A scoping review of physical activity-based interventions for obesity management in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Overweight and obesity have emerged as global health issues among children and adolescents. Restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic have aggravated the threat of paediatric obesity due to the prevalent reduction in physical activity (PA) in children and adolescents. However, this has also created an opportunity for healthcare professionals to explore new strategies to address this persistent problem. A systematically conducted scoping review was performed on 15 online databases to summarise and analyse the design, efficacy, and feasibility of PA-based weight management interventions for children and adolescents during the pandemic. Finally, we reviewed 23 eligible studies that were published between 2021 and 2023. The included interventions were presented to 1938 children and adolescents and 355 parents using a virtual or virtually blended face-to-face approach during the pandemic. The intervention design included a basic PA programme with three optional components (nutritional education, sociopsychological counselling, and medication consultations). Implementation generally resulted in favourable changes in body mass index (BMI) and/or body size or composition (primary outcomes), as well as health behaviours, physical health or fitness, and individual well-being (secondary outcomes). A longer duration of exposure to the intervention, female sex, and older age were associated with a higher efficacy of the included interventions. Moreover, the interventions showed high feasibility, with medium-high participant attendance, high acceptance/satisfaction in both children and adolescents and their parents and teachers, and strong participant engagement. This may be related to the high accessibility of health information, timely social support, and enhanced self-efficacy. In conclusion, both the virtual and blended delivery of well-planned weight management interventions during the pandemic show promise for the treatment and control of paediatric obesity. The lessons learned from the pandemic may help improve the design of future interventions and inform the proper integration of new technologies that have emerged in the post-pandemic world.

The effect of different high-intensity interval training protocols on cardiometabolic and inflammatory markers in sedentary young women: A randomized controlled trial.

Few studies have reported the cardiovascular health effects of different high-intensity interval training (HIIT) protocols among sedentary young women. We investigated the impact of a traditional HIIT programme and a high-intensity circuit training (HICT) programme on lipid profiles and inflammatory cytokine levels in sedentary young women. Forty-two women were randomly assigned to HICT (body weight-based training), HIIT (cycling-based training), or control groups (n = 14 each). HICT and HIIT participants completed an 8-week training programme of three sessions per week. Total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride, high- and low-density lipoprotein, leptin, resistin, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-8, and interferon-gamma levels were measured before and after the intervention. Post-intervention, TC and leptin were decreased in the HICT group. The HICT group also demonstrated increased lean mass, upper and lower limb strength, and balance, while the HIIT group displayed improved lower limb strength. Additionally, the control group showed significant increases in triglyceride levels, weight, body mass index, and fat mass. In conclusion, although both HICT and HIIT interventions showed improvements in cardiovascular health and physical fitness, participants in the HICT group experienced more health benefits.

Structured physical exercise interventions and children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of structured physical exercise (SPE) has been examined in empirical studies to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This review aimed (i) to systematically review and quantify the effects of SPE on ADHD symptomology and executive function (primary outcomes) and on physical health, physical fitness and mental health issues (secondary outcomes) in children/adolescents with ADHD; (ii) to evaluate the study quality and explore moderation of the effects of SPE; and (iii) to summarize the design of SPE interventions. METHODS: An extensive literature search in the databases of PubMed, Web of Science and EBSCOhost was conducted to identify eligible intervention studies for meta-analysis. A descriptive account of the features of the studies is provided, including assessment of risk/quality (ROB-2/ROBINS-I). Standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with random effects models to compare post-intervention effects. RESULTS: A total of 18 studies were included in the review. The majority of the studies examined the effects of SPE lasting for 3-12 weeks. Assessment of bias/quality indicated half of the included studies as high quality. The meta-analysis (pooled n = 627) revealed that SPE had a positive effect on primary and secondary outcomes, that is, inattention (SMD = -1.79), executive function (SMD = 2.19), physical fitness (SMD = 1.39) and mental health issues (SMD = -0.89). Subgroup analysis showed that long-term practice of SPE, featured/tailored SPE, non-Chinese participants, taking methylphenidate and study with low quality had larger effects. CONCLUSIONS: There is emerging evidence that SPE is a promising option to enhance symptom management and physical/mental health in children/adolescents with ADHD.

Effectiveness of tele-exercise training on physical fitness, functional capacity, and health-related quality of life in non-hospitalized individuals with COVID-19: The COFIT-HK study.

Background: The use of tele-exercise programs as an option for post-COVID-19 rehabilitation has been suggested, but its effectiveness in non-hospitalized individuals is not well understood. Objective: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of an 8-week tele-exercise training program (COFIT-HK) on physical fitness, functional capacity, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in non-hospitalized post-COVID-19 individuals. Methods: Forty-one non-hospitalized individuals (age:47.4 ± 7.8 yrs) who had COVID-19 history were divided into two groups: the tele-exercise training group (TELE; n = 21) and the non-intervention control group (CON; n = 20). TELE engaged in online supervised multicomponent low-to-moderate intensity exercise training (including respiratory muscle, aerobic, and resistance training) three times per week, whereas CON received standardized educational leaflets based on World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for post-COVID-19-related illness rehabilitation only. Various components of physical fitness, functional capacity, and HRQoL were assessed at baseline and after the 8-week intervention. Results: TELE showed significant improvements in handgrip strength, arm flexibility, functional lower extremity endurance, and HRQoL after the 8-week intervention (all p < 0.05, ES = 0.50-1.10). When comparing the groups, TELE demonstrated significantly greater improvements in both the physical and mental component summary scores of HRQoL compared to CON (both p < 0.05). Other outcomes did not reveal significant group differences. Conclusion: Our tele-exercise intervention was effective in improving physical fitness, functional capacity and HRQoL among non-hospitalized post-COVID-19 individuals. Further research is needed to explore the utility and limitations of tele-exercise programs for post-COVID-19 rehabilitation and beyond.

High-intensity interval training in children and adolescents with special educational needs: a systematic review and narrative synthesis.

BACKGROUND: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been promoted as a time-efficient exercise strategy to improve health and fitness in children and adolescents. However, there remains little consensus in the literature regarding its efficacy in children and adolescents with special educational needs (SEN). This study aimed to examine HIIT as a means of improving key health and fitness parameters in children and adolescents with SEN. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted on eight databases (MEDLINE, Embase, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, Scopus, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library). Studies were eligible if they 1) included an HIIT protocol, 2) examined parameters related to both physical and mental aspects of health and fitness, and 3) examined children and adolescents with SEN aged 5-17 years. RESULTS: Of the 1727 studies yielded by the database search, 13 (453 participants) were included and reviewed. We found that HIIT generally improved body composition, physical fitness, and cardiometabolic risk biomarkers across a spectrum of SEN (e.g., attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, cerebral palsy, developmental coordination disorder, and mental illness). Improvements in mental health and cognitive performance following HIIT have also been observed. CONCLUSION: This review provides up-to-date evidence for HIIT as a viable exercise strategy for children and adolescents with SEN. Further research investigating the benefits of HIIT in a wider range of SEN populations is warranted. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Review (PROSPERO; registration number CRD42022352696).

Associations of Device-Measured Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Executive Function in Preadolescents: A Latent Profile Approach.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the associations between physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior, and executive function in preadolescents. METHODS: One hundred and twenty preadolescents were recruited from 2 Hong Kong primary schools. PA and sedentary behavior were recorded for 7 consecutive days by accelerometer. Executive function performance, including inhibition (Stroop task and Flanker task) and working memory (Sternberg paradigm task), were measured. Body mass index and cardiorespiratory fitness (multistage fitness test) were tested. Latent profile analysis explored the profiles of PA and sedentary behavior in preadolescents. RESULTS: Three distinct profiles were identified: low activity, average activity, and high activity. Participants in low activity performed worse in the accuracy of Stroop task (vs average activity, P = .03; vs high activity, P < .01), Flanker task (vs average activity, P = .02; vs high activity, P < .001), and Sternberg paradigm task (vs average activity, P < .01; vs high activity, P < .01). No significant difference was observed between participants with average and high activities. No significant association was observed for profiles on body mass index and cardiorespiratory fitness. CONCLUSION: Supplementing the consensus of the literature that moderate to vigorous PA benefits cognition, the authors conclude that light PA may also enhance preadolescents' executive functioning.

Functional threshold power and the (manufactured) critical power controversy.

We read with concern yet another communication from Dotan regarding the critical power (CP) concept which contains a litany of factual errors, false statements, and dated physiological interpretations. Space does not permit us to rebut every incorrect point made about our work (Wong et al., 2022) and the wider field in which it sits, but we will address what we consider to be some of the more egregious errors in his letter. We would first note, however, that our paper was not actually focused on the critical power concept.

The Effect of Physical Activity Intervention on Motor Proficiency in Children and Adolescents with ADHD: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a frequently diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorder in children and adolescents. The objective of this review was to synthesize empirical studies that investigated the effects of physical activity (PA) on motor proficiency in this population. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following the cochrane guidelines for systematic reviews. In May 2022, a systematic search of eight electronic databases retrieved 476 results, which were screened independently by two reviewers. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 12 studies were selected for systematic review, and 10 were included in the meta-analysis. A beneficial effect of PA on overall motor proficiency (SMD = 1.12; 95% CI [0.63 to 1.61]; p < 0.05) was observed. Similar positive effects were found for motor proficiency composites, including object control, fine manual control, and body coordination. These results indicate that PA improves the motor proficiency of children and adolescents with ADHD.

Acute Physiological and Perceptual Responses to Whole-Body High-Intensity Interval Training Compared with Equipment-Based Interval and Continuous Training.

Low-volume, time-efficient high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which involves whole-body (WB) callisthenics exercises, has gained worldwide popularity in recent years. However, the physiological and perceptual impact of WB-HIIT in comparison to specialised, equipment-based training is relatively less studied. This study compared the acute physiological and perceptual responses to a single session of WB-HIIT, ergometer-based HIIT (ERG-HIIT) and conventional moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT). Fourteen physically inactive adults (age: 28.4 ± 6.5 years, VO2peak: 31.0 ± 6.2 mL· kg-1· min-1) underwent three main trials (WB-HIIT: 12 x 30-s high-intensity callisthenics workout; ERG: HIIT: 12 x 30-s high-intensity cycling bouts; MICT: 30-min cycling at 50% peak power output) in a randomized cross-over order 3-7 days apart. The mean session heart rate (HR) and perceived exertion were comparable across all three protocols (p > 0.05). WB-HIIT attained a similar peak HR (87.4 ± 9.4 %HRmax) as that of ERG-HIIT (83.0 ± 8.6 %HRmax), and significantly greater than that of MICT (78.7 ± 5.5 %HRmax, p = 0.001). However, WB-HIIT induced significantly higher blood lactate levels (7.2 ± 1.8 mmol/L) compared to both ERG-HIIT (5.1 ± 1.3 mmol/L, p < 0.05) and MICT (3.1 ± 1.5 mmol/L, p < 0.001). The participants reported higher self-efficacy and greater enjoyment with WB-HIIT compared to MICT (p < 0.05). The mean HR and perceived exertion responses to WB-HIIT are comparable to those of equipment-based HIIT and MICT; however, WB-HIIT results in greater metabolic strain than both other modalities. Despite this, the overall perceptual responses to WB-HIIT are positive, suggesting that it could be a viable exercise alternative, especially for individuals with limited exercise time and restricted access to facilities and equipment.

Physical fitness, physical activity and adiposity: associations with risk factors for cardiometabolic disease and cognitive function across adolescence.

BACKGROUND: The cross-sectional associations between physical activity, physical fitness and adiposity with risk factors for cardiometabolic disease (particularly novel ones such as inflammatory cytokines) and cognitive function across the period of adolescence are not well understood. Additionally, novel physical activity metrics that summarise activity volume and intensity in a continuous manner have not been investigated in this context. Therefore, this study investigated the cross-sectional associations between physical activity, physical fitness and adiposity with risk factors for cardiometabolic disease and cognitive function. These associations were compared between younger and older adolescents. METHODS: Seventy younger (11-12y, 35 girls) and 43 older (14-15y, 27 girls) adolescents volunteered to take part in the study. Physical fitness (multi-stage fitness test, MSFT) and adiposity (waist circumference) were determined, followed 7d later by resting blood pressure, a fasted blood sample (glucose, plasma insulin, IL6, IL10, IL15 and IL-1ß concentrations) and a cognitive function test battery. Habitual physical activity was monitored via hip-worn accelerometers over this 7-d period and the average acceleration (activity volume), and intensity gradient (intensity distribution of activity) were determined. RESULTS: Average acceleration and intensity gradient were negatively associated with mean arterial blood pressure (ß = -0.75 mmHg, p = 0.021; ß = -10 mmHg, p = 0.006, respectively), and waist circumference was positively associated with IL-6 concentration (ß = 0.03%, p = 0.026), with stronger associations observed in older adolescents. Higher physical fitness (MSFT distance) was positively associated with anti-inflammatory IL-15 concentration (ß = 0.03%, p = 0.038) and faster response times on the incongruent Stroop task (ß = -1.43 ms, p = 0.025), the one-item level of the Sternberg paradigm (ß = -0.66 ms, p = 0.026) and the simple (ß = 0.43 ms, p = 0.032) and complex (ß = -2.43 ms, p = 0.020) levels of the visual search test, but these were not moderated by age group. CONCLUSIONS: The present study highlights the important role of physical activity (both the volume and intensity distribution) and physical fitness for cardio-metabolic health. Furthermore, the present study highlights the importance of physical fitness for a variety of cognitive function domains in adolescents, irrespective of age.

Agreement and equivalence of estimated physical activity behaviours, using ENMO- and counts-based processing methods, for wrist-worn accelerometers in adolescents.

The present study examined the agreement and equivalence between two physical activity processing methods. Data were obtained from 161 Hong-Kong adolescents (74 girls, age: 12.6 ± 1.7y). Participants wore an Actigraph GT3XBT on their non-dominant wrist for 7d. Time spent sedentary, and in light-(LPA), moderate-(MPA), vigorous-(VPA), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were calculated using different processing methods (proprietary counts and Euclidean Norm Minus One (ENMO)). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to examine absolute agreement (ICC2) and consistency (ICC3), and equivalence was assessed using pairwise equivalence tests. Using ENMO, sedentary time and VPA were higher, whereas all other behaviours were lower (compared to counts processing). Agreement ranged from poor (ICC2:0.42(Sedentary)) to moderate (ICC2:0.86(LPA)) and consistency ranged from moderate (ICC3:0.71(sedentary)) to good (ICC3:0.91(LPA)). Methods were not considered equivalent (all p > 0.05). Due to differences in the wear-time validation of processing methods, a sensitivity analyses (sub-sample with the same valid wear time for both methods (n = 56)), resulted in minimal change. Lack of agreement and equivalence between ENMO and counts processing methods suggests that the processing method significantly affects youth physical activity estimates.

Health services for non-communicable diseases have been severely disrupted by COVID-19 based on an analysis of MicroBlog rescue data in Wuhan, China.

Diagnostic and treatment services for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) face significant challenges in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We used the Python programing language to extract and classify messages for help posted on the social networking platform microblog by NCD patients in the early stage of the COVID-19 epidemic in Wuhan, China. We found of all NCD patients, the most frequently recorded conditions were basic chronic diseases (42.50%), acute critical diseases (35.53%), malignant tumours (15.10%), and patients requiring haemodialysis (6.79%). Regarding COVID-19, 54.70% of patients reported suspected symptoms of infection, 32.01% were diagnosed with comorbidities, and 13.29% were non-COVID-19 patients. According to the analysis of the needs of the patients, 82.46% of the patients reported "No beds were available in the hospital", 25.31% of patients needed nucleic acid tests. Our results confirmed it is difficult to meet the regular needs in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with NCDs. Effective prevention and management of NCDs in public health emergencies has become an urgent issue to be addressed. During the COVID-19 epidemic, it is necessary to pay particular attention to the prevention and control of NCD patients, especially those with chronic disease. Governments and medical and health institutions at all levels should improve treatment mechanisms during major epidemics and ensure the uninterrupted treatment of patients with NCDs.

Acute effects of mindfulness-based intervention on athlete cognitive function: An fNIRS investigation.

BACKGROUND: Mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) as a psychological treatment is adopted in the sports field, but its effect during competition has not been explored. This study investigated the acute effect of a brief MBI on athletes' cognitive function after a 45-min, lab-based soccer protocol. METHODS: In a single-blind randomized counter-balanced crossover design, 17 male soccer players completed two main trials-an MBI trial and a control trial. The MBI trial was provided with a brief MBI after 45-min exercise; the control trial was instead assigned a travel-related audio to listen to at that time. In each main trial, cognitive function (i.e., Stroop task for inhibition; Corsi-block tapping task for working memory), salivary cortisol, blood lactate and mental fatigue were measured at baseline (pretest) and after the intervention (posttest). The cerebral oxygenation status was recorded using functional near-infrared spectroscopy during the cognitive function test. RESULTS: The brief MBI improved working memory performance in terms of both reaction time (pre vs. post, P = 0.02, d = 0.71) and accuracy (pre vs. post, P = 0.009, d = 0.58), supported by eliciting increased oxyhemoglobin concentration in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. Whereas a slightly better cognitive performance for MBI trial than control trial at posttest (P = 0.37, d = 0.32) accompanied by a lower oxyhemoglobin concentration. A lower mental fatigue level (P = 0.05, d = 0.6) and lower cortisol concentration (P = 0.04, d = 0.65) were observed in the MBI trial than in the control trial after the intervention at posttest. The decreased cortisol concentration correlated with increased inhibition performance in the MBI trial. CONCLUSION: The acute effect of MBI on athletes' mental fatigue and cortisol concentration was detected, and the beneficial effect on working memory was preliminarily supported. In general, MBI is recommended to be adopted at half-time of a soccer game.

Walking Initiated 20 Minutes before the Time of Individual Postprandial Glucose Peak Reduces the Glucose Response in Young Men with Overweight or Obesity: A Randomized Crossover Study.

BACKGROUND: Although a single bout of postmeal exercise can lower postprandial glucose (PPG), its optimal timing remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of exercise timing using an individualized approach on PPG in overweight or obese young men. METHODS: Twenty men [age: 23.0 ± 4.3 y; BMI (kg/m2): 27.4 ± 2.8] each completed three 240-min trials in a randomized order separated by 6-14 d: 1) sitting (SIT), 2) walking initiated at each participant's PPG-peak time (PPGP) (iP), and 3) walking initiated 20 min before the PPGP (20iP). For each participant, PPGP was predetermined using continuous glucose monitoring. Walking was performed at 50% maximal oxygen consumption for 30 min. Venous blood was collected at 15- and 30-min intervals for 0-120 min and 120-240 min, respectively. The primary outcome was plasma PPG. Generalized estimating equations were used for comparison between trials. RESULTS: Compared with SIT, the 4-h incremental AUCs (iAUCs) for plasma PPG (-0.6 mmol · L-1 · h; P = 0.047) and insulin (-28.7%, P < 0.001) were reduced in 20iP only, and C-peptide concentrations were lower after iP (-14.9%, P = 0.001) and 20iP (-28.7%, P < 0.001). Plasma insulin (-11.1%, P = 0.006) and C-peptide (-8.3%, P = 0.012) were lower due to the 20iP compared with iP treatment. Finally, PPG reductions due to iP and 20iP occurred only in men with a BMI > 27.5 kg/m2 (iP, -11.2%; 20iP, -14.7%; P = 0.047) and higher glucose iAUC values during SIT (iP, -25.5%; 20iP, -25.7%; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Walking initiated 20 min before PPGP lowered PPG and plasma insulin and C-peptide concentrations in young men with overweight or obesity, in particular in those with high BMI or glucose iAUC values during SIT; it also lowered plasma insulin and C-peptide concentrations more effectively than did exercise initiated at PPGP. This trial was registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx) as ChiCTR1900023175.

Effects and dose-response relationship of high-intensity interval training on cardiorespiratory fitness in overweight and obese adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study aims to quantify the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) by considering potential moderators and to characterise dose-response relationships of HIIT variables that could maximise CRF improvements in overweight and obese adults. Following a comprehensive search through four electronic databases, 19 studies met eligibility criteria. Random-effects models were applied to weight all included studies and to compute the weighted mean standardised mean differences (SMDwm). Meta-analysis showed that HIIT was a highly effective approach for improving CRF in overweight and obese adults (SMDwm = 1.13). Effects were modified by sex and baseline CRF level. Dose-response relationship analysis provided some preliminary data regarding the training period, training intensity, and session duration. However, it is still not possible to provide accurate recommendations currently. Further studies are still needed to identify the most appropriate training variables to prescribe effective HIIT programmes for improving CRF in overweight and obese adults.

Establishment of a psychological intervention mechanism for healthcare workers facing public health emergencies in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The novel coronavirus disease pandemic is an unprecedented challenge globally. Medical personnel have been playing a leading role by fighting at the forefront against the pandemic and are the backbone of the fight against the epidemic. These frontline medical workers are under enormous psychological pressure and are prone to overwork and stress, as well as depression depletion, anxiety, insomnia, frustration, or self-blame in the face of patient deaths. Active psychological crisis interventions for medical staff fighting the pandemic are important protect and promote to maintain their occupational health. Based on China's experience, this paper describes the importance of organizational leadership, emergency psychological crisis interventions in pandemics, and psychological intervention measures for medical staff. It cites useful explorations from different regions and makes suggestions for establishing a sound psychological intervention mechanism.

Effects of different solutions consumed during exercise on cognitive function of male college soccer players.

Background/Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of three solutions, i.e. carbohydrate-electrolyte-solution (CES), carbohydrate-electrolyte-protein-solution (CEPS), and placebo (PLA), on cognitive function of college soccer players. METHODS: Sixteen male college soccer players completed three main trials in a randomized cross-over study design. In each main trial, participants completed 90 min Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test (LIST) protocol and consumed one of three solutions. The cognitive function tests were performed; blood glucose and lactate concentrations, and several subjective measurements were also recorded in each trial. RESULTS: Compared with pre-exercise level, the accuracy of Rapid Visual Information Processing test (RVIPT) and the response time in Visual Search Test (VST, complex level) after LIST improved in CES and CEPS trials, but not in PLA trial. However, the accuracy of VST (complex level) decreased in both CES and CEPS trials, compared with PLA trial. CEPS consumption improved accuracy in VST (simple level), compared with CES consumption. Blood glucose concentrations were well maintained in CEPS trial, but not in CES and PLA trials. CONCLUSION: It seems that both CES and CEPS consumption show certain benefits on some aspects of cognitive function in male college soccer players in Hong Kong. However, these effects may be specific to the cognitive domain tested.

Acute Effect of Brief Mindfulness-Based Intervention Coupled with Fluid Intake on Athletes' Cognitive Function.

During the half time of intermittent team sports, substantial physiological changes relating to acid-base balance and glycemic response affect the second-half performance. Refuel and rehydrate strategy is therefore necessary to be investigated. This field experiment assessed the acute effect of a brief mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) coupled with fluid intake on players' cognitive function in a simulated soccer game. In a single-blinded, randomized, cross-over experiment, 14 male players received three treatments [Control: noncarbohydrate solution + traveling introduction audio; CHO: Carbohydrate (CHO)-electrolyte solution + traveling introduction audio; and CHO-M: CHO-electrolyte solution + MBI] during a simulated half-time break of a soccer game. Participants' mindfulness level, blood glucose and lactate, rating of perceived exertion, and cognitive function performance assessed by the Stroop effect task (ST), Corsi block-tapping test (CBT), and rapid visual information processing task (RVIPT) were immediately measured before, during, and after the trial. Repeated measure ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. The results revealed that: (1) in ST, the CHO_M group performed better than the Control group and marginally better than the CHO group; (2) in CBT, both the Control group and CHO-M group responded faster in the posttest than in the pretest; however, the performance of the CHO group remained the same; (3) the CHO group spent less time on missing numbers in post RVIPT compared with the other two groups. In conclusion, findings of this study provided a preliminary evidence of the positive effect of MBI coupled with CHO intake on athletes' cognitive function, with both positive and negative effect of CHO ingestion.

Effect of pre-exercise ingestion of α-lactalbumin on subsequent endurance exercise performance and mood states.

This study investigated the effect of pre-exercise α-lactalbumin ingestion on subsequent endurance exercise performance, muscle pain and mood states. In a two-stage cross-over counterbalance design, eleven male endurance runners (age: 31 (se 2) years, height: 169·5 (se 4·4) cm, weight: 63·6 (se 5·1) kg, V̇O2max: 58·8 (se 6·3) ml/kg per min) consumed two solutions (carbohydrate+α-lactalbumin, CA; carbohydrate+whey protein isolate, CW) 2 h before a self-paced 21-km run. Creatine kinase, IL-6, muscle pain, pressure pain threshold (PPT) and mood states were assessed 2 h before exercise, immediately before exercise (Pre-ex0) and immediately after exercise (Post-ex0). No difference was found in 21-km running performance between two trials (CA v. CW: 115·85 (se 5·20) v. 118·85 (se 5·51) min, P=0·48). Compared with CW, CA led to higher PPT at Pre-ex0 (41·77 (se 2·27) v. 35·56 (se 2·10) N/cm2, P<0·01) and Post-ex0 (38·76 (se 3·23) v. 35·30 (se 3·55) N/cm2, P=0·047). Compared with CW, CA reduced the feeling of fatigue at Post-ex0 (P<0·01); CA also reduced salivary cortisol levels at Post-ex0 (0·72 (se 0·07) v. 0·83 (se 0·13) ng/ml, P<0·01). In conclusion, the ingestion of α-lactalbumin did not improve the 21-km time-trial performance. However, compared with the pre-exercise ingestion of whey protein, that of α-lactalbumin led to superior results during similar levels of endurance exercise: it elevated PPT and reduced the feeling of fatigue and the cortisol levels.

Analysis on the Polymorphism of Chromosome Region 9p21 and the Susceptibility of Carotid Plaque.

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis is a complicated disease governed by genetic, environmental and vascular risk factors, while its relationship with specific genes is still unclear. In recent days, it has been discovered that the single-nucleotide polymorphisms of chromosomal region 9p21 were relevant with the genetic susceptibility of Atherosclerosis. We aimed to figure out the relativity between the gene polymorphism of region 9p21 (rs10757274, rs7044859, rs4977574 and rs496892) and carotid plaque. METHODS: With polymerase chain reaction-ligase detection reaction, the gene polymorphisms of site rs10757274, rs7044859, rs4977574 and rs496892 in chromosome region 9p21 were analyzed in 764 non-cardiac cerebral infarction (CI) patients (406 with carotid plaque while 358 without). RESULTS: Among the population aged between 45 and 65, compared to patients without carotid plaque, no significant difference were observed on the genotype or allele frequencies distribution in 9p21 genes including rs10757274, rs7044859, rs4977574 and rs496892 in the patients with carotid plaque. There existed strong linkage disequilibrium not only between rs10757274 and rs4977574 but also between rs7044859 and rs496892 as well. CONCLUSION: In Chinese Han CI population, there was no significant relevance between the polymorphisms of site rs10757274, rs7044859, rs4977574 and rs496892 in region 9p21 and the susceptibility of carotid plaque.