Exercise FITT-V during pregnancy: Association with birth outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Prenatal exercise improves birth outcomes, but research into exercise dose-response effects is limited. METHODS: This study is a retrospective, secondary analysis of pooled data from three blinded, prospective, randomized controlled trials. Prenatal exercise frequency, intensity, type, time, and volume (FITT-V) were assessed in supervised sessions throughout pregnancy. Gestational age (GA), neonatal resting heart rate (rHR), morphometrics (body circumferences, weight-to-length and ponderal index) Apgar and reflex scores, and placental measures were obtained at birth. Stepwise regressions and Pearson correlations determined associations between FITT-V and birth outcomes. RESULTS: Prenatal exercise frequency reduces ponderal index (R2 = 0.15, F = 2.76, p = .05) and increased total number of reflexes present at birth (R2 = 0.24, F = 7.89, p < .001), while exercise intensity was related to greater gestational age and birth length (R2 = 0.08, F = 3.14; R2 = 0.12, F = 3.86, respectively; both p = .04); exercise weekly volume was associated with shorter hospital stay (R2 = 0.24, F = 4.73, p = .01). Furthermore, exercise type was associated with placenta size (R2 = 0.47, F = 3.51, p = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal exercise is positively related to birth and placental outcomes in a dose-dependent manner.

Mode of Physical Activity Participation in US Adults: A Regional Perspective.

OBJECTIVE: Examine the mode of physical activity (PA) participation in United States adults by US Census region. METHODS: The study sample (N = 323,435) included adult (18 years of age and older) participants from the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Participants reported meeting both aerobic and muscle strengthening activity (MSA) guidelines, the aerobic-only guideline, the MSA only guideline, or neither. RESULTS: The greatest prevalence estimate of meeting the mutually exclusive aerobic and MSA guideline was found in the West Census Region (24.3, 95% confidence interval 23.6-24.9) and the greatest prevalence estimate of meeting neither aerobic nor MSA guideline was found in the South Census Region (38.1%, 95% confidence interval 37.5-38.7). Physical and mental health were found to be positively associated with PA and non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics reported the greatest levels of meeting neither federal PA recommendation. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that mode of PA participation varies by demographics and census region in US adults. State and local health departments should communicate between and within regions and disseminate information to raise awareness of the health benefits of meeting the federal PA guidelines.

The Impact of Moderate or High-Intensity Combined Exercise on Systemic Inflammation Among Older Persons With and Without HIV.

BACKGROUND: We investigated whether higher-intensity exercise provided greater decrease in markers of inflammation, and whether responses differed by HIV serostatus. METHODS: People with HIV (PWH; n = 32) and controls (n = 37) aged 50-75 years completed 12 weeks moderate-intensity exercise, then were randomized to moderate- or high-intensity exercise for 12 additional weeks (n = 27 and 29, respectively). Inflammation biomarkers were measured at 0, 12, 24 weeks. Mixed and multiple regression models were adjusted for baseline inflammation, age, and body mass index. RESULTS: Baseline tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), soluble TNF receptor 2 (sTNFR2), and soluble CD14 (sCD14) were significantly higher among PWH than controls (P < .04). From week 0-12, changes in interleukin-6 (IL-6), TNF-α, and sTNFR1 were not significantly different by HIV serostatus. We found no significant interaction between HIV serostatus/exercise intensity on week 12-24 changes in IL-6, TNF-α, and sTNFR1. Among high-intensity exercisers, PWH and controls had significant increases in sCD14 (P ≤ .003), controls significant increases in IL-10 (P = .01), and PWH nonsignificant decrease in highly sensitive C-reactive protein (P = .07). Other markers were not significantly different by serostatus or intensity. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate and high-intensity exercise elicited similar effects on inflammation among PWH and controls, with additional beneficial effects seen among high-intensity exercisers. Increase in sCD14 and attenuated IL-10 increase (PWH only) merit further study. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT02404792.