Impacts of a Temporary Urban Pop-Up Park on Physical Activity and Other Individual- and Community-Level Outcomes.

Physical inactivity is a known risk factor for obesity and a number of chronic diseases. Modifying the physical features of neighborhoods to provide residents with equitable and convenient access to spaces for physical activity (PA) is a promising strategy for promoting PA. Public urban recreation spaces (e.g., parks) play an important role in promoting PA and are potentially an important neighborhood element for optimizing social capital and liveability in cities. Most studies examining the effects of park availability and use on PA have focused on traditional, permanent parks. The aims of this study were to (1) document patterns of park use and park-based PA at a temporary urban pop-up park implemented in the downtown business district of Los Altos, California during July-August 2013 and May-June 2014, (2) identify factors associated with park-based PA in 2014, and (3) examine the effects of the 2014 pop-up park on additional outcomes of potential benefit for park users and the Los Altos community at large. Park use remained high during most hours of the day in 2013 and 2014. Although the park attracted a multigenerational group of users, children and adolescents were most likely to engage in walking or more vigorous PA at the park. Park presence was significantly associated with potentially beneficial changes in time-allocation patterns among users, including a reduction in screen-time and an increase in overall park-time and time spent outdoors. Park implementation resulted in notable use among people who would otherwise not be spending time at a park (85% of surveyed users would not be spending time at any other park if the pop-up park was not there-2014 data analysis). Our results (significantly higher odds of spending time in downtown Los Altos due to park presence) suggest that urban pop-up parks may also have broader community benefits, such as attracting people to visit downtown business districts. Pending larger, confirmatory studies, our results suggest that temporary urban pop-up parks may contribute to solving the limited access to public physical activity recreation spaces many urban residents face.

POSITIVE EFFECTS OF RESISTANCE TRAINING ON INFLAMMATORY PARAMETERS IN MEN WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME RISK FACTORS.

BACKGROUND: evidences have shown a strongly association between metabolic syndrome (MS), cardiovascular diseases and chronic low-grade inflammation, being this last, related with the occurrence of sarcopenia and atherosclerosis. Despite several benefits, the effects of resistance training (RT) on inflammatory profile are controversial. Thereby, this study aims to investigate the effects of a RT on the inflammatory profile of men with MS risk factors. METHODS: fifteen sedentary men (57.53 ± 7.07 years old) with 2 or more MS components underwent a RT for 14 weeks (3 times per week), with intensity ranging between 40 and 70% of one repetition maximum. The dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to body composition assessment and serum was collected to evaluate biochemical and inflammatory parameters before and after the RT. RESULTS: despite the absence of changes in body weight, total muscular content and biochemical parameters, the individuals demonstrated a reduction on body fat content (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the RT resulted in lower circulating levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin- 6 (p < 0.05), in higher levels of intelerukin-10 (p < 0.05) and in the stabilization of interleukin-1 beta and interferon-gamma concentrations. It was concluded that a moderate RT benefits inflammatory profile, contributing to a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Introducción: la evidencia muestra la relación entre síndrome metabólico (SM), enfermedades cardiovasculares e inflamación crónica de bajo grado, que está relacionada con la aparición de sarcopenia y aterosclerosis. A pesar de muchos beneficios, los efectos del entrenamiento de resistencia (ER) sobre la inflamación son controvertidos. Este estudio tiene como objetivo investigar los efectos de 14 semanas de ER en el perfil inflamatorio de hombres con factores de riesgo para SM. Métodos: quince varones sedentarios (57,53 ± 7,07 años) con 2 o más componentes del SM fueron sometidos a un ER moderado durante 14 semanas (tres veces a la semana), con una intensidad que oscila entre 40 y 70% de una repetición máxima. La absorciometría dual de rayos X se utilizó para la evaluación de la composición corporal y el suero se recogió para evaluar los parámetros bioquímicos e inflamatorios antes y después de la ER. Resultados: a pesar del mantenimiento de la masa corporal, la masa muscular total y los parámetros bioquímicos, hubo una reducción en la grasa corporal (p < 0,05). Además, el ER disminuyó los niveles de factor de necrosis tumoral alfa e interleucina-6 circulante (p < 0,05), aumentó la concentración de interleucina-10 (p < 0,05) y mantuvo la interleucina-1 y el interferón-gamma. Se concluyó que 14 semanas de ER moderado provocan beneficios sobre el perfil inflamatorio, contribuyendo a la reducción del riesgo cardiovascular.