Improvements in Functional Exercise Capacity after a Residential Behavioural Change, Diet and Fitness Program for Obese Adults.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Obese adults are at an increased risk for mobility-related problems. National guidelines recommend calorie restrictions and exercise for obese adults as a means to improve functional fitness capacity and to increase mobility. Yet, lifestyle weight loss interventions often fail to measure fitness changes. The aim of this study was to assess whether a 1-month, intensive behavioural change, diet and fitness intervention for overweight and obese adults would result in statistically significant and clinically meaningful changes in functional exercise. METHODS: A pre-post test design was used in this study. Seventy-two participants (40 women, 32 men; mean baseline body mass index (BMI) = 42.6 + 9.0; mean age = 45.8 + 16.8) completed a modified 6-minute walk test (6MWT), performed on a treadmill, at baseline and at end of treatment. RESULTS: Significant improvements included decreased BMI (2.7 + 1.7 kg m(-2) , p < 0.001) and increased 6MWT distance (66.4 + 73.0 m, p < 0.001). The 6MWT improved by 66 m on average, a reported clinically meaningful difference. Greater improvements in the 6MWT were significantly correlated with greater weight loss and BMI reduction. DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest that rehabilitation beyond weight loss may be derived from participation in a brief, intensive behavioural change, diet and fitness programme. Physiotherapists are in a prime position to address the physical and motivational challenges participants face while living with severe obesity: targeting functional exercise capacity is one key strategy for addressing immobility associated with obesity. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Healthy Daughters, Healthy Futures: A Focus Group Analysis to Determine Factors for Enhancing Positive Youth Development for Latina Adolescents.

Positive youth development is designed to promote healthy physical, intellectual, psychosocial, and emotional development in the transition from adolescence to adulthood through a primary focus on youth's inherent capacity for positive growth. We conducted 2 focus groups, 1 with Latina mothers (n = 4) and 1 with Latina daughters (n = 4) in central North Carolina, to explore their views on positive youth development. Latina mothers and daughters discussed problems they faced with future aspirations, definitions of health, and cultural differences. These findings can provide a foundation for developing an intervention to empower Latina youth to make a healthy transition to adulthood.

"Dance Dance Revolution" Used by 7- and 8-Year-Olds to Boost Physical Activity: Is Coaching Necessary for Adherence to an Exercise Prescription?

OBJECTIVE: To increase opportunities for physical activity (PA) for children in children's homes, we used a "Dance Dance Revolution" (DDR) (Konami of America, Redwood City, CA) coaching protocol for 7- and 8-year-olds. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We randomly assigned youth to either an Enhanced (coaching) or Basic (no coaching) group. A DDR prescription of 120 minutes/week was provided to 40 children. Motor learning principles guided the coaching protocol, provided by adult graduate students, which took place weekly during weeks 1-5. PA was measured with accelerometry, DDR logs, and Sony (New York, NY) Playstation(®)2 memory cards at baseline and at week 10. RESULTS: Total accelerometer-measured PA was not significantly different between the groups at baseline or week 10; however, vigorous PA increased significantly in both groups at week 10. DDR logs showed a large range from 0 to 660 minutes/week of dance time. Respective playing time for each week (1 and 10) averaged 149 and 64 minutes for the Basic group and 184 and 47 minutes for the Enhanced group. Coaching significantly increased DDR use patterns in this population of youngsters during weeks 1 through 5 (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Adult coaching deserves further study to determine how to maintain high levels of participation in exergames for youth who live in an obesogenic environment.