ABSTRACT
Background: A widespread use of mobile phones among adolescents is of leading concern regarding common physical and emotional problems ranging from insomnia, headache, earache, problems in concentration, and fatigue. It is important to study the possible negative health effects of chronic mobile phone usage. Objectives: The objectives were to study the effect of 6 weeks of breathing exercise training on cognitive function in chronic mobile phone users. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 healthy volunteers (30 females and 30 males) who use mobile phones for >4 h/day for 1 year were included in the study. Breathing exercise training was given to them for 15 min in two sessions per day for 5 days in a week for a total period of 6 weeks under our direct supervision. Cognitive function parameters such as trail making A (s), tail making B (s), digit span, letter cancellation commissions, omissions, and letter cancellation time (s) were recorded before and after 6 weeks of the study period. Results: Average age of the male and female volunteers was 19.9 + 1.18 and 19.5 + 1.07, respectively. There was a significant decrease in trail making A and B (P < 0.001) and letter cancellation omissions and time (s) (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively) among the male volunteers. In female volunteers, trail making A and B (P < 0.05) and letter cancellation omissions and time (s) (P < 0.01) were significantly decreased. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in forward digit span (P < 0.001) in both male and female volunteers. Conclusion: Results of our study indicate that regular practice of breathing exercises for even short duration like 6 weeks improves autonomic functions and reduces stress which, in turn, improves cognitive functions.
ABSTRACT
We examined the relationships between exercise, eating disorders, weight loss-related concerns/behaviors and weight-cycling (weight loss and regain ≥10%) . The subjects were comprised of 1123 female college students (aged 18.9 ± 1.1 yrs.) who each completed a questionnaire on eating attitudes [Eating Attitude Test (EAT) ], dieting behavior [Dieting Behavior Scale (DBS) ], purging behavior (self-induced vomiting and use of laxatives) and previous weight-cycling. Subjects were divided into four groups on the basis of their current regular exercise behavior as follows non-exercisers (Ns) (N=704), low-intensity, low-frequency exercisers (LLs) (N=106), moderate/high-intensity, low-frequency exercisers (MLs) (N=184) and moderate/high-intensity, high-frequency exercisers (MHs) (N=129) .<BR>Analyses of variances showed significant differences among the four groups for weight and eating concerns, and weight loss behavior. Not only MHs, but also MLs exhibited higher Dieting subscale score ratings on the EAT than Ns. MHs and MLs also showed higher Structured- and Extraordinary-Diet subscale score ratings on the DBS than Ns and LLs. Significantly more MHs used self-induced vomiting than the other three groups, whereas significantly more MHs and MLs used laxatives than Ns. MHs who had experienced weight-cycling were by far more likely to have unhealthy weight loss behaviors and eating disorders than Ns.<BR>These findings suggest that vigorous exercise in female college students is associated with eating disorder- and weight loss-related concerns/behavior even though the students do not exhibit frequent exercise habits. Though regular exercise is desirable, careful attention must be paid to behavioral factors related to eating and weight loss in exercising female college students.