scholarly journals Champ4life Study Protocol: A One-Year Randomized Controlled Trial of a Lifestyle Intervention for Inactive Former Elite Athletes with Overweight/Obesity

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 286
Author(s):  
Analiza M. Silva ◽  
Catarina L. Nunes ◽  
Catarina N. Matias ◽  
Filipe Jesus ◽  
Rúben Francisco ◽  
...  

Preventive and educational programs directed to former elite athletes in the areas of healthy living are required. This is particularly relevant as obesity and health-related problems are observed in retired athletes, especially in those whose current levels of physical activity are below the recommendations. During their sports career, elite athletes are supported by a multidisciplinary team; upon retirement, no support is provided for the transition to a different lifestyle. So far, no program has been implemented to promote sustained healthy lifestyle behaviors in the post-career transition and evidence is lacking for such an intervention. Firstly, we aim to determine if Champ4life, a 1-year lifestyle intervention targeting inactive former athletes with overweight and obesity, is effective for reducing total and abdominal fat. Secondly, our purpose is to assess the effectiveness of the intervention on the levels of physical activity and sedentary behavior, resting energy expenditure, cardio-metabolic markers, physical fitness, energy balance components, eating self-regulation markers, and quality of life over 12 months. Champ4life is an evidence- and theory-based program using a randomized control trial design (intervention vs. control group) that will be conducted on 94 inactive former elite athletes with overweight and obesity. The first four months of the Champ4Life program include a nutritional appointment and 12 weekly, 90-min sessions. Classroom sessions seek to provide participants with key information and a toolbox of behavior change techniques to initiate and sustain long-term lifestyle changes. Participants will undergo baseline, 4-month, and 12-month measurements of body composition (primary outcomes), resting energy expenditure, physical fitness, metabolic markers, energy balance related-markers, and quality of life (secondary outcome). This trial will provide evidence on the effectiveness of the Champ4life program, a pioneer lifestyle intervention for retired athletes, offering tools for sustained changes in physical activity, sedentary behavior and diet, aiming to improve body composition and overall health-related markers.

2021 ◽  
pp. bjsports-2021-104212
Author(s):  
Analiza M Silva ◽  
Catarina L Nunes ◽  
Filipe Jesus ◽  
Ruben Francisco ◽  
Catarina N Matias ◽  
...  

ObjectivesMany athletes struggle in managing the end of their career, often gaining weight and adopting unhealthy lifestyles. Lifestyle programmes targeting former athletes who have gained substantial fat mass (FM) postsports career are lacking. We studied the effects of the Champ4Life programme on body composition and other health-related outcomes in former elite athletes with overweight or obesity.MethodsNinety-four former athletes(42.4±7.3 y, 34.0% female) were recruited and randomly assigned to either an intervention group (IG; n=49) or a control group (CG; n=45). The IG attended 12 educational sessions addressing physical activity, weight management and nutrition. They also had a nutrition appointment aimed to prescribe a moderate caloric deficit(~300–500 kcal/day). Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to assess body composition. The Short-Form Health Survey-36 questionnaire was used to measure general health-related quality of life. Blood samples were collected to assess cardiometabolic health parameters.ResultsAt 12 months, the IG lost more weight (estimated difference (ED)=−5.3 kg; −6.9 to −3.8), total FM (ED=−4.1 kg; −5.4 to −2.8) and abdominal FM (ED=−0.49 kg; −0.64 to −0.33) than did the CG (p’s<0.001). Cardiometabolic health markers also improved significantly (p<0.05) more in the IG at 12 months (insulin (ED=−4.9 μU/mL;−8.0 to −1.8); homoeostatic model assessment (ED=−1.2; −2.1 to −0.4); total cholesterol (ED=−21.8 mg/dL; -35.4 to −8.2); low-density lipoprotein (ED=18.2 mg/dL;−29.2 to −7.1)), as did quality-of-life dimensions (physical functioning (ED=11.7; 6.5 to 16.9); physical role (ED=17.6; 2.1 to 33.0); general health (ED=19.4; 11.4 to 27.4); vitality (ED=13.3; 5.3 to 21.3) and mental health (ED=12.3; 4.1 to 20.6)).ConclusionsThe Champ4Life programme was effective in substantially reducing total and abdominal FM while preserving fat-free mass and improving health-related markers. These findings will enable evidence-based decisions when implementing lifestyle interventions targeting retired elite athletes.Trial registeration numberNCT03031951.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. e0242088
Author(s):  
Erin E. Dooley ◽  
Kelley Pettee Gabriel ◽  
Harold W. Kohl ◽  
Casey P. Durand ◽  
Deanna M. Hoelscher ◽  
...  

Background Isotemporal substitution evaluates hypothetical time replacement scenarios of physical movement on health, with few studies conducted among ethnically diverse preschool-aged populations. This study examines the reallocation of waking movement behaviors on adiposity, cardiovascular, and quality of life indicators among low-income, majority Hispanic preschool-aged youth (2–5 years) with overweight. Methods Participants wore an ActiGraph monitor (waist) and completed adiposity, cardiovascular, and health-related quality of life health assessments. Covariates included age, sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The isotemporal substitution approach was employed to address study aims. Results Complete data were available for 131 preschoolers. For boys, reallocating 5 minutes of stationary time with light intensity, moderate to vigorous intensity, or total physical activity showed a relation with beneficial reductions in adiposity indicators; for girls, these relations were statistically null. For boys and girls, reallocating 5 minutes of stationary time [-2.2 (95% CI: -3.7, -0.7) mmHg], light intensity [-2.1 (95% CI: -3.7, -0.7) mmHg], or moderate intensity activity [-2.7 (95% CI: -5.0, -0.4) mmHg] to vigorous intensity activity was related to favorable systolic blood pressure. Reallocating 5 minutes of stationary time to moderate to vigorous intensity activity [0.6 (95% CI: -1.0, -0.1) mmHg] or total physical activity [-0.2 (95% CI: -0.3, -0.01) mmHg] was related to lowered systolic blood pressure. Reallocating 5 minutes of stationary time to moderate to vigorous intensity activity [0.6 (95% CI: -1.1, -0.02) bpm] was related to lowered resting heart rate. No significant results for quality of life were found. Conclusion Reallocation of time from stationary time to other movement behaviors is associated with several favorable adiposity and cardiovascular health outcomes among preschool children with overweight and obesity.


SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A201-A201
Author(s):  
Ragy Tadrous ◽  
Julie Broderick ◽  
Niamh Murphy ◽  
Lisa Slattery ◽  
Gillian Quinn ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Narcolepsy can significantly impact the physical and mental wellbeing of people with narcolepsy, and has been associated with significant reductions in quality of life and physical performance. People with narcolepsy demonstrate many barriers to being physically fit and active, such as sleepiness and social isolation. Despite physical functioning and vitality being the most affected domains of health-related quality of life in this cohort, little is known about how physical performance variables are affected in people with narcolepsy. Methods This cross-sectional study profiled the physical performance of adults with narcolepsy attending the Narcolepsy Centre located in St. James’s Hospital. Participants underwent a physical performance test battery that investigated cardiopulmonary fitness, physical activity, muscle strength and endurance. Furthermore, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), symptom severity and sedentary behaviour was ascertained through self-report questionnaires. Results A total of 23 participants were recruited in this study. The majority of participants were female (n=13, 56.52%) and the mean age was 31.53 (± 13.17) years. Physical performance was generally found to be lower than age-and-gender matched normative values for cardiopulmonary fitness, physical activity and muscle strength and endurance. Participants’ completed 42.20 ± 21.41 minutes of moderate-vigorous physical activity daily as measured by actigraphy. Considerable sedentary behaviour was objectively measured in this sample (10.21 hours). Symptom severity was high as measured by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the Narcolepsy Severity Scale, and participants reported reduced quality of life when compared to general population norms (US, UK, France and Norway). Conclusion Markedly reduced physical performance was identified in this sample of people with narcolepsy, irrespective of participant age, gender and BMI. Future research should explore the role of exercise in improving the physical fitness in people with narcolepsy, and the influence of exercise on HRQoL and symptom severity in this cohort. Support (if any) This study was completed as part of Mr Ragy Tadrous’ Master of Science (MSc) degree in Trinity College Dublin. This degree was co-sponsored by the Physiotherapy Department in St. James’s Hospital, Dublin.


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