Occupational balance as a component in weight loss interventions.

BACKGROUND: Obesity can limit occupational participation because of physical and mental barriers. Weight loss programmes emphasizing dietary and physical activity may lower body weight; however, mental barriers and sustainable weight loss seemed to be challenged. Weight loss influences daily patterns and structure of occupations and finding a balance in daily life during the weight loss process might improve sustainable weight loss. AIM: To explore if and how health professionals conducting weight loss programmes in Danish municipalities address elements related to occupational balance in the daily life of citizens with obesity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty individual interviews with health professionals from Danish municipalities were conducted and analysed. RESULTS: (1) Helping participants find the time and energy to lose weight, (2) Emphasizing small steps for sustainable changes and (3) Utilizing the citizen's life experience for direction. CONCLUSION: Elements of occupational balance might be addressed by the participants, however values and meaningfulness regarding occupations seem to be missing. Integrating occupational balance in weight loss programmes could enable health professionals to understand and address sustainable weight loss. SIGNIFICANCE: Occupational therapists may be ideally suited to support citizens with obesity to sustain weight loss by supporting a balanced life focussing on meaningfulness and values in occupations.

Managers attitude towards implementing workplace health promotion programmes to employees in eldercare: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To determine the attitudes of eldercare services managers to the potential health benefits of workplace health promotion programmes (WHPPs), including physical exercise during working hours and the feasibility of implementing a WHPP at the workplace. Study design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: Respondents filled out a 14-item questionnaire on attitudes towards the potential health benefits of WHPPs and the feasibility of implementing WHPPs. Differences between groups were analysed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. The significance level was set to p â€‹= â€‹0.05. Bonferroni's correction was used in the setting of multiple comparisons. A content analysis was performed exploring answers provided in the optional comment section in the questionnaire. Results: 695 eldercare services managers in Denmark were contacted by email, 393 replied, and 382 respondents were included in the analysis (54.7%). The survey revealed that 89.8% of the respondents believed that WHPPs would increase health, 89.6% believed that it would increase well-being and 87.6% believed that WHPPs would increase workability among workers. 87.7% expressed a willingness towards implementing WHPPs and believed 'it to be a good idea'. Respondents with a negative attitude to the feasibility of implementing WHPPs, were more likely to hold negative attitudes to the potential health benefits of WHPPs (p â€‹< â€‹0.001). Organisational issues were the most frequently stated barrier to implementation. Conclusions: The majority of eldercare managers expressed a positive attitude to the benefits of WHPPs and their implementation. Addressing organisational issues and ensuring management support in the planning stage of a WHPP is highly important.

Modulation of endochondral ossification by MEK inhibitors PD0325901 and AZD6244 (Selumetinib).

MEK inhibitors (MEKi) PD0325901 and AZD6244 (Selumetinib) are drugs currently under clinical investigation for cancer treatment, however the Ras-MAPK pathway is also an important mediator of normal bone cell differentiation and function. In this study we examined the effects of these compounds on endochondral processes using both in vitro and in vivo models. Treatment with PD0325901 or AZD6244 significantly increased Runx2 and Alkaline phosphate gene expression in calvarial osteoblasts and decreased TRAP+ cells in induced osteoclast cultures. To test the effects of these drugs on bone healing, C57/Bl6 mice underwent a closed tibial fracture and were treated with PD0325901 or AZD6244 at 10mg/kg/day. Animals were culled at day 10 and at day 21 post-fracture for analysis of the fracture callus and the femoral growth plate in the contralateral leg. MEKi treatment markedly increased cartilage volume in the soft callus at day 10 post-fracture (+60% PD0325901, +20% AZD6244) and continued treatment led to a delay in cartilage remodeling. At the growth plate, we observed an increase in the height of the hypertrophic zone relative to the proliferative zone of +78% in PD0325901 treated mice. Osteoclast surface was significantly decreased both at the terminal end of the growth plate and within the fracture calluses of MEKi treated animals. The mechanistic effects of MEKi on genes encoding cartilage matrix proteins and catabolic enzymes were examined in articular chondrocyte cultures. PD0325901 or AZD6244 led to increased matrix protein expression (Col2a1 and Acan) and decreased expression of catabolic factors (Mmp13 and Adamts-5). Taken together, these data support the hypothesis that MEKi treatment can impact chondrocyte hypertrophy, matrix resorption, and fracture healing. These compounds can also affect bone architecture by expanding the hypertrophic zone of the growth plate and reducing osteoclast surface systemically.