Influence of organised sports practice during adolescence on health of adult women with special emphasis on participation in aesthetic sports.

This study aimed to assess the differences in psychosocial health and cardiometabolic risk during adulthood in women based on previously organised sport (OS) participation during adolescence and current activity levels, with emphasis on participation in aesthetic sports. The study included 1947 women aged 18-55 years who were categorised into four groups: 355 aesthetic athletes during adolescence, 494 non- aesthetic athletes during adolescence, 791 non-athletes during adolescence with similar current levels of physical activity (PA) to OS groups and 307 currently inactive non-athletes during adolescence. Participants answered questionnaires regarding sport participation, psychosocial health and cardiometabolic risk. The results show that non-athletes during adolescence who are currently inactive reported significantly lower psychosocial health and higher cardiometabolic risk scores. Women with currently homogenous PA levels (χ² = 0.514) reported similar physical quality of life (QoL), exercise addiction, anxiety and depression symptoms regardless of participation in OS during adolescence (P > .05), except aesthetic athletes who reported the worst sleep and mental QoL. Very high training volumes in aesthetic athletes did not influence psychological outcomes and cardiometabolic risk in adulthood compared to lower training volumes. In conclusion, the effects of PA during adulthood appear to be powerful enough to induce beneficial adaptations in health outcomes that match those observed in women who participate in OS during adolescence, except for aesthetic sports participants, who show a high risk of lower quality of sleep in adulthood. PA should be promoted in adults and especially women who have not participated in OS during adolescence.

Ideal cardiovascular health and its association with sedentary behaviour and fitness in psychiatric patients. The PsychiActive project.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) was defined as meeting ideal levels of 4 health behaviours (smoking, body mass index, physical activity, and diet) and 3 biological factors (blood pressure, total cholesterol, and glucose) and is inversely related to cardiovascular disease and mortality. However, the prevalence of ideal CVH in patients with severe mental illness and the possible independent associations of sedentary behaviour and fitness with CVH score are unexplored. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study included 142 (34 women) outpatients with severe mental illness (primarily schizophrenia, n = 92). CVH was evaluated according to the American Heart Association guidelines. Sedentary behaviour, cardiorespiratory fitness, and muscular strength were measured by an activity-monitor, the 6-min walk test, and handgrip dynamometry. Cardiorespiratory fitness and strength values were combined in a composite fitness score. The prevalence of ideal CVH was: non-smoking (47.9%), body mass index (16.9), physical activity (83.1%), diet (10.4%), blood pressure (40.4%), total cholesterol (62.9%), and plasma glucose (66.7%). Low levels of sedentary behaviour and high cardiorespiratory, strength, and composite fitness score were associated with meeting the ideal threshold in most CVH metrics and having higher global CVH score; however, only cardiorespiratory and composite fitness score remained significantly related to global CVH score independent of sedentary behaviour and multiple confounders. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with severe mental illness generally have low prevalence of ideal CVH metrics, especially diet and body mass index. Additionally, our findings suggest the need or considering cardiorespiratory fitness, regardless of sedentary behaviour, to promote ideal CVH in this population.