RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) provides the state of putative connectivity from lesioned areas to other brain areas and is potentially beneficial to monitor intervention outcomes. This study assessed the effect of a 6 months guided exercise therapy on motor abilities and white matter diffusivity in the brains of cerebral palsy (CP) children. METHODS: This is a single arm pre-and post-test research design involving 10 spastic CP children, aged 8-18 years and whose Gross Motor Function Classification System Expanded and Revised (GMFCS-E & R) at least Level 21 with the ability to ambulate independently. They were recruited from Paediatric Neurology Clinic, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) from December 2015-December 2016. All participants underwent 6 months of therapist-guided exercise session comprising progressive strength training at a frequency of twice a week, 1 h duration per session. The effect of exercise on motor abilities was assessed using the Gross Motor Function Measures (GMFM)-88. Six out of the 10 children consented for dMRI. Probabilistic tractography of the corticospinal tract (CST) was performed to determine the connectivity index of the tracts pre-and post-intervention. RESULTS: All the participants displayed statistically significant increment in GMFM-88 scores pre-to post-exercise intervention. This improvement was concurrent with increased connectivity index in the CST of upper limbs and lower limbs in the brain of these children. CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrated that 6 months guided exercise therapy improves motor abilities of CP children concurrent with strengthening the connectivities of the motor pathways in the brain.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: A qualitative study providing an in-depth exploration of people's view and the increasing burden of overweight and obesity is required. This study aimed to explore the understanding of dieting and previous experiences on weight loss attempts among overweight and obese government employees in Kelantan, Malaysia, prior to recruitment into the intervention program. METHODS: Thirteen focus group discussions involving 129 participants from a weight-loss intervention program were conducted within the first 1 month of recruitment. These discussions were moderated by two trained researchers in the Malay language and assisted by an interview guide. They were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. A thematic analysis was performed, and codes and themes from each discussion were constructed. RESULTS: The participants understood dieting with various meanings, including skipping meals and removing rice from daily diets. They applied numerous methods to lose weight and achieved various outcomes. Health and appearance, social support, and compliance with current trends were the factors motivating these participants to lose weight. Their determination to lose weight was limited by lack of self-control and motivation, experiences of unpleasant effects, influence on weight, and environmental and health factors. CONCLUSION: Real-life weight loss experiences and perceptions provided relevant insights into current weight loss management strategies. Some of these issues and misunderstandings should be emphasized in weight loss strategies during health promotion.