How Does the Level of Physical Activity Influence Eating Behavior? A Self-Determination Theory Approach.

Physical activity and diet are two predominant determinants of population health status that may influence each other. Physical activity has been identified as a behavior that may lead to a healthier diet and regulates eating behaviors. This research aimed to investigate how the level of physical activity is associated with the motivation related to eating behaviors and, consequently, the eating style individuals have on a daily basis. This was a cross-sectional study in which participants completed an online questionnaire that assessed the following variables: the level of physical activity, the motivation toward eating behavior, and the type of eating behavior. In total, 440 individuals (180 men and 260 women) who regularly exercised in gyms and fitness centers aged between 19 and 64 years (M = 33.84; SD = 10.09) took part in the study. The data were collected following the Declaration of Helsinki and with the approval of the Ethics Committee of the Polytechnic of Leiria. For the statistical analysis, mean and standard deviations were first calculated, as well as bivariate correlations between all the variables of interest. Then, structural equation model analyses were performed considering the levels of physical activity as the independent variable, motivations toward eating behavior as the mediators, and eating styles as the dependent variables. It was concluded that a greater level of physical activity leads to a more self-determined type of eating regulation, which in turn results in less constricted eating behaviors that are influenced by external factors and emotional factors.

Understanding the Associations across Fibromyalgia-Related Fatigue, Depression, Anxiety, Self-Esteem Satisfaction with Life and Physical Activity in Portuguese and Brazilian Patients: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis.

Background and Objectives: Fibromyalgia are heterogeneous and differ from patient to patient; however, the most reported are general myalgia and at specific points associated with fatigue and certain psychological adversities. Physical activity can mitigate the effects of the symptoms. However, the associations between fibromyalgia-related fatigue, self-esteem, anxiety, depression, satisfaction with life and physical activity are unclear. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to understand the associations between these symptoms and whether there are differences between these associations across two distinct cultures. Materials and Methods: A total of 473 women aged between 28 and 75 years (M = 49.27; SD ± 8.28) completed five questionnaires about fibromyalgia-related fatigue, physical activity, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and satisfaction with life. Results: Fibromyalgia-related fatigue was positively associated with depression and anxiety, depression and anxiety were negatively associated with self-esteem, self-esteem was positively associated with satisfaction with life, satisfaction with life was positively associated with physical activity and there were no differences in terms of the perceptions and associations of these variables between Portuguese and Brazilian patients. Conclusions: Our results showed the significant role of associations between these variables and a similarity in the perception and relationship of the variables between the two cultures.

Effect of different types of exercise in adult subjects with fibromyalgia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials.

Exercise has been recommended for fibromyalgia treatment. However, doubts related to exercise benefits remain unclear. The objective of this study was to summarise, through a systematic review with meta-analysis, the available evidence on the effects of aerobic, resistance and stretching exercise on pain, depression, and quality of life. Search was performed using electronic databases Pubmed and Cochrane Library. Studies with interventions based on aerobic exercise, resistance exercise and stretching exercise published until July 2020 and updated in December 2021, were identified. Randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses involving adults with fibromyalgia were also included. Eighteen studies were selected, including a total of 1184 subjects. The effects were summarised using standardised mean differences (95% confidence intervals) by random effect models. In general, aerobic exercise seems to reduce pain perception, depression and improves quality of life; it also improves mental and physical health-related quality of life. Resistance exercise decreases pain perception and improves quality of life and moreover improves the physical dimension of health-related quality of life. It was also observed that resistance exercise appears to have a non-significant positive effect on depression and the mental dimension of health-related quality of life. Studies revealed that stretching exercise reduces the perception and additionally improves quality of life and health-related quality of life. However, a non-significant effect was observed on depression. We conclude that exercise may be a way to reduce depression, and pain and improve the quality of life in adult subjects with fibromyalgia and should be part of the treatment for this pathology.

Exploring the Relationship between Fibromyalgia-Related Fatigue, Physical Activity, and Quality of Life.

The symptoms of fibromyalgia are varied, including general muscle pain and pain at specific points (also called tender points), excessive fatigue, anxiety, depression, and some psychological problems that can have a negative impact on quality of life. Physical activity is a widely used option by health professionals to alleviate the effects of this syndrome. However, there is no clear information on the possible mediating role of physical activity in the relationship between fibromyalgia-related fatigue and quality of life. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the relationship between fibromyalgia-related fatigue and quality of life, and to investigate the mediating role of physical activity in patients with this syndrome. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 237 Portuguese women aged 28 to 75 years (M = 49.12; SD ± 8.87) and 117 Brazilian women aged 20 to 69 years (M = 46.72; SD ± 8.38) were recruited to participate in this study. These patients completed three valid and reliable questionnaires related to the assessment of fibromyalgia-related fatigue (MDF-Fibro-17), physical activity (IPAQ), and quality of life (SF-36). RESULTS: Both samples had scores above the midpoint for all dimensions of fibromyalgia-related fatigue and scores below the midpoint for quality of life. Physical activity had no mediating effect in either sample, as the total indirect effect was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity does not mediate the relationship between fatigue and quality of life. However, the results also show that the fatigue dimensions associated with fibromyalgia had a negative and significant association with physical and mental health indicators in both samples. Thus, patients with FM with higher scores on fatigue-related symptoms might suffer more from physical and mental health, both of which are related to quality of life.

O papel do divertimento e das determinantes motivacionais na persistência da prática de exercício físico / The role of enjoyment and motivational determinants in persistence in the practice of physical exercise

Resumo Como objetivo deste trabalho, definiu-se analisar os efeitos indiretos de determinantes motivacionais no divertimento e na persistência em praticantes de exercício físico regular. Participaram ao todo 967 praticantes de exercício em ginásio e health clubs, com idades compreendidas entre 18 e 65 anos (M=45,08; DP=13,76). Todos os participantes tinham mais de 6 meses de experiência regular em exercício físico. Os participantes preencheram ao todo questionários traduzidos e validados para a língua portuguesa no contexto do exercício físico, que examinavam a perceção dos comportamentos interpessoais, as necessidades psicológicas básicas, a regulação da motivação e o divertimento. A persistência foi medida através de registos eletrónicos, considerando um praticante persistente aquele que tivesse uma frequência semanal similar aquela auto-reportada no momento inicial. A maioria das regressões são significativas, confirmado os pressupostos da literatura existente. Os efeitos indiretos mostram que o divertimento desempenha um papel crucial na persistência, tanto por via motivação autónoma, como por via motivação controlada. Em suma, atividades promotoras do prazer que os praticantes de ginásio e health club experienciam durante a prática de exercício físico poderão ser a variável chave na persistência a longo prazo.

Abstract The scope of this paper was to analyze the impact of motivational determinants in enjoyment and persistence in physical exercise among practitioners of physical exercise. In total, 967 gym and health club exercise practitioners aged between 18 and 65 (M=45.08; SD=13.76) were recruited for analysis. All participants had more than six months of regular exercise practice. Participants completed and validated scales in the exercise context duly translated into Portuguese, assessing interpersonal behaviors, basic psychological needs, and behavioral regulation. Persistence was measured using computerized records considering persistent exercisers as being those who were exercising at similar frequencies as those self-reported at the initial assessment. Results showed that the measurement and structural model fit the data. Several significant effects were found supporting previous literature. Indirect effects showed enjoyment to play a crucial role on exercise persistence, both by the significant effect via autonomous and controlled motivation. In essence, activities that give pleasure that gym and health club exercisers experience during the practice of physical exercise can be the key variable of long-term persistence.

Differences between Portuguese and Brazilian Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome: Exploring the Associations across Age, Time of Diagnosis, and Fatigue-Related Symptoms.

Background and Objectives: The current literature demonstrates that different cultures have different perceptions of the symptoms of Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FM). The aim of the study was to explore the differences between Brazilian and Portuguese patients with FM in their fatigue experience and to measure the differences in the perception of fatigue according to age and duration of diagnosis. Materials and Methods: In total, 209 Portuguese women aged between 21 and 75 years old (M = 47.44; SD = 10.73) and 429 Brazilian women aged between 18 and 77 years old (M = 46.51; SD = 9.24) were recruited to participate in the present study. Participants filled out the items in the Multidimensional Daily Fatigue-Fibromyalgia-17 Diary (MDF-Fibro-17), a specific tool to measure the level of five components of FM-related fatigue. Results: The results showed a greater perception of all of the components of fatigue in the Brazilian sample. No significant differences were found related to the age and duration of FM diagnosis. Conclusions: Overall, there are significant differences in fatigue symptoms between Portuguese and Brazilian women with FM, suggesting that cultural and geographical differences should be considered when describing fatigue-related symptoms in women with FM.

The Multidimensional Daily Diary of Fatigue-Fibromyalgia-17 Items (MDF-Fibro-17): Evidence from Validity, Reliability and Transcultural Invariance between Portugal and Brazil.

The Multidimensional Daily Diary of Fatigue-Fibromyalgia-17 (MDF-fibro-17) is an instrument that measures the different components of fibromyalgia-related fatigue symptoms. The current study aims to examine the factor structure of the MDF-fibro-17 in a sample of Portuguese and Brazilian patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Additionally, a cross-cultural analysis was carried out on these samples to understand the multidimensional complexity of examining the different dimensions of fatigue in patients with different cultural backgrounds and how fibromyalgia impacts patients with this syndrome. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed to examine the psychometric properties of the measure. Additionally, a multigroup analysis was carried out on the samples of these two cultures to examine measurement invariance. In total, 209 Portuguese women aged between 21 and 75 years (M = 47.44; SD = 10.73) and 429 Brazilians women aged between 16 and 77 years (M = 46.51; SD = 9.24) participated in this study. The results revealed that the measurement model provided an acceptable fit to the data in both the Portuguese and Brazilian samples, also displaying acceptable convergent and discriminant validity. In addition, the model showed acceptable internal consistency and was invariant between cultures. In sum, the MDF-fibro-17 is a valid measure that offers a unique assessment of fatigue symptoms in Portuguese and Brazilian women with fibromyalgia.

The retinoid X receptor: a nuclear receptor that modulates the sleep-wake cycle in rats.

RATIONALE: The nuclear receptor retinoid X receptor (RXR) belongs to a nuclear receptor superfamily that modulates diverse functions via homodimerization with itself or several other nuclear receptors, including PPARα. While the activation of PPARα by natural or synthetic agonists regulates the sleep-wake cycle, the role of RXR in the sleep modulation is unknown. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the effects of bexarotene (Bexa, a RXR agonist) or UVI 3003 (UVI, a RXR antagonist) on sleep, sleep homeostasis, levels of neurochemical related to sleep modulation, and c-Fos and NeuN expression. METHODS: The sleep-wake cycle and sleep homeostasis were analyzed after application of Bexa or UVI. Moreover, we also evaluated whether Bexa or UVI could induce effects on dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine epinephrine, adenosine, and acetylcholine contents, collected from either the nucleus accumbens or basal forebrain. In addition, c-Fos and NeuN expression in the hypothalamus was determined after Bexa or UVI treatments. RESULTS: Systemic application of Bexa (1 mM, i.p.) attenuated slow-wave sleep and rapid eye movement sleep. In addition, Bexa increased the levels of dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine epinephrine, adenosine, and acetylcholine sampled from either the nucleus accumbens or basal forebrain. Moreover, Bexa blocked the sleep rebound period after total sleep deprivation, increased in the hypothalamus the expression of c-Fos, and decreased NeuN activity. Remarkably, UVI 3003 (1 mM, i.p.) induced opposite effects in sleep, sleep homeostasis, neurochemicals levels, and c-Fos and NeuN activity. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of RXR agonist or antagonist significantly impaired the sleep-wake cycle and exerted effects on the levels of neurochemicals related to sleep modulation. Moreover, Bexa or UVI administration significantly affected c-Fos and NeuN expression in the hypothalamus. Our findings highlight the neurobiological role of RXR on sleep modulation.

Physical exercise and geriatric depression: an opinion / Atividade física e depressão geriátrica: uma opinião / Actividad física y depresión geriátrica: una opinión

Depression represents a common public health problem in the world. Depression in the elderly appears to follow a vulnerability-stress model, with an interaction between individual vulnerabilities, including genetic factors, age-related cognitive and neurobiological changes, and a variety of stressful events that occur more frequently in advanced ages, such as grief, financial problems, and reduction in autonomy/functionality. In the last decades, several studies have indicated that exercise can be effective in preventing or reducing depressive symptoms, both in healthy and psychiatric populations. Due to the scientific community's interest in the efficacy and safety of physical exercise as complementary therapy for depressed elderly patients, we conduct an opinion study on the subject. Despite the researchers' efforts, in the last decades little progress has been made in verifying the efficacy of exercise in geriatric depression.

A depressão representa um problema comum de saúde pública no mundo. A depressão em idosos parece seguir um modelo de vulnerabilidade-estresse, com uma interação entre vulnerabilidades individuais, incluindo fatores genéticos, mudanças cognitivas e neurobiológicas relacionadas à idade, e uma variedade de eventos estressantes que ocorrem mais frequentemente em idades avançadas, como luto, problemas financeiros e redução da autonomia/funcionalidade. Nas últimas décadas, vários estudos indicaram que o exercício pode ser eficaz na prevenção ou redução dos sintomas depressivos, tanto em populações saudáveis como psiquiátricas. Devido ao interesse da comunidade científica na eficácia e segurança do exercício físico como terapia complementar para idosos deprimidos; realizamos um estudo de opinião sobre o assunto. Apesar dos esforços dos pesquisadores, nas últimas décadas pouco progresso foi feito na verificação da eficácia do exercício na depressão geriátrica.

La depresión representa un problema común de salud pública en el mundo. La depresión en los ancianos parece seguir un modelo de vulnerabilidad-estrés, con una interacción entre las vulnerabilidades individuales, incluidos factores genéticos, cambios cognitivos y neurobiológicos relacionados con la edad, y una variedad de eventos estresantes que ocurren con mayor frecuencia en edades avanzadas, como el duelo, problemas financieros y reducción de la autonomía/funcionalidad. En las últimas décadas, varios estudios han indicado que el ejercicio puede ser eficaz para prevenir o reducir los síntomas depresivos, tanto en poblaciones sanas como psiquiátricas. Debido al interés de la comunidad científica en la eficacia y seguridad del ejercicio físico como terapia complementaria para pacientes ancianos deprimidos, realizamos un estudio de opinión sobre el tema. A pesar de los esfuerzos de los investigadores, en las últimas décadas se ha avanzado poco en la verificación de la eficacia del ejercicio en la depresión geriátrica.

Perfil epidemiológico de los donadores de dientes humanos extraídos en establecimientos de salud Pública, ubicados en Cuscatlán, La Paz, San Miguel y Morazán, en el año 2019 / Epidemiological profile of donors of human teeth extracted in public health facilities, located in Cuscatlán, La Paz, San Miguel and Morazán, in 2019

Determinar el perfil epidemiológico de los donadores de dientes humanos extraídos en establecimientos de salud pública, ubicados en Cuscatlán, La Paz, San Miguel y Morazán en el año 2019. Metodología: El estudio posee una muestra de 252 órganos dentales extraídos en las Unidad Comunitaria de Salud Familiar (UCSF) donde se realizó el servicio social, la investigación es de tipo observacional, descriptiva y transversal; la recolección de datos se realizó en el periodo de abril a septiembre del 2019; se utilizó el programa SPSS versión 25 para el vaciado, análisis e interpretación de resultados. Resultados: La mayoría de donadores fueron del sexo femenino (63.68%); las personas más afectadas fueron del área rural (79.25%); el rango de edad más frecuente fue entre los 21 y 30 años de edad (26.89%); la enfermedad que más prevalece en los pacientes es la hipertensión arterial (16.04%); el hábito deletéreo más frecuente fue tabaquismo (3.30%); la enfermedad oral con mayor frecuencia fue caries dental (95.51%); se obtuvo un nivel regular de higiene bucal en 147 pacientes (69.34%). Conclusiones: La principal causa de extracción fue caries dental y secuelas, el órgano dental con mayor número de extracción fue el diente 3-6, según características morfológicas de la corona y raíz del diente extraído se presentó caries cavitada y raíz completa sucesivamente.

To Determine the epidemiological profile of donors of human teeth extracted in public health facilities, located in Cuscatlán, La Paz, San Miguel and Morazán in 2019. Methodology: The study has a sample of 252 extracted dental organ in the Community Unit of Family Health (UCSF) where the social service was performed, the research is observational, descriptive and transversal; the data collection was done in the period from April to September 2019; The SPSS program version 25 was used for the emptying, analysis and interpretation of results. Results: Most of the donors were female (63.68%); the most affected people were from the rural areas (79.25%); the most frequent age range was between 21 and 30, (26.89%); the most prevalent disease in patients was arterial hypertension (16.04%); the most frequent deleterious habit was smoking (3.30%); the most frequent oral disease was dental caries (95.51%); a regular level of oral hygiene was obtained in 147 patients (69.34%). Conclusions: The main cause of extraction was dental caries and sequelae, the dental organ with the highest number of extraction was tooth 3-6, according to morphological characteristics of the crown and root of the extracted tooth there was cavitated caries and complete root successively.