Individual Fitness Level Research Articles

Effects of Vegan and Omnivore Diet on Post-Downhill Running Economy and Muscle Function

Objectives The objective of this study was to examine the difference between the extent of muscle damaging exercise on muscle function variables of vegans and omnivores. Methods Twenty recreationally trained participants completed the study. Participants were assigned to either vegan (n = 10) or omnivore (n = 10) groups. Subjects completed a consent visit followed by 2 visits consisting of running exercise sessions and test familiarization. They returned to the laboratory for visit 4 3-5 days after visit 3 to complete the testing battery. Following the testing, the participants performed a downhill run on the treadmill at −15% grade and approximately 70% of their speed at VO2peak and repeated the testing battery upon completion. Participants were asked to track their food intake. Visits 5, 6, and 7 took place 24, 48, and 72 h following the downhill running protocol, respectively, and consisted of the same testing battery used during visit 4. The detection of differences was performed using two-way (group x time) mixed factorial ANOVA with repeated measures. Results No group x time interactions were noted for running economy or any of the dependent variables. Main effects of time were found for muscle thickness (p<.001) with small effect sizes (d=-0.194 to d=-0.265), pain pressure threshold (p=.002) with medium effect sizes (d=.460 to d=.461), NPRS scale (p<.001) with large effect sizes (d = -0.776 to d=-1.520), and jump height (p<.002) with small to medium effect sizes (d=.304 to d=.438). Nutritional analysis compared the two groups revealed no difference (p>.05) between relative intake of macronutrients and that both exceeded typical recommendations for protein (vegan group − 1.4 g/kg, omnivore group − 1.6 g/kg). Conclusion The lack of differences in recovery between the groups suggests that nutritional adequacy may play a role in recovery. Recovery from downhill running might be influenced by several factors beyond diet, such as exercise protocol intensity, individual fitness levels, and age.

Improving exercise cardiac reserve assessment using a novel cardiopulmonary and echocardiography testing protocol (CPET-ESE) based on individualised exercise intensity domains

Abstract Background Functional exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) is used to quantify changes in cardiac reserve and can improve early cardiac dysfunction diagnosis and follow-up.[1.2] Current ESE protocols do not account for individual variations in fitness and heart rate response, leading to difficulties in defining normal reference values.[2,3] Physiologically defined exercise intensity domains could be implemented as part of combined cardiopulmonary and ESE testing (CPET-ESE) to address this problem. Purpose We propose that using exercise intensity domains as part of CPET-ESE will result in cardiac reserve values not influenced by individual cardiorespiratory fitness or physical activity (PA) levels. We also hypothesise by matching work-rates and heart rates (HR), respectively, cardiac reserve will be higher in those exercising at the higher exercise intensity domain. Methods A total of 45 healthy adults (mean age 43.8 ± 14.2, range 18-65 y) underwent a CPET followed by a CPET-ESE consisting of two 6-minute stages: 1. Moderate intensity (MOD) at 90% of the work-rate at the gas exchange threshold (GET) and 2. High intensity (HIGH) at 40% of the difference between GET and peak. Global left ventricular and right ventricular free wall (LV and RV) longitudinal strain (Sl), RV fractional area change (RV-FAC), peak LV and RV TDI derived systolic (S’) and diastolic velocities (E’) were measured at each step, including rest. HIGH steps were matched 1-to-n with MOD steps from other participants based on work-rate and HR, respectively. Questionnaire derived PA was classified as low, moderate, and high active. Cardiorespiratory fitness was measured as peak oxygen uptake relative to body mass (mL·kg-1·min-1). Results After adjusting for age and sex, neither higher PA nor peak VO2 were associated with higher cardiac function parameters at either intensity (Table 1). Higher peak VO2 was associated with higher work-rate for HIGH only, while higher PA was associated with lower HR for MOD only (interaction term p&amp;lt;0.05). When paired by matching HR and work-rate, respectively, HIGH was associated with higher cardiac function parameters compared to MOD (all except for LV-S’ and RV-FAC when HR matched, Table 2), despite those matched from HIGH being older, less physically active and having lower peak VO2 (p&amp;lt;0.05 for all). Conclusions Current ESE protocols, which define submaximal exercise intensity using arbitrary work-rate or HR targets,[3] do not account for the complex differences in exercise response between healthy individuals. Cardiac function augmentation during exercise is likely a response to VO2 kinetics and this is not accurately described by either HR or work-rate alone. We derived normal reference values for cardiac reserve from implementing physiologically defined exercise intensity domains within the combined CPET-ESE testing frameworks. These values could be more appropriately used when comparing diverse clinical populations using CPET-ESE.

Integrating Dynamic Time Warping and K-means clustering for enhanced cardiovascular fitness assessment

The appropriate measurement of cardiovascular ’Performance Enhancement’ is critical for improving physical fitness and overall health. Traditional methods, effective as they are, often rely on complex, cumbersome equipment, limiting their practical use for real-time, dynamic exercise evaluation. Thus, understanding the intricate relationship between physiological responses and exercise ‘Performance Enhancement’ using wearable technology is essential for tailoring effective fitness regimes. This study involved 52 participants, utilizing Garmin Vivosmart 5 wearables to analyze heart rate time series during the YMCA Three-Minute Step Test, assessing fitness levels and characterizing personalized heartbeat dynamics. The study employed Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) for clustering these time series into high and low VO2max groups. Additionally, heart rate dynamics were examined using K-means clustering to identify distinct patterns during exercise—namely ‘Efficient Adaptation’, ‘Balance Under Pressure’, ‘Active Strain’, and ‘Efficiency Improvement’ clusters. This analysis demonstrated that non-trained individuals showed higher ‘Active Strain’ and ‘Efficiency Improvement’ dynamics and lower ‘Efficient Adaptation’ dynamics, indicating the exercise’s varied effectiveness based on training level. This method provides a novel approach for identifying individual fitness levels and the efficacy of specific exercises, enabling personalized physical activity planning.

Reliability, validity, usefulness, and sensitivity of a submaximal test of performing burpees in 3 minutes, in assessing and detecting changes in aerobic fitness of athletes during future prolonged self-isolation in a confined environment.

During a prolonged quarantine, there is a need to monitor aerobic fitness levels of trained individuals who are isolated with a simple fitness test that can be performed in confined space of their own homes. This study examined the reliability, validity, usefulness and sensitivity of a novel 3-min submaximal heart rate burpees test (or Sub<inf>HR</inf>3-MBT) to assess and monitor changes in aerobic fitness, of trained athletes. In the Sub<inf>HR</inf>3-MBT, male and female athletes performed 48 and 39 burpees respectively, within 3 min by following a constant beeping pace. The performance criterion of the Sub<inf>HR</inf>3-MBT is the highest heart rate attained (or exercise HR<inf>peak</inf>) at the end of 3-min (wherein a lower exercise HR<inf>peak</inf> indicates a higher level of aerobic fitness). A total of 40 male and female national athletes from various sports volunteered for the study. For reliability (Part 1), the Sub<inf>HR</inf>3-MBT showed good relative and excellent reliability, with intraclass correlation coefficient 0.90 and coefficient of variation 2.6%, respectively. For validity (Part II), there was significant negative correlation between relative exercise HR<inf>peak</inf> with respiratory gas-measured VO<inf>2max</inf> (r=-0.51, large; P<0.001). The test's technical error of measurement of 2.3 is slightly greater than its smallest worthwhile change of 1.5. For sensitivity (Part III), the athletes were tested twice for their Sub<inf>HR</inf>3-MBT and VO<inf>2max</inf>, once at baseline and another at a followed-up test after >10 weeks. There was a significant correlation between the % change in relative exercise HR<inf>peak</inf> with the % change in VO<inf>2max</inf> (r=-0.66, large; P<0.001). The Sub<inf>HR</inf>3-MBT is a reliable, valid, marginally useful test and may be able to track changes in aerobic fitness in trained athletes with moderate levels of sensitivity, in case of future isolation due to pandemic occurrence.

Determination of Physical Fitness Index (PFI) among Female College Students

Physical fitness/cardiovascular fitness is considered as the best reflection of whole-body health. It can be maintained by improving the physical fitness/cardiovascular fitness levels of individuals. The current study attempted to analyze the physical fitness index (PFI) of female college students by using the Harvard step test. A cross-sectional research was conducted from June 2021 to January 2022. Non-probability convenient sampling technique was employed to choose a sample of 340 students based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data was collected from Government Degree College for Women, Government Post-Graduate College for Women, and Apex College Sialkot, Pakistan. The data was entered and analyzed through SPSS. PFI scores showed students who had excellent and good scores, for instance 13 (3.8%) and 39 (11.5%), respectively. High average and low average scores were 172 (50.6%) and 62 (18.2%), respectively. Students who had poor scores were 54 (15.9%). The mean PFI was 66.91± 11.23, respectively. The association of PFI with BMI showed spearman correlation value as 0.136 with p-value &lt; 0.05. The findings showed that most of the female college students had average to low PFI.

Association of Smartwatch-Based Heart Rate and Physical Activity With Cardiorespiratory Fitness Measures in the Community: Cohort Study.

Resting heart rate (HR) and routine physical activity are associated with cardiorespiratory fitness levels. Commercial smartwatches permit remote HR monitoring and step count recording in real-world settings over long periods of time, but the relationship between smartwatch-measured HR and daily steps to cardiorespiratory fitness remains incompletely characterized in the community. This study aimed to examine the association of nonactive HR and daily steps measured by a smartwatch with a multidimensional fitness assessment via cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) among participants in the electronic Framingham Heart Study. Electronic Framingham Heart Study participants were enrolled in a research examination (2016-2019) and provided with a study smartwatch that collected longitudinal HR and physical activity data for up to 3 years. At the same examination, the participants underwent CPET on a cycle ergometer. Multivariable linear models were used to test the association of CPET indices with nonactive HR and daily steps from the smartwatch. We included 662 participants (mean age 53, SD 9 years; n=391, 59% women, n=599, 91% White; mean nonactive HR 73, SD 6 beats per minute) with a median of 1836 (IQR 889-3559) HR records and a median of 128 (IQR 65-227) watch-wearing days for each individual. In multivariable-adjusted models, lower nonactive HR and higher daily steps were associated with higher peak oxygen uptake (VO2), % predicted peak VO2, and VO2 at the ventilatory anaerobic threshold, with false discovery rate (FDR)-adjusted P values <.001 for all. Reductions of 2.4 beats per minute in nonactive HR, or increases of nearly 1000 daily steps, corresponded to a 1.3 mL/kg/min higher peak VO2. In addition, ventilatory efficiency (VE/VCO2; FDR-adjusted P=.009), % predicted maximum HR (FDR-adjusted P<.001), and systolic blood pressure-to-workload slope (FDR-adjusted P=.01) were associated with nonactive HR but not associated with daily steps. Our findings suggest that smartwatch-based assessments are associated with a broad array of cardiorespiratory fitness responses in the community, including measures of global fitness (peak VO2), ventilatory efficiency, and blood pressure response to exercise. Metrics captured by wearable devices offer a valuable opportunity to use extensive data on health factors and behaviors to provide a window into individual cardiovascular fitness levels.

Considerations in the Aging Female Athlete

As female athletes age, their risk of musculoskeletal injuries increases. These injuries can have a negative impact on their health and athletic abilities. This article explores the most common conditions that aging female athletes may face, such as osteoarthritis, meniscal injuries, joint instability, rotator cuff injuries, and stress fractures. Hormonal and physiological changes, anatomical differences, and changes in bone mineral density can cause these injuries. To prevent such injuries, it is crucial to incorporate comprehensive injury prevention programs that include strength training, flexibility exercises, balance training, and appropriate warm-up and cool-down routines. These programs should be tailored to the individual's fitness level and musculoskeletal issues. Additionally, the article offers valuable insights into various techniques for managing and treating these injuries, such as non-surgical interventions, surgical options, and rehabilitation programs. Healthcare professionals, coaches, and athletes themselves must recognize and address these issues to improve performance, prevent injuries, and support the overall health and well-being of aging female athletes. In conclusion, maintaining physical fitness and engaging in structured exercise programs are crucial for aging female athletes to slow the decline in musculoskeletal strength and integrity. Proper first aid measures, appropriate medications, and a comprehensive exercise regimen can aid in recovery and regain strength, function, and mobility, enabling a return to competitive sports or other athletic pursuits.

Cardiorespiratory dynamics of type 2 diabetes mellitus: An extensive view of breathing and fitness challenges in a diabetes prevalent population.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is well known for related micro and macrovascular complications. Uncontrolled hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus leads to endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, microvascular impairment, myocardial dysfunction, and skeletal muscle changes which affect multiple organ systems. This study was designed to take an extensive view of cardiorespiratory dynamics in patients with type 2 DM. One hundred healthy controls (HC) and 100 DM patients were enrolled. We measured and compared the breathing patterns (spirometry), VO2 max levels (heart rate ratio method) and self-reported fitness level (international fitness scale) of individuals with and without diabetes. Data was analyzed in SPSS v.22 and GraphPad Prism v8.0. We observed restrictive spirometry patterns (FVC <80%) in 22% of DM as compared to 2% in HC (p = 0.021). There was low mean VO2 max in DM as compared to HC(32.03 ± 5.36 vs 41.91 ± 7.98 ml/kg/min; p value <0.001). When evaluating physical fitness on self-reported IFiS scale, 90% of the HC report average, good, or very good fitness levels. In contrast, only 45% of the DM shared this pattern, with a 53% proportion perceiving their fitness as poor or very poor (p = <0.05). Restrictive respiratory pattern, low VO2 max and fitness level were significantly associated with HbA1c and long-standing DM. This study shows decreased pulmonary functions, decreased cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2 max) and IFiS scale variables in diabetic population as compared to healthy controls which are also associated with glycemic levels and long-standing DM. Screening for pulmonary functions can aid optimum management in this population.

MACHINE LEARNING APPROACHES FOR CALORIE BURN ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION

Aim: It is widely acknowledged that running is the most effective activity for burning maximum calories per hour. Additionally, fixed bicycling, swimming, and HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) exercises are also excellent choices for calorie burning. HIIT exercises, in particular, have been shown to continue calorie burning for up to 24 hours after the workout. However, accurately predicting the number of calories burned during a specific exercise remains a challenge due to variations in individual physiology and fitness levels. To address this challenge, we utilized an exercise dataset obtained from the UCI Machine Learning repository to forecast the calories burned during different exercises. Methodology: Many individuals are curious about the calories burned during their workouts and the effectiveness of their weight loss plans. To tackle this issue, we employed machine learning algorithms such as XGBoost regressor and Linear Regression. Results: The results demonstrate that XGBoost regressor and Linear Regression outperform other approaches in predicting calorie expenditure during exercise. KEYWORDS— Machine learning, precision, accuracy, classification, XGBoost regressor, Linear Regression.

Age-Adapted Chemotherapy for Adults >40 Years Old with Philadelphia Chromosome Negative Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Single Center Outcomes

Introduction: While pediatric-inspired regimens are preferred in younger adults with Ph-negative ALL, the optimal approach for treating adults age &amp;gt;40 with Ph-negative ALL has not yet been defined. In the U.S., hyperCVAD-based regimens are commonly used in this age group; however, hyperCVAD may be less effective than pediatric-inspired regimens in patients who are appropriate candidates for intensive therapy, and may be excessively toxic in patients who are poor candidates for intensive therapy. We explored giving two different multiagent chemotherapy regimens to adults age &amp;gt;40 with newly diagnosed Ph-negative ALL, depending on the individual patient's age and fitness level. Methods: At our institution starting in September 2020, patients between 40-60yo with good performance status received an intensive pediatric-inspired regimen based on the CALGB 10403 backbone, while patients &amp;gt;60yo (or 50-60 with poor PS) received a moderate-intensity multiagent chemotherapy backbone consisting of 2-part induction (induction-1: infusional doxorubicin/vincristine D1-4 + dexamethasone 40mg D1-4, 9-12, 17-20; induction-2: same as induction-1 plus cyclophosphamide 1000mg/m 2 on day 1) and consolidation with 6 cycles of chemotherapy, alternating between methotrexate (1g/m 2) plus peg-asparaginase (1,000U/m 2), and cytarabine (1g/m 2 x 6 doses). Prior to September 2020, patients in this age group received the hyperCVAD backbone. In both cohorts, patients not proceeding to allogeneic SCT in CR1 received POMP maintenance for up to 2 years. We reviewed charts of patients aged &amp;gt;40 with newly diagnosed Ph-negative ALL at University of Colorado Hospital from 2014-2023 to compare outcomes between patients treated before 09/2020 (“hyperCVAD” cohort) and after 09/2020 (“age-adapted” cohort). Results: Between 09/2020-04/2023, 17 adults with median age of 57 (range 40-81) with newly diagnosed Ph-negative ALL began treatment at our institution. 6 patients (age 40-56) received a modified pediatric-inspired regimen, and 11 patients (age 54-81) received a moderate-intensity regimen. 4 patients underwent allogeneic SCT in CR1 (including 1 for tMDS that developed during maintenance therapy). 3 patients received blinatumomab in CR1, 2 of whom subsequently received allo SCT. With a median follow-up of 16 months (range: 1-32 months), 1 patient relapsed during maintenance and 2 patients died from treatment-related mortality (1 during induction chemotherapy, 1 during salvage therapy for primary refractory disease). All three events occurred in patients who received the moderate-intensity regimen. Grade 3 or 4 asparaginase-related toxicities occurred in 2 patients (1 gr3 hyperbilirubinemia, 1 gr3 pancreatitis) and both resolved with supportive care. Between 2014-2020, 18 adults with median age of 58 (range 42-80) received hyperCVAD for newly diagnosed Ph- ALL. 6 patients received allogeneic SCT in CR1, and no patients received blinatumomab in CR1. With a median follow-up of 31 months (range: 7-94 months), 7 patients relapsed during consolidation or maintenance therapy and 3 relapsed after SCT. Among 10 patients who died during follow-up, 7 deaths were due to relapsed/refractory disease and 3 were due to treatment-related mortality (all 3 TRM were post-transplant). An improvement in relapse-free survival is seen in the cohort treated with age-adapted chemotherapy vs. the hyperCVAD cohort (p=0.045, log-rank test) (Figure 1), while there was no difference in overall survival (p=0.29) (not shown). Conclusions: Age-adapted multiagent chemotherapy is safe and effective in adults age &amp;gt;40 with Ph-negative ALL and may result in better outcomes than hyperCVAD. This is possibly due to better efficacy of pediatric-inspired chemotherapy for younger (40-60yo) patients and better tolerability of moderate-intensity chemotherapy for older (&amp;gt;60yo) patients, compared to hyperCVAD. Broad use of asparaginase in both the pediatric-inspired and moderate-intensity regimens may have also contributed to better outcomes in comparison to hyperCVAD. Incorporation of novel therapies in the frontline setting holds much promise to improve outcomes for older adults with Ph- ALL. Our observations suggest that the specific multi-agent chemotherapy regimen used, and in particular the incorporation of peg-asparaginase, may also affect outcomes significantly.

Abstract P2141: Effect Of Anakinra On Peak Oxygen Consumption In Patients With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction: A Meta-analysis

Background: Peak oxygen consumption(VO2) evaluates an individual's aerobic fitness level, and provides information on overall health and fitness. Prior studies on anakinra in heart failure have not evaluated VO2 specifically in the subgroup of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction(HFrEF). Our aim was to evaluate the effect of this drug in this population. Methods: We searched five databases: Embase, MEDLINE, Cochrane, Scopus, and PubMed, for RCTs evaluating the effects of Anakinra against a placebo in HFrEF. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 and a random-effects model was used for the analysis. Three RCTs were identified Results: The analysis of the Anakinra effect on VO2 in patients with HFrEF was determined using 3 RCTs. Most studied its effect after 2 weeks. Compared to placebo/standard treatment, anakinra was associated with a greater change in peak VO2 from baseline VO2. However, the difference between Anakinra and placebo in peak VO2 changes was not statistically significant (MD 0.07, 95% CI -0.41 to 0.56; I2 = 43%) with an overall test effect of Z = 0.29 at p = 0.77. The VE/VCO2 slope determined the effect of Anakinra on ventilatory efficiency in HF patients. Among the 3 RCTs that evaluated VE/VCO2 slope, no difference was depicted between the Anakinra treatment relative to placebo. Thus, the statistical difference was insignificant between the two groups (MD 0.70, 95% CI -0.06 to 1.46; I2 = 0%) at p = 0.07. Conclusion: Anakinra was ineffective in improving VO2 in HFrEF. Future prospective studies with longer duration of treatment and measuring performance monitoring outcomes are needed to understand the effect of this drug for such outcomes.

Secular trends in skill-related physical fitness among Slovenian children and adolescents from 1983 to 2014.

It is vital from the public health and educational perspective to be familiar with changes in the fitness levels of individuals and populations since fitness is associated with several health outcomes and cognition. Skill-related physical fitness refers to performance in sports or occupation and is associated with motor skill performance. The aim of the present study was to examine secular trends in skill-related physical fitness of 16 678 participants in four youth generations of Slovenian children and adolescents in years 1983 (n = 3128), 1993/94 (n = 3413), 2003/04 (n = 5497), and 2013/14 (n = 4640). Using repeated cross-sectional design, we observed fitness level of all participants divided into three age groups: 6-10, 11-14, and 15-19 years. Skill-related physical performance was measured with seven fitness tests for speed, coordination, balance, and flexibility. Analysis of covariance was used to compare differences in fitness performance between decades in each age and sex group, adjusted for body height, body weight, and body mass index. Overall, large but inconsistent changes in coordination, a small improvement in speed, and a decline in flexibility were seen. The trends over the whole examined period were not linear throughout decades. Generally, positive trends were noticed in periods 1983-1993 (range 1.4%-17.9%; except flexibility) and 2003/04-2013/14 (range 0.2%-36.4%; except age group 15-19 years) while in the period 1993/94-2003/04 there are some particularities in secular trends according to individual components as well as age groups. In general, the secular trend showed a positive direction for both genders (p < 0.05), except for gross motor coordination, which demonstrated positive trends in 1993 and 2013 compared with a decade earlier (p < 0.05) and from 1983 to 2013/14, except for the youngest boys in 2003 and the youngest girls from 1993 to 2003 (p < 0.05). Our findings call for exercise programs aimed at improving speed and gross motor coordination in both sexes and all age groups, especially in the group of 15-19 years old.

Physical Activity and Fitness Levels of Individuals With Ataxia: A Cross-Sectional Study

ObjectiveTo investigate physical activity levels of individuals with ataxia and correlate fitness to ataxia severity. DesignAn observational study SettingAn outpatient ataxia clinic in a large, tertiary, urban hospital in the US. ParticipantsIndividuals with cerebellar ataxia (N=42). InterventionNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasureParticipants were classified as sedentary or physically active using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF). Maximal oxygen consumption (V̇o2max) as an indicator of fitness level was measured, and ataxia severity was determined by the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA). Mixed effect models were used to correlate ataxia severity to fitness levels. ResultsMost participants (28 out of 42) lived sedentary lifestyles, and these individuals had poor fitness levels (only 67.3% of their predicted measure). The main barriers to physical activity included lack of energy, lack of time, and fear of falling. There were no differences in age, sex, disease type, disease duration, ataxia severity, fatigue level, and medication use between sedentary and active groups. Measures of V̇o2max, maximal work, maximal heart rate, and anerobic threshold demonstrated statistically significant differences between groups whereas maximal respiratory rate and expired ventilation/carbon dioxide production were similar between groups. When adjusting for age, sex, functional mobility status, and disease duration, ataxia severity was inversely correlated with fitness level in the sedentary group. There was no relationship between ataxia severity and fitness level in the 14 individuals who were physically active. ConclusionsLower fitness levels were associated with more ataxia symptoms in the sedentary group. This relationship was not seen in individuals who were more active. Given the poor health outcomes associated with low fitness, physical activity should be encouraged in this population.

An Evaluation of Change in the Physical Output in Female Youth Football Players During a Game

This study evaluated the time-to-time aerobic and anaerobic exercise intensities, calculated using the Global Positioning System (GPS), using laboratory measurements of individual physical fitness throughout the game in each female youth football player. In addition, we examine if the anaerobic exercise index calculated by only GPS data presents this evaluation to examine its validity. In the laboratory, the oxygen uptake (V̇O2) matched with moving speed was identified during an incremental exercise test on the treadmill, and the ventilatory (anaerobic) threshold was also analysed to identify individual aerobic and anaerobic exercise intensities. Using these laboratory data, time-to-time changes in individual relative running intensity (aerobic and anaerobic) were visualised from individual GPS data during a football game, and an individual’s sprint output (ability) during the game was evaluated. An index of running intensity and the percentage of anaerobic exercise over the game provided by the GPS software (equivalent distance index [%EDI] and anaerobic index [AI]) did not present the actual individual exercise intensity (ICC(2,1), absolute agreement=−0.031; P=0.596) and percentage of anaerobic exercise (ICC(2,1), absolute agreement=−0.003; P=0.698) values during the game, respectively. These findings suggest that only GPS measurement cannot present the individual actual exercise intensity during a football game because of different individual fitness levels to the same running speed.

Relationship Between Nutritional Status, Physical Activity, Type of Work and Smoking Activity with Fitness Level Measured by 6-Minute Walking Test on Non-staff Employees of Universitas Indonesia, Depok

Background: Fitness is inextricable to health and has a significant correlation with the habits and behaviour of individuals such as dietary practice, sedentary behaviour, physical activities, and smoking habits. Many ways can be used to assess an individual fitness level, one of them is using the 6-minute walking test. This study aims to find the correlation between smoking intensity, nutritional status, occupation, and physical activity with the fitness level of outdoor janitors in Universitas Indonesia, Depok. Method: The research method was the cross-sectional design. The determination of the subjects was carried out by a consecutive sampling method. The data obtained results from the assessment of nutritional status, occupation, physical activity, and smoking intensity, as well as result from the 6-minute walking test. Univariate data analysis was used to assess the distribution of subjects based on sociodemographics, nutritional status, physical activity, occupation, and smoking activity. Furthermore, categorical correlative tests used were Man-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and Fisher's Exact test. Results: The subjects obtained are 109 outdoor janitors from UI, Depok in which 59.6% age 18-44 years old, and 56% are male. Based on the correlative test between the fitness level and the nutritional status, value of P=0.086, as value of P between the physical activity and the fitness level is 0.0523. No significant correlation between fitness level and occupation based on location of the job, duration of work and based on the work time (P=1.00; P=1.00; P=0.108) The correlation between smoking intensity with the fitness level has value of P=0.681. Conclusion: There is no significant correlation between nutritional status, physical activity, type of work, and smoking intensity with the fitness level as measured by the 6-minute walking test method for outdoor janitors of UI, Depok.

Effects of Endurance Exercise Intensities on Autonomic and Metabolic Controls in Children with Obesity: A Feasibility Study Employing Online Exercise Training.

Exercise is one of the major determinants of a healthy lifestyle, which is particularly important in childhood and serves as a powerful preventive tool. On the other hand, obesity and arterial hypertension rates are increasing in children, representing a huge risk for developing major cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in adult life. Of fundamental importance is the modality and volume of exercise required to obtain benefits. In this feasibility study, we considered a group of obese children, studied before and after a 12-week online exercise training program, and subdivided the participants into two groups considering the volume of exercise performed (above or below 1200 MET·min/week). This threshold level was applied in two different ways: subdivision A considered the total weekly physical activity volume (considering both time spent walking for at least 10 min consecutively and time spent performing structured exercise) and subdivision B considered only the weekly volume of structured exercise. We assessed autonomic and metabolic control and auxological and lifestyle parameters. We observed that the improved volume of structured exercise was associated with reduced arterial pressure percentile only in subdivision B and an improvement in markers of vagal and metabolic control was evident. Moreover, the 12-week online exercise training program, defined considering individual fitness level and progressively adapted as the goal was reached, proved to be sustainable from an economical and organizational point of view.

Sublethal ammonia induces alterations of emotions, cognition, and social behaviors in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Ammonia pollutants were usually found in aquatic environments is due to urban sewage, industrial wastewater discharge, and agricultural runoff and concentrations as high as 180mg/L (NH4+) have been reported in rivers. High ammonia levels are known to impair multiple tissue and cell functions and cause fish death. Although ammonia is a potent neurotoxin, how sublethal concentrations of ammonia influence the central nervous system (CNS) and the complex behaviors of fish is still unclear. In the present study, we demonstrated that acute sublethal ammonia exposure can change social behavior of adult zebrafish. The exposure to 90mg /L of (NH4+) for 4h induced a strong fear response and lower shoaling cohesion; exposure to 180mg /L of (NH4+) for 4h reduced the aggressiveness, and social recognition, while the anxiety, social preference, learning, and short-term memory were not affected. Messenger RNA expressions of glutaminase and glutamate dehydrogenase in the brain were induced, suggesting that ammonia exposure altered glutamate neurotransmitters in the CNS. Our findings in zebrafish provided delicate information of ammonia neurotoxicity in complex higher-order social behaviors, which has not been revealed previously. In conclusion, sublethal and acute ammonia exposure can change specific behaviors of fish, which might lead to reductions in individual and population fitness levels.

A physical activity-intensity driven glycemic model for type 1 diabetes

Background and ObjectiveThe glucose response to physical activity for a person with type 1 diabetes (T1D) depends upon the intensity and duration of the physical activity, plasma insulin concentrations, and the individual physical fitness level. To accurately model the glycemic response to physical activity, these factors must be considered. MethodsSeveral physiological models describing the glycemic response to physical activity are proposed by incorporating model terms proportional to the physical activity intensity and duration describing endogenous glucose production (EGP), glucose utilization, and glucose transfer from the plasma to tissues. Leveraging clinical data of T1D during physical activity, each model fit is assessed. ResultsThe proposed model with terms accommodating EGP, glucose transfer, and insulin-independent glucose utilization allow for an improved simulation of physical activity glycemic responses with the greatest reduction in model error (mean absolute percentage error: 16.11 ± 4.82 vs. 19.49 ± 5.87, p = 0.002). ConclusionsThe development of a physiologically plausible model with model terms representing each major contributor to glucose metabolism during physical activity can outperform traditional models with physical activity described through glucose utilization alone. This model accurately describes the relation of plasma insulin and physical activity intensity on glucose production and glucose utilization to generate the appropriately increasing, decreasing or stable glucose response for each physical activity condition. The proposed model will enable the in silico evaluation of automated insulin dosing algorithms designed to mitigate the effects of physical activity with the appropriate relationship between the reduction in basal insulin and the corresponding glycemic excursion.

Child Perceptions Of A Home-based, Virtual, Instructor-led, Physical Activity Program

BACKGROUND: How children feel after exercise can have important implications for their long-term adherence to an exercise program. Currently, child affective responses to instructor-led physical activity videos performed virtually at home are unknown. PURPOSE: To assess child perceptions and mood after participating in a series of instructor-led physical activity videos virtually at home. METHODS: Children participated in 4x8-minute instructor-led physical activity videos varying in type (i.e., strength; cardio; mindfulness; sports skill). Children accessed the videos via an online survey and were instructed to complete them at their own convenience. To measure post-activity mood children were asked an open-ended question, “In one or two words, please describe how participating in physical activity makes you feel.” To measure perceptions of the videos, children were asked two open-ended questions, “What is your favorite part of the videos?” and “What could make the program better?” Mood was assessed after each video and perceptions were assessed after the completion of all four videos. Data were analyzed by identifying the top responses to each question. RESULTS: Sixty-nine children in grades K-12 (52% girls; 38% non-white; 55% in grades K-5; 17% in grades 6-8; 28% in grades 9-12) participated in this study. Overall, the top five words for how children felt after the videos were 1) tired, 2) happy, 3) energized, 4) good, and 5) sore. Children reported accessibility of the videos, specific movements (e.g., push-up, lunge), and encouraging instructors as their favorite parts. Children recommended adapting the intensity of videos to individual fitness levels, providing more modifications, and video specifics (e.g., more colors and children in videos, provide a warm-up and cool-down, music) as ways to improve the program. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study demonstrate that children reported exercise-related fatigue (e.g., tired, sore) and positive affect (e.g., happy, energized) after participating in instructor-led physical activity videos at home. These findings can be utilized to create tailored adaptations and implementation supports for virtual, instructor-led programs to better promote child physical activity participation in the home.

Overweight is associated with low fitness level among regional government employees in Denpasar City

Background and purpose: Time spent on sedentary work is a potential risk factor of nutritional problems among employees, which could lead to a low level of fitness. This study aims to determine the correlation between nutritional status with fitness level among government employees of Denpasar City. Methods: This is an analytic observational study with a cross-sectional design. The samples of this study are 285 government employees in Denpasar City who had taken a physical fitness measurement test using the Rockport method and complete demographic data. Data on fitness level, nutritional status, age, gender, and pulse rate were included in the analysis using a multinomial logistic regression test. Results:The median age of employees are 47 years old and slightly more females (51.6%) than males. More than half of the employees had a low level of fitness (50.9%) and most were overweight (47%). The overweight group was 4.11 times more likely to have a low fitness level than the healthy weight group (RRR=4.11; 95%CI: 1.03-16.32). Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between nutritional status and fitness level after gender, age, and pulse rate were controlled. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain a normal nutritional status to maintain or enhance individual fitness level by routinely following regular sports activities that have been programmed and do stretching in between working hours.