Are physical activity and/or adherence to the Mediterranean diet determinants of the changes found in kinanthropometric variables, body composition and physical fitness in adolescents?

The practice of physical activity and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (AMD) have been extensively studied for their relationship with kinanthropometric, body composition and physical fitness variables. However, no previous study has analyzed whether these healthy habits are equally determinant for the differences found in kinanthropometric, body composition and physical fitness variables or, on the contrary, if one of them is more relevant. For this reason, the objectives of the present study were: (1) to analyze the differences in kinanthropometric, body composition, and physical fitness variables between adolescents with different levels of physical activity and AMD, and (2) to determine whether physical activity and/or AMD are predictors of differences in kinanthropometric variables, body composition or physical fitness in adolescents. The sample consisted of 791 adolescents (404 males and 387 females; mean age: 14.39±1.26 year-old) whose physical activity level, AMD, kinanthropometric variables, body composition and physical fitness, were measured. The results showed differences when considering the level of physical activity in kinanthropometric variables, body composition and physical fitness, but not the level of AMD, which was relevant only when it was poor, and the adolescents were inactive. Nevertheless, the AMD did not seem to exert such a determining effect as to produce significant differences on its own. On the other hand, the practice of physical activity did act as a predictor mainly of changes in the fitness variables. Therefore, the main novelty of the present study is the establishment of an order of importance of the healthy habits acquired by adolescents, concluding that the practice of physical activity is more determinant for the differences found in the study variables.

What are the important factors influencing the physical activity level of junior high school students: a cross-sectional survey.

Background: Engaging in regular physical activity has been consistently linked to improved physical health and academic performance. Despite its known benefits, there is a concerning trend of decreased physical activity among children globally. The study primarily aims to investigate the level of physical activity among junior high school students in Taiyuan and analyse the main affecting factors from a socio-ecological perspective. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, involving 650 junior high school students from 7 schools in Taiyuan, and 648 valid questionnaires were ultimately collected. The data on students' physical activity levels were collected through the Children's Leisure Activities Study Survey Questionnaire, and the data on factors affecting students' physical activity were collected through the Student Perceived Factors Affecting Physical Activity Questionnaire. Results: In this study, students from the 7th, 8th, and 9th grades participated in physical activities, averaging 214.500 min per week in moderate-intensity and 25.000 min in high-intensity activities, cumulatively averaging 280.000 min weekly. Notably, a significant disparity (p = 0.012) was observed in the combined duration of moderate and high-intensity activities, with male students engaging more time compared to their female counterparts (307.500 vs. 255.000 min). This variance extended across different grades, particularly evident in 8th graders who recorded the highest weekly high-intensity activity duration (31.000 min) and overall physical activity time (320.500 min), surpassing the 7th graders(p = 0.007 for high-intensity activities). Furthermore, an exploratory factor analysis of a 32-item questionnaire, designed to identify determinants of physical activity, revealed six principal components. These components were found to positively correlate with both moderate and high-intensity physical activities. Conclusion: Results emphasize that educational institutions and community programs should collaborate to offer engaging weekend physical activity programs. Schools should develop and implement tailored physical education curricula addressing gender and grade differences. Furthermore, schools and local governments should invest in high-quality sports equipment and facilities.

Poor Motor Competence Affects Functional Capacities and Healthcare in Children and Adolescents with Obesity.

BACKGROUND: From a young age, children learn different motor skills known as fundamental motor skills. The acquisition of these skills is crucial for the future development of context-tailored actions that could improve adherence to physical activity (PA) practice. Motor competence and function deficits have been associated with pediatric obesity. We reviewed the literature data regarding motor competence in pediatrics and impaired motor performance in children and adolescents with obesity. METHODS: We assessed the abstracts of the available literature (n = 110) and reviewed the full texts of potentially relevant articles (n = 65) that were analyzed to provide a critical discussion. RESULTS: Children and adolescents with obesity show impaired motor performance, executive functions, postural control, and motor coordination. Children's age represents a crucial point in the development of motor skills. Early interventions are crucial to preventing declines in motor proficiency and impacting children's PA and overall fitness levels. CONCLUSIONS: To involve children, the PA protocol must be fun and tailored in consideration of several aspects, such as clinical picture, level of physical fitness, and motor skills. A supervised adapted exercise program is useful to personalized PA programs from an early pediatric age.

Altered central pain processing in patients with degenerative lumbar diseases and its association with low physical activity levels after lumbar spinal surgeries: a retrospective cohort analysis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the occurrence of altered central pain modulation in patients with degenerative lumbar diseases (DLDs) and to analyze its association with physical activity (PA) 3 years after lumbar decompression and fusion. METHODS: Preoperative assessments of pressure pain thresholds (PPTs), temporal summation (TS), conditioned pain modulation (CPM) and pain were, respectively, recorded in 304 patients. These patients further underwent International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and both pain-related and psychological assessments 3 years post-operation. RESULTS: Preoperatively, the patients had lower PPTs in both local pain and pain-free areas and lower CPM and higher TS in pain-free areas than healthy subjects (P < 0.05). Postoperatively, 53.9% (164/304) patients showed PA below healthy-related thresholds (< 600 MET min/w). Low PA group showed a greater postoperative weight gain and bone loss and a higher postoperative prevalence of both moderate anxiety and marginal depression than high PA group (P < 0.05). All covariates with differences between the high and low PA groups were subjected to multivariate logistic regression, and long preoperative disease duration, low preoperative PPT in pain-free area, high preoperative TS, revision surgery, severe postoperative low back pain and significant postoperative pain catastrophizing thought were independently associated with low postoperative PA (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the existence of central sensitization (CS) caused by abnormal central pain modulation in DLDs. Pre-existing CS in these patients may be associated with low PA after lumbar surgeries, and this low-activity lifestyle may predispose patients to multiple adverse health outcomes. Preoperative dynamic quantitative sensory testing may provide information for the identification of at-risk patients.

Prospective Teachers' Knowledge of Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents.

Over the past few years, organizations around the world have tried to reach different populations with recommendations about physical activity (PA), due to this subject playing an important role in the phases of intention development and in preparation for it. Thus, the knowledge of future educators in the fields of health and PA is of vital importance when improving the levels of the latter in students. The objective of this research is to determine what knowledge future teachers have about health and PA, examining possible disparities according to the gender, age, and level of physical exercise of the participants. In addition, the psychometric properties of the instrument used were explored. A total of 321 Colombian university students from the Faculty of Education between the ages of sixteen and thirty-five participated in this study, providing sociodemographic information by filling out the CUAFYS-A questionnaire. Significant differences were found in the scale items according to sex and self-perception of being physically active. Also, the findings revealed a single-factor structure with nine items that had satisfactory reliability (α = 0.71; CR = 0.72) and excellent goodness-of-fit indices (RMSEA = 0.055 (90% CI (0.3, 0.8), RMSR = 0.02, CFI = 0.935, NNFI = 0.912, CMIN/DF = 1.97). Therefore, strategies and campaigns to promote PA knowledge in prospective teachers should be tailored according to gender and PA levels. Similarly, the CUAFYS-A questionnaire can be considered a valid and reliable instrument to identify the PA knowledge of future educators.

Differences in the range of thermoneutral zone between mouse strains: potential effects on translational research.

Laboratory mice are commonly used for studies emulating human metabolism. To render human energetics, their ratio of daily (DEE) to basal (BMR) energy expenditure of 1.7-1.8 should be maintained. However, the DEE/BMR ratio strongly depends on whether a given study using a mouse model is carried out above, or below the lower critical temperature (LCT) of the thermoneutral zone, which is rarely considered in translational research. Here, we used mice artificially selected for high or low rates of BMR along with literature data to analyze the effect of ambient temperature on possible systematic bias in DEE/BMR. We demonstrated that the estimated LCTs of mice from the high and low BMR lines differ by more than 7°C. Furthermore, the range of variation of LCTs of mouse strains used in translational research spans from 23 to 33°C. Differences between LCTs in our selected mice and other mouse strains are mirrored by differences in their DEE-to-BMR ratio, on average increasing it at the rate of 0.172°C-1 at temperatures below LCT. Given the wide range of LCTs in different mouse strains, we conclude that the energetic cost of thermoregulation may differ greatly for different mouse strains with a potentially large impact on translational outcomes. Thus, the LCT of a given mouse strain is an important factor that must be considered in designing translational studies.

Cross-sectional associations between sedentary time with cognitive engagement and brain volume among community-dwelling vulnerable older adults.

AIMS: Vulnerable older adults tend to decrease physical activity (PA) and increase sedentary time (ST). Previous research on the associations between ST and brain volume have yielded inconsistent findings, without considering the impact of cognitive engagement (CE) on cognitive function. We aimed to examine the association between ST with CE and brain volume. METHODS: A structural magnetic resonance imaging survey was conducted among community-dwelling vulnerable older adults. Brain volumetric measurements were obtained using 3T magnetic resonance imaging and pre-processed using FreeSurfer. ST with low or high CE was assessed using a 12-item questionnaire. PA was assessed by the frequency of light and moderate levels of physical exercise according to the Japanese version of the Cardiovascular Health Study criteria. Participants were categorized into a low PA group and a moderate-to-high PA group. RESULTS: Among 91 participants (83.1 ± 5.2 years old, 61.5% female), 26 were low PA. The overall sample and moderate-to-high PA group did not show significant positive associations with brain volume for ST with high CE. In the low PA group, isotemporal substitution models showed that replacing ST with low CE by ST with high CE was significantly associated with increased brain volume in some areas, including the rostral and caudal anterior cingulate (ß = 0.486-0.618, all P < 0.05, adjusted R2 = 0.344-0.663). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that replacing ST with low CE by ST with high CE is positively associated with brain volume in vulnerable older adults with low PA. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 82-89.

The Effect of Web-Based Telerehabilitation Programs on Children and Adolescents With Brain Injury: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Acquired brain injury (ABI) in children and adolescents can lead to motor and executive impairments that often require long-term treatment. The implementation of web-based telerehabilitation therapy at home is a method to improve the functional status of patients. Therefore, we performed a systematic review of the effects of web-based telerehabilitation programs on functional outcomes in children and adolescents with brain injury and supplemented the findings with a meta-analysis. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the therapeutic effect of web-based telerehabilitation training on children and adolescents with brain injury to determine whether web-based telerehabilitation therapy improved motor function, executive function, physical activity level, lower limb strength, hand and upper limb function, visual processing skills, and occupational functional performance in children and adolescents with brain injury. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched for randomized controlled trials on web-based telerehabilitation programs in children and adolescents with brain injury until December 2022, and the risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Collaboration Tool. Relevant data were extracted, and a meta-analysis was performed using RevMan5.3 software. RESULTS: Overall, 17 studies involving 848 patients were included. Web-based telerehabilitation therapy improved the motor function (standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.29, 95% CI 0.01-0.57; P=.04), physical activity level (SMD 0.42, 95% CI 0.11-0.73; P=.007), lower limb strength (SMD 0.52, 95% CI 0.13-0.90; P=.009), and visual processing skills (SMD 0.26, 95% CI 0.02-0.50; P=.04) of children and adolescents with brain injury. It also improved executive function in letter-number sequencing (SMD 1.26, 95% CI 0.26-2.26; P=.01), attention (SMD 0.38, 95% CI 0.09-0.66; P=.009), and symbol search (SMD 1.18, 95% CI 0.43-1.93, P=.002). CONCLUSIONS: Web-based telerehabilitation therapy improved motor function, physical activity level, lower limb strength, letter-number sequencing, attention, and symbol search, which improved the quality of life in children and adolescents with brain injury. Web-based telerehabilitation programs provide great convenience for children and adolescents with ABI who need long-term treatment and allow them to exercise at home for rehabilitation training. The widespread implementation of remote interventions also provides children and adolescents in remote areas with better access to rehabilitation services. This review provides evidence for the effectiveness of web-based telerehabilitation therapy, but there was heterogeneity in some of the results because of different disease types and intervention programs. Future studies can expand the sample size according to disease type and increase follow-up time according to different exercise prescriptions to further refine the long-term effects of this intervention on various functions of children and adolescents with ABI. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42023421917; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=421917.

Association between nutritional status, body composition, and fitness level of adolescents in physical education in Casablanca, Morocco.

Aim: This study aims to analyze and compare dietary intake, as well as to examine the associations between energy intake in terms of macronutrients, body composition, and physical fitness (PF) specifically cardiorespiratory endurance (CE) among a sample of young adolescents aged 15 to 18 years, who participate in physical education and sports sessions in public schools in Casablanca, Morocco. Materials and methods: A total of 311 participants, including 156 girls and 154 boys, were included in the study. Each participant maintained a food diary for 3 days during the same study week. Additionally, body composition measurements were taken using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). The PF was assessed using the validated mini-Cooper test (6 min). Results: The results show that the participants had an average total energy intake of 2386.7 ± 492.7 kcal. A significant difference was observed between boys and girls, with average energy intakes of 2468.8 ± 531.1 kcal and 2304.0 ± 437.0 kcal, respectively. These dietary intakes were significantly lower than their needs and nutritional recommendations. The associations of nutritional status, sex, body mass index (BMI) and physical fitness (PF) were tested and a positive correlation was observed following an adequate intake of carbohydrates (CHO) and proteins on Vo2max, while a negative association was observed with regard to Body fat for both sexes. Boys exhibit significantly better PF than girls (p < 0.01). Obese participants had the lowest PF and an unbalanced nutritional status, the adolescents with a normal weight p < 0.01 displayed a high level of PF compared to individuals in other weight categories. Conclusion: The PF is significantly associated with macronutrient intake status and body composition, especially BMI and BF. The Underweight, overweight, and obese students demonstrated poorer performance in physical fitness indices compared to normal-weight. Adolescents adhering to recommended CHO and protein intake levels tend to exhibit enhanced physical fitness. Implementing strategies to encourage students to maintain a balanced diet and engage in regular physical exercise is essential.

Gender and Work Experience as Moderators of Relations between Management Level, Physical Activity, Eating Attitudes, and Social Skills of Managers during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Being employed in a managerial position is often associated with maintaining high standards in many aspects of life. Many leaders pay attention to their physical activity, eating habits, and social skills. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought additional difficulties to the already-demanding job of managing people and forced managers to make many changes to their daily functioning at work. The main goal of this study was to establish whether Gender, Experience, and Management Level influenced respondents' healthy behaviors (eating attitudes and physical activity) or soft skills during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic with a sample of 348 managers from a variety of companies (n = 222 women, n = 126 men) with different levels of experience and responsibility. The authors used the 26-item Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), four questions from the Physical Activity Objectives Questionnaire, and a self-authored soft skills questionnaire. The results showed that, compared to females, males were characterized by lower levels on all three EAT-26 scales: Bulimia and Food Preoccupation, Oral Control, and Dieting. On the other hand, male respondents who held high managerial positions were characterized by high levels of Dieting, Oral Control, Bulimia, and Food Preoccupation. This analysis provides insights that may help improve the quality of life of employees; however, further research is needed to investigate the direct influence of managers on employees in different industries.

The effects of environmental enrichment on voluntary physical activity and muscle mass gain in growing rats.

Introduction: Environmental enrichment (EE) for rodents involves housing conditions that facilitate enhanced sensory, cognitive, and motor stimulation relative to standard housing conditions. A recent study suggested that EE induces muscle hypertrophy. However, it remains unclear whether muscle hypertrophy in EE is associated with voluntary physical activity, and the characteristics of muscle adaptation to EE remain unclarified. Therefore, this study investigated whether muscle adaptation to EE is associated with voluntary physical activity, and assessed the changes in the muscle fiber-type distribution and fiber-type-specific cross-sectional area in response to EE. Methods: Wistar rats (6 weeks of age) were randomly assigned to either the standard environment group (n = 10) or the EE group (n = 10). The voluntary physical activity of rats housed in EE conditions was measured using a recently developed three-axis accelerometer. After exposure to the standard or enriched environment for 30 days, the tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum longus, soleus, plantaris, and gastrocnemius muscles were removed and weighed. Immunohistochemistry analysis was performed on the surface (anterior) and deep (posterior) areas of the tibialis anterior and soleus muscles. Results and discussion: The EE group showed increased voluntary physical activity during the dark period compared with the standard environment group (p = 0.005). EE induced muscle mass gain in the soleus muscle (p = 0.002) and increased the slow-twitch muscle fiber cross-sectional area of the soleus muscle (p = 0.025). EE also increased the distribution of high-oxidative type IIa fibers of the surface area (p = 0.001) and type I fibers of the deep area (p = 0.037) of the tibialis anterior muscle. These findings suggest that EE is an effective approach to induce slow-twitch muscle fiber hypertrophy through increased daily voluntary physical activity.

Total Energy Expenditure and Nutritional Intake in Continuous Multiday Ultramarathon Events.

Continuous multiday ultramarathon competitions are increasingly popular and impose extreme energetic and nutritional demands on competitors. However, few data have been published on energy expenditure during these events. Here, we report doubly labeled water-derived measures of total energy expenditure (in kilocalories per day) and estimated physical activity level (PAL: total energy expenditure/basal metabolic rate) collected from five elite and subelite finishers (four males and one female, age 34.6 ± 4.9 years)-and nutritional intake data from the winner-of the Cocodona 250, a ∼402-km race in Arizona, and from a fastest-known-time record (one male, age 30 years) on the ∼1,315-km Arizona Trail. PAL during these events exceeded four times basal metabolic rate (Cocodona range: 4.34-6.94; Arizona Trail: 5.63). Combining the results with other doubly labeled water-derived total energy expenditure data from ultraendurance events show a strong inverse relationship between event duration and PAL (r2 = .68, p < .0001). Cocodona race duration was inversely, though not significantly, associated with PAL (r2 = .70, p = .08). Water turnover varied widely between athletes and was not explained by PAL or body mass. The Cocodona race winner met ∼53% of energy demand via dietary intake, 85.6% of which was carbohydrate, while ∼47% of energy demand was met via catabolism of body energy stores. Together, these results illustrate the energetic deficits incurred during competitive continuous multiday ultramarathon efforts and implicate macronutrient absorption and/or storage as key factors in ultramarathon performance.

The effect of perceived teachers' interpersonal behavior on students' learning in physical education: a systematic review.

The primary purpose of this study was to conduct the first systematic review on teachers' interpersonal behaviors and students' learning within the physical education context. We searched the English literature in the EBSCOhost, Web of Science, SCOPUS and PubMed electronic databases and following screening, data extraction, quality assessment, 35 published articles were included in this review. The results showed that: perceived teachers' supportive behaviors have effect on autonomous motivation of students, and perceived teachers' controlling behaviors have effect on students' controlling motivation and amotivation, the influencing mechanism may be that teachers' interpersonal teaching behaviors make students' basic psychological needs satisfaction or frustration; perceived teachers' international behaviors have effect on PE learning emotion of students, and perceiving teachers' supportive behaviors can trigger students' positive learning emotion, on the contrary, perceiving teachers' controlling behaviors can stimulate students' negative learning emotion; teachers' interpersonal behaviors have effect on students' psychological well-being and physical activity levels in class with the evidence insufficient, and more evidence are needed. It is extremely necessary to expand such study direction and strengthen better quality study to explore the effect of teachers' interpersonal behaviors on learning process and learning outcome in physical education class, and examine the indirect influence mechanism through that the relationship is connected. The present review provides preliminary evidence to enhance the quality of physical education teaching in class, promote students' academic performance by intervening teachers' interpersonal behaviors.

Relationship between children’s motor development and the physical activity level of their parents / Relación entre desarrollo motriz de niños y nivel actividad física de padres

The objective of this study is to determine the relationship between children’s motor development and the physical activity level of their parents. A total of 154 subjects, 77 boys and girls and 77 parents, from two school institutions participated. The ages of the children range from 6.6 to 10.5 years with a mean of 8.74 (± 1.23). The study is of a correlational, non-experimental, cross-sectional type. The Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2) was used to identify the motor development level and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was employed to identify the physical activity level of the parents. For the correlational analysis, Fisher's exact test was applied, checking the statistical significance with a confidence level of 95% (p <0.05). The results indicate that there is no relationship between the physical activity level of the parents and the motor development of their children (AU)

Changes in Self-Esteem in Patients with Hirayama Disease and its Association with Prognosis After Anterior Cervical Fusion Procedures.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify self-esteem in patients with Hirayama disease (HD) and investigate the impact of this psychosocial factor on surgical outcomes in HD. METHODS: The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) was measured in 58 patients with HD before anterior cervical fusion. These patients further underwent motor unit number estimation, handgrip strength, disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depression Index (BDI) before and 18 months after operation. Furthermore, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was administered to all patients at postoperative 18-month assessments. RESULTS: Compared with the general population, patients with HD showed a relatively lower RSES, and RSES was negatively associated with both postoperative DASH (r = -0.431, P < 0.05) and preoperative to postoperative changes (r = -0.295, P < 0.05) and positively associated with IPAQ (r = 0.472, P < 0.05). Similar to the difference in postoperative DASH scores, more patients with low self-esteem felt postoperative aggravated motor dysfunction than those with high/normal self-esteem (P < 0.05). Postoperative BDI exerted a partial mediating effect on the relationship between RSES and DASH scores (B = -0.30, P < 0.05), and postoperative BAI played a partial mediating effect on the relationship between RSES and IPAQ scores (B = 0.30, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The self-esteem of HD patients may be below the population norms. Importantly, relatively low self-esteem in HD patients may cause/worsen postoperative depression and anxiety, thereby resulting in poor self-reported surgical prognosis and an inactive lifestyle after operation. Therefore, perioperative treatment and rehabilitation efforts in HD patients, especially those with low self-esteem, should account for both physiological and psychological symptoms.

The Role of Basic Psychological Needs in the Adoption of Healthy Habits by Adolescents.

Previous research in this field has not examined the significance of each of the basic psychological needs (BPNs) on changes in the physical activity level, adherence to the Mediterranean diet (AMD), kinanthropometric and derived variables, and the physical fitness of adolescents. Therefore, the purpose of this study was (a) to examine the variances in physical activity, AMD, and kinanthropometric and derived variables, as well as fitness levels, among adolescents with varying degrees of satisfaction regarding each of the BPNs and (b) to assess the differences in the study variables among adolescents based on whether the BPNs are satisfied individually or jointly. The sample consisted of 791 adolescents (404 males and 387 females; average age: 14.39 ± 1.26 years old). The findings indicated that adolescents in the highest percentiles (75-100) of competence, autonomy, or relatedness showed higher scores in physical activity and AMD and better kinanthropometric and physical fitness variables than adolescents in the lowest percentiles (0-25). Adolescents who showed joint satisfaction of all BPNs showed the best results on all variables analyzed. In addition, it should be noted that competence played the most relevant role.

Prediction of the Physical Activity Level of Community-Dwelling Older Japanese Adults with a Triaxial Accelerometer Containing a Classification Algorithm for Ambulatory and Non-Ambulatory Activities.

Accurate methods for the prediction of the total energy expenditure and physical activity level (PAL) in community-dwelling older adults have not been established. Therefore, we examined the validity of estimating the PAL using an activity monitor (Active style Pro HJA-350IT, [ASP]) and proposed correction formulae for such populations in Japan. Data for 69 Japanese community-dwelling adults aged 65 to 85 years were used. The total energy expenditure in free-living conditions was measured with the doubly labeled water method and the measured basal metabolic rate. The PAL was also estimated from metabolic equivalent (MET) values obtained with the activity monitor. Adjusted MET values were also calculated with the regression equation of Nagayoshi et al. (2019). The observed PAL was underestimated, but significantly correlated, with the PAL from the ASP. When adjusted using the Nagayoshi et al. regression equation, the PAL was overestimated. Therefore, we developed regression equations to estimate the actual PAL (Y) from the PAL obtained with the ASP for young adults (X) as follows: women: Y = 0.949 × X + 0.205, mean ± standard deviation of the prediction error = 0.00 ± 0.20; men: Y = 0.899 × X + 0.371, mean ± standard deviation of the prediction error = 0.00 ± 0.17.

Characterization and risk factors for unexplained female infertility in Sudan: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Female infertility with unknown causes (unexplained) remains one of the mysteries in the reproductive health field, where the diagnostic evidence is still weak and the proposed treatments still work with unknown methods. However, several studies have proposed some possible causes and risk factors for unexplained female infertility. AIM: To characterize and identify factors associated with unexplained infertility in Sudanese women. METHODS: A matched (age and body mass index) case-control study was conducted from March 2021 to February 2022. The study samples were 210 women with unexplained infertility (UI) and 190 fertile women of reproductive age who were attending the maternity hospitals and fertility clinics in Khartoum, Sudan. The risk factors of unexplained infertility were identified using a structured, pre-tested questionnaire containing information on socio-demographic variables, anthropometrics, clinical diagnosis of infertility, behavioral factors, physical activity assessment, diversity, and consumption of different food groups by the study participants. RESULTS: The results showed a higher proportion of women diagnosed with UI were residents of rural areas than controls (21.4% vs 11.1%, P < 0.05), and previous miscarriages and/or abortions were more common in fertile women compared with infertile women (13.16% vs 5.71%, P < 0.05). Additionally, infertile women had a significantly (P < 0.05) higher proportion of family history of infertility (explained and unexplained) compared with controls. Finally, after controlling for the effects of potentially confounding variables using multivariable logistic regression analysis, only marital status, family history of infertility, use of modern contraceptives, smoking, caffeine consumption, physical activity level, meals consumed, other vitamin-A-rich fruits and vegetables, and other vegetables were found to be significant (P < 0.05) factors associated with unexplained infertility among Sudanese women. CONCLUSION: Married women with a family history of infertility who smoke and consume a high amount of caffeine, who live a sedentary lifestyle, and who consume more than two meals free of vitamin-A-rich fruits and/or vegetables and/or other vegetables per day are at the highest risk of developing unexplained infertility.

The reference values for muscle mass and strength in healthy Indian adults using whole-body potassium counter and isokinetic dynamometer.

The study aims to define the sex-based reference data for muscle mass and strength among healthy young Indians and to compare the data from the present study with available literature. Healthy Indian adults (n = 100) aged between 18 and 40 years were recruited. The assessment of muscle mass and strength was performed. The body cell mass (BCM), fat-free mass, and muscle strength parameters were significantly higher among males compared to females (P < 0.001). A comparison of the current study data with the available literature showed that though BCM was comparable, Indians demonstrated a significantly lower isometric peak torque (P < 0.001 for both sexes). These findings suggest that Indians tend to have a lower muscle strength compared to the Western population, despite having a comparable BCM content.

Correlation of Physical Activity to Mental Health State and Grade Point Average Among Medical Students in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Physical activity (PA) significantly impacts mental health. However, studies addressing the influence of PA on the mental health and academic performance of medical students are scarce. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 2,819 students pursuing their medical degrees in Saudi Arabia. PA was measured using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, and the state of their mental health was recorded using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. A multi-logistic regression was performed to predict the risk factor of poor academic performance. RESULTS: The prevalence of abnormal anxiety and depression levels were found to be 45.3% and 31.6%, respectively, which were comparatively more prevalent among students of younger age (p < 0.001). Students with abnormal anxiety levels had significantly lower grade point average (GPA) levels than others (p < 0.001). Those who were aged < 21 years, female gender, with chronic disease presence, low PA levels, and abnormal anxiety levels were independently associated with lower GPA levels (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Low PA and high anxiety and depression levels were found to affect the academic performance of medical students in Saudi Arabia. Hence, health education about the importance of PA should be directed to those students.