Recommended levels and intensities of physical activity to avoid low-cardiorespiratory fitness in European adolescents: The HELENA study

Swedish physical activity on prescription (PAP) is an evidence-based method to promote physical activity. However, few studies have investigated the effect of Swedish PAP on physical fitness, in which better cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with lower risks of all-cause mortality and diagnose-specific mortality. Direct measures of cardiorespiratory fitness, usually expressed as maximal oxygen uptake, are difficult to obtain. Hence, exercise capacity can be assessed from a submaximal cycle ergometer test, taking the linear relationship between heart rate, work rate, and oxygen uptake into account. The aim of this study was to evaluate exercise capacity in the long term, following PAP treatment with enhanced physiotherapist support in a nonresponding patient cohort. In total, 98 patients (48 women) with insufficient physical activity levels, with at least one component of the metabolic syndrome and nonresponding to a previous six-month PAP treatment, were randomized to PAP treatment with enhanced support from a physiotherapist and additional exercise capacity tests during a two-year period. A significant increase in exercise capacity was observed for the whole cohort at two-year follow-up (7.6 W, p ≤ 0.001), with a medium effect size (r = 0.34). Females (7.3 W, p = 0.025), males (8.0 W, p = 0.018) and patients ≥58 years old (7.7 W, p = 0.002) improved significantly, whereas a nonsignificant increase was observed for patients <58 years old (7.6 W, p = 0.085). Patients with insufficient physical activity levels who did not respond to a previous six-month PAP treatment can improve their exercise capacity following PAP treatment with enhanced support from a physiotherapist during a two-year period. Future studies should include larger cohorts with a control group to ensure valid estimations of exercise capacity and PAP.

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Daily physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, nutritional status, endothelial function, and autonomic modulation in school-age adolescents: A principal component analysis

Obesity Research & Clinical Practice ◽

10.1016/j.orcp.2021.04.004 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Elisabeth A. Machado ◽

Paulo Farinatti ◽

Fernando L. Sicuro ◽

Flávio Rodrigues ◽

Eliete Bouskela ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Principal Component Analysis ◽

Nutritional Status ◽

Endothelial Function ◽

Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽

Principal Component ◽

Component Analysis ◽

Daily Physical Activity ◽

Autonomic Modulation ◽

School Age

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Effects of Two Randomized and Controlled Multi-Component Interventions Focusing On 24-Hour Movement Behavior among Office Workers: A Compositional Data Analysis

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18084191 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (8) ◽

pp. 4191

Author(s):

Lisa-Marie Larisch ◽

Emil Bojsen-Møller ◽

Carla F. J. Nooijen ◽

Victoria Blom ◽

Maria Ekblom ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Data Analysis ◽

Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽

Leisure Time ◽

Compositional Data ◽

Office Workers ◽

Movement Behavior ◽

Compositional Data Analysis ◽

Intervention Effects ◽

Time In Bed

Intervention studies aiming at changing movement behavior have usually not accounted for the compositional nature of time-use data. Compositional data analysis (CoDA) has been suggested as a useful strategy for analyzing such data. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of two multi-component interventions on 24-h movement behavior (using CoDA) and on cardiorespiratory fitness among office workers; one focusing on reducing sedentariness and the other on increasing physical activity. Office workers (n = 263) were cluster randomized into one of two 6-month intervention groups, or a control group. Time spent in sedentary behavior, light-intensity, moderate and vigorous physical activity, and time in bed were assessed using accelerometers and diaries, both for 24 h in total, and for work and leisure time separately. Cardiorespiratory fitness was estimated using a sub-maximal cycle ergometer test. Intervention effects were analyzed using linear mixed models. No intervention effects were found, either for 24-h behaviors in total, or for work and leisure time behaviors separately. Cardiorespiratory fitness did not change significantly. Despite a thorough analysis of 24-h behaviors using CoDA, no intervention effects were found, neither for behaviors in total, nor for work and leisure time behaviors separately. Cardiorespiratory fitness did not change significantly. Although the design of the multi-component interventions was based on theoretical frameworks, and included cognitive behavioral therapy counselling, which has been proven effective in other populations, issues related to implementation of and compliance with some intervention components may have led to the observed lack of intervention effect.

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Confinement, partial sleep deprivation and defined physical activity–influence on cardiorespiratory regulation and capacity

European Journal of Applied Physiology ◽

10.1007/s00421-021-04719-z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jessica Koschate ◽

Uwe Drescher ◽

Uwe Hoffmann

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽

Space Mission ◽

Cycle Ergometer ◽

Work Rate ◽

Binary Sequences ◽

Kinetics Parameters ◽

Slow Heart Rate ◽

Partial Sleep Deprivation ◽

Sleep Schedule

Abstract Introduction Adequate cardiorespiratory fitness is of utmost importance during spaceflight and should be assessable via moderate work rate intensities, e.g., using kinetics parameters. The combination of restricted sleep, and defined physical exercise during a 45-day simulated space mission is expected to slow heart rate (HR) kinetics without changes in oxygen uptake ($${\dot{\text{V}}\text{O}}_{{2}}$$ V ˙ O 2 ) kinetics. Methods Overall, 14 crew members (9 males, 5 females, 37 ± 7 yrs, 23.4 ± 3.5 kg m−2) simulated a 45-d-mission to an asteroid. During the mission, the sleep schedule included 5 nights of 5 h and 2 nights of 8 h sleep. The crew members were tested on a cycle ergometer, using pseudo-random binary sequences, changing between 30 and 80 W on day 8 before (MD-8), day 22 (MD22) and 42 (MD42) after the beginning and day 4 (MD + 4) following the end of the mission. Kinetics information was assessed using the maxima of cross-correlation functions (CCFmax). Higher CCFmax indicates faster responses. Results CCFmax(HR) was significantly (p = 0.008) slower at MD-8 (0.30 ± 0.06) compared with MD22 (0.36 ± 0.06), MD42 (0.38 ± 0.06) and MD + 4 (0.35 ± 0.06). Mean HR values during the different work rate steps were higher at MD-8 and MD + 4 compared to MD22 and MD42 (p < 0.001). Discussion The physical training during the mission accelerated HR kinetics, but had no impact on mean HR values post mission. Thus, HR kinetics seem to be sensitive to changes in cardiorespiratory fitness and may be a valuable parameter to monitor fitness. Kinetics and capacities adapt independently in response to confinement in combination with defined physical activity and sleep.

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Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Hazardous and Non-Hazardous Alcohol Consumers

American Journal of Health Promotion ◽

10.1177/0890117120985830 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 089011712098583

Author(s):

Mats Hallgren ◽

Davy Vancampfort ◽

Thi-Thuy-Dung Nguyen ◽

Elin Ekblom-Bak ◽

Peter Wallin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽

Leisure Time ◽

Health Assessment ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cycle Ergometer ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Physically Active ◽

Alcohol Abstainers

Purpose: To describe physical activity habits, sedentary behavior, and cardiorespiratory fitness levels among alcohol abstainers, hazardous and non-hazardous drinkers. Design: Cross-sectional study with data collected between 2017-19. Setting: Sweden. Subjects: Adults aged 18-65 years (n = 47,559; 59.4% male). Measures: During a routine health assessment, participants answered validated single-item questions regarding: habitual physical activity, structured exercise, and the percentage of time spent sedentary during leisure-time (past 30 days), and completed a 6-minute cycle ergometer test (V02max) to determine cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). Participants were categorized as alcohol abstainers, non-hazardous drinkers or hazardous drinkers (low/high) based on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C) cut-points for men and women. Analysis: Logistic regression models stratified by sex and age. Results: Compared to non-hazardous drinkers, the heaviest drinkers were less physically active (males: OR = 1.38, CI = 1.13-1.67, p = .001; females: OR = 1.41, CI = 1.01-1.97, p = .040) and more sedentary during leisure time (males: OR = 1.94, CI = 1.62-2.32, p = .000; females: OR = 1.62, CI = 1.21-2.16, p = .001). Apart from young females, the heaviest drinkers also did less structured exercise than non-hazardous drinkers (males: OR = 1.22, CI = 1.15-1.51, p = .000; females: OR = 1.43, CI = 1.15-1.78, p = .001). The strongest associations were seen among adults aged 40-65 years (shown here). High-hazardous drinking was associated with low CRF among older males only (OR = 1.19, CI = 1.00-1.41). Conclusion: Middle-aged adults with AUDIT-C scores of ≥6 (women) and ≥7 (men) were less physically active and more sedentary during leisure time and may be appropriate targets for physical activity interventions.

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