Assessment of muscle endocrine function and inflammatory signalling in male school children following a physical activity programme.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Regular and planned physical activity can diminish the risk of numerous illnesses. However, school children and teenagers often exercise intermittently and for brief periods, restricting potential benefits. Furthermore, previous studies mainly focused on body composition, without providing molecular mechanisms elucidating the role of physical activity in muscle tissue and inflammatory signalling. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a vigorous physical activity intervention on endocrine muscle function and cytokine output in children. METHODS: 103 boys were divided into two groups: control (n = 51, did not perform additional physical activity) and exercise (n = 52, performed vigorous physical activity). Body composition measurements, endocrine muscle function and inflammatory signalling biomarkers were assessed at enrolment and after 6 months of intervention. RESULTS: No statistical significance was found for fractalkine, oncostatin, EGF, TNF-α and eotaxin. However, LIF, FBAP3, IL-6, FGF21 and IL-15 increased in the exercise group at the end of the protocol, though myostatin got decreased. In contrast, IFN-γ was increased in the exercise group at the beginning and end of the exercise protocol, IL-10 was also increased in this group, IL-1α decreased in the exercise group before and after the exercise protocol, and IP-10 and MCP-1 also decreased in the exercise group. CONCLUSION: It can be affirmed that a physical activity programme for boys was shown to produce changes in body composition (decreased fat mass, increased lean mass) and in markers of endocrine muscle function and cytokine release. It is possible that these changes, if sustained, could reduce the risk of chronic disease.

Positive and Negative Changes in Food Habits, Physical Activity Patterns, and Weight Status during COVID-19 Confinement: Associated Factors in the Chilean Population.

The association between the changes in lifestyle during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) confinement and body weight have not been studied deeply. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine lifestyle changes, such as eating habits and physical activity (PA) patterns, caused by confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and to analyze its association with changes in body weight. Seven hundred participants (women, n = 528 and men, n = 172) aged between 18-62 years old of the Chilean national territory participated in the study. Food habits, PA, body weight, and sociodemographic variables were measured through a survey in May and June 2020. The body weight increase presented positive association with the consumption of fried foods ≥ 3 times per week (OR; 3.36, p < 0.001), low water consumption (OR; 1.58, p = 0.03), and sedentary time ≥6 h/day (OR; 1.85, p = 0.01). Conversely, fish consumed (OR; 0.67, p = 0.03), active breaks (OR; 0.72, p = 0.04), and PA ≥ 4 times per week (OR; 0.51, p = 0.001) presented an inverse association with body weight increase. Daily alcohol consumption (OR; 4.77, p = 0.003) was associated with PA decrease. Food habits, PA, and active breaks may be protective factors for weight increase during COVID-19 confinement.

Hábitos alimentarios, imagen corporal y condición física en escolares chilenos según niveles de actividad física y estatus corporal / Foods habits, body image and physical fitness in Chilean schoolchildren according to physical activity level and weight status

ANTECEDENTES: los hábitos alimentarios y los patrones de actividad física (AF) juegan un papel crucial en el desarrollo integral de niños y adolescentes. OBJETIVO: comparar según frecuencia de AF (es decir, 0, 1, 2, 3 o 4 veces/semana) y estatus corporal (es decir, normopeso, sobrepeso y obesidad) la adherencia a la dieta mediterránea (DM), la insatisfacción por la imagen corporal y la condición física relacionada con la salud (CF), y, como segundo objetivo, determinar la asociación entre estas variables. MÉTODOS: participaron 481 escolares, 166 mujeres y 315 hombres, de entre 8 y 15 años (12,10 ± 1,10 años) pertenecientes a escuelas públicas de la ciudad de Temuco (Chile). Se clasificaron en 3 grupos según la frecuencia de AF: grupo 1, no realiza AF; grupo 2, AF 1-2 veces/semana, y grupo 3: AF 3-4 veces/semana. Se midió la capacidad cardiorrespiratoria (CRF), el salto de longitud a pies juntos (SJT), la fuerza prensil, la adherencia a la DM y la insatisfacción con la imagen corporal. RESULTADOS: los escolares con más días de AF/semana reportaron mayor adherencia a la DM (p = 0,020), VO2MAX (p < 0,001) y mayor SJT (p < 0,001). Asimismo, los escolares con normopeso presentaron más adherencia a la DM (p < 0,001) y menor grado de insatisfacción con la imagen corporal (p < 0,001). Se aprecia una asociación positiva entre la AF y la CRF (B; 1,28, p < 01001). El género presentó asociación con la insatisfacción de la imagen corporal (B; 25,51, p = 01019). CONCLUSIÓN: los escolares con mayor frecuencia de AF/semana presentaron mayor adherencia a la DM y mejor CF relacionada a la salud

BACKGROUND: dietary habits and physical activity (PA) patterns play a crucial role in the integral development of children and adolescents. OBJECTIVE: to compare according PA frequency (i.e., 0,1,2,3 or 4 times / week) and weight status (i.e., normal weight, overweight and obesity), adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD), body image dissatisfaction and the physical fitness related to health, and as second objective to determine the association between these variables. METHODS: 481 schoolchildren, 166 women and 315 men aged between 8 and 15 years (12.10 ± 1.10 years) belonging to public schools of Temuco, Chile participated. They were classified in three groups according PA frequency: group 1, without PA; group 2, PA 1-2 times/week, and group 3, PA 3-4 times/week. Cardio respiratory fitness (CRF), standing jump long test (SJT), handgrip strength, adherence to MD and body image dissatisfaction were measured. RESULTS: Schoolchildren with more days of PA / week reported higher adherence to MD (p = 0.020), VO2max (p < 0.001) and SJT (p < 0.001) than peers. Likewise, schoolchildren with normal weight show more adherence to MD (P <0.001) and lower body image dissatisfaction (p < 0.001). There is a positive association between PA with VO2MAX (B, 1.28, p < 0.001). The gender presented association with body image dissatisfaction (B, 25.51, p = 0.019). CONCLUSION: the schoolchildren with greater frequency of PA/week, presenting greater adherence to MD and better physical fitness related to health

[Foods habits, body image and physical fitness in Chilean schoolchildren according to physical activity level and weight status]. / Hábitos alimentarios, imagen corporal y condición física en escolares chilenos según niveles de actividad física y estatus corporal.

INTRODUCTION: Background: dietary habits and physical activity (PA) patterns play a crucial role in the integral development of children and adolescents. Objective: to compare according PA frequency (i.e., 0,1,2,3 or 4 times / week) and weight status (i.e., normal weight, overweight and obesity), adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD), body image dissatisfaction and the physical fitness related to health, and as second objective to determine the association between these variables. Methods: 481 schoolchildren, 166 women and 315 men aged between 8 and 15 years (12.10 ± 1.10 years) belonging to public schools of Temuco, Chile participated. They were classified in three groups according PA frequency: group 1, without PA; group 2, PA 1-2 times/week, and group 3, PA 3-4 times/week. Cardio respiratory fitness (CRF), standing jump long test (SJT), handgrip strength, adherence to MD and body image dissatisfaction were measured. Results: Schoolchildren with more days of PA / week reported higher adherence to MD (p = 0.020), VO2max (p < 0.001) and SJT (p < 0.001) than peers. Likewise, schoolchildren with normal weight show more adherence to MD (P <0.001) and lower body image dissatisfaction (p < 0.001). There is a positive association between PA with VO2MAX (B, 1.28, p < 0.001). The gender presented association with body image dissatisfaction (B, 25.51, p = 0.019). Conclusion: the schoolchildren with greater frequency of PA/week, presenting greater adherence to MD and better physical fitness related to health. Keywords.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Antecedentes: los hábitos alimentarios y los patrones de actividad física (AF) juegan un papel crucial en el desarrollo integral de niños y adolescentes. Objetivo: comparar según frecuencia de AF (es decir, 0, 1, 2, 3 o 4 veces/semana) y estatus corporal (es decir, normopeso, sobrepeso y obesidad) la adherencia a la dieta mediterránea (DM), la insatisfacción por la imagen corporal y la condición física relacionada con la salud (CF), y, como segundo objetivo, determinar la asociación entre estas variables. Métodos: participaron 481 escolares, 166 mujeres y 315 hombres, de entre 8 y 15 años (12,10 ± 1,10 años) pertenecientes a escuelas pública de la ciudad de Temuco (Chile). Se clasificaron en 3 grupos según la frecuencia de AF: grupo 1, no realiza AF; grupo 2, AF 1-2 veces/semana, y grupo 3: AF 3-4 veces/semana. Se midió la capacidad cardiorrespiratoria (CRF), el salto de longitud a pies juntos (SJT), la fuerza prensil, la adherencia a la DM y la insatisfacción con la imagen corporal. Resultados: los escolares con más días de AF/semana reportaron mayor adherencia a la DM (p = 0,020), VO2MAX (p < 0,001) y mayor SJT (p < 0,001). Asimismo, los escolares con normopeso presentaron más adherencia a la DM (p < 0,001) y menor grado de insatisfacción con la imagen corporal (p < 0,001). Se aprecia una asociación positiva entre la AF y la CRF (B; 1,28, p < 01001). El género presentó asociación con la insatisfacción de la imagen corporal (B; 25,51, p = 01019). Conclusión: los escolares con mayor frecuencia de AF/semana presentaron mayor adherencia a la DM y mejor CF relacionada a la salud.