured at different stages during the intervention. HFD regime in C57BL/6 mice increased bodyweight, VFM, and serum corticosterone levels and anxiety-like behaviors (; p; < 0.05). HIIT, probiotic and their combination, decreased bodyweight, VFM, and serum corticosterone levels and improved anxiety-like behavior in the HFD mice (; p; < 0.05). The effect of a combination of HIIT and probiotic on most of the anxiety indices was more than each one separately (; p; < 0.5). HIIT and probiotic supplements separately or above all in combination, may have beneficial effects in reducing obesity and anxiety indices

Effect of 8 weeks Pilates training on physical fitness indices in breast cancer patients: a clinical trial study

Background and Objective: Breast cancer and related treatments induce various physical symptoms. One of suggested method for preventing or reducing physical symptoms is exercise training. This study was done to evaluate the effect of 8 weeks Pilates exercises physical fitness indices in breast cancer patients. Methods: In this randomized clinical trial study 30 female breast cancer patients were divided into intervention (n=15) and control (n=15) groups by block randomization method. Pilates exercise for 8 weeks, 3 days a week for 60 min in every session was performed in Patients in interventional group but patients in control group did not participate in any regular physical activity. Flexibility, coordination, back and hand strength and muscular strength were determined using Wells, alternate hand wall toss, one leg –stance, back and handgrip dynamometer, sit up tests, respectively. Results: Pilates exercises significantly increased flexibility, balance, coordination, back and hand strength, muscular endurance and sit up in interventional group in compared to controls (P<0.05). Conclusion: Pilates exercise improves physical fitness indices in women with breast cancer