The Clinical Translation Gap in Child Health Exercise Research: A Call for Disruptive Innovation

In children, levels of play, physical activity, and fitness are key indicators of health and disease and closely tied to optimal growth and development. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) provides clinicians with biomarkers of disease and effectiveness of therapy, and researchers with novel insights into fundamental biological mechanisms reflecting an integrated physiological response that is hidden when the child is at rest. Yet the growth of clinical trials utilizing CPET in pediatrics remains stunted despite the current emphasis on preventative medicine and the growing recognition that therapies used in children should be clinically tested in children. There exists a translational gap between basic discovery and clinical application in this essential component of child health. To address this gap, the NIH provided funding through the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program to convene a panel of experts. This report summarizes our major findings and outlines next steps necessary to enhance child health exercise medicine translational research. We present specific plans to bolster data interoperability, improve child health CPET reference values, stimulate formal training in exercise medicine for child health care professionals, and outline innovative approaches through which exercise medicine can become more accessible and advance therapeutics across the child health spectrum

Screening for depression after cardiac events using the Beck Depression Inventory-II and the Geriatric Depression Scale

cardiac event, depression, heart disease, quality of life, screening, sensitivity, specificity, validity,

Depression, nutritional risk and eating behaviour in older caregivers

Objective This study investigated the relationship between depression, nutritional risk and dietary intake in a population of older caregivers. Design Mailed questionnaire with sub group participating in a home-based interview.Participants and setting Seventy-six community dwelling caregivers aged 50 y or over from Victoria, Australia.Measurements Questionnaires provided information on weight, height, hours of care, depressive symptoms, nutritional risk and appetite. The home-based interview assessed dietary intake and shopping, cooking and meal consumption habits. Results The sample had a mean&plusmn;SD age of 70.3&plusmn;12.8 y, BMI of 27.2&plusmn;4.8 kg/m2 and the time spent caring was 101.8&plusmn;68.1 h/wk. Overall, 32% of caregivers had depressive symptoms, 21% were at risk of malnutrition and 21% reported their appetite was fair/bad/very bad. Caregivers with depressive symptoms (32%) compared to those with no depressive symptoms (53%) had a poorer appetite (p&lt;0.05). Of the 20 caregivers who participated in the home interview, 25% reported they ate their meals alone. Conclusion A significant proportion of community dwelling older caregivers had depressive symptoms, were at risk of malnutrition and had poor appetites, although the majority were overweight or obese.<br /