The Effect of Micronutrient Intake on Cognitive Function and Physical Activity of the Elderly

Objectives: The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of micronutrient intake on cognitive function and physical activity of the elderly. Methods: The subjects included all elderly people over 60 years of age in Robat Karim city in 2018. 90 elderly males participated voluntarily in the research after signing the informed consent form. The short form of Beck questionnaire of physical activity and MMSE test were respectively used to measure the levels of physical activity and cognitive status of participants. Pearson correlation test was used to analyze the data. Results: The results indicated that there was a significant relationship between each of the micronutrients and cognitive performance of the elderly (P ≤ 0.05). Additionally, there was a significant relationship between each of the micronutrients with the level of physical activity of the elderly (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusions: Conclusively, micronutrients intake could be of much importance for cognitive function and physical activity of the elderly.

Associations Between Physical Activity and Gross Motor Skills with Social Development in Children with Learning Disabilities

Background: Social development is a fundamental aspect of motor development in children. It has been shown that children with learning disorders have different gross motor skills and physical activity compared to typically developing peers. Objectives: Since developmental domains interact with each other and children with learning disabilities often have difficulties that go far beyond those in school homework, the purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between physical activity and gross motor skills with social development for children with learning disabilities. Methods: In children with learning disorder (n = 82; 49 boys, 33 girls), gross motor skills and physical activity were assessed respectively with the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 and Past Year Physical Activity Questionnaire. Vineland Social Maturity Scale was used to evaluate the social development of participants. The Pearson correlation coefficient is used to association between variables. The significance for test was set at P < 0.05. Results: Locomotor and object-control were significantly associated with social development (r = 0.60, P < 0.001) and (r = 0.44, P = 0.003), respectively. Organized activities were significantly associated with social development (r = 0.69, P = 0.001). Also, gross motor skills and organized activities were able to predict the social development of children with learning disorder (R2 = 0.29, F = 15.78). Conclusions: Children with higher levels of organized activities and motor skills had higher social development. As a result, gross motor skills and organized physical activity are especially important for children with learning disabilities.

Eight Weeks of Aerobic Exercise and Prescribed Diet (Low in Carbohydrate and High Protein) Improve Mental Health in Obese Women

Objectives: Although, the association between mental health and obesity has been reported in different studies, the relationship between dietary carbohydrate intake and mental health is not well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of a diet (low in carbohydrate and high protein) along with aerobic exercise on mental health in obese individuals. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 30 obese women (20 - 35 years; 80 - 100 kg, 160 ± 5.1 cm and body mass index (above 30) who lived in Qazvin, Iran were selected voluntarily. Dietary intakes during the past one- month was assessed using a quantitative questionnaire on food frequency. Additionally, Beck Anxiety Inventory was used to monitor the rate of depression. Subjects were then randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received a balanced diet that was low in carbohydrates and high in protein based on the calculation of their metabolism, while at the same time engaging in aerobic exercise (walking) for 8 weeks with 75% of the maximum heart rate. Control group did not receive any intervention during the study period. The aerobic program was performed for eight weeks (4 sessions per week and 50 minutes per session). Results: The results showed that the rate of depression was significantly improved in experimental group (P = 0.001), however, no significant change was found for control group (P = 0.17) Conclusions: The present study showed that a low carb and high protein diet is positively associated with mental health improvement (anxiety, stress and depression).

Effect of a Plyometric Training Program on the Physical Parameters of ADHD Children: Behavioral and Cognitive Consequences

Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopment disorder with inappropriate levels of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity that emerge during preschool-age causing several impairement that should be supported. Objectives: The purpose of this research was to explore the repercussion of plyometric training protocol (PT) on disruptive behavior and executive control among children with ADHD. Methods: Executive functions and ADHD related behaviors are assessed by graded tests before and after a 12-week PT (plyometric training) or NPT (did not perform PT training). Results: Findings show that participation in PT enhances behavior reports by parents and teachers (P < 0.001) and level of executive function (P < 0.001). Conclusions: These findings suggest that PT may improve positively ADHD symptomatology.

Physical and Heart Rate Responses of Male Minifootball Players: A Case Study of an Elite Minifootball Match

Objectives: The purpose of this research was to explore the physical parameters and the heart rate responses of elite minifootball players during an international match. Methods: Ten male elite players from two national teams (Tunisia vs. Switzerland) participated in this study (26.2 ± 1.9 years, 175 ± 7 cm, 79.2 ± 5.8 kg). Heart rate was recorded by polar team system all the time that players spent moving on the pitch (walking, jogging, and running). For physical parameters, parameters (i.e., indicator of workload, sprints, total distance, acceleration and deceleration) were gathered using wearable GPS. Results: Results showed that the minifootball match induced high intensity exercise (86% HRmax). Moreover, total distance and high-intensity running distance were significantly higher in favor of the first half than in the second half. Likewise, sprints, acceleration and deceleration at high intensity were significantly higher in the first half. Conclusions: Minifootball is a physically intense sport, necessitating high intensity. Thus, its physical demands should be taken into consideration by coaches when designing and implementing training sessions.

The Effect of Water Therapy and Jogging Exercises on the Health-Related Factors Physical Fitness of Elderly Women

Objectives: The aim of this research was to study the effects of a course of water therapy and jogging on factors related to the physical fitness of elderly women. Methods: Semi experimental study was performed by pretest-posttest design in which elderly women over 60 (64.3 ± 2.5 years old) were randomly divided into 3 groups of water therapy exercises, jogging group (JG) and control group (CG). Factors related to physical fitness (lower limb muscle strength test, static balance, dynamic balance and physical flexibility) before and after interventional exercises. One-way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test were applied to analyze the data. Results: It was shown that both water therapy exercises and jogging had a significant effect on static (P = 0.03), dynamic (P = 0.04), lower limb strength [P = 0.03 and (P = 0.01) for WTE and JG, respectively] and physical flexibility scores (P = 0.03), but there was no significant difference between the two experimental groups in all research variables (P ≥ 0.05). Conclusions: The use of water therapy and jogging exercises leads to improved static and dynamic balance, muscular strength of the lower extremities. Since improving the motor performance variables has a significant effect on preventing the falling of the elderly, it is recommended to use these exercises for the elderly.

Acute Inflammatory Response to a Single Bout of Resistance Exercise with or Without Blood Flow Restriction

Background: The effectiveness of resistance training (RT) with blood flow restriction (BFR) is limited from the health perspective. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the acute inflammatory response to a single bout of RT with or without BFR. Methods: Twenty-four non-athletic male students were randomly divided into 3 groups (n = 8), including: (1) high intensity (HIRT- 80% of 1-RM: 3 × 10 R), (2) low intensity (40% of 1-RM: 3 × 30 R) with BFR (180 mmHg) (LIRT + BFR) and (3) LIRT. Results: Significant increase for IL1-β (p = 0.001), IL-6 (P = 0.001), TNF-α (P = 0.002), CRP (P = 0.007), ICAM1 (P = 0.016), HCY (P = 0.008) were observed. These responses in the HIRE and LIRT + BFR groups were significantly higher than in the LIRT group respectively (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusions: The LIRT + BFR has similar effects to HIRT and can be used in rehabilitation training. The gradual overload and proper recovery are very important due to the increase in acute inflammatory responses.

Technical Analysis and Heart Rate Response of Minifootball Players During a Competitive Match

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the technical actions and heart rate response of amateur minifootball players during a competitive match. Methods: Ten male amateur minifootball players (age: 26.3 ± 4.2 years, height: 176 ± 7.4 cm and body mass: 78.9 ± 10 kg), from a First Division Tunisian team, participated in a match (2 × 25-min with 10 min rest). Heart rate was recorded during the whole time that participants spent on court. The minifootball match was recorded and analyzed for technical actions (i.e., data pertaining to passes, shots, actions, duels, fouls) using InStat. Results: Results showed that a minifootball match induced an intensity of 84.2% heart rate max (HRmax) (i.e., high intensity). The percentage of success in actions was 53.33 % and in shots was 36.54 %. A large number of passes (400 (290 successful)) and duels (210 (145 successful)) was found both in offensive and defensive phases. Conclusions: A minifootball match is of high intensity and requires a high level of physical and technical ability.

Diurnal Variation: Does it Affect Short-term Maximal Performance and Biological Parameters in Police Officers?

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the diurnal variation of short term maximal performance and biological markers of hormonal [cortisol (CRT), testosterone (TST), melatonin (MLT)], biochemical [creatine phosphokinase (CPK), blood glucose (GLC), uric acid (UA)] and hematological [white blood cells (WBC), monocytes (MO), neutrophils (NE), lymphocytes (LY), red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin (HB), hematocrit (HMT)] parameters in male police officers. Methods: Twenty male police officers performed a running-based anaerobic sprint test (RAST) at two different times of the day (TOD), in the morning (6:00 h - 7:00 h) and evening (19:00 - 20:00) where blood samples were collected from the participants on these two occasions before each exercise session. Results: Short term maximal performance [Peak power (PP), average power (AP) and minimal power (MP)] was higher in the evening as compared to the morning. It was noted that biological markers of hormonal, biochemical and hematological parameters exhibit diurnal fluctuation. Some of them peak in the morning (MLT, CRT, TST, UA, RBC, HB, and HMT) and others peak in the evening (GLC, CPK, WBC, NE, LY, and MO). Conclusions: Short term maximal performance, hormonal, biochemical and hematological parameters were strongly affected by the TOD in police officers. Thus, understanding changes in short term maximal exercice and these circulating mediators during different TOD provide a better understanding of the anaerobic metabolism and could help modulate and quantify training load.

Effects of Melatonin on Neurological Function and Maintenance of Physical and Motor Fitness in Collegiate Student-Athletes Following Sleep Deprivation

Background: Melatonin is one of the Supplements used to treat sleep problems such as insomnia and jet lag. Objectives: Since sleep deprivation may affect athletic performance, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of melatonin on neurological function and maintenance of physical and motor fitness in collegiate student-athletes following sleep deprivation. Methods: Ten collegiate student-athletes participated in randomized, double‐blind crossover trial with placebo control. Subjects were divided into six experimental groups: without sleep deprivation (WSD), 4 hours sleep deprivation (4HSD) and 24 hours sleep deprivation (24HSD) with melatonin (MEL) or placebo (PLA). WSD were allowed to sleep eight hours per night. Six milligrams of melatonin was administered 30 min before the training protocols. Training protocols included the Wingate Anaerobic test, Good Balance test, Vienna reaction time with the Stroop test. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. Significant difference was set at P ≤ 0.05. Results: Six mg/day of MEL 30 min before training had no significant effect on anaerobic power, balance and reaction time in collegiate student-athletes WSD (P > 0.05). Although, 4HSD and 24HSD negatively affected balance function, MEL reduced its negative effects. Furthermore, 24HSD decrease neurological and physical performance in collegiate student-athletes and MEL improved anaerobic power and reaction time in collegiate student-athletes (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Pre-training MEL supplementation would alleviate neurological, physical and motor performance impairment in collegiate student-athletes following sleep deprivation. MEL appears to be more effective in athletes with longer sleep deprivation.