Effects of high-intensity training on the quality of life of cancer patients and survivors: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Cancer and associated medical treatments affect patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) by decreasing functional dimensions of physical, social, cognitive, and emotional well-being, while increasing short and late-term symptoms. Exercise, however, is demonstrated to be a useful therapy to improve cancer patients' and survivors' HRQoL, yet the effectiveness of high-intensity training (HIT) exercise is uncertain. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to analyse the effects of HIT on HRQoL dimensions in cancer patients and survivors as well as evaluate the optimal prescription of HIT. The search followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (PRISMA) and examined Web of Science and PubMed (Medline) databases. Data were analysed utilizing Review Manager Software. Twenty-two articles were included in the systematic review and 17 in the meta-analysis. Results showed HIT improved global quality of life, physical functioning, role functioning, social functioning, cognitive functioning, fatigue, pain, dyspnea, and insomnia, compared to an inactive control group, yet no differences were found between HIT and low to moderate-intensity exercise interventions. Particular improvements in HRQoL were observed during cancer treatment and with a training duration of more than eight weeks, a frequency of 2 days/week, and a volume of at least 120 min/week, including 15 min or more of HIT. Our findings whilst encouraging, highlight the infancy of the extant evidence base for the role of HIT in the HRQoL of cancer patients and survivors.

Are Exercise Referral Schemes Associated With an Increase in Physical Activity? Observational Findings Using Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis From the National Referral Database.

OBJECTIVES: To examine if exercise referral schemes (ERSs) are associated with meaningful changes in physical activity in a large cohort of individuals throughout England, Scotland, and Wales from The National Referral Database. METHODS: Data were obtained from 5246 participants from 12 different ERSs, lasting 6-12 weeks. The preexercise referral scheme and changes from the preexercise to the postexercise referral scheme in self-reported International Physical Activity Questionnaire scores were examined. A 2-stage individual patient data meta-analysis was used to generate the effect estimates. RESULTS: For the pre-ERS metabolic equivalent (MET) minutes per week, the estimate (95% confidence interval [CI]) was 676 MET minutes per week (539 to 812). For the change in MET minutes per week, the estimate (95% CI) was an increase of 540 MET minutes per week (396 to 684). Changes in the total PA levels occurred as a result of increases in vigorous activity of 17 minutes (95% CI, 9 to 24), increases in moderate activity of 29 minutes (95% CI, 22 to 36), and reductions in sitting of -61 minutes (95% CI, -78 to -43), though little change in walking (-5 min; 95% CI, -14 to 5) was found. CONCLUSIONS: Most participants undergoing ERSs are already "moderately active." Changes in PA behavior associated with participation are through increased moderate to vigorous PA and reduced sitting. However, this was insufficient to change the International Physical Activity Questionnaire category, and the participants were still "moderately active."

Developing a theory-driven framework for a football intervention for men with severe, moderate or enduring mental health problems: a participatory realist synthesis.

Background: Physical activity interventions are an important adjunct therapy for people with severe to moderate and/or enduring mental health problems. Football is particularly popular for men in this group. Several interventions have emerged over the past decade and there is a need to clearly articulate how they are intended to work, for whom and in what circumstances.Aims: To develop a theory-driven framework for a football intervention for men with severe, moderate and/or enduring mental health problems using a participatory realist approach.Methods: A participatory literature review on playing football as a means of promoting mental health recovery with a realist synthesis. It included the accounts and input of 12 mental health service users and the contributions of other stakeholders including football coaches and occupational therapists.Results: Fourteen papers were included in the review. Analysis revealed that interventional mechanisms were social connectedness, identity security, normalising experiences and positive affectivity. These supported mental health recovery. Outcomes were moderated by social stigma and several interventional factors such as over-competitiveness.Conclusions: The context mechanism outcome configuration framework for these interventions map well onto social models of mental health recovery and provide insight into how they work. This now requires testing.

Effects of a pragmatic lifestyle intervention for reducing body mass in obese adults with obstructive sleep apnoea: a randomised controlled trial.

This study investigated the effects of a pragmatic lifestyle intervention in obese adults with continuous positive airway pressure-treated obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS). Sixty patients were randomised 1 : 1 to either a 12-week lifestyle intervention or an advice-only control group. The intervention involved supervised exercise sessions, dietary advice, and the promotion of lifestyle behaviour change using cognitive-behavioural techniques. Outcomes were assessed at baseline (week 0), intervention end-point (week 13), and follow-up (week 26). The primary outcome was 13-week change in body mass. Secondary outcomes included anthropometry, blood-borne biomarkers, exercise capacity, and health-related quality of life. At end-point, the intervention group exhibited small reductions in body mass (-1.8 [-3.0, -0.5] kg; P = 0.007) and body fat percentage (-1 [-2, 0]%; P = 0.044) and moderate improvements in C-reactive protein (-1.3 [-2.4, -0.2] mg·L(-1); P = 0.028) and exercise capacity (95 [50, 139] m; P < 0.001). At follow-up, changes in body mass (-2.0 [-3.5, -0.5] kg; P = 0.010), body fat percentage (-1 [-2, 0]%; P = 0.033), and C-reactive protein (-1.3 [-2.5, -0.1] mg·L(-1); P = 0.037) were maintained and exercise capacity was further improved (132 [90, 175] m; P < 0.001). This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01546792.

Key stakeholders' perspectives towards childhood obesity treatment: a qualitative study.

Over the past three decades, there has been a dramatic global increase in childhood obesity. A better understanding of stakeholders' perceptions of intervention requirements could contribute to developing more effective interventions for childhood obesity. This study provides a qualitative, in-depth, analysis of stakeholders' (children, parents and health professionals) perspectives toward the efficacy of childhood obesity treatment interventions. Twenty-six stakeholders were recruited using purposive sampling; semi-structured interviews were adopted to explore stakeholders' perceptions with data analysed using a framework approach. Stakeholders concurred that treatment should be family-based incorporating physical activity, nutrition and psychological components, and be delivered in familiar environments to recipients. However, incongruence existed between stakeholders towards the sustainability of obesity treatment interventions. Parents and children reported needing ongoing support to sustain behavioural changes made during treatment, while health professionals suggested interventions should aim to create autonomous individuals who exit treatment and independently sustain behaviour change. This study provides an insight into issues of stakeholder involvement in the obesity intervention design and delivery process. To promote long-term behaviour change, there needs to be increased congruence between the delivery and receipt of childhood obesity treatment interventions. Interventions need to incorporate strategies that promote autonomous and self-regulated motivation, to enhance families' confidence in sustaining behaviour change independent of health professional support.