Review of available diagnostic options for Orthorexia Nervosa

Orthorexia Nervosa (ON) is one of the disorders with a psychological basis. The word ‘orthorexia’ comes from Greek, where ‘orthos’ means proper ‘orexia’ appetite. The disorder is characterized by an obsession with healthy eating, and as the disease worsens, significant food exclusions occur. In extreme cases of ON, the affected person forgoes eating any food, explaining it as a health concern. The degree of prevalence of ON in society is still highly questionable. Numerous studies indicate the prevalence of this problem, but there is no consistent data on the degree of severity of ON. The degree of severity of ON in the general population ranges from 6% to as high as 90%, such significant variation may be due to cultural reasons or a defect in the measurement tool. To date, a useful tool for diagnosing ON has not been developed, little that ON is still not treated as a separate disease or disorder. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to present diagnostic possibilities in the form of psychometric tools that can be used in conducting scientific research and in psychological and dietetic practice

Do local governments in Poland care about the physical activity of the local community? Health promotion activities targeting physical activity organized by local government units

Introduction. When it comes to physical activity, activities at the local government level are extremely important, including, among other things, investing in the development of recreational and sports infrastructure in municipalities and counties, as well as implementing and financing health programs aimed at promoting physical activity among the population. Also, activities at the central level, implemented by the ministries of education, health, or transportation, aiming to implement policies that encourage the public to move, have a significant impact on the level of physical activity among young people. Objective. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of implementation of public health tasks by local government units in Poland, with a particular focus on activities in the area of physical activity. Material and methods. The study was conducted from May 13, 2020, to October 31, 2021. (18 months) in electronic form. The research group consisted of 1,118 representatives of local government offices of two levels: municipal (962 offices; 91.9% of the total) and district (91 offices; 8.1% of the total). According to the state at the time of the survey (as of 01.01.2021), Poland is divided into 16 provinces, 314 counties 2,477 municipalities (302 urban including 66 cities with county rights, 652 urban-rural and 1,523 rural). The survey covered 41.5% of municipalities and 29% of districts in Poland. Results and conclusions. The vast majority of local governments declare that they undertake activities in the area of physical activity, and these activities are often undertaken in cooperation with other local governments. Local governments very rarely implement health policy programs that include interventions in the area of physical activity, and among the reasons for not implementing such activities they usually point to financial and staffing problems

The acute effects of post-activation potentiation on sport-climbing specific power exercises

The effect of performing biomechanically similar exercises in such order that resistance exercise was followed by plyometric, power or speed exercise is a temporal increase in power and force production. The physiological rationale for complex training effectiveness is a phenomenon known as post-activation potentiation (PAP). Only a few studies were dedicated to various aspects of sport climbers’ training and to our knowledge, no study has examined the effects of post-activation potentiation and/or complex training in climbing. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a performance-enhancing response of power and power endurance exercises on the campus board that were performed after a high-load resistance exercise (weighted pull-ups). 12 climbers participated in the study. During the first testing condition, climbers were asked to hang on the lowest rung and perform three maximal reaches with their dominant arm, separated with 10 s rest periods. The second test involved touches to the rung just below climbers’ maximal reach, then coming back down to the bottom rung, and performing the same exercise with the second hand. The climbers were required to repeat this cycle as many times as possible in the 20 s period. After 10 min rest, climbers repeated both tests after preloading. The time interval between resistance exercise (weighted pull ups) and campus power or power endurance exercise was 4 minutes. On average during the test of maximal reach after weighted pull-ups, climbers improved their performance on the campus board by 3.11 cm. The difference between PRE and POST loading was statistically significant. The best of the reaches performed in the set was 2.23 cm higher after preloading. In the power endurance („Touches”) test, only a tendency toward difference between the number of reaches in baseline and after heavy resistance exercise was observed, although the effect size suggests moderate strength of the relationship between both conditions, The results indicate positive effect of weighted pull-up exercise on subsequent power exercises on the campus board. It should be noted, however, that results of the preload on campus board exercise varied between individuals and more studies are needed in order to determine the most effective protocol of pairs of exercises in sport climbers’ training

Exercise dependence among marathon runners in relation to their demographic and training status

Introduction and purpose. Taking into account that endurance athletes might be at an increased risk for exercise dependence there is a need for monitoring the prevalence and correlates of this phenomenon in them. The aim of the study was assessing the prevalence of exercise addiction among marathon runners and identify its socio-demographic and training correlates. Material and method. A total of 132 runners ranging in age from 18–69 years old took part in the study. To assess the exercise dependence a polish version of the Exercise Dependence Scale-21 was used. Results. The results suggest that being at risk for exercise dependence concerns 12% of runners and – except of withdrawal factor - is not related to sex but is related to age. No significant differences were found between training volume groups and exercise dependence. Conclusions. More than one on ten marathoners seem to be addicted to running suggesting the need to increase knowledge on this phenomenon in this community

Female sexual response cycle

Summary The key to understand female sexual response cycle is a multidimensional approach to sexual reactions, where emotional satisfaction (emotional intimacy with the partner) might be more important than physical satisfaction (orgasm). Such holistic approach might in fact make the diagnosis and treatment of female sexual dysfunctions, which are becoming increasingly common in clinical and gynecological practice, easier and more effective. The aim of the study is to present contemporary model of female sexual response cycle and to encourage specialists to view female sexuality in more broad and holistic perspective

Physical activity promotion at the local government level among the local community

Physical inactivity is a major public health issue. For the prevention and management of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes, and a number of malignancies, regular physical activity is a critical protective factor. Along with helping to maintain a healthy weight and overall wellbeing, physical activity has positive effects on mental health, including the avoidance of cognitive decline and the symptoms of despair and anxiety. Local governments all across the world have responded to this problem by launching population-level projects that give locals access to exercise opportunities. Local governments, through the implementation of their own tasks of health promotion and protection, carry out public health tasks as defined by the Law of 11 September 2015 on Public Health. These tasks include activities in the area of physical activity.           The aim of the article was to show the role of local government in promoting physical activity among the local community. The article discusses such issues as WHO recommendations for physical activity as well as activities undertaken by local governments in the area of health promotion in the form of health policy programs and activities carried out in cooperation with NGOs

Electronic forms of entertainment in the context of physical activity and addiction risk – a knowledge review

A new way of spending leisure time browsing the Internet, using social networking sites, and playing games has created a new health problem: cell phone addiction. So-called phonoholism or netholism is most thriving among young people, who prioritize entertainment in the real world, which most often necessitates physical activity, over entertainment in the virtual world, which requires a more static approach. However, some companies have gone against the traditional use of phone games by creating multimedia city games that require a dynamic-movement approach. The aim of this review is to gather current theoretical knowledge about electronic forms of entertainment in the context of their influence on users' physical activity, creation of health potential and formation of risk of addiction to such forms of entertainment

EUROPEAN SECURITY ISSUES AS SEEN BY POLISH PARLIAMENTARIANS

The article attempts to explore the views of the Polish parliamentarians on threats to the security of Europe and the EU and their implications for Poland and its relations with Germany in the context of the Ukrainian conflict, NATO transformations, divergent energy interests and the refugee crisis. We follow the hypothesis, that the opinions on the threats and conflicts in the neighborhood of Europe were consistent across party lines in Europe’s neighborhood and they suggest a strong consensus on the necessity to strengthen the cooperation in NATO. The article examines the responses of members of the Polish parliament (members of parliamentary committees on foreign and European affairs and security, members of the Polish-German parliamentary group) and all Polish members of the European Parliament to a dual survey carried out in 2015 and 2016. The questionnaire was completed by 22 respondents in the first and 21 respond ents in the second survey. The respondents represented diverse political parties (Civic Platform, Law & Justice, Democratic Left Alliance, Polish People’s Party)

Seksualność kobiet z zespołem policystycznych jajników

Objectives: This study aimed to compare sexual function and sexual response, attitude toward sexuality, and relationships with sexual partners in women diagnosed with PCOS and healthy controls. Material and methods: The study included 73 women (aged 23–42 years) diagnosed with PCOS using the Rotterdam criteria and 45 healthy controls. All participants completed a questionnaire assessing socioepidemiological parameters and sexual behavior. Validated instruments were used to assess hirsutism (Ferriman-Gallwey Scale), mental health status (General Health Questionnaire 12 [GHQ 12]), sexuality (Sexuality Scale [SS], Sexual Awareness Questionnaire [SAQ], Multidimensional Sexuality Questionnaire [MSQ], Multidimensional Sexual Self-Concept Questionnaire [MSSCQ]), and sexual function (Polish version of the Mell-Krat Scale [SFK/K Scale]). Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the importance of sexual activity in both groups. Mean scores for the SFK/K Scale, SS, SAQ, MSQ, and MSSQ were similar among women with PCOS and controls, regardless of age. Similarly, sexual needs and reactions were perceived in the same way by both groups. In contrast, women with PCOS rated themselves negatively as sexual partners more frequently than controls. Conclusions: Sexual function and sexual response, attitude toward sexuality, as well as relationships with sexual partners were similar in PCOS subjects and healthy women. However, changes in physical appearance typically associated with PCOS result in deterioration of sexual function. Therefore, it is recommended that all PCOS patients should be referred to a sexual medicine specialist for consultation.Cel pracy: Celem pracy było porównanie funkcji seksualnych i reakcji seksualnych, postawy wobec seksualności, oraz relacje z partnerem seksualnym u kobiet, u których zdiagnozowano zespołem jajników policystycznych (PCOS) i kobiet zdrowych. Materiał i metody: Badaniami objęto grupę 73 kobiet w wieku 23-42 lat, u których zdiagnozowano PCOS wg kryteriów Rotterdamskich oraz grupę kontrolną – 45 zdrowych kobiet. Wszyscy uczestnicy badania wypełnili kwestionariusz zawierający pytania dotyczące parametrów demograficznych, społeczno-kulturowych oraz zachowań seksualnych. Ponadto zastosowano walidowane narzędzia do oceny: hirsutyzmu (Skala Ferriman-Gallwey), stanu zdrowia psychicznego (Kwestionariusze Ogólnego Stanu Zdrowia – GHQ 12), seksualności: Test Postaw Wobec Seksualności – SS, Test Seksualnej Samoświadomości - SAQ, Wielowymiarowy Test Seksualności – MSQ, Wielowymiarowy Test Seksualnego „Ja” – MSSCQ oraz funkcji seksualnych (polska wersja Mell-Krat Scale – SFK/K). Wyniki: Nie stwierdzono statystycznie istotnych różnic w znaczeniu aktywności seksualnej dla badanych kobiet w obu grupach. Średnie uzyskanych wyników dla skal: SFK/K, SS, SAQ, MSQ i MSSCQ były podobne u kobiet z PCOS i tych z grupy kontrolnej niezależnie od wieku. Podobnie, potrzeby seksualne i reakcje były postrzegane w taki sam sposób w obu grupach. Natomiast kobiet z PCOS oceniały siebie gorzej w roli partnerek seksualnych w porównaniu do zdrowych. Wnioski: Funkcje seksualne i reakcji seksualne, postawy wobec seksualności, a także relacje z partnerem seksualnym były podobne u osób z PCOS i zdrowych kobiet. Jednakże zmiany w wyglądzie fizycznym występujące u kobiet z PCOS mogą powodować pogorszenie funkcji seksualnych. Dlatego też zaleca się, aby wszyscy pacjenci z PCOS byli kierowany na konsultacje do specjalistów z dziedziny medycyny seksualnej