High occurrence of food insecurity in young people attending a youth mental health service in regional Australia.

AIM: Despite the relationship between food insecurity and poor mental health, food insecurity in young people attending mental health services in Australia remains understudied. This study aimed to determine the occurrence and predictors of food insecurity, and the relationship with dietary factors in young people attending a mental health service. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in a sample of young people (15-25 years) who attended a mental health service in Launceston, Australia. The survey utilised a single-item food insecurity screening tool and eight demographic, health and service use questions. Five questions determined self-reported intake of fruit, vegetables, breakfast, water, sugar-sweetened beverages and takeaway foods. Binary logistic regression determined predictors of food insecurity. Cross-tabulations determined differences in dietary intake according to food security. RESULTS: Of survey respondents (n = 48; 68% female), 40% (n = 19) were food insecure. Respondents living out of home or in unstable accommodation were at significantly higher risk of food insecurity (odds ratio [OR]: 4.43; SE: 0.696; 95% CI: 1.13-17.34; p = 0.032) compared to those living with their parents. Those receiving government financial assistance (OR: 5.00; SE: 0.676; 95% CI: 1.33-18.81; p = 0.017) were also at significantly higher risk of food insecurity. Regardless of food security status, self-reported intake of fruits, vegetables and breakfast were low, and respondents regularly consumed takeaway foods and sugar-sweetened beverages. CONCLUSIONS: There was a high occurrence of food insecurity and poor dietary intake in young people attending a youth mental health service demonstrating that initiatives to support access to healthy food in this group should be a priority, with potential benefits for mental health outcomes.

The knowledge, barriers and opportunities to improve nutrition and physical activity amongst young people attending an Australian youth mental health service: a mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: Mental illnesses are the leading cause of disability in young people, and lifestyle interventions in young people at risk of mental illness remain a priority. Opportunities to improve nutrition and physical activity among young people through youth mental health services remain unclear. This study aimed to determine the knowledge and behaviors towards nutrition and physical activity, the barriers and enablers to improving behaviors, and the preferred providers and sources of information for nutrition and physical activity among a sample of young people attending a youth mental health service. METHODS: A mixed-method study was conducted in regional Tasmania, Australia in a sample of young people (15-25 years) attending a youth mental health service (headspace). A quantitative survey (n = 48) determined young people's nutrition and physical activity knowledge, behaviors, barriers and enablers to achieving recommendations, and their preferred providers and sources of information. Structured interviews and a focus group further explored these concepts (n = 8), including the role of the mental health service as a provider of this support. RESULTS: The majority of participants did not meet national recommendations for nutrition and physical activity, despite possessing a high level of knowledge regarding their importance for mental health. Improving mental health was a common enabling factor for participants choosing to alter diet and physical activity habits, but also the leading barrier for participating in physical activity. Young people wanted to receive information from reputable health providers, ideally through social media sources. headspace was seen as an important potential provider of this information. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that there is a clear need to improve diet and physical activity habits to enhance mental and physical health outcomes in this at-risk group, and youth mental health services could provide further interventions to support their clients. Specialized staff (e.g. dietitians and exercise physiologists) may provide additional benefits alongside existing mental health care support.

Elite sprint swimming performance is enhanced by completion of additional warm-up activities.

This study investigated the effect of completing additional warm-up strategies in the transition phase between the pool warm up and the start of a race on elite sprint swimming performance. Twenty-five elite swimmers (12 men, 20 ± 3 years; 13 women, 20 ± 2 years, performance standard ~807 FINA2014 points) completed a standardised pool warm up followed by a 30-min transition phase and a 100-m freestyle time trial. During the transition phase, swimmers wore a tracksuit jacket with integrated heating elements and performed a dry land-based exercise routine (Combo), or a conventional tracksuit and remained seated (Control). Start (1.5% ± 1.0%, P = 0.02; mean ± 90% confidence limits) and 100-m time trial (0.8% ± 0.4%, P < 0.01) performances were improved in Combo. Core temperature declined less (-0.2°C ± 0.1°C versus -0.5°C ± 0.1°C, P = 0.02) during the transition phase and total local (trapezius) haemoglobin concentration was greater before the time trial in Combo (81 µM ± 25 µM versus 30 µM ± 18 µM, P < 0.01; mean ± standard deviation) than in Control. Combining swimmers traditional pool warm up with passive heating via heated jackets and completion of dry land-based exercises in the transition phase improves elite sprint swimming performance by ~0.8%.

Morning Exercise: Enhancement of Afternoon Sprint-Swimming Performance.

CONTEXT: An exercise bout completed several hours prior to an event may improve competitive performance later that same day. PURPOSE: To examine the influence of morning exercise on afternoon sprint-swimming performance. METHODS: Thirteen competitive swimmers (7 male, mean age 19 ± 3 y; 6 female, mean age 17 ± 3 y) completed a morning session of 1200 m of variedintensity swimming (SwimOnly), a combination of varied-intensity swimming and a resistance-exercise routine (SwimDry), or no morning exercise (NoEx). After a 6-h break, swimmers completed a 100-m time trial. RESULTS: Time-trial performance was faster in SwimOnly (1.6% ± 0.6, mean ± 90% confidence limit, P < .01) and SwimDry (1.7% ± 0.7%, P < .01) than in NoEx. Split times for the 25- to 50-m distance were faster in both SwimOnly (1.7% ± 1.2%, P = .02) and SwimDry (1.5% ± 0.8%, P = .01) than in NoEx. The first 50-m stroke rate was higher in SwimOnly (0.70 ± 0.21 Hz, mean ± SD, P = .03) and SwimDry (0.69 ± 0.18 Hz, P = .05) than in NoEx (0.64 ± 0.16 Hz). Before the afternoon session, core (0.2°C ± 0.1°C [mean ± 90% confidence limit], P = .04), body (0.2°C ± 0.1°C, P = .02), and skin temperatures (0.3°C ± 0.3°C, P = .02) were higher in SwimDry than in NoEx. CONCLUSIONS: Completion of a morning swimming session alone or together with resistance exercise can substantially enhance sprint-swimming performance completed later the same day.

Current Warm-Up Practices and Contemporary Issues Faced by Elite Swimming Coaches.

McGowan, CJ, Pyne, DB, Raglin, JS, Thompson, KG, and Rattray, B. Current warm-up practices and contemporary issues faced by elite swimming coaches. J Strength Cond Res 30(12): 3471-3480, 2016-A better understanding of current swimming warm-up strategies is needed to improve their effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to describe current precompetition warm-up practices and identify contemporary issues faced by elite swimming coaches during competition. Forty-six state-international level swimming coaches provided information through a questionnaire on their prescription of volume, intensity, and recovery within their pool and dryland-based competition warm-ups, and challenges faced during the final stages of event preparation. Coaches identified four key objectives of the precompetition warm-up: physiological (elevate body temperature and increase muscle activation), kinesthetic (tactile preparation, increase "feel" of the water), tactical (race-pace rehearsal), and mental (improve focus, reduce anxiety). Pool warm-up volume ranged from ∼1300 to 2100 m, beginning with 400-1000 m of continuous, low-intensity (∼50-70% of perceived maximal exertion) swimming, followed by 200-600 m of stroke drills and 1-2 sets (100-400 m in length) of increasing intensity (∼60-90%) swimming, concluding with 3-4 race or near race-pace efforts (25-100 m; ∼90-100%) and 100-400 m easy swimming. Dryland-based warm-up exercises, involving stretch cords and skipping, were also commonly prescribed. Coaches preferred swimmers complete their warm-up 20-30 minutes before race start. Lengthy marshalling periods (15-20+ minutes) and the time required to don racing suits (>10 minutes) were identified as complicating issues. Coaches believed that the pool warm-up affords athletes the opportunity to gain a tactile feel for the water and surrounding pool environment. The combination of dryland-based activation exercises followed by pool-based warm-up routines seems to be the preferred approach taken by elite swimming coaches preparing their athletes for competition.

Evaluating Warm-Up Strategies for Elite Sprint Breaststroke Swimming Performance.

PURPOSE: Targeted passive heating and completion of dryland-based activation exercises within the warm-up can enhance sprint freestyle performance. The authors investigated if these interventions would also elicit improvements in sprint breaststroke swimming performance. METHODS: Ten national and internationally competitive swimmers (~805 FINA (Fédération internationale de natation) 2014 scoring points; 6 men, mean ± SD 20 ± 1 y; 4 women, 21 ± 3 y) completed a standardized pool warm-up (1550 m) followed by a 30-min transition phase and a 100-m breaststroke time trial. In the transition phase, swimmers wore a conventional tracksuit and remained seated (control) or wore tracksuit pants with integrated heating elements and performed a 5-min dryland-based exercise routine (combo) in a crossover design. RESULTS: Performance in the 100-m time trial (control: 68.6 ± 4.0 s, combo: 68.4 ± 3.9 s, P = .55) and start times to 15 m (control: 7.3 ± 0.6 s; combo: 7.3 ± 0.6 s; P = .81) were not different between conditions. It was unclear (P = .36) whether combo (-0.12°C ± 0.19°C [mean ± 90% confidence limits]) elicited an improvement in core temperature maintenance in the transition phase compared with control (-0.31°C ± 0.19°C). Skin temperature immediately before commencement of the time trial was higher (by ~1°C, P = .01) within combo (30.13°C ± 0.88°C [mean ± SD]) compared with control (29.11°C ± 1.20°C). Lower-body power output was not different between conditions before the time trial. CONCLUSIONS: Targeted passive heating and completion of dryland-based activation exercises in the transition phase does not enhance sprint breaststroke performance despite eliciting elevated skin temperature immediately before time trial commencement.

Heated jackets and dryland-based activation exercises used as additional warm-ups during transition enhance sprint swimming performance.

OBJECTIVES: The lengthy competition transition phases commonly experienced by competitive swimmers may mitigate the benefits of the pool warm-up. To combat this, we examined the impact of additional passive and active warm-up strategies on sprint swimming performance. DESIGN: Counterbalanced, repeated-measures cross-over study. METHODS: Sixteen junior competitive swimmers completed a standardised pool warm-up followed by a 30min transition and 100m freestyle time-trial. Swimmers completed four different warm-up strategies during transition: remained seated wearing a conventional tracksuit top and pants (Control), wore an insulated top with integrated heating elements (Passive), performed a 5min dryland-based exercise circuit (Dryland), or a combination of Passive and Dryland (Combo). Swimming time-trial performance, core and skin temperature and perceptual variables were monitored. Time variables were normalised relative to Control. RESULTS: Both Combo (-1.05±0.26%; mean±90% confidence limits, p=0.00) and Dryland (-0.68±0.34%; p=0.02) yielded faster overall time-trial performances, with start times also faster for Combo (-0.37±0.07%; p=0.00) compared to Control. Core temperature declined less during transition with Combo (-0.13±0.25°C; p=0.01) and possibly with Dryland (-0.24±0.13°C; p=0.09) compared to Control (-0.64±0.16°C), with a smaller reduction in core temperature related to better time-trial performance (R(2)=0.91; p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Dryland-based exercise circuits completed alone and in combination with the application of heated tracksuit jackets during transition can significantly improve sprint swimming performance. Attenuation in the decline of core temperature and a reduction in start time appear as likely mechanisms.

Warm-Up Strategies for Sport and Exercise: Mechanisms and Applications.

It is widely accepted that warming-up prior to exercise is vital for the attainment of optimum performance. Both passive and active warm-up can evoke temperature, metabolic, neural and psychology-related effects, including increased anaerobic metabolism, elevated oxygen uptake kinetics and post-activation potentiation. Passive warm-up can increase body temperature without depleting energy substrate stores, as occurs during the physical activity associated with active warm-up. While the use of passive warm-up alone is not commonplace, the idea of utilizing passive warming techniques to maintain elevated core and muscle temperature throughout the transition phase (the period between completion of the warm-up and the start of the event) is gaining in popularity. Active warm-up induces greater metabolic changes, leading to increased preparedness for a subsequent exercise task. Until recently, only modest scientific evidence was available supporting the effectiveness of pre-competition warm-ups, with early studies often containing relatively few participants and focusing mostly on physiological rather than performance-related changes. External issues faced by athletes pre-competition, including access to equipment and the length of the transition/marshalling phase, have also frequently been overlooked. Consequently, warm-up strategies have continued to develop largely on a trial-and-error basis, utilizing coach and athlete experiences rather than scientific evidence. However, over the past decade or so, new research has emerged, providing greater insight into how and why warm-up influences subsequent performance. This review identifies potential physiological mechanisms underpinning warm-ups and how they can affect subsequent exercise performance, and provides recommendations for warm-up strategy design for specific individual and team sports.