Active breaks: a strategy to counteract sedentary behaviors for Health Promoting Schools. A discussion on their implementation in Italy.

Abstract: School Active Breaks are short bouts of physical activity (5-15 minutes) conducted by appropriately trained teachers and delivered during or between curricular lessons. They are a good strategy to counteract sedentary behaviors, and a growing body of evidence shows that they can represent also a tool to promote and improve health, school wellbeing and academic achievements. On 19 February 2022, the Working Group on Movement Sciences for Health of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health organized an Awareness Day on the effectiveness, usefulness and feasibility of School Active Breaks, opened to teachers, educators, school leaders, pediatricians, personnel from Departments of Prevention and Public Health and Health Policy-makers. During the event, the testimonies about the experiences already carried out in Italy showed that School Active Breaks are an effective intervention that each school can easily include in its educational offer and apply in any context.

Effect of COVID-19 isolation measures on physical activity of children and their parents, and role of the family environment: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The rigorous isolation measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic seriously impacted children's lifestyles. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out to collect and analyze information about physical activity habits of children and their parents during the social distancing period resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: An online questionnaire was administered to 363 families (507 children aged 5-13) recruited by convenience sampling, asking for physical activity type and frequency before, during, and after the lockdown period (9th March - May 3rd 2020), education, outdoor spaces, and children's weight gain perception. Results: Results show a remarkable decrease in children's physical activity during lockdown (88.9 vs 39.8% active children) associated with older age and low availability of outdoor spaces (p<0.001). Parents' physical activity was related to educational level, and a slight but significant correlation between parents' education and children's physical activity was found, especially with father's university degree (p<0.05). Active mothers significantly influenced children's physical activity during the lockdown, especially if not engaged in smart working. The return to an active lifestyle by children did not reach previous levels (75.9% active children) and was directly related to parent's physical activity. Finally, the risk of weight gain was lower in active children during the lockdown (OR = 0.46; p<0.001). Conclusions: This work highlights the importance of physical activity during a pandemic event to prevent the risk of gaining weight, and underlines the relevance of the entire family system as a source of promotion of healthy behaviors in children.

The effects of human sera conditioned by high-intensity exercise sessions and training on the tumorigenic potential of cancer cells

Purpose There is growing evidence of an association between physical activity and a reduced risk of cancer and cancer recurrence. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of exercise-conditioned human serum (HS) effects on the proliferative and tumorigenic potential of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and prostate cancer (PC) cells. Moreover, modulated mechanisms and several physiological factors that can predict exercise effects were investigated. Methods Thirty healthy sedentary subjects were recruited for the study. The subjects performed two high-intensity endurance cycling (HIEC) sessions before and after a nine-week period of high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Cell tumorigenic capacity affected by HS collected before (t0), immediately after (t1), 4 h (t2), and 24 h (t3) after the HIEC sessions was evaluated by in vitro three-dimensional colony formation. The modulation of molecular pathways was analyzed by western blotting and qPCR in TNBC and PC cells, and in TNBC xenografts in exercised mice. Results All of the HIEC-conditioned HS (t1, t2, and t3) markedly impacted the proliferative and the microtumor-forming capacity of both TNBC and PC cell lines, while the HS collected from the subjects at rest did not. Modulation of the Hippo and Wnt/β-catenin pathways by HIEC-conditioned HS before and after the period of HIIT was shown. Multiple linear regression analysis showed relationships between the effects of HIEC-conditioned HS in PC cells, lactate threshold and VO2max. Conclusions These results highlight the potential of HIEC bouts in tumor progression control and the importance of optimizing an approach to identify physiological predictors of the effects of acute exercise in tertiary cancer prevention (AU)

The effects of human sera conditioned by high-intensity exercise sessions and training on the tumorigenic potential of cancer cells.

PURPOSE: There is growing evidence of an association between physical activity and a reduced risk of cancer and cancer recurrence. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of exercise-conditioned human serum (HS) effects on the proliferative and tumorigenic potential of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and prostate cancer (PC) cells. Moreover, modulated mechanisms and several physiological factors that can predict exercise effects were investigated. METHODS: Thirty healthy sedentary subjects were recruited for the study. The subjects performed two high-intensity endurance cycling (HIEC) sessions before and after a nine-week period of high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Cell tumorigenic capacity affected by HS collected before (t0), immediately after (t1), 4 h (t2), and 24 h (t3) after the HIEC sessions was evaluated by in vitro three-dimensional colony formation. The modulation of molecular pathways was analyzed by western blotting and qPCR in TNBC and PC cells, and in TNBC xenografts in exercised mice. RESULTS: All of the HIEC-conditioned HS (t1, t2, and t3) markedly impacted the proliferative and the microtumor-forming capacity of both TNBC and PC cell lines, while the HS collected from the subjects at rest did not. Modulation of the Hippo and Wnt/ß-catenin pathways by HIEC-conditioned HS before and after the period of HIIT was shown. Multiple linear regression analysis showed relationships between the effects of HIEC-conditioned HS in PC cells, lactate threshold and VO2max. CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight the potential of HIEC bouts in tumor progression control and the importance of optimizing an approach to identify physiological predictors of the effects of acute exercise in tertiary cancer prevention.

Influence of parental habits and drug use in adolescents' physical activity: a case study of an Italian high school.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity is considered a fundamental element for health promotion, also during adolescence, contributing to the psycho-physical well-being of the individuals. Here we evaluate the relationship between risk behavior and physical activity habits of adolescents and their parents. METHODS: A total of 220 subjects (115 females, 105 males), aged between 14 and 18, were asked about their own and parents' physical activity habits and tobacco, alcohol, and light drug consumption. The chi-square test was used to detect differences between males and females. Categorical principal component analysis and Spearman's correlation were used to find associations between the variables analyzed. RESULTS: Our results show a prevalence of an active lifestyle of 52.3%, with no significant gender differences. The consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and light drugs was 28.2, 63.2, and 16.8%, respectively, with a higher prevalence in males and correlated with age. We found a positive correlation between physical activity practice and parents' physical activity, especially between mothers and daughters. Finally, male physical activity practice is inversely related to risk behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings underline the importance of family and parental involvement in promoting health behaviors, such as physical and sports activities, that can represent a powerful educational tool for the prevention of social dangers.

Swimming Pool safety and prevention at the time of Covid-19: a consensus document from GSMS-SItI.

Public health measures to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic, imposed also a shutdown of sports facilities and swimming pools. Safety issues related to recreational waters were emerging during the lockdown, rising concerns on how and when reopening pools and on how improve their management while SARS-CoV-2 is circulating in the population. The GSMS-SItI, Working Group on Movement Sciences for Health of the Italian Society of Hygiene Preventive Medicine and Public Health, discussed and summarized some indications for a suitable preventive approach. Several measures are highlighted, including social distancing, optimized water management, airflow and microclimatic parameters in the pool as well in the annexed rooms, verification of sanitation procedures. The GSMS-SItI underlines that prevention should be based on monitoring of the local epidemiological situation and on the constant collaboration with the local health authority and the national health service.

Use of hormones in doping and cancer risk.

Hormones with anabolic properties such as growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) are commonly abused among professional and recreational athletes to enhance physical ability. Despite their adverse effects are well-documented, the use of GH and IGF-1 has recently grown. This article highlights the anabolic activity related to mechanisms of cancer development and progression. GH/IGF-1 axis is able to activate cellular mechanisms that modulate every key stage of cancer formation and progression, such as inhibition of apoptosis, resistance to treatments, and induction of angiogenesis, metastatic process and cell proliferation. Results from pre-clinical studies and epidemiological observations in patients with an excess of GH and IGF-1 production or treated with these hormones showed a positive association with the risk to develop several types of cancer. In conclusion, athletes should be made aware that long-term treatment with doping agents might increase the risk of developing cancer, especially if associated with other licit or illicit drugs and/or high-protein diet.

[Phlebotomus perniciosus Newstead, 1911 naturally infected by promastigotes in the region of Nice (France)]. / Phlebotomus perniciosus Newstead, 1911 naturellement infesté par des promastigotes dans la région de Nice (France).

The authors report the results of investigations in Nice from July, 16 to August, 3, 1991. The 2,098 phlebotomes captured represent three species: Phlebotomus perniciosus, Phlebotomus ariasi and Sergentomyia minuta. Two species: P. perniciosus and P. ariasi are infected with promastigotes. About 4% of dissected females are parasited. This is the first description in France of P. perniciosus infected.