Improved Physical Health in Middle-Older Aged Golf Caddies Following 24 Weeks of High-Volume Physical Activity.

BACKGROUND: The physical demands of golf caddying, including walking while carrying a golf bag, may potentially affect body composition, and markers of metabolic, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal health. Therefore, this study examined the impact of 24 weeks of caddying on physical health in middle-older aged males. METHODS: Eleven full-time experienced male caddies (age: 59 [8] y; caddying experience: 14 [12] y) were recruited from a local golf course. The following were assessed at preseason and after 24 weeks of caddying (March-September 2022): body composition, heart rate, blood pressure, blood lipids, and performance tests (static and dynamic balance, strength, and submaximal fitness). Physical activity (PA) levels were assessed at preseason and at the mid-point of the caddying season. Across the caddying season, participants completed a monthly average of 24.0 (3.8) rounds. RESULTS: Following the caddying season, improvements in static balance (Δ = 13.5 s), dynamic balance (Δ = -1.8 s), and lower back absolute strength (Δ = 112.8 N), and muscle quality (Δ = 2.0 N·kg-1) were observed (all P < .05). Additionally, blood lipids, including total cholesterol (Δ = -0.6 mmol·L-1), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (Δ = 0.1 mmol·L-1), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (Δ = -0.6 mmol·L-1) (all P < .05), and body composition, including body mass (Δ = -2.7 kg), fat mass (Δ = -1.9 kg), fat percentage (Δ = -1.4%), fat-to-muscle ratio (Δ = -0.03), and body mass index (Δ = -0.9 kg·m-2) (all P < .05) improved. Caddying did not offer beneficial changes to cardiovascular variables or cardiorespiratory fitness (P > .05), while coronary heart disease risk score decreased (Δ = -3.3%) (P < .05). In relation to PA, light- (Δ = 145 min) and moderate-intensity (Δ = 71 min) PA, moderate to vigorous PA (Δ = 73 min), and total PA (Δ = 218 min) between preseason and the mid-point of the caddying season increased, while sedentary time (Δ = -172 min) decreased (all P < .05). CONCLUSION: Golf caddying can provide several physical health benefits such as improvements in various markers of cardiometabolic health, lower back absolute strength, and static and dynamic balance. The physical health improvements that caddying offers is likely contributed to by increased PA volume and intensity through walking on the golf course. Therefore, caddying may represent a feasible model for increasing PA volume and intensity and achieve physical health-related benefits.

Habitual exercise influences carotid artery strain and strain rate, but not cognitive function in healthy middle-aged females.

PURPOSE: Aging females are at risk of declining vascular and cognitive function. Exercise can augment both factors independently; however, the influence of exercise on their interdependence is less clearly understood. Ultrasound speckle tracking is a sensitive novel measure of arterial aging but has not previously been used in middle-aged females. We aimed to elucidate the potential interactions between vascular and cognitive variables in active aging females. METHODS: Twelve active (56 ± 5 years; [Formula: see text]: 34.5 ± 6.1 ml.kg.min-1) and 13 inactive (57 ± 4 years; 22.8 ± 2.6 ml.kg.min-1) healthy middle-aged females were included. Ultrasound speckle tracking assessed short-axis common carotid artery (CCA) compliance via peak circumferential strain (PCS) and strain rate (PSR) at rest, during, and after 3-min isometric handgrip exercise. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery was assessed using ultrasound. Cognitive function was measured using Verbal Fluency, Trail Making, Stroop, and Digit Span tests. RESULTS: PCS (P = 0.003) and PSR (P = 0.004), were higher in the active cohort. FMD was similar between groups (P > 0.05). Minimal differences in cognitive function existed between groups, although the inactive group performed better in one test of animal Verbal Fluency (P < 0.01). No associations were observed between PCS, PSR, or FMD with cognitive function (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to assess PCS and PSR in middle-aged females and demonstrates that active middle-aged females exhibit a superior carotid artery profile compared to their inactive counterparts. However, PCS and PSR of the carotid artery may not be linked with cognitive function in middle-aged females.

A Personalized Smartphone-Delivered Just-in-time Adaptive Intervention (JitaBug) to Increase Physical Activity in Older Adults: Mixed Methods Feasibility Study.

BACKGROUND: Just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAIs) provide real time in-the-moment behavior change support to people when they need it most. JITAIs could be a viable way to provide personalized physical activity (PA) support to older adults in the community. However, it is unclear how feasible it is to remotely deliver a PA intervention through a smartphone to older adults or how acceptable they would find a JITAI targeting PA in everyday life. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study are to describe the development of JitaBug, a personalized smartphone-delivered JITAI designed to support older adults to increase or maintain their PA level, assess the feasibility of conducting an effectiveness trial of the JitaBug intervention, and explore the acceptability of JitaBug among older adults in a free-living setting. METHODS: The intervention was developed using the Behavior Change Wheel and consisted of a wearable activity tracker (Fitbit) and a companion smartphone app (JitaBug) that delivered goal-setting, planning, reminders, and JITAI messages to encourage achievement of personalized PA goals. Message delivery was tailored based on time of day, real time PA tracker data, and weather conditions. We tested the feasibility of remotely delivering the intervention with older adults in a 6-week trial. Data collection involved assessment of PA through accelerometery and activity tracker, self-reported mood and mental well-being through ecological momentary assessment, and contextual information on PA through voice memos. Feasibility outcomes included recruitment capability and adherence to the intervention, intervention delivery in the wild, appropriateness of data collection methodology, adverse events, and participant satisfaction. RESULTS: Of the 46 recruited older adults (aged 56-72 years), 31 (67%) completed the intervention. The intervention was successfully delivered as intended; 87% (27/31) of the participants completed the intervention independently; 94% (2247/2390) of the PA messages were successfully delivered; 99% (2239/2261) of the Fitbit and 100% (2261/2261) of the weather data calls were successful. Valid and usable wrist-worn accelerometer data were obtained from 90% (28/31) of the participants at baseline and follow-up. On average, the participants recorded 50% (7.9/16, SD 7.3) of the voice memos, 38% (3.3/8, SD 4.2) of the mood assessments, and 50% (2.1/4, SD 1.6) of the well-being assessments through the app. Overall acceptability of the intervention was very good (23/30, 77% expressed satisfaction). Participant feedback suggested that more diverse and tailored PA messages, app use reminders, technical refinements, and an improved user interface could improve the intervention and make it more appealing. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that a smartphone-delivered JITAI is an acceptable way to support PA in older adults in the community. Overall, the intervention is feasible; however, based on user feedback, the JitaBug app requires further technical refinements that may enhance use, engagement, and user satisfaction before moving to effectiveness trials.

Elevated arousal following acute ammonia inhalation is not associated with increased neuromuscular performance.

Many athletes seek to enhance their performance using legal ergogenic aids, including ammonia inhalants (AIs). AIs trigger the inhalation reflex and increase blood pressure, respiration and heart rate; but, despite their widespread use, there is little evidence for the benefits of AI on exercise performance. We aimed to determine the psychological and neuromuscular impact of acute ammonia inhalation. Fourteen non-resistance trained males completed three trials: control, experimental (AI), and sham. The order of the sham and experimental trials was randomised. Participants completed handgrip and knee extension maximal voluntary contractions (MVC), and countermovement jump (CMJ). Heart rate and alertness were recorded at rest and immediately following control, experimental or sham treatment, followed by functional performance measurements. Reaction time, electromechanical delay, rate of force development and peak force were calculated from MVCs, and peak power from CMJ. On completion of trials, perceived performance was recorded. Statistical significance was accepted at P < .05. Heart rate (P < .001), alertness (P = .009) and perceived performance (P = .036) were elevated by AIs. Markers of functional performance were unaltered by AIs. Alertness was moderately correlated with perceived performance in control (r = 0.61) and sham conditions (r = 0.54), and very-highly correlated in the experimental condition (r = 0.90). AI elevates alertness and perceived physical performance, but not peak strength, power, or neuromuscular drive. AIs may be a useful psychological stimulant to increase focus and mental preparation, however it is unlikely that this will improve functional performance in an untrained population. Our data suggest however, that ammonia inhalants may improve the perception of an individual's performance.

Aerobic Training Protects Cardiac Function During Advancing Age: A Meta-Analysis of Four Decades of Controlled Studies.

BACKGROUND: In contrast to younger athletes, there is comparatively less literature examining cardiac structure and function in older athletes. However, a progressive accumulation of studies during the past four decades offers a body of literature worthy of systematic scrutiny. OBJECTIVES: We conducted a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of controlled echocardiography studies comparing left ventricular (LV) structure and function in aerobically trained older athletes (> 45 years) with age-matched untrained controls, in addition to investigating the influence of chronological age. METHODS: Electronic databases were searched from inception to January 2018 before conducting a random-effects meta-analysis to calculate pooled differences in means, effect size and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Study heterogeneity was reported using Cochran's Q and I2 statistic. RESULTS: Overall, 32 studies (644 athletes; 582 controls) were included. Athletes had greater LV end-diastolic diameter (3.65 mm, 95% CI 2.66-4.64), interventricular septal thickness (1.23 mm, 95% CI 0.85-1.60), posterior wall thickness (1.20 mm, 95% CI 0.83-1.56), LV mass (72 g, 95% CI 46-98), LV mass index (28.17 g·m2, 95% CI 19.84-36.49) and stroke volume (13.59 mL, 95% CI 7.20-19.98) (all p < 0.01). Athletes had superior global diastolic function [ratio of early (E) to late (A) mitral inflow velocity (E/A) 0.18, 95% CI 0.13-0.24, p < 0.01; ratio of early (e') to late (a') diastolic annular tissue velocity (e'/a') 0.23, 95% CI 0.06-0.40, p = 0.01], lower A (-8.20 cm·s-1, 95% CI -11.90 to -4.51, p < 0.01) and a' (-0.72 cm·s-1, 95% CI -1.31 to -0.12, p = 0.02), and more rapid e' (0.96 cm·s-1, 95% CI 0.05-1.86, p = 0.04). Meta-regression for chronological age identified that athlete-control differences, in the main, are maintained during advancing age. CONCLUSIONS: Athletic older men have larger cardiac dimensions and enjoy more favourable cardiac function than healthy, non-athletic counterparts. Notably, the athlete groups maintain these effects during chronological ageing.