High Fitness Group Research Articles

The Association Between Mild Cognitive Impairment and Physical Function in Older Japanese Adults Aged 75 Years or Older Living in Independent Senior Housing: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background/Objective: Although there are many reports on the association between cognitive and physical functions in older adults, little information is available on those aged ≥75 years. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in older adults over 75 years who live in independent senior housing is associated with physical function. Methods: In this study, 271 participants (174 women and 97 men) with a mean age of 85.4 ± 4.7 years were included. Cognitive function was assessed using the Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment; a score < 26 confirmed MCI. MCI was an objective variable in univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Physical function was measured using hand grip strength, normal and maximum gait speeds, and the 30 s chair stand test. Physical function was an explanatory variable adjusted for age and divided into tertiles (high, middle, and low) based on sex. The significance level was set at 5%. Results: There were 170 participants (63%) with MCI. Compared to the non-MCI group, the MCI group had significantly higher age and significantly lower normal and maximum gait speeds and 30 s chair stand test values Age-adjusted univariate analyses in women showed higher MCI rates in the low-fitness group than in the high-fitness group for maximum gait speed and 30 s chair stand test values. No variables were associated with MCI in men. Conclusions: MCI may be associated with physical function in women and older adults over 75 years who live in independent senior housing.

Association of adipose tissue inflammation and physical fitness in older adults

An active lifestyle is of key importance for reduction of obesity and inflammation, as well as circulating levels of adipokines. Therefore, the aim of our study was to assess the relationship of physical fitness with chronic inflammatory status, and to evaluate biomarkers useful in the analysis of adipose tissue dysfunction. Sixty-three older adults (69.6 ± 5.1 years) were allocated to a high n = 31 (women n = 23 and men n = 8 male) or low physical fitness n = 32 (women n = 29 and men n = 3) group based on gait speed values (1.4–1.8 m/s or ≤ 1.3 m/s). The gait speed correlated with hand grip strength (rs = 0.493, p = 0.0001) and with leptin level (R = -0.372, p = 0.003), which shows the benefits of physical activity on muscle strength and circulating adipokines. In low physical fitness group, 58.1% individuals had adiponectin to leptin ratio (Adpn/Lep) < 0.5 revealing dysfunction of adipose tissue and high cardiometabolic risk; 20% of the group were obese with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2. In high physical fitness group, 25.8% of individuals had Adpn/Lep ≥ 1.0 i.e., within the reference range. Markers of systemic inflammation were significantly related to physical fitness: CRP/gait speed (rs = -0.377) and HMGB-1/gait speed (rs = -0.264). The results of the ROC analysis for Adpn (AUC = 0.526), Lep (AUC = 0.745) and HMGB-1 (AUC = 0.689) indicated their diagnostic potential for clinical prognosis in older patients. The optimal threshold values corresponded to 1.2 μg/mL for Adpn (sensitivity 74.2%, specificity 41.9%, OR = 1.4, 95%Cl 0.488–3.902), 6.7 ng/mL for Lep (sensitivity 56.2%, specificity 93.5%, OR = 14.8, 95%Cl 3.574–112.229), 2.63 mg/L for CRP (sensitivity 51.6%, specificity 84.3%, OR = 4.4, 95% Cl 1.401- 16.063) and 34.2 ng/mL for HMGB-1 (sensitivity 62.0%, specificity 86.6%, OR = 12.0, 95%Cl 3.254—61.614). The highest sensitivity and specificity were observed for Leptin and HMGB-1. The study revealed changes in inflammatory status in older adults at various levels of physical fitness and demonstrated diagnostic usefulness of adipokines in the assessment of adipose tissue inflammation.

P135 FITNESS INFLUENCES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXERCISE BLOOD PRESSURE AND LEFT VENTRICULAR STRUCTURE: EVIDENCE FROM THE EXERCISE STRESS TEST COLLABORATION (EXERTION) STUDY

Background. A hypertensive response to exercise is associated with left ventricular (LV) remodelling, a principal sign of hypertensive heart disease. Fitness may modify this relationship, making clinical interpretation of peak exercise systolic blood pressure (SBP) challenging. This study examines the influence of fitness on the relationship between peak exercise SBP and LV structure. Methods. Cardiovascular structure and function (LV mass index (LVMI), LV relative wall thickness (RWT), cardiac output (CO) and total peripheral resistance (TPR)) were assessed at rest by echocardiography on 4,309 individuals (aged 58.6±12.7 years,52.0% male). SBP was measured at peak treadmill exercise, and fitness (exercise duration (minutes)) was grouped into thirds. Multiple regression analysis was conducted with fitness as an interaction term with peak exercise SBP, adjusted for age, sex, pre-exercise SBP, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) history. Results. Peak exercise SBP was similar across low (180±26.5mmHg), moderate (181±26.3mmHg) and high (182±24.5mmHg) fitness groups. Fitness modified the relationship between exercise SBP and LVMI; each 5mmHg increase in exercise SBP was associated with LVMI in moderate [0.27(0.10–0.43) and high [0.25(0.06–0.43)] fitness groups, which was not observed among those with low fitness [-0.05(-0.22–0.12)]. RWT increased with higher peak exercise SBP at all fitness levels (all p&lt;0.001), with higher values among those with low fitness. Prevalence of LV concentric remodelling was highest in those with low fitness (29.9%) and lowest in those with high fitness (10.8%). A lower CO and higher TPR were observed in the low fitness group (7.5±2.5L/min and 14.3±5.1mmHg min/L) compared to those with high fitness (10.9±3.1L/min and 9.2±2.09mmHg min/L). Conclusion. Whilst a small effect, fitness modified the peak exercise SBP-LV structure relationship, such that for similar peak exercise SBP, those with low fitness exhibit a more adverse LV remodelling, with lower CO and higher TPR, compared to those with higher fitness. Considering fitness when interpreting SBP and cardiac imaging results from exercise stress testing may be relevant in identifying CVD risk and optimal patient management.

Analyzing the Moderating Effect of Physical Fitness on the Relationship between Abdominal Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome in Older Women

PURPOSE This study aimed to analyze the moderating effect of physical fitness on the relationship between abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in older women.METHODS A total of 190 participants were categorized based on waisthip ratio (WHR) into high (50%) and low (50%) groups, as well as based on Z-score of fitness into high (25%; high fit), moderate (50%; moderate fit), and low (25%; low fit) groups. Logistic regression was used to assess the relative risk of MetS based on abdominal obesity and fitness levels, and moderation analysis using the Process macro was conducted to explore the moderating effect of fitness on the relationship between abdominal obesity and MetS risk factors.RESULTS After adjusting forcovariates, logistic regression showed that high WHR (odds ratio (OR)=2.721, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;=0.004) led to a significantly higher risk of MetS compared with low WHR; the high fit group (OR=0.360, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;=0.044) had a significantly lower risk of MetS compared wih the low fit group. Moderation analysis revealed that the impact of abdominal obesity on MetS risk factors varied depending on the level of fitness (&lt;i&gt;β&lt;/i&gt;=-0.495, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;=0.037), and the results remained significant after covariate adjustment (&lt;i&gt;β&lt;/i&gt;=-0.458, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;=0.049).CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that the risk of MetS from abdominal obesity can be mitigated by higher levels of physical fitness. These findings highlight the need for participation in regular physical activity to maintain a high level of fitness, along with proper nutritional intake, to prevent MetS in older women.

Effects of acute aerobic exercise on resting state functional connectivity of motor cortex in college students

This study intends to inspect the effects of acute aerobic exercise (AE) on resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) in motor cortex of college students and the moderating effect of fitness level. Methods: 20 high fitness level college students and 20 ordinary college students were recruited in public. Subjects completed 25 min of moderate- and high-intensity acute aerobic exercise respectively by a bicycle ergometer, and the motor cortex’s blood oxygen signals in resting state were monitored by functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS, the Shimadzu portable Light NIRS, Japan) in pre- and post-test. Results: At the moderate intensity level, the total mean value of RSFC pre- and post-test was significantly different in the high fitness level group (pre-test 0.62 ± 0.18, post-test 0.51 ± 0.17, t(19) = 2.61, p = 0.02, d = 0.58), but no significant change was found in the low fitness level group. At the high-intensity level, there was no significant difference in the difference of total RSFC between pre- and post-test in the high and low fitness group. According to and change trend of 190 “edges”: at the moderate-intensity level, the number of difference edges in the high fitness group (d = 0.58, 23) were significantly higher than those in the low fitness group (d = 0.32, 15), while at high-intensity level, there was a reverse trend between the high fitness group (d = 0.25, 18) and the low fitness group (d = 0.39, 23). Conclusions: moderate-intensity AE can cause significant changes of RSFC in the motor cortex of college students with high fitness, while high fitness has a moderating effect on the relationship between exercise intensity and RSFC. RSFC of people with high fitness is more likely to be affected by AE and show a wider range of changes.

Physical fitness is an independent predictor of chronic kidney disease development in apparently healthy individuals.

The cardiovascular and metabolic benefits of physical activity have been studied at length, however, data on the association between physical fitness and progression to kidney disease is lacking. We aimed to identify the association between cardiorespiratory fitness and development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) among the healthy population. We retrospectively investigated 11,579 healthy self-referred subjects who underwent annual medical screening. All subjects had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) above 60 ml/min/1.73 m2, no known kidney disease, hematuria or proteinuria, and were free of diabetes or cardiovascular disease at baseline. All participants completed a maximal exercise test, and were categorized into low and high cardiorespiratory fitness groups based on age- and gender-specific quintiles. The primary end point was the development of significant CKD defined as eGFR below 45 ml/min/1.73 m2 during follow-up. Median follow-up was 7.6 years, and the participants' median age was 50 ± 8 years. Baseline creatinine and eGFR were 1.02 mg/dl and 81 ml/min/1.73 m2, respectively. During follow-up, 81 (0.6%) participants developed CKD, and the cumulative probability was significantly higher among the low fitness group (HR = 2.41, p = 0.001). The effect of physical fitness on the risk to develop CKD remained significant after adjusting for age, gender, baseline creatinine and other cardiovascular risk factors. Cardiorespiratory fitness is an independent risk factor inversely associated with development of CKD.

Influence of cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition on resting and post-exercise indices of vascular health in young adults

Poor cardiorespiratory fitness may mediate vascular impairments at rest and following an acute bout of exercise in young healthy individuals. This study aimed to compare flow mediated dilation (FMD) and vascular augmentation index (AIx75) between young adults with low, moderate, and high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness before and after an acute bout of aerobic exercise. Forty-three participants (22 men; 21 women) between 18 and 29 years of age completed the study. Participants were classified into low, moderate, and high health-related cardiorespiratory fitness groups according to age- and sex-based relative maximal oxygen consumption (V˙O2 max) percentile rankings. FMD was performed using Doppler ultrasound and AIx75 was performed using pulse wave analysis at baseline and 60-min after a 30-min bout of treadmill running at 70% V˙O2 max. A significant interaction (p ​= ​0.047; ηp2 ​= ​0.142) was observed, with the moderate fitness group exhibiting a higher FMD post-exercise compared with baseline ([6.7% ​± ​3.1%] vs. [8.5% ​± ​2.8%], p ​= ​0.028; d ​= ​0.598). We found a significant main effect of group for AIx75 (p ​= ​0.023; ηp2 ​= ​0.168), with the high fitness group exhibiting lower AIx75 compared to low fitness group ([−10% ​± ​10%] vs. [2% ​± ​10%], respectively, p ​= ​0.019; g ​= ​1.07). This was eliminated after covarying for body fat percentage (p ​= ​0.489). Our findings suggest that resting FMD and AIx75 responses are not significantly influenced by cardiorespiratory fitness, but FMD recovery responses to exercise may be enhanced in individuals with moderate cardiorespiratory fitness levels.

Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Risk of Cardiovascular Events and Mortality in Middle Age Patients without Known Cardiovascular Disease.

Low cardiorespiratory fitness is an established risk predictor for chronic non-communicable diseases. We aimed to investigate the prognostic significance of fitness level on the risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE, the composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, or all-cause death), in a contemporary cohort of middle-aged subjects without cardiovascular disease. Retrospective analysis of patients aged 40-60 years without a history of cardiovascular disease. Degree of fitness was determined according to a graded, maximal treadmill exercise stress testing (EST) time achieved, classified into age- and sex-specific quintiles (Q), and categorized as low (Q1), moderate (Q2-Q4) or high (Q5) fitness groups. A multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to assess the association of fitness level with the risk of MACE. A total of 6836 patients were included, of which 44.5% were women, and the mean age was 52 years. Overall, 289 MACE events occurred during a median follow-up of 7 years. Level of fitness was inversely associated with the presence of cardiovascular risk factors. The multivariable adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for MACE was 1.65 (1.12-2.44) and 2.17 (1.40-3.38) in those at moderate and low fitness levels, compared to the high-fitness group (reference), respectively. For each decrease of one metabolic equivalent (MET) unit achieved at peak exercise, the relative risk for MACE increased by 18%. The association between low fitness and MACE was not modified by other risk factors (P-for-interaction non-significant). Low fitness level, as captured by a maximal treadmill EST, is an independent risk predictor for MACE among middle-age individuals without known cardiovascular disease. The association of low fitness with high burden of cardiometabolic risk factors highlight the importance of lifestyle intervention in this patient population.

The dilemma of physical activity questionnaires: Fitter people are less prone to over reporting.

Physical activity questionnaires (PAQs) are a popular method of monitoring physical activity, although their validity is usually low. Descriptions of physical activity levels in questionnaires usually rely on physical responses to physical activity. Therefore, we hypothesised that the validity of PAQs would be higher in the more physically fit group of participants. To test this, we conducted a validation study with 179 adults whom we divided into three fitness groups based on their cardiovascular fitness and age. Participants were measured for one week using the UKK RM42 accelerometer and self-reported their physical activity using IPAQ-SF, GPAQ, and EHIS-PAQ. We analysed the differences between fitness groups in terms of validity for each PAQ using ANOVA. We also performed an equivalence testing to compare the data obtained with the PAQs and the accelerometers. The results showed a significant trend toward higher validity for moderate to vigorous physical activity from the low to high fitness group as assessed by GPAQ and IPAQ-SF (low, intermediate and high fitness group: 0.06-0.21; 0.26-0.29; 0.40, respectively). The equivalence testing showed that all fitness groups overestimated their physical activity and underestimated their sedentary behaviour, with the high fitness group overestimating their physical activity the least. However, EHIS-PAQ was found to agree best with accelerometer data in assessing moderate to vigorous physical activity, regardless of fitness group, and had a validity greater than 0.4 for all fitness groups. In conclusion, we confirmed that when using PAQs describing physical responses to physical activity, participants' fitness should be considered in the interpretation, especially when comparing results internationally.

Examining the relationship between aerobic fitness and cognitive control processes: An SFT and ERP study

Previous studies have demonstrated a positive relationship between aerobic fitness and cognitive control, the ability to inhibit distractions (conflict control) or impulsive actions (response inhibition). However, it is unknown whether these sub-processes and their underlying information processing capacity are differentially related to aerobic fitness. To address this question, we employed a go/no-go version of the redundant-target task, which was administered concurrently with the recording of event-related potentials (ERPs) and the use of a reaction-time based diagnostic tool known as system factorial technology (SFT). Our sample consisted of 46 young male adults with varying levels of aerobic fitness: the high-fit group (n = 23; aged 21.33 ± 2.44 years; VO2max 58.83 ± 6.93 ml/kg/min) and the low-fit group (n = 23; aged 22.30 ± 1.40 years; VO2max 41.90 ± 4.01 ml/kg/min). The results showed that the high-fit group exhibited a lower false-alarm rate compared to the low-fit group. However, there was no difference in processing speed between the two groups. The SFT analysis revealed that the high-fit group had more efficient information processing for earlier responses, but not later responses, compared to the low-fit group. Analysis of the ERPs indicated that the high-fit group had larger N2d amplitudes and shorter P3d latencies during conflict control compared to the low-fit group, while there were no such effects for the process of response inhibition. These findings suggest that aerobic fitness may be differentially related to the temporal dynamics and sub-processes of cognitive control.

Characteristics of resting state functional connectivity of motor cortex of high fitness level college students: Experimental evidence from functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)

AbstractObjectiveThis study inspects difference of resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) of motor cortex between athletes and ordinary college students and the test‐retest reliability of RSFC.MethodsTwenty high fitness level college students (high fitness group) and 20 ordinary college students (control group) were recruited. The motor cortical blood oxygen signals in resting states were monitored by functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). RSFCs of brain signals were preprocessed and calculated by FC‐NIRS software. RSFC results of test‐retest reliability were evaluated by intra‐class correlation coefficient (ICC).ResultsTotal RSFC (HbO signal) was significantly different between high fitness group (0.62 ± 0.04) and low fitness group (0.81 ± 0.04) (p &lt; .05). Significant differences were found between the groups (HbO signal) in 50 edges among the 190 edges of motor cortex (14 edges after FDR corrected). At three hemoglobin concentrations, mean of group‐level ICC (C, 1) for total RSFC in two groups was 0.40 ± 0.10, whereas the mean of group‐level ICC (C, k) was 0.57 ± 0.11, depicting “fair” reliability. The mean of group‐level ICC (C, 1) of 190 “edges” was 0.88 ± 0.06, whereas mean of ICC (C, k) was 0.94 ± 0.03, exhibiting “excellent” reliability.ConclusionFitness level is the factor causing specific changes in RSFC strength of motor cortex that can be utilized as biomarker for evaluating the fitness level.

One size does not fit all - translating absolute accelerometry to relative individual physical activity intensity for health

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): The main funding body of The Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS) is theSwedish Heart-Lung Foundation. The study is also funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, the Swedish Research Council and VINNOVA (Sweden’s Innovation agency) the University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm county council, Linköping University and University Hospital, Lund University and Skåne University Hospital, Umeå University and University Hospital, Uppsala University and University Hospital. Introduction Physical activity intensity can be expressed in either absolute (e.g. brisk walking or metabolic equivalents) or relative terms (e.g. proportion of maximal oxygen consumption or perceived exertion) (1). Although intervention studies typically use relative intensity for exercise prescription, large scale observational studies measuring physical activity with accelerometers always use absolute intensity. The association between relative physical activity intensity and cardiometabolic risk factors has not been studied using accelerometry previously. Purpose To compare absolute and relative measures of physical activity intensity in terms of physical activity level and associations with cardiovascular risk factors among individuals with different fitness level. Methods A subsample of the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS), in total 4234 men and women aged 50-64, was analysed (2). Physical activity was measured by accelerometers and the raw data processed with the 10 Hz frequency extended method (FEM) to get a more accurate measure of physical activity intensity compared to previous methods (3). Maximal oxygen consumption (fitness) was estimated by a submaximal ergometer test. Waist to hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, glycated haemoglobin (HBA1c) and high-density lipoprotein to total cholesterol ratio were combined into a composite cardiometabolic risk factor score. Partial least squares regression was used to investigate the associations of absolute and relative physical activity intensity with fitness as well as the composite score. The sample was divided into tertiles of fitness for stratified analyses. Results Overall, there was an association between physical activity at absolute moderate intensity and above, and the health outcomes. Yet, the main associations were found in the absolute moderate intensity range for the low fitness group and in the absolute vigorous intensity range for the high fitness group. When considering relative intensity however, all the main associations started in the upper part of the moderate intensity range and peaked in the vigorous intensity range (Figure 1). In addition, when comparing absolute and relative cut-offs for moderate intensity, absolute moderate intensity was too low for 95% of individuals in the sample (Figure 2). When using absolute intensity, 99% of individuals reached the general guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week, while only 21% reached the guidelines based on relative intensity. Conclusions Health benefits of absolute intensity are misleading for most individuals in this sample and absolute measures of physical activity overestimate time spent at moderate intensity and above. Relative intensity should be used when interpreting accelerometer measured physical activity and when communicating health promoting physical activity.

EFEITOS DO TAI CHI CHUAN SOBRE A SAÚDE FÍSICA DAS ESTUDANTES UNIVERSITÁRIAS

ABSTRACT Introduction Tai Ji is a martial art rich in traditional Chinese ethnic characteristics. Its flexible, free and open movements make its practice popular and esteemed by many female college students. However, there is a demand for experimental research on the impacts of the art on the physical and mental health of its college practitioners. Objective Verify the effects of Tai Ji practice on the physical health of university students. Methods This study used the methods of literature, experimental and mathematical statistics, through the influence of Tai Ji style number 24 on the physical health of female university students in different groups. Results The research shows that under the intervention of this style, with the same content, intensity, and time of exercise, the physical health of female college students in the low-fitness group was significantly improved. Conclusion Female college students in the medium and high fitness group improved their physical health indicators due to their physical preconditioning. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.

Effects of acute exercise with different modalities on working memory in men with high and low aerobic fitness

ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine the effects of high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) and moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE) on working memory in individuals with high and low aerobic fitness. DesignThe protocol adopted a between-subjects crossover design. MethodsForty healthy male college students (mean age = 19.59 ± 1.00 years) were assigned to high fitness (n = 20) or low fitness (n = 20) groups based on their estimated maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) in the 20 m shuttle run test. All participants were instructed to engage in three acute exercise interventions (10 min HIIE, 20 min HIIE, 20 min MICE) and a reading control intervention on separate days in a randomized order. A spatial 2-back task was performed before and after each intervention to assess working memory. ResultsAnalyses of the 2-back task performance revealed that the working memory of high and low fitness participants benefited from different modalities of acute exercise. Specifically, reaction time in the 2-back task was significantly shorter after 20 min HIIE compared to pre-exercise in high fitness participants, whereas low fitness participants had significantly faster reaction time in the 2-back task after 20 min MICE and 10 min HIIE relative to pre-exercise. ConclusionsThe effects of acute aerobic exercise on working memory are modulated by a combination of exercise modality and aerobic fitness. This finding has important implications for providing experimental evidence that participants choose appropriate exercise to undertake based on their level of aerobic fitness to improve cognitive performance.

The intraocular pressure lowering-effect of low-intensity aerobic exercise is greater in fitter individuals: a cluster analysis

ABSTRACT This study aimed to determine the influence of physical fitness level and sex on intraocular pressure (IOP) during the low-intensity aerobic exercise. Forty-four participants (twenty-two men) cycled 30 minutes at low intensity (10% of the maximal power). Maximal power was determined by asking participants to perform maximal sprints of 6 seconds against 3–4 different resistances separated by 3 minutes of rest. The IOP was measured on 9 occasions (1) prior to the warm-up, (2) after the warm-up, (3–7) every 6 minutes during the low-intensity cycling task, and (8–9) 5 and 10 minutes after the cycling task. Low-intensity aerobic exercise had a lowering effect on IOP, being the beneficial effect more accentuated and prolonged in the High-fit group (IOP reduction compared to baseline lasted 30 minutes) than in the Low-fit group (IOP was only reduced at 6 minutes of exercise compared to baseline). Participants´ sex had no effect on the IOP behaviour at any time point (p = 0.453). These findings indicate that individuals who need to reduce IOP levels (i.e., glaucoma patients or those at risk) should increase or maintain a high fitness level to benefit more from the IOP lowering effect during low-intensity aerobic exercises.

Cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with sustained neurocognitive function during a prolonged inhibitory control task in young adults: An ERP study

Although beneficial associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive function have been established, whether cardiorespiratory fitness is related to behavioral and neuroelectric indices of performance during a prolonged inhibitory control task remains unknown. Young adults, categorized into High and Low Fitness groups, completed a 60-min Stroop task, while the N1 and P3 components of event-related potentials were measured. The results showed that the High Fitness group demonstrated shorter response times, regardless of the Stroop task congruency or time-on-task, than Low Fitness group. The High Fitness group also exhibited larger P3 amplitudes than the Low Fitness group, but no differences in N1 amplitudes were observed. These findings suggest that cardiorespiratory fitness during young adulthood has beneficial effects on task performance and attention allocation during an inhibitory control task, and these benefits can be sustained for 60 min.

한국 성인들의 비만도 수준 및 종합 체력수준에 따른 대사 증후군 위험요인 및 발생위험률에 미치는 영향

It is well known that obesity increases the risk of metabolic syndrome(MetS); however, the associations between total fitness (muscular strength, muscle endurance, flexibility and balance) and MetS risk factors among Korean adults still need to be studied. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of obesity and total fitness level on MetS risk factors and prevalence of MetS in Korean adults. A total of 994(M:178, F:816) Korean adults participated in the exercise program held at the Health Promotion Center. We measured total fitness, BMI(Bady Mass Index) and MetS risk factors including waist-circumference(WC), glucose, triglyceride(TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDLC), systolic blood pressure(SBP), and diastolic blood pressure(DBP). The total fitness level was measured grip strength, sit-up, sit and reach, and one-leg standing. As a results, after adjusted for age and sex, when subjects were divided into four groups according to total fitness level and BMI, low fitness and high BMI(25kg/m²≤BMI) group showed the worst consequences of metabolic syndrome risk factors. The prevalence of MetS in the low fitness and high BMI group was 4.96 times higher than the high fitness and low BMI group[OR: 4.96, 95% (CI): 3.12-7.89]. High physical fitness and low BMI are very important to decrease the prevalence of MetS.

Do Fitter Children Better Assess Their Physical Activity with Questionnaire Than Less Fit Children?

Most physical activity (PA) questionnaires assess moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) describing the physical exertion of individuals that might be influenced by their physical fitness. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether fitter children could better assess their PA with the questionnaire than less fit children. The cross-sectional validation study was conducted with 108 children (60 girls) aged 11 to 14 years, who were divided into three fitness groups based on the results of the 600 m running test. To answer the research question, the agreement between their assessment of PA using the SHAPES questionnaire and the UKK RM42 accelerometer data was analysed. One quarter of the participants achieved at least 60 min of MVPA each day, measured by accelerometer. The average MVPA obtained was 97.8 ± 35.6 min per day, with the high fitness group having a significantly higher value compared with the other groups. Moderate to high validity coefficients were found in the high fitness group (Spearman’s ρ range 0.34–0.70). In contrast, the lower fitness groups had poor to moderate validity for all variables (Spearman’s ρ range 0.03–0.42). These results suggest that the fittest children self-assess their PA with the questionnaire better than less fit children, which may advance new directions for the development and evaluation of PA questionnaires and their usability.

Influence of Soldiers' Cardiorespiratory Fitness on Physiological Responses and Dropouts During a Loaded Long-distance March.

In military service, marching is an important, common, and physically demanding task. Minimizing dropouts, maintaining operational readiness during the march, and achieving a fast recovery are desirable because the soldiers have to be ready for duty, sometimes shortly after an exhausting task. The present field study investigated the influence of the soldiers' cardiorespiratory fitness on physiological responses during a long-lasting and challenging 34 km march. Heart rate (HR), body core temperature (BCT), total energy expenditure (TEE), energy intake, motivation, and pain sensation were investigated in 44 soldiers (20.3 ± 1.3 years, 178.5 ± 7.0 cm, 74.8 ± 9.8 kg, body mass index: 23.4 ± 2.7 kg × m-2, peak oxygen uptake ($\dot{\rm{V}}$O2peak): 54.2 ± 7.9 mL × kg-1 × min-1) during almost 8 hours of marching. All soldiers were equipped with a portable electrocardiogram to record HR and an accelerometer on the hip, all swallowed a telemetry pill to record BCT, and all filled out a pre- and post-march questionnaire. The influence of aerobic capacity on the physiological responses during the march was examined by dividing the soldiers into three fitness groups according to their $\dot{\rm{V}}$O2peak. The group with the lowest aerobic capacity ($\dot{\rm{V}}$O2peak: 44.9 ± 4.8 mL × kg-1 × min-1) compared to the group with the highest aerobic capacity ($\dot{\rm{V}}$O2peak: 61.7 ± 2.2 mL × kg-1 × min-1) showed a significantly higher (P < .05) mean HR (133 ± 9 bpm and 125 ± 8 bpm, respectively) as well as peak BCT (38.6 ± 0.3 and 38.4 ± 0.2 °C, respectively) during the march. In terms of recovery ability during the break, no significant differences could be identified between the three groups in either HR or BCT. The energy deficit during the march was remarkably high, as the soldiers could only replace 22%, 26%, and 36% of the total energy expenditure in the lower, middle, and higher fitness group, respectively. The cardiorespiratory fittest soldiers showed a significantly higher motivation to perform when compared to the least cardiorespiratory fit soldiers (P = .002; scale from 1 [not at all] to 10 [extremely]; scale difference of 2.3). A total of nine soldiers (16%) had to end marching early: four soldiers (21%) in the group with the lowest aerobic capacity, five (28%) in the middle group, and none in the highest group. Soldiers with a high $\dot{\rm{V}}$O2peak showed a lower mean HR and peak BCT throughout the long-distance march, as well as higher performance motivation, no dropouts, and lower energy deficit. All soldiers showed an enormous energy deficit; therefore, corresponding nutritional strategies are recommended.

Relationship between cardiovascular disease risk factors, health behavior and physical fitness according to visceral fat in older men

Background: Obesity in older adults is increasing. The two types of fat involved in obesity are subcutaneous and visceral fat. We investigated the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors, health-related behaviors, and physical fitness based on the level of visceral fat in older men. Methods: Data from 1219 men aged ≥65 years who underwent health checkups at Korean hospitals from 2012 to 2020 were analyzed. Computed tomography (CT) data was used to divide participants into low visceral fat area (LVFA) and high visceral fat area (HVFA) groups. Cardiovascular risk factors such as blood pressure, triglyceride level, high-density cholesterol, and fasting blood glucose were measured. Bio-impedance analysis was used for body composition, and arteriosclerosis was tested by brachial artery pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Physical activity, exercise type, smoking, and alcohol consumption were investigated and cardiorespiratory fitness, grip strength, leg strength, flexibility, balance, and agility were determined. The odds ratio (OR) of HVFA was calculated by logistic regression analysis. Results: HVFA and LVFA groups exhibited significant differences in waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, triglyceride, glucose, baPWV, weekly physical activity, aerobic exercise, and alcohol consumption. Compared to the high fitness group, the low fitness group had an increased OR for HVFA; cardiorespiratory fitness (OR 3.563), grip strength (OR 2.365), leg strength (OR 4.145), and flexibility (OR 2.523). The group with low aerobic and strength training frequency increased OR by 2.5 and 3.2 times compared to the low frequency group, respectively. The OR of HVFA increased 2.8 times in the group which consumed alcohol more than 4 days a week compared to the group with consumption less than monthly. Conclusions: Men with HVFA exhibited lower levels of physical activity, more alcohol consumption, and lower levels of fitness than those with LVFA. Moreover, low levels of fitness, physical activity, and high alcohol consumption increased the risk of HVFA.