Somatic, psychological and economic benefits of regular physical activity beginning in childhood

SummaryFibrinolysis was studied in 10 alpinists during regular physical activity of different intensity. Blood was sampled at rest and after exposure to submaximal workload on the treadmill on three occasions: before and after 6 months physical conditioning (moderate physical activity), and after 6 weeks of an alpinistic expedition (strenuous physical activity). Measurements included submaximal working capacity, fibrinogen, euglobulin clot lysis time (ELT), whole plasma clot lysis time, and estimations derived from ELT - percent increase in fibrinolytic activity after exercise (RFS), and absolute increase in fibrinolytic activity after exercise (PAR).Regular moderate activity increased the resting level of ELT, but strenuous activity decreased is. After each treadmill testing, a marked increase in fibrinolytic activity was observed. RFS was unaltered at all three testings. PAR increased after moderate activity, but decreased after strenuous activity.The results indicate that regular physical activity can lead from enhanced to decreased resting activity of plasminogen activator in blood. It is presumed that increased release of activator during prolonged stress causes partial depletion of endothelial stores with the consequence of decreased activator activity in the blood.

Download Full-text

Atopic Dermatitis is related to regular physical activity in Korean male adolescents

10.26226/morressier.5acc8ad5d462b8028d89aaf4 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Yeong Ho Rha

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Atopic Dermatitis ◽

Regular Physical Activity ◽

Male Adolescents

Download Full-text

Factors Associated with Poor Glycemic Control Amongst Rural Residents with Diabetes in Korea

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9040391 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 391

Author(s):

Junhee Ahn ◽

Youngran Yang

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Blood Glucose ◽

Glycemic Control ◽

Fasting Blood Glucose ◽

Regular Physical Activity ◽

Poor Glycemic Control ◽

Rural Residents ◽

Factors Associated ◽

The Poor ◽

Positive Urine

(1) Background: Glycemic control is an effective way to reduce the cardiovascular complications of diabetes. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors associated with poor glycemic control amongst rural residents with diabetes in Korea. (2) Methods: This cross-sectional analysis was conducted amongst a total of 522 participants who had completed baseline health examinations for the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES) Rural Cohort from 2005 to 2011. The subjects were divided into two groups: the good glycemic control group (GCG) (glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) < 7%) and the poor GCG (HbA1C ≥ 7%). Logistic regression was used to examine the role of sociodemographics, health-related behavior, comorbidity and diabetes-related and clinical factors in poor glycemic control amongst rural residents with diabetes. (3) Results: In total, 48.1% of participants were in the poor GCG. Poor GCG was significantly associated with drinking (odds ratio (OR) = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.24–0.71), lack of regular physical activity (OR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.03–2.76), fasting blood glucose (FBG) > 130 mg/dL (OR = 7.80, 95% CI = 4.35–13.98), diabetes for > 7 years (OR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.08–2.98), cholesterol ≥ 200 mg/dL (OR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.05–2.84) and positive urine glucose (OR = 6.24, 95% CI = 1.32–29.44). (4) Conclusion: Intensive glucose control interventions should target individuals amongst rural residents with diabetes who do not engage in regular physical activity, have been diagnosed with diabetes for more than seven years and who have high fasting-blood glucose, high cholesterol levels and glucose-positive urine.

Download Full-text

The Benefits of Physical Activity in Individuals with Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Longitudinal Investigation Using fNIRS and Dual-Task Walking

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10040579 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 579

Author(s):

Deborah Talamonti ◽

Thomas Vincent ◽

Sarah Fraser ◽

Anil Nigam ◽

Frédéric Lesage ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Risk Factors ◽

Older Adults ◽

Cardiovascular Risk ◽

Cardiovascular Risk Factors ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Dual Task ◽

Gait Speed ◽

Regular Physical Activity ◽

Cortical Response

Cardiovascular fitness is linked to better executive functions, preserved gait speed, and efficient cortical activity. Older adults with cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) typically show poor cognitive performance, low physical fitness, and altered brain functioning compared with healthy individuals. In the current study, the impact of regular physical activity on cognition, locomotion, and brain functions was explored in a cohort of older adults with low or high CVRFs. Cortical activation of the frontal areas was investigated using functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) at baseline, at 6 months and at 12 months. Evoked cortical response and behavioral performance were assessed using the dual-task walking paradigm, consisting of three conditions: single cognitive task (2-back task), single walking task (walking), and dual-task (2-back whilst walking). Results show greater task-related cortical response at baseline in individuals with high CVRFs compared to those with low CVRFs. Moreover, participants with high CVRFs benefitted the most from participating in regular physical activity, as their cortical response decreased at the 12-month follow-up and became comparable to that of participants with low CVRFs. These changes were observed in conjunction with improved cognitive performance and stable gait speed throughout the 12-month period in both groups. Our findings provide evidence that participation in regular physical activity may be especially beneficial in individuals with CVRFs by promoting brain and cognitive health, thus potentially contributing to prevention of cognitive decline. Future research may explore whether such effects are maintained in the long-term in order to design ad-hoc interventions in this specific population.

Download Full-text

Promotion of active ageing through interactive artificial agents in a smart environment

SN Applied Sciences ◽

10.1007/s42452-021-04567-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (5) ◽

Author(s):

Paulo Menezes ◽

Rui P. Rocha

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Pilot Study ◽

The Elderly ◽

Training System ◽

Regular Physical Activity ◽

List Type ◽

Multi Agent System ◽

Agent System ◽

Multi Agent ◽

Elderly Users

Abstract Societies in the most developed countries have witnessed a significant ageing of the population in recent decades, which increases the demand for healthcare services and caregivers. The development of technologies to help the elderly, so that they can remain active and independent for a longer time, helps to mitigate the sustainability problem posed in care services. This article follows this new trend, proposing a multi-agent system composed of a smart camera network, centralised planning agent, a virtual coach, and robotic exercise buddy, designed to promote regular physical activity habits among the elderly. The proposed system not only persuades the users to perform exercise routines, but also guides and accompanies them during exercises in order to provide effective training and engagement to the user. The different agents are combined in the system to exploit their complementary features in the quest for an effective and engaging training system. Three variants of the system, involving either a partial set of those agents or the full proposed system, were evaluated and compared through a pilot study conducted with 12 elderly users. The results demonstrate that all variants are able to guide the user in an exercise routine, but the most complete system that includes a robotic exercise buddy was the best scored by the participants. Article Highlights Proposal of a multi-agent system to help elderly adopting regular physical activity habits. A virtual coach and a robotic exercise buddy provide both guidance and companionship during the exercise. A pilot study conducted with 12 elderly users demonstrated an effective and engaging training system.

Download Full-text

The Influence of Regular Physical Activity on the Cell-Mediated Immunity in Pigs

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica ◽

10.1186/bf03548064 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

pp. 19-26

Author(s):

Marianne Jensen

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Regular Physical Activity ◽

Cell Mediated Immunity

Download Full-text

Impact of Regular Physical Activity on Aortic Diameter Progression in Paediatric Patients with Bicuspid Aortic Valve

Pediatric Cardiology ◽

10.1007/s00246-021-02591-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Emanuele Monda ◽

◽

Adelaide Fusco ◽

Alessandro Della Corte ◽

Martina Caiazza ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Ascending Aorta ◽

Regular Physical Activity ◽

Aortic Diameter ◽

Sinus Of Valsalva ◽

Physically Active ◽

The Impact ◽

Aorta Diameter ◽

Sedentary Subjects

AbstractPatients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) have an increased risk of aortic dilation and aortic dissection or rupture. The impact of physical training on the natural course of aortopathy in BAV patients remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of regular physical activity on aortic diameters in a consecutive cohort of paediatric patients with BAV. Consecutive paediatric BAV patients were evaluated and categorized into two groups: physically active and sedentary subjects. Only the subjects with a complete 2-year follow-up were included in the study. To evaluate the potential impact of physical activity on aortic size, aortic diameters were measured at the sinus of Valsalva and mid-ascending aorta using echocardiography. We defined aortic diameter progression the increase of aortic diameter ≥ 10% from baseline. Among 90 BAV patients (11.5 ± 3.4 years of age, 77% males), 53 (59%) were physically active subjects. Compared to sedentary, physically active subjects were not significantly more likely to have > 10% increase in sinus of Valsalva (13% vs. 8%, p-value = 0.45) or mid-ascending aorta diameter (9% vs. 13%, p-value = 0.55) at 2 years follow-up, both in subjects with sinus of Valsalva diameter progression (3.7 ± 1.0 mm vs. 3.5 ± 0.8 mm, p-value = 0.67) and in those with ascending aorta diameter progression (3.0 ± 0.8 mm vs. 3.2 ± 1.3 mm, p-value = 0.83). In our paediatric cohort of BAV patients, the prevalence and the degree of aortic diameter progression was not significantly different between physically active and sedentary subjects, suggesting that aortic dilation is unrelated to regular physical activity over a 2-year period.

Download Full-text

The Association between Physical Activity and Selected Parameters of Psychological Status and Dementia in Older Women

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18147549 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (14) ◽

pp. 7549

Author(s):

Angelika Cisek-Woźniak ◽

Kinga Mruczyk ◽

Rafał W. Wójciak

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Cognitive Functioning ◽

Cognitive Functions ◽

Protective Factor ◽

The Elderly ◽

Regular Physical Activity ◽

Psychological Status ◽

The Impact

Physical activity has an unquestionable impact on broadly understood human health. One interesting issue related to this is the importance of movement on mental health and cognitive functioning. Research shows that regular physical activity improves the cognitive functioning of adults and people with mental disorders. Regular physical activity can be an important and powerful protective factor in cognitive impairment and dementia in the elderly, and exercise is an important non-pharmacological treatment for mild cognitive impairment or neurodegenerative diseases. This study aims to present the impact of physical activity on selected cognitive functions in physically active women over 60 years of age. The research was carried out in a group of 110 generally healthy women from the area of western Poland over 60 years of age, who were divided into four groups based on the intensity of their physical activity. A pedometer (sport watch) and a physical activity diary were used to measure physical activity. Body Mass Index was assessed. Selected cognitive functions were assessed using the MMSE test, motor and psychomotor skills were measured, and Luria’s auditory memory test and recall test, a clock drawing test, and a GDS test were performed. There were statistically significant relationships between the level of physical activity and the effectiveness of cognitive processes. These results show that about 5000 steps a day is enough to see a positive effect on the mental health and cognitive functioning of this group of the elderly population. The women had an average BMI of 28.1 ± 4.7. BMI, indicating an overweight condition (over 30 kg/m2), was observed in 31% of women. The results of this study lead the authors to conclude that physical activity positively influences cognitive function and can be recommended for all seniors who do not have other serious comorbidities that would prevent them from playing sports.

Download Full-text

Exercise Training for Cardiac Patients, Why and How to Prescribe It?

Aktuelle Kardiologie ◽

10.1055/a-1133-3052 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (02) ◽

pp. 153-165

Author(s):

François Carré

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Exercise Training ◽

Secondary Prevention ◽

Regular Physical Activity ◽

Cardiac Patients ◽

Training Methods ◽

Pathophysiological Mechanisms ◽

Prevention Of Cardiovascular Disease

AbstractThe benefits of regular physical activity whether in primary- or secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease are now irrefutable. Despite its well proven benefits, exercise training remains underused because of lack of insight and familiarity of the majority of cardiologists. This review offers cardiologists the necessary informations about the pathophysiological mechanisms, effects and limitations of the predominantly used training methods in various kardiovascular diseases.

Download Full-text