"My stuffed animals help me": the importance, barriers, and strategies for adequate sleep behaviors of school-age children and parents.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To describe parents' and school-age children's sleep-related cognitions and behaviors. METHODS: Parents (n = 36) and school-age children (n = 40; 6-11 years old) from New Jersey, Florida, and West Virginia participated in focus groups lasting ~60 minutes for parents and ~30 minutes for children. Trained researchers led the focus groups designed using Social Cognitive Theory constructs. Standard content analysis procedures were used independently by 3 trained researchers to analyze focus group data. RESULTS: A consistent finding across focus groups was that a set bedtime was a typical behavior. Both parents and children recognized the importance of sleep for health and academic success. Technology was highlighted by both groups as a barrier to adequate sleep. The children discussed postbedtime activities of their parents as barriers to sleep. Physical activity along with several healthy sleep practices was identified as strategies to improve sleep. Parents and children stressed the role of parents in promoting healthy sleep behaviors and sleep-conducive environment. Participants did not mention some well-established links between sleep duration and health as well as sleep-promoting behaviors. Several unique factors, not yet reported in the literature, were discussed by the parents and children including the use of stuffed animals for comfort and disruptive behaviors of others in the household. CONCLUSIONS: Many of the cognitions of parents and children coincide with evidence from scientific literature surrounding sleep and sleep hygiene but also demonstrated sleep hygiene knowledge gaps. Study findings can be applied to future sleep education materials targeting parents and school-age children.

The effects of over-the-counter jaw-repositioning mouthguards on aerobic performance.

BACKGROUND: Though jaw-repositioning devices have been found to increase size of upper respiratory airways in individuals, the effects of jaw-repositioning mouthguards on respiratory function during exercise have not been fully explored. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of over-the-counter (OTC) jaw-repositioning mouthguards on respiratory function and aerobic performance in male athletes. METHODS: College-aged, male athletes (N.=20) participated in this randomized, crossover, controlled study. Each subject completed one testing session per condition: a no mouthguard control (CON), a placebo mouthguard (PLA), an OTC self-adapted jaw-repositioning mouthguard (SA), and an OTC custom-fitted jaw-repositioning mouthguard (CF). Each testing session consisted of respiratory flow dynamic tests at rest. Ventilation and gas exchange were assessed during a graded maximal treadmill test. Peak blood lactate values were obtained from 0-10 min post-exercise. RESULTS: At rest, the CON had significantly higher peak expiratory flow rate values than the other conditions (P<0.03). Maximum voluntary ventilation values for PLA and SA were significantly lower compared to CON (P<0.02) at rest. No significant differences were observed between conditions for ventilation, oxygen consumption, or carbon dioxide production during any submaximal stage (P=0.81) nor at maximal aerobic capacity (P=0.35). Peak lactate and adjusted peak lactate values were not significantly different between conditions (P=0.30 and P=0.63, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The OTC jaw-repositioning mouthguards in this study did not enhance aerobic performance. It is important to acknowledge that negative effects on aerobic performance were not observed, thus providing additional support for encouraging the use of this safety device in sports.

The Effects of Exercise Dose on Stereotypical Behavior in Children with Autism.

INTRODUCTION: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent neurological disorder in children characterized by restrictive, repetitive patterns of behavior that place an added burden on everyday functions. Aerobic exercise has the propensity to reduce stereotypic behaviors in children with ASD. This study sought to quantify the acute effect of exercise and to assess the influence of duration and intensity on the frequency of stereotypic behaviors in children with ASD. METHODS: Participants in this study (N = 7, Mage = 13.0 ± 1.4 yr, Mheight = 1.64 ± 0.01 m, and Mweight = 60.1 ± 13.7 kg) underwent five separate days of treatments, including a control condition (C), a low-intensity 10-min condition (10L), a high-intensity 10-min condition (10H), a low-intensity 20-min condition (20L), and a high-intensity 20-min condition (20H) in which intensity was quantified using HR as well as RPE. Before and 60 min after exercise, the frequency of stereotypic behaviors was recorded. RESULTS: Results indicated a reduction in behaviors in response to exercise compared with the C trial throughout all conditions except 20H. Interestingly, the most exhaustive exercise session led to increased stereotypic behaviors at all postexercise periods compared with the other exercise trials (P < 0.10). The 10L condition showed the greatest reduction at 60 min postexercise compared with the 20H or the control trial's response (P < 0.05). Examining the behavioral responses to exercise using effect sizes indicated the 10L condition showed the greatest reduction in frequency throughout all four time points (ESrange = -0.87 to -1.03) compared with baseline. CONCLUSION: Although it appears high-intensity aerobic exercise may exacerbate stereotypic behaviors in children with ASD, low- to moderate-intensity exercise produces significant and large reductions in these behaviors. This provides an easily administered and cost-effective way to positively impact these individuals.

Emergency Food Supplies in Food Secure Households.

UNLABELLED: Introduction Limited food supply paired with reduced access to food during emergency disasters can lead to malnutrition. To date, research evaluating the adequacy of household emergency food supplies relies on self-reported data from surveys and has not been measured objectively in households in the United States. The main objective of this study was to describe household calorie availability and nutrient density in a normal situation and to project changes that could occur when emergencies (eg, natural disasters) restrict replenishment of food supplies and disrupt water and/or energy needed for food preparation and storage. Hypothesis The calorie availability of the food supply within households in New Jersey (USA) is anticipated to be well above the recommended 3-day period. However, it is anticipated that the nutritional density of the food supply within these households will be negative. Additionally, the disaster-related factors that diminish the ability to consume stored food (eg, lack of water, power for cooking, and/or proper storage) will further reduce the caloric and nutritional adequacy of the household food supply. METHODS: The household food supplies of 100 food secure families in New Jersey were inventoried at a non-emergency point in time. The number of days that the inventoried food supply would provide all household members 100% of the daily value (DV) for calories and other nutrients was determined. Additionally, the effects of water and power shortages on nutritional availability of household food supply were estimated. RESULTS: The households had an average of 33.16 days (SD=21.97; range=8.14-125.17 days) of calories at 100% DV for all household members. Lack of water, energy for cooking, or both would render a decrease in the total household calories by 28%, 35%, or 38%, respectively. Loss of power for greater than five days would reduce availability of household calories by 27%. A positive nutrient density was observed with and without the food-related resources of water and power. CONCLUSION: The mean food supply within the sampled households exceeds the current emergency preparedness recommendations, even when considering specific nutrients and emergency-related factors that affect ability to consume the food supply. Cross-sectional observation of the household food supply of food secure families in New Jersey reveals adequate dietary-based emergency preparedness and low vulnerability to emergency-induced food insecurity.

Effects of over-the-counter jaw-repositioning mouth guards on dynamic balance, flexibility, agility, strength, and power in college-aged male athletes.

Improvements in muscular power and anaerobic performance have resulted from the use of jaw-repositioning mouth guards designed with advanced dental techniques. The high cost of such techniques has dissuaded the widespread use. Recently, more affordable, over-the-counter (OTC) jaw-repositioning mouth guards have become available. The primary objective of this study was to examine the effects of 2 OTC jaw-repositioning mouth guards on muscular power and strength performance in college-aged male athletes. It was hypothesized that similar to previous observations with advanced dentistry-designed mouth guards, OTC jaw-repositioning mouth guards would impart positive effects on muscular power but not have any effect on muscular strength. Secondary objectives of this study included the examination of the effects of 2 OTC jaw-repositioning mouth guards on other variables related to athletic performance. Male collegiate athletes (N = 20) participated in 4 separate testing sessions that consisted of assessment of muscular power, dynamic balance, flexibility, agility, and muscular strength. The 4 conditions, 1 per testing session, were assigned in a randomized order and consisted of a no-mouth guard control (CON), a placebo mouth guard, a self-adapted jaw-repositioning mouth guard (SA), and a custom-fitted jaw-repositioning mouth guard (CF). No significant differences were observed between conditions in muscular power (p = 0.78), dynamic balance (p = 0.99), agility (p = 0.22), or muscular strength (p = 0.47). The CF had significantly lower hip flexion than the CON (p = 0.014) and had significantly greater lumbar spine lateral flexion compared with the SA condition (p = 0.054). However, these flexibility differences lack practical relevance as the effect sizes remain very small (ES = -0.27 and -0.14, respectively). In conclusion, the jaw-repositioning technique used in the design of these OTC mouth guards did not affect performance. It is important to note that negative effects were not observed indicating that mouth guard use did not impede performance.

An integrative review of sleep for nutrition professionals.

Sleep is an essential lifestyle factor that contributes to overall health. The inverse relation between sleep duration and weight status has revealed the importance of sleep in nutritional health. This integrative review builds foundational knowledge with regard to sleep vis-à-vis nutrition by summarizing the importance and process of sleep, current sleep recommendations and trends, as well as lifestyle contributors to poor sleep. Additionally, it details the association between sleep and obesity and potential mechanisms for this association. Furthermore, guidance is offered regarding the incorporation of sleep considerations in nutrition counseling, communication, and research. Like many other lifestyle factors that contribute to nutritional health, sleep needs to be considered when examining weight management and health promotion.

Postprandial triglyceride and free fatty acid metabolism in obese women after either endurance or resistance exercise.

We investigated the effects of two exercise modalities on postprandial triglyceride (TG) and free fatty acid (FFA) metabolism. Sedentary, obese women were studied on three occasions in randomized order: endurance exercise for 60 min at 60-65% aerobic capacity (E), ~60 min high-intensity resistance exercise (R), and a sedentary control trial (C). After exercise, a liquid-mixed meal containing [U-(13)C]palmitate was consumed, and subjects were studied over 7 h. Isotopic enrichment (IE) of plasma TG, plasma FFA, and breath carbon dioxide compared with meal IE indicated the contribution of dietary fat to each pool. Total and endogenously derived plasma TG content was reduced significantly in both E and R compared with C (P < 0.05), with no effect of exercise on circulating exogenous (meal-derived) TG content. Exogenous plasma FFA content was increased significantly following both E and R compared with C (P < 0.05), whereas total and endogenous FFA concentrations were elevated only in E (P < 0.05) compared with C. Fatty acid (FA) oxidation rates were increased significantly after E and R compared with C (P < 0.05), with no difference between exercise modalities. The present results indicate that E and R may be equally effective in reducing postprandial plasma TG concentration and enhancing lipid oxidation when the exercise sessions are matched for duration rather than for energy expenditure. Importantly, tracer results indicated that the reduction in postprandial lipemia after E and R exercise bouts is not achieved by enhanced clearance of dietary fat but rather, is achieved by reduced abundance of endogenous FA in plasma TG.

The impact of a 12-week resistance training program on strength, body composition, and self-concept of Hispanic adolescents.

Current evidence suggests that a resistance training program may be physically and psychologically beneficial for adolescents. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a structured resistance training program on strength, body composition, and self-concept in normal and overweight Hispanic adolescents. Male and female participants (n = 28; 16.1 +/- 0.2 y; 164.5 +/- 1.4 cm; 63.3 +/- 2.5 kg; 20.0 +/- 1.7% body fat [BF]) were recruited from a predominantly Hispanic high school. Prior to the 12-week program, strength, body composition, and self-concept were assessed. Subjects were randomly assigned to a control group (CON; n = 15) or to a resistance training group (RT; n = 13) that participated in supervised strength training 3 days/week. All measures were repeated at the end of the 12-week program. RT had significantly greater strength increases for bench press (p < 0.001), seated row (p = 0.002), shoulder press (p < 0.001), and squats (p = 0.002). RT had significant reductions in %BF (p = 0.001), whereas CON had slightly increased %BF. RT had an increase in condition/stamina competence (p = 0.008), attractive body adequacy (p = 0.017), and global self-worth (p = 0.013) from pretest to posttest, whereas no change was observed for CON. In conclusion, resistance training resulted in significant physiological and psychological improvements in Hispanic adolescents compared to typical school-based activities. These findings indicate that resistance training can be incorporated into the activities of Hispanic adolescents to promote improved health and fitness.

The effects of theaflavin-enriched black tea extract on muscle soreness, oxidative stress, inflammation, and endocrine responses to acute anaerobic interval training: a randomized, double-blind, crossover study.

BACKGROUND: Muscle soreness and decreased performance often follow a bout of high-intensity exercise. By reducing these effects, an athlete can train more frequently and increase long-term performance. The purpose of this study is to examine whether a high-potency, black tea extract (BTE) alters the delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), oxidative stress, inflammation, and cortisol (CORT) responses to high-intensity anaerobic exercise. METHODS: College-age males (N = 18) with 1+ yrs of weight training experience completed a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Subjects consumed the BTE (1,760 mg BTE.d-1) or placebo (PLA) for 9 days. Each subject completed two testing sessions (T1 & T2), which occurred on day 7 of the intervention. T1 & T2 consisted of a 30 s Wingate Test plus eight 10 s intervals. Blood samples were obtained before, 0, 30 & 60 min following the interval sessions and were used to analyze the total to oxidized glutathione ratio (GSH:GSSG), 8-isoprostane (8-iso), CORT, and interleukin 6 (IL-6) secretion. DOMS was recorded at 24 & 48 h post-test using a visual analog scale while BTE or PLA continued to be administered. Significance was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Compared to PLA, BTE produced significantly higher average peak power (P = 0.013) and higher average mean power (P = 0.067) across nine WAnT intervals. BTE produced significantly lower DOMS compared to PLA at 24 h post test (P < 0.001) and 48 h post test (P < 0.001). Compared to PLA, BTE had a slightly higher GSH:GSSG ratio at baseline which became significantly higher at 30 and 60 min post test (P < 0.002). AUC analysis revealed BTE to elicit significantly lower GSSG secretion (P = 0.009), significantly higher GSH:GSSG ratio (P = 0.001), and lower CORT secretion (P = 0.078) than PLA. AUC analysis did not reveal a significant difference in total IL-6 response (P = 0.145) between conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of theaflavin-enriched black tea extract led to improved recovery and a reduction in oxidative stress and DOMS responses to acute anaerobic intervals. An improved rate of recovery can benefit all individuals engaging in high intensity, anaerobic exercise as it facilitates increased frequency of exercise.