Regular Sport Practice Research Articles

Deliberate Soccer Practice Modulates Attentional Functioning in Children.

The main purpose of this study was to explore the association between the regular practice of open-skill sports (i.e., soccer) and executive control, along with other attentional functions (i.e., alerting and orienting) during preadolescence. The study was conducted on 131 participants (70 non-athletes and 61 soccer players). To measure cognitive performance, participants performed the Attentional Network Test—Interactions (ANT-I) task. Compared to non-athletes, soccer players showed overall faster responses and better executive control (e.g., reduced interference from distractors). Overall, our results provide new empirical evidence supporting the positive association between regular sports practice and cognitive performance, and more specifically executive functions. However, is important to note that the relationship between regular sport practice and cognition is complex and multifactorial. Our findings can be partly explained by the “cardiovascular fitness hypothesis” and the “cognitive component skills approach,” suggesting that an externally paced sport environment with high physical fitness and perceptual–cognitive demands may be an appropriate setting to optimize the development of cognitive functioning during early adolescence.

Body composition assessment in athletes with physical impairment who have been practicing a wheelchair sport regularly and for a prolonged period

BackgroundToday several important aspects related to the impact of long-term wheelchair sports on whole-body and regional body composition in athletes with a physical impairment are poorly understood. ObjectiveThis cross-sectional study aimed at investigating the impact of the long-term regular practice of wheelchair sports on body composition in male wheelchair athletes (WA) as compared with both non-athletic participants with a physical impairment and non-athletic able-bodied participants. MethodsNine WA were each matched pairwise by age, duration of injury and body mass index (BMI) with a participant with a physical impairment not engaged in any wheelchair sport (N-WA) and by age and BMI with an able-bodied (AB) participant. Whole-body and regional bone mineral content (BMC), fat-free soft tissue mass (FFSTM), fat mass (FM) and percentage FM (%FM) were assessed by means of Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry. ResultsWA had significantly lower FM and %FM vs. N-WA at the whole-body level (P = 0.01 for both) and in the trunk region (P = 0.001 and P = <0.001, respectively). The only difference in body composition variables between WA and AB was found in the legs where WA had significantly higher FM (P = 0.014) along with lower BMC (P = 0.009) and FFSTM (P = 0.005) vs. AB in the legs. ConclusionsThe results of the present study showed that the regular, long-term practice of wheelchair sport may be associated with beneficial body composition adaptations in athletes with a physical impairment at the whole-body and trunk level.

Motivação para prática do Jiu Jitsu

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi conhecer os fatores que mais motivam os praticantes de Jiu-jitsu dentro das seguintes dimensões motivacionais: Controle do Estresse, Saúde, Sociabilidade, Competitividade, Prazer e Estética. Foi aplicado o Inventário de Motivação à Prática Regular de Atividades Físicas e/ou Esportivas – IMPRAFE-132 – de Balbinotti (2009). A amostra foi composta por 40 praticantes de Jiu-jitsu em diferentes academias e clubes de Porto Alegre, na faixa etária de 13 a 53 anos, de ambos os sexos. Constatou-se como fatores que mais motivam à prática regular da modalidade as dimensões Saúde, Prazer, seguida por Controle de Estresse, Competitividade, Estética e Sociabilidade que obtiveram valores indissociáveis estatisticamente. Quanto à dimensão Sociabilidade, embora tendo ficado dentro do terceiro grupo, apresentou um valor limítrofe, ficando muito próximo de p = 0,05. Com isso, os resultados indicam que os principais motivos que levam os praticantes de Jiu-jitsu pesquisados em Porto Alegre a manter a prática regular deste esporte são a manutenção da saúde e a obtenção de momentos de prazer.

Studentska percepcija uloge sporta na Univerzitetu

The concept of university sports in Serbia is still dominantly based on occasional sports manifestations (competitions) for students. Mostly in the shape of single ad-hoc tournaments in different areas of sport or as competitions of student athletes within the University sports association. The current position of a majority of student population in terms of university sports in Serbia can be characterized as passive (spectators), while direct participants, who are recruited from the field of active competitive sports, have this only as an “additional” obligation within the sport they already practice in “their” sport clubs. Therefore, students’ perception of the role of sports/physical activity at university represents a very important determinant for creating adequate (new) program contents, concepts and for the implementation of physical education in higher education institutions in Serbia. The goal of this research, which is realised as an empirical non-experimental study, is to identify the attitude and opinion of students about the role of sport and organized physical exercising at university. The sample involved 227 students at the University of Novi Sad and Educons University from Sremska Kamenica. Survey was used as the basic research technique, and the instrument was constructed as a questionnaire whose basic semantic structure was based on similar instruments used in a few earlier studies. The results showed that the currently trend indicates a drop in regular practice of sport after enrolment in faculty, but youth positively perceive the role of sports at higher education institutions, clearly recognizing its importance in social interaction. Therefore, pedagogical implications of this research can certainly dominantly relate to management structures of higher education institutions in shape of a clear message about the necessity to introduce more intense education of all education stakeholders about the values and importance of physical activity (physical exercising) of youth. In that context, they also encourage changes in overall education policy in Serbia.

Lifetime sport practice and brain metabolism in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

ObjectiveTo evaluate the metabolic correlates of lifetime sport practice in ALS through brain 18F-FDG-PET. Methods131 patients completed a questionnaire about lifetime exposures, including physical activity related to sports, hobbies and occupations, and underwent brain 18F-FDG-PET. Exposure to sports was expressed as MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task). We considered only regular practice (at least 2 h/week, for at least three months). We compared brain metabolism between two groups: subjects who did not report regular sport practice during life (N-group) and patients who did (Y-group). The resulting significant clusters were used in each group as seed regions in an interregional correlation analysis (IRCA) to evaluate the impact of lifetime sport practice on brain networks typically involved by the neurodegenerative process of ALS. Each group was compared to healthy controls (HC, n = 40). ResultsWe found a significant, relative cerebellar hypermetabolism in the N-group compared to the Y-group. The metabolism of such cerebellar cluster resulted correlated to more significant and widespread metabolic changes in areas known to be affected by ALS (i.e. frontotemporal regions and corticospinal tracts) in the N-group as compared to the Y-group, despite the same level of disability as expressed by the ALS FRS-R. Such findings resulted independent of age, sex, site of onset (bulbar/spinal), presence/absence of C9ORF72 expansion, cognitive status and physical activity related to hobbies and occupations. When compared to HC, the N-group showed more widespread metabolic changes than the Y-group in cortical regions known to be relatively hypometabolic in ALS patients as compared to HC. ConclusionsWe hypothesize that patients of the N-group might cope better with the neurodegenerative process, since they show more widespread metabolic changes as compared to the Y-group, despite the same level of disability. Nevertheless, further studies are necessary to corroborate this hypothesis.

Sports practice predicts better functional capacity in children and adults with Fontan circulation

BackgroundPeak oxygen uptake (peak VO2) and its decline predict death or serious cardiovascular adverse events in patients with Fontan circulation. Our aim was to study VO2 in a population of Fontan patients with variable age and contemporary surgical correction, and find predictors of functional status which could lead to management changes. MethodsProspective cardiopulmonary exercise test was performed on a treadmill. Blood tests and transthoracic echocardiogram were performed on the same day. Dependent variables were defined as: VO2 at ventilatory threshold (VT) as a percentage of the predicted peak VO2 and peak VO2 as a percentage of its predicted value. Statistical analysis was performed on SPSS® version 23 and significance was defined as a p-value < 0.05. ResultsForty-eight patients were included for analysis. All had a lateral or extracardiac conduit. Mean age was 18.2 years (SD 6.2). Mean age at Fontan completion of 6.5 years (SD 2.3) showed no association with functional capacity. Mean percent VO2 at VT was 37.6% (SD 9.4) and percent peak VO2 was 67.8% (SD 16.7). VO2 both at ventilatory threshold and peak was associated with age, weekly sports practice, significant atrioventricular regurgitation and having a pacemaker or being on antiarrhythmic drugs. On multivariate analysis, weekly sports practice was the best predictor for VO2 values. ConclusionsSports practice is a modifiable factor that significantly impacts functional capacity in Fontan patients despite their age. Clinicians should actively prescribe and promote physical activity in this population, either with regular sports practice or engagement in cardiac rehabilitation programs.

Health and Sport. Economic and Social Impact of Active Tourism

Concerns with health and wellness are currently a global trend. Consequently, people have increasingly been engaging in some form of regular sports practice in their adult lives. This is evidenced by the rise of markets that are related to the sports sector. One of those market trends is active tourism, which refers to the practice of physical activities in natural environments within a tourist destination. In this context, people travel to certain places, typically with friends or as couples, to engage in sports activities of greater or lesser intensities. This allows for them to disconnect with their daily routines and provides them all of the positive health-related outcomes that are associated with exercising. Therefore, health tourism is also an efficient tool against sedentariness. The present study explores which sports are currently the most popular amongst active tourists, which attributes they value the most when choosing a destination, and what is their expenditure pattern. To this end, a sample of 60 individuals who have engaged in some form of active tourism in Galicia is surveyed. The findings suggest that active tourists are particularly interested in dedicating their discretionary time to travelling and they have a higher daily expenditure within the destination than the average tourist.

Drivers of customer satisfaction and loyalty in swimming pools

Purpose It is widely accepted that doing exercise regularly is essential to promote physical, psychological and social well-being. Yet, often dropout rates tend to be high. The purpose of this paper is to propose a model to understand the potential drivers of satisfaction and loyalty in the sports and fitness context looking in particular at four main dimensions of service quality: infrastructures/physical environment, relationship with instructors/staff, outcomes achieved and customer-to-customer interaction. Design/methodology/approach An extensive literature review was conducted to identify potential drivers of customer satisfaction and loyalty in sports. The proposed model was estimated using data collected from a sample of 384 users of four Portuguese swimming pools facilities by means of a survey questionnaire. Findings The majority of the hypotheses tested found support in the data. In particular, the quality of the interaction with instructors and the results obtained from exercising have a strong impact on satisfaction, which, in turn, is highly correlated with psychological commitment and positive word-of-mouth communication. Research limitations/implications Based on the findings some managerial implications can be derived. Such recommendations can enhance users’ perceptions of service quality and indirectly contribute to a more regular and effective sports practice. Originality/value The importance of enhancing loyalty has been emphasised in sports management literature. Yet, few studies have empirically investigated the simultaneous relationships among service quality dimensions, customer satisfaction and loyalty. This research partially addresses this gap.

Local Communities and Sport Activities Expenditures and Image: Residents’ Role in Sustainable Tourism and Recreation

Abstract The practice of sports by resident communities is a tool for healthy lifestyles, inclusive growth and the promotion of sustainable cities. Nevertheless, the relationship between sport, tourism and recreation still remain an under researched theme. Focusing on the economic pillar of sustainability, this study intends to quantify and analyse the economic costs incurred by families in formal and informal sport practices, as well as the contribution of these activities and related events to the territory’s image projection and attractiveness, by overlapping resident’s and visitor’s perception of sports in the destination. Applied to the municipality of Guimarães (Portugal), this analysis of the sports consumer’s behaviour contributes to filling the gap of knowledge resulting from the studies that, as a rule, exclusively evaluate the investments (supply) and/or the expenses (demand) of events and not the regular practice of sport. A total of 179 questionnaires were applied to residents throughout 2017, through the self-administrate questionnaire method. Findings reveal that residents see sports as one of the factors contributing to the identity of the municipality, underlying motivations for participation as the search for happiness, health, wellbeing, and fun. Expenditures generate multiplier effects in the local economy, allowing to compare growth scenarios. This analysis is a scientific instrument to support territorial innovation and the decision at the local level of public policies for sustainable development, in agreement with objective eight of sustainability defined by the United Nations.

Stressors and the Levels of Stress Among the Undergraduate Medical, Dental and Nursing Students of a Medical College in Kathmandu

Educational environment in medical schools is highly demanding and stressful due to various factors. The study was aimed to explore level of stress, stressors and the coping strategies among the undergraduate medical, dental and nursing students of a medical college in Kathmandu. A cross- sectional observational study was conducted among 174 consenting (95 medical, 51 dental and 28 nursing) first year undergraduate students with predesigned, pretested, semi-structured questionnaire which included socio-demographic details, Kessler psychological distress scale and Medical student stress questionnaire. Average age of students was 19.54±1.28 years. Results revealed that 66.66% of students were under stress with 25.86% having mild, 18.96% having moderate and 21.83% having severe levels of stress. Highest prevalence of stress was noted among nursing students (75.00%) with 32.14% under severe stress. Among 116 males and 58 females, males were more stressed (75.00%) than females (50.00%). Most of the students enjoyed music and chatted with their close ones to cope with stress. Academic related stressor was found to be the major stressor (2.65±0.69) with statistically significant association (p&lt; 0.01) with the stress levels among the students. Informing students about the “must know” and “good to know” areas of the topics of every subject may be helpful to decrease the academic related stress. Regular practice of meditation, sports and cultural activities may help to reduce stress.

Short-term DHEA administration in recreational athletes: impact on food intake, segmental body composition and adipokines.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) administration is potentially therapeutic because it has been shown to decrease fat mass and adipokines and improve eating and mood disturbances. However, its impact on these parameters has never been investigated in a young healthy population. This study therefore sought to determine whether short-term DHEA administration would alter food intake, segmental body composition, adipokine secretion and mood in young healthy male and female volunteers with regular sport practice. Following a double-blind and randomized protocol, 20 young healthy recreational athletes (10 men and 10 women) received treatment with either oral placebo or DHEA (100 mg/day for 4 weeks). Body weight, segmental body composition and adipokines (i.e., leptin, adiponectin and resistin) were determined before and at the end of each treatment. In parallel, spontaneous food intake was assessed at the end of each treatment, and mood was assessed before and at the end of treatment with the positive and negative affect schedule (PANAS). Body weight and segmental body composition showed no significant change in the men or women. Similarly, no change in adipokine secretion was found after DHEA administration. Total food intake was not affected by DHEA in any subject, despite an increase in fat intake by male subjects under DHEA (P<0.05). Positive and negative affect were not altered. In conclusion, in contrast to pathological populations, a young healthy population of men and women was not significantly affected by short-term DHEA administration with regard to total food intake, segmental body composition, adipokines or mood.

Neuroendocrine and inflammatory responses to DHEA administration in young healthy women

DHEA is reported to have beneficial effects for the elderly and for several pathologies because of its behavioral and anti-inflammatory properties. However, these properties have never been investigated in a young healthy population. The purpose of this double-blind, randomized study was therefore to investigate the effects of short-term DHEA administration (100 mg/day/4 weeks) on neuroendocrine (i.e., beta-endorphin and prolactin) and inflammatory (i.e., interleukin-6 and TNF-alpha) parameters in 10 young healthy female volunteers with regular sports practice. In parallel, the stress state was assessed with the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire. DHEA administration did not alter prolactin, interleukin-6 or TNF-alpha, and no significant change in tension, depression, anger, vigor, fatigue or confusion was noted. However, beta-endorphin levels increased significantly (p < 0.05) with the DHEA treatment. The results of this investigation indicate that short-term DHEA administration improves neuroendocrine modulation but does not affect the inflammatory status or psychological state in recreationally trained female athletes. Further studies are needed to determine the exact mechanisms and the responses of these parameters to DHEA administration at higher dosages and/or for longer durations, especially in response to physical/psychological stress.

Changes and specificities in health behaviors among healthcare students over an 8-year period.

BackgroundHealthcare students are future health care providers and serve as role models and coaches to enhance behaviors for healthy lifestyles. However healthcare students face multiple stressors that could lead to adopting risk behaviors.ObjectivesTo assess the changes in health risk factors among healthcare students between 2007 and 2015, and to identify specific health behaviors based on the curriculum in a population of healthcare students:MethodsTwo cross sectionnal studies were conducted in 2007 and 2015 among nursing, medical, pharmacy, and physiotherapy students (Rouen, France). During compulsory courses and examination sessions students filled self-administered questionnaires on socio-demographic characteristics and behavior as: tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, cannabis consumption, eating disorders, regular practice of sport, perceived health, stress and use of psychotropic drugs.Results2,605 healthcare students were included (1,326 in 2007 and 1,279 in 2015), comprising 1,225 medical students (47.0%), 738 nursing students (28.3%), 362 pharmacy students (13.9%), and 280 physiotherapy students (10.8%). Between 2007 and 2015, occasional binge drinking and regular practice of sport increased significantly among healthcare students, respectively AOR = 1.48 CI95% (1.20–1.83) and AOR = 1.33 CI95% (1.11–1.60), regular cannabis consumption decreased significantly, AOR = 0.32 CI95% (0.19–0.54). There was no change in smoking or overweight/obese. There was a higher risk of frequent binge drinking and a lower risk of tobacco smoking in all curricula than in nursing students. Medical students practiced sport on a more regular basis, were less overweight/obese, had fewer eating disorders than nursing students.ConclusionOur findings demonstrate a stable frequency of classic behaviors as smoking but a worsening of emerging behaviors as binge drinking among healthcare students between 2007 and 2015. Health behaviors differed according to healthcare curricula and nursing students demonstrated higher risks. As health behaviors are positively related to favorable attitudes towards preventive counseling, therefore healthcare students should receive training in preventive counseling and develop healthy lifestyles targeted according to the health curriculum.

Food labels and adult BMI in Italy – An unconditional quantile regression approach

A goal of food nutrition labeling policies is to help consumers make informed choices regarding the healthiness of the food they purchase. Yet, findings regarding the effectiveness of label use to decrease negative health outcomes, such as overweight and obesity, are mixed. As most studies focus on estimating mean effects of labels, little is known on whether labels have any effect at the tails of the body weight distribution, which, given the social gradient of obesity, often includes at-risk groups. Additionally, label use, overweight and obesity vary across population subgroups. Thus, the relationship between using food nutrition labels and body weight may be characterized by marked heterogeneity, which the current literature has failed to address. This study explores the non-linearity of the relationship between reading ingredients on the food label and Body Mass Index (BMI) using an unconditional quantile regression estimator and one year of data on adult Italians from the Multipurpose Household Survey. We study this relationship across the BMI distribution and for different groups of respondents, divided by gender, income above and below the sample average, education level, perceived hardships to access food, and regular practice of sport. The results indicate that reading ingredient labels has a negative association with BMI, mostly at higher BMI quartiles (overweight and obese), although a relationship at the highest quartile is only found in a few subsamples. Females, and individuals with a higher risk of being overweight and obese such as low-income, low educated, or those who do not practice sport seem to garner the highest benefit from reading ingredients in the food label. The paper concludes with policy implications, tapping into the recent debate regarding the revision of food labeling in the European Union.

TRASTORNOS DE SALUD MENTAL Y TERAPIAS DEPORTIVAS REVISIÓN NARRATIVA

Mental health disorders have a multifactorial origin, according to figures from the World Health Organization these affect approximately 450 million people and 10% of the adult world population. Being able to affect the economy and the gross national product between 3 and 4%. The aim of this review was to determine the efficacy of the effects associated with physical activity and sports as a protective factor for mental health illnesses. In Chile, mental health disorders were the cause of 8.9% of deaths in 2009. These disorders have been mainly associated with the abuse of alcohol and drugs, showing marijuana use in the adolescent population 13.5 % and 33% in the adult population. Currently has been raised to the regular practice of physical activity and sport as a protective factor against various mental health disorders such as anorexia, depression, dystemia, emotional stability among others, because it is well known that sport helps improve the states of associated mood, stress, anxiety and depression. Chile has included among its policies 2011-2020 the increase of physical activity in the population considering the high rate of sedentary lifestyle, as well as preventive method of various pathologies of mental health. This review concludes the existence of positive evidence regarding the use of physical activity and sport as a protective factor for mental health illnesses. Key words: , , .

Regular Practice of Competitive Sports Does Not Impair Sleep in Adolescents: DADOS Study.

To analyze differences in sleep quality and duration by athletic status and sex, and to examine the association between physical activity (PA) recommendation and sleep in adolescents. A total of 267 adolescents [13.9 (0.3) y] from Deporte, ADOlescencia y Salud (DADOS) study (129 girls) were included in this cross-sectional analysis. Athletes competed regularly in organized sport events and trained ≥3days per week, but nonathletes did not compete. PA was assessed by GENEActiv accelerometer. PA values were dichotomized into inactive (<60min/d of moderate and vigorous PA) and active (≥60min/d of moderate and vigorous PA). Sleep quality was evaluated with the Spanish version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index values were dichotomized into >5 (poor quality) or ≤5 (good quality). Sleep duration was objectively measured by accelerometer. Sleep quality and duration were not statistically different between athletes [median (Mdn) = 4.0, interquartile range (IQR) = 3.0-6.0 and Mdn = 8.0, IQR = 7.4-8.6h, respectively] and nonathletes (Mdn = 5.0, IQR = 3.0-7.0 and Mdn = 7.9; IQR = 7.3-8.6h, respectively), P > .05. Nonathlete or inactive adolescents did not show higher risk for poor sleep quality or short sleep duration than athletes [odds ratio (OR) = 1.17; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.68-2.00 and OR = 0.93; 95% CI, 0.56-1.55, respectively] or active peers (OR = 1.39; 95% CI, 0.66-2.89 and OR = 1.62; 95% CI, 0.78-3.37, respectively). In our group of adolescents, competitive sport practice did not alter sleep patterns. PA recommendations for adolescents may not discriminate between good and poor sleepers.

Programas de entrenamiento neuromuscular para la prevención de lesiones en jóvenes deportistas. Revisión de la literatura.

&lt;p&gt;Los objetivos de esta revisión son: (1) describir los principales programas de prevención de lesiones de la extremidad inferior en jóvenes deportistas que cuentan con una eficacia demostrada, cuya prevención ha estado dirigida a deportes colectivos de balón, no requieren de material adicional para su aplicación y la duración permite su implementación como calentamiento previo a la práctica deportiva; y (2) analizar las ventajas e inconvenientes de las medidas preventivas de acuerdo a su posibilidad de implantación de manera regular en el deporte. Para ello, un total de 5 programas neuromuscularespara la prevenciónde lesiones fueron seleccionados. Aunque todos los programas han demostradoefectos positivossobre la reducción de la incidencia lesional, el análisis pormenorizado de las características de las 5 medidas preventivas recomienda el uso de los programas FIFA 11+ y el Knäkontroll por su mayor adaptabilidad al contexto de aplicacióny la facilidad de su implementación de manera regular en el deporte.&lt;/p&gt;

Elbow flexion and forearm supination strength in a healthy population

Despite the lack of representative data of a healthy population, many clinical trials concerning the measurement of postoperative elbow flexion or forearm supination strength use the contralateral side as a control. We hypothesized that there are no differences in elbow flexion and supination strength between the dominant and nondominant sides in healthy volunteers. The study was performed on a cross-sectional cohort of healthy subjects without any prior injuries or surgical interventions of the upper extremities. Isometric elbow flexion strength and supination strength were measured on both the dominant and nondominant sides. The results were analyzed for the entire group and subanalyzed for female vs. male, for different age groups, and according to handedness and regular practice of overhead sports. A total of 150 subjects (75 female and 75 male subjects; mean age, 44 ± 15 years [range, 18-72 years]) were included in this study. Within the entire collective, no significant differences concerning the elbow flexion strength between the dominant and nondominant sides could be detected, whereas the supination strength was 7% higher on the dominant side (P = .010). Women, right-hand-dominant subjects, and subjects who do not regularly practice overhead sports have a significant 8% higher supination strength on the dominant side compared with the nondominant side (P < .05). Left-hand-dominant subjects have an 8% higher elbow flexion strength on the nondominant right side (P < .05). Elbow flexion strength and forearm supination strength differ between the dominant and nondominant sides. The contralateral upper extremity cannot be used as a matched control without some adjustments.

Real benefit of a protective factor against dementia: Importance of controlling for death. Example of sport practice.

ObjectivesTo analyse the impact of a risk factor on several epidemiological indicators of death and dementia; the example of sport practice is presented.MethodsA population of 3670 non-demented subjects living at home and aged 65 and older from the PAQUID study were followed for 22 years. Sport practice was documented at baseline. Dementia (according to DSM-III-R criteria) and death were assessed at each visit. Analyses were performed with an Illness-Death model, providing results on the risks of dementia and death, probabilities and life expectancies.ResultsA total of 743 subjects (20.2%) participated in regular sport practice. During the follow-up, the proportion of death was lower in the elderly people practicing sport (EPPS), whereas the proportion of incident dementia cases was the same. The adjusted model showed a decreased risk of dementia (HR = 0.84 (0.72–1.00)) and of death for non-demented subjects (HR = 0.61 (0.51–0.71)) for EPPS but a similar risk of death with dementia in both sport groups. The probability of remaining alive without dementia was higher in EPPS, whereas the probability of dying was lower. The mean lifetime without dementia was 3 years higher for the EPPS, but the mean lifetime with dementia was the same.DiscussionA preventive measure on a protective factor that is more effective for preventing death than dementia could lead to an increased lifetime without dementia; however, the number of demented cases may remain unchanged, even if the risk of developing dementia is reduced. This dynamic is important to forecast the need for health care and social services for the elderly.

Run for Science (R4S): the history of a successful project of precision and laboratory medicine in sport and exercise

Since ancient times sports has drawn the attention of scientists from a large number of disciplines, including social sciences, physiology, medicine and rehabilitation. Although it is now unquestionable that regular performance of physical exercise is associated with a lower risk of developing many human diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, rheumatic diseases, sarcopenia and frailty, some issues remain to be addressed. These typically include the amount of exercise needed to improve health and fitness without overcoming the putative health befits, along with the insufficient recognition of biological pathways that can be modulated by active lifestyle. The still incomplete knowledge of these aspects is contributing to the growth of several scientific initiatives, specifically aimed to study changes and individual adaptations underlying regular sport practice. The bases, context and early achievements of one of such initiatives, called “Run for Science”, will be summarized in this article. In particular, the various editions of this event have allowed to make new discoveries and tangible advancements in human biology and personalized laboratory medicine, including the observation that cardiac troponins transitorily increase in blood after endurance exercise, that running performance is influenced by two previously unappreciated laboratory parameters (i.e., serum alpha-amylase and mean platelet volume) and that the DNA may undergo a transitory oxidative damage during exercise. More recently, the information gathered from the Run for Science helped discovering important aspects linking physical exercise with the lower risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and asthmatic reactions. Additional analyses are underway, and specific focus will be placed on sports epigenetics, with the aim to define how recreational sport interplays with gene expression and modifies the individual response to exercise.