Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Get Active Questionnaire for Pregnancy (kwestionariusz "Badz Aktywna w Ciazy") to support physical activity among pregnant women in Poland.

INTRODUCTION: Physical activity during pregnancy is established to derive clinically meaningful improvements in pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum health outcomes. Evidence-based pre-screening tools have been developed to support the implementation of physical activity programmes, and enhance communication between health care providers, exercise professionals and pregnant women. The Get Active Questionnaire for Pregnancy (GAQ-P) and the Health Care Provider Consultation Form for Prenatal Physical Activity (HCPCF) empower pregnant women to identify whether they require additional counselling from their obstetric health care provider in terms of physical activity. However, these tools are not available in Polish. This work details the process taken to translate the GAQ-P and HCPCF into Polish. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We followed the translation process outlined by the Translation and Cultural Adaptation International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) guidelines between August 2022 and August 2023. We formed an expert group that included representatives of the Polish Society of Sports Medicine, The Polish Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians, practitioners, and scientists in physical activity during pregnancy. We implemented 9 of the 10 steps recommended by ISOPR in the translation process. At the Cognitive Debriefing stage, we collected opinions on the Polish version of GAQ-P and HCPCF from 70 stakeholders on the clarity and cultural appropriateness of the translation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Target users have positively evaluated the Polish version of GAQ-P and HCPCF. Thanks to the ISPOR methodology, we obtained a trustworthy, evidence-based screening tools, which can reduce the barriers for most women to be physically active during pregnancy.

Fostering the social and physical challenges of female recreational or professional athletes in pregnancy and postpartum.

Combining pregnancy and parenthood with sporting activities or a professional athletic career can be challenging. The objective of this Collection is to gain a deeper understanding of the effects of pregnancy and postpartum on female athletes, both recreational and professional, in order to improve their health and fitness outcomes and support their continued success in sports.

Nutritional Knowledge about Maternal and Newborn Health among Physiotherapists during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Adequate nutrition before and during pregnancy, as well as postpartum, is among the major contributors to maternal and newborn health. Physiotherapists' knowledge of this area is still scarce, although their clinical practice has been linked to newborns' neuropsychomotor development, which, in turn, is influenced by maternal health and nutritional status. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the nutritional knowledge of physiotherapists regarding maternal and newborn health. A total of 70 Brazilian physiotherapists (32.2 ± 6.0 years; 72.9% females) were evaluated between November 2019 and February 2020 for their sociodemographic characteristics, professional experience, and nutritional knowledge about maternal and newborn health through a validated questionnaire personally administered by the same trained researcher. Most of the physiotherapists had graduated but had no specialization in maternal and child physiotherapy (96.1% of the females and all the males). The nutritional knowledge about maternal and newborn health was significantly different between the female and male health professionals, as well as between the less and more experienced participants, i.e., female physiotherapists and the more experienced ones had more correct answers on the nutritional questionnaire than the male and less experienced physiotherapists, respectively (p < 0.05). Our results open an interesting window for the future education and training of Brazilian physiotherapists in nutrition.

Can Pre-Pregnancy Body Mass Index and Maternal Exercise Affect Birth and Neonatal Outcomes-A Cross Sectional Study.

There has been a dramatic worldwide increase in the prevalence of obesity or overweight and physical inactivity in women of reproductive age. Growing evidence suggests that pre-pregnancy maternal abnormal body mass index (BMI) and lower physical activity level are associated with poor maternal health and perinatal outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess how self-perceived exercise and pre-pregnancy BMI are associated with preterm birth, low birth weight, and type of birth. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of 394 Polish women in the postpartum period. We used a questionnaire with the structure of the medical interview. To analyze factors related to birth outcomes, we used the Pearson's Chi-squared test of independence and odds ratio (OR), with a corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI), followed by a multiple logistic regression. Women who reported being physically active before pregnancy (p = 0.00) and during pregnancy (p = 0.03) were more likely to give birth on time and had a lower incidence of very-premature and extremely premature births compared to inactive women. Importantly, they were more likely to have vaginal birth (p = 0.03). Pre-pregnancy BMI influenced the week of delivery, i.e., inadequate, too-high BMI contributed to an increase in the percentage of premature births [OR (95% CI) = 1.19 (1.06; 1.34)]. The findings indicate that promoting physical activity and weight management remains a priority in public health policy, and women of childbearing age should be encouraged to adopt or maintain an active and healthy lifestyle during pregnancy in order to avoid sedentary- and obesity-associated risks affecting birth and newborns' health.

Feasibility of a Supervised Postpartum Exercise Program and Effects on Maternal Health and Fitness Parameters-Pilot Study.

The postpartum period is marked by profound changes in women at physical, psychological, and physiological levels. Many of these changes persist after four to six weeks postpartum, and most women do not resume their levels of physical activity, which increases the risk of remaining inactive for many years. It is crucial to implement effective programs that promote exercise during the postpartum period. The objective of this study was to test the feasibility and analyze the effects of a structured and supervised postpartum exercise program on maternal health and fitness parameters. To analyze the potential effects of the intervention, the level of physical activity, quality of life, pelvic girdle and low back pain, fatigue, depression, and the level of functional and physical fitness were assessed at baseline, after 8 weeks, and after 16 weeks of intervention. Feedback on the exercise program was collected after the final assessment. The results showed that a structured and supervised postpartum exercise program was feasible and safe and produced positive effects on selected maternal health and fitness parameters. These results will encourage a study protocol with a larger sample in order to prove its effectiveness, improve the guidelines for postpartum exercise, and incorporate this program into a routine healthcare setting.

Health and fitness trends in Southern Europe for 2023: A cross-sectional survey.

The physical activity, exercise and wellness sector is rapidly growing and seems to be an exciting field for business and professional development with great potential globally. The purpose of this observational and cross-sectional study was to determine the most popular health and fitness trends in Southern Europe for the first time, including data from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus, and to investigate any potential differences in this area compared to the Pan-European and global fitness trends for 2023. A national online survey was conducted in five Southern European countries, using the methodology of similar regional and worldwide surveys conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine since 2007. In total, a web-based questionnaire was sent to 19,887 professionals who worked in the Southern European physical activity, exercise and wellness sector. A total of 2645 responses were collected from five national surveys with an overall mean response rate of 13.3%. The ten most important fitness trends in Southern Europe for 2023 were personal training, licensure for fitness professionals, exercise is medicine, employing certified fitness professionals, functional fitness training, small group training, high-intensity interval training, fitness programs for older adults, post-rehabilitation classes and body weight training. The present findings are aligned with those reported for the European and worldwide fitness trends.

The Importance Assigned by Pregnant Women to the Quality Characteristics of Fitness Instructors. A Qualitative Study.

Introduction: The exercise professional's role is to provide proper exercise prescription and selection, regular feedback, positive reinforcement, and behavioral strategies to enhance adherence. Thus, knowing the preferences of the consumers will enhance pedagogical skills. Objective: To characterize pregnant women's preferences regarding the fitness instructor's quality characteristics in specific group exercise sessions for this population. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in 2021. The Fitness Instructor Quality Questionnaire was applied to 29 pregnant women engaged in prenatal group fitness classes, aged between 24 and 48 years. This questionnaire includes 25 items, grouped in two dimensions, scored with a Likert scale with 7 levels of importance (1 = not at all important; 7 = extremely important). Descriptive statistics were used to characterize pregnant women's opinion (mean, standard deviation, minimum and maximum). Results: The global average of items was 6.41, showing that pregnant women give importance to the Quality of the fitness instructor. Relational Quality has the highest average (6.48), close to Pedagogical-Technical Quality dimension (6.34). The most important items for pregnant women were Ethics (6.76), Communication (6.72), and Availability, Motivation, and Punctuality (6.69). The less important items were Musical Domain (5.24), Image (5.69), and Physical Fitness (5.86). Conclusion: Pregnant women give great importance to the Quality of the fitness instructor, although they value some indicators more than others, as identified in other studies in different populations. Considering the results of this study, it can be recommended that fitness instructors delivering prenatal exercise programs should address these factors related to Quality. It can be emphasized that the fitness instructor should have an intervention that shows willingness to listen to pregnant women, allows them time to perform the exercises, encourages them to practice, without overestimating aspects related to image or fitness level.

Stress is not so bad-cortisol level and psychological functioning after 8-week HIIT program during pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Amid extensive pregnancy exercise research, the impact of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on pregnant women's mental health is underexplored. Despite exercise benefits, it can trigger stress responses like elevated cortisol. This study fills the gap by investigating correlations between hair cortisol levels, mental health, and HIIT effects in pregnant women. Methods: We conducted a randomized control trial among 38 Caucasian women in uncomplicated, singleton pregnancy (age 31.11 ± 4.03 years, 21.82 ± 4.30 week of gestation; mean ± SD). The experimental group comprised 22 women engaged in an 8-week high-intensity interval training program (HIIT). The comparative group consisted of 16 pregnant women undergoing an 8-week educational program (EDU). Before and after the interventions, all women were evaluated using the following tools: Hair cortisol level measurements, Beck Depression Inventory - II for depressive symptoms assessment, Childbirth Attitudes Questionnaire for childbirth fear measurement, 12-item Short Form Health Survey to gage health-related quality of life, International Physical Activity Questionnaire for physical activity level estimation, and a Progressive maximal exercise test to evaluate maternal exercise capacity. Results: The key finding of our study reveals that women engaged in the HIIT intervention exhibited a distinct cortisol production pattern in contrast to the EDU group practicing standard moderate intensity physical activity. In the HIIT group, there was an increase in hair cortisol levels, while the EDU group showed a notable decrease. Remarkably, HIIT stimulated cortisol production without adversely impacting fear of childbirth and psychophysical condition during pregnancy. In fact, only the HIIT group showed a significant enhancement in mental health. Conclusion: No links were discovered between hair cortisol levels and the severity of depressive symptoms, psychophysical well-being, or fear of childbirth. Hence, based on our research, employing cortisol levels during pregnancy as an indicator of negative stress or depression risk appears unwarranted.

Effects of 8-Week Online, Supervised High-Intensity Interval Training on the Parameters Related to the Anaerobic Threshold, Body Weight, and Body Composition during Pregnancy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

We aimed to assess the effects of an 8-week, online high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program on the parameters related to the anaerobic threshold (AT), body weight, and body composition in pregnant women. A total of 69 Caucasian women with an uncomplicated singleton pregnancy (age: 31 ± 4 years; gestational age: 22 ± 5 weeks; mean ± standard deviation) were randomly allocated to either an 8-week HIIT program (HIIT group) or to a comparative 8-week educational program (EDU group). Our most important finding was that even with the 8-week progression of pregnancy and physiological weight gain, the HIIT group maintained the same level of parameters related to AT: volume of oxygen at the AT (VO2/AT), percentage of maximal oxygen uptake at the AT (%VO2max/AT), and heart rate at the AT (HR/AT). In contrast, in the EDU group we observed a substantial deterioration of parameters related to the AT. The HIIT intervention substantially reduced the fat mass percentage (median: 30 to 28%; p < 0.01) and improved the total fat-free mass percentage (median: 70% to 72%; p < 0.01). In the EDU group, the body composition did not change significantly. An online, supervised HIIT program may be used to prevent the pregnancy-related risk of excessive weight gain and reduction in exercise capacity without yielding adverse obstetric or neonatal outcomes.

Can we hit prenatal depression and anxiety through HIIT? The effectiveness of online high intensity interval training in pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: In recent years high intensity interval training (HIIT) has grown in popularity. However, it rarely represents training interventions in experimental studies in pregnant populations. Therefore, in this study we aimed to assess changes in depressive symptoms, fear of childbirth, fear of Covid-19 and quality of life after an 8-week supervised online HIIT program, compared to an educational (self-performed physical activity) program. METHODS: We conducted a randomized control trial among 54 Caucasian women in uncomplicated, singleton pregnancy (age 32 ± 4 years, 22 ± 4 week of gestation; mean ± SD). There were 34 women in the experimental group, who participated in an 8-week high intensity interval training program (HIIT group). The comparative group was constituted of 20 pregnant women who attended 8-week educational program (EDU group). RESULTS: The most important finding was that mental health improved somewhat in both groups after the intervention, but only the HIIT group improved statistically significantly. The positive trends in lowering the severity of depressive symptoms, fear of childbirth, and fear of Covid-19 were observed in both groups. However, the positive response to the intervention was stronger in the EDU group. As a secondary outcome, there was a significant decrease in cardiorespiratory fitness level in the EDU group, while the HIIT group maintained unchanged level of maximal oxygen uptake. CONCLUSIONS: HIIT seems to be beneficial for women with uncomplicated pregnancies to maintain adequate quality of life and mental health. However, more research is needed to determine the effectiveness of prenatal HIIT in pregnant women in various psychological conditions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: We conducted this study in Poland, in 2021. It was approved by the Bioethics Commission at the District Medical Chamber in Gdansk (KB-8/21). The full study protocol was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05009433).

Individual Characteristics and Pain Sensitivity during Pregnancy-A Cross-Sectional Study in Pregnant and Non-Pregnant Women.

The aim of the study was to describe the characteristics and factors related to pain perception in pregnant women, such as optimism, personality traits, and fear of developing COVID-19 consequences. Sixty-six pregnant women aged 23 to 42 years participated in the study, and the comparison group consisted of n = 59 non-pregnant female students aged 19 to 23 years. Pressure pain threshold and pain tolerance were measured with an algometer. To assess psychological characteristics, the Life-Orientation Test-Revised was used to assess optimism, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale was used to assess COVID-19 anxiety, and the Ten-Item Personality Inventory was applied to assess personality traits in a five-factor model. The main results of the study showed that pain tolerance was significantly lower in both dominant and non-dominant hand pregnant women than in the comparison group. The studied pregnant women had higher scores for conscientiousness, fear of COVID-19, and optimism compared with the non-pregnant women. Regression analysis showed that the variability in pain perception among pregnant women could not be explained by individual differences in personality traits, optimism, and fear of COVID-19.

ACTIVE PREGNANCY: Workshop on Promotion of Physical Activity in Pregnancy for Exercise Professionals.

Introduction: A one-day workshop on promotion of physical activity in pregnancy for exercise professionals was delivered during 2021, to 137 participants. The main aim of this workshop was to motivate and prepare exercise professionals for promoting physical activity and implementing prenatal exercise programs, in their respective private or public fitness centers or other physical activity settings. Methods: The contents of the workshop were focused on six topics based on the "Pregnancy and Postpartum Exercise Specialist" educational standards by EuropeActive and the "Exercise and Physical Activity during Pregnancy and Postpartum" textbook published by Springer. Participants provided feedback on the effectiveness and satisfaction with the workshop. Results: Overall evaluations from the feedback forms showed that majority of the participants agreed that the workshop achieved its objectives with a major recommendation as to the organization of more short duration workshops, the inclusion of practical sessions, and the separation of the contents addressing the postpartum period. Discussion: The workshop on promotion of physical activity in pregnancy for exercise professionals was successfully organized and the participants are looking forward for future ones.

Can Group Exercise Programs Improve Health Outcomes in Pregnant Women? An Updated Systematic Review.

Current scientific evidence supports the recommendation to initiate or continue physical exercise in healthy pregnant women. Group exercise programs have positive effects on improving health, well-being, and social support. In 2015, a systematic review was provided to evaluate the evidence on the effectiveness of group exercise programs in improving pregnant women's and newborns' health outcomes and to assess the content of the programs. This review aims to update this knowledge between 2015 and 2020. The exercise program designs were analyzed with the Consensus of Exercise Reporting Template (CERT) model, the compliance with the current guidelines, and effectiveness in the maternal health and fitness parameters. Three databases were used to conduct literature searches. Thirty-one randomized control trials were selected for analysis. All studies followed a supervised group exercise program including aerobic, resistance, pelvic floor training, stretching, and relaxation sections. Group interventions during pregnancy improved health and fitness outcomes for the women and newborns, although some gaps were identified in the interventions. Multidisciplinary teams of exercise and health professionals should advise pregnant women that group exercise improves a wide range of health outcomes for them and their newborns.

Active Pregnancy: A Physical Exercise Program Promoting Fitness and Health during Pregnancy-Development and Validation of a Complex Intervention.

Physical activity during pregnancy is a public health issue. In the view of reproducibility and the successful implementation of exercise interventions, reporting the quality of such study design must be ensured. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a physical exercise program promoting fitness and health during pregnancy. A qualitative methodological study was carried out. For the description of the exercise program, the Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template (CERT) was used. For the validation of the program, the revised guideline of the Criteria for Reporting the Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions in Health Care (CReDECI2) was followed and went through three stages of development, piloting, and evaluation. The customizable exercise program was designed and validated by exercise and health specialists based on evidence-based, international recommendations and supported by different educational tools to be implemented by qualified exercise professionals in health and fitness settings. A 12-week testing intervention addressing a group of 29 pregnant women was carried out. The program's feasibility was subsequently evaluated by all the pregnant women. The CReDECI2 process guides practitioners and researchers in developing and evaluating complex educational interventions. The presented intervention may assist exercise specialists, health professionals, and researchers in planning, promoting, and implementing a prenatal exercise program.

Effect of exercise on phase angle in cancer patients: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Body composition is one of the main variables of interest in clinical practice in cancer patients. Specific markers from bioelectrical impedance analysis, such as phase angle (PhA), have been assuming increasing relevance in this population. The aim of the present systematic review was to study and systematise the effect of exercise on PhA in cancer survivors, as compared to control conditions, namely usual care, with no exercise. The effect of exercise on PhA in the population of cancer survivors is not yet established. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: This systematic review was conducted on October 13, 2021, through PubMed, Web of Science, Wiley Online Library, Directory of Open Access Journals, Science Direct and JSTOR, following PRISMA guidelines and PICOS model that include: cancer survivors with ≥18 years; intervention of any exercise program for the target group; comparison between intervention group and control group that followed control conditions, namely usual care, with no exercise; outcome related to PhA; and studies of randomized control trials. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: We founded a total of 1244 publications, using selected keywords. Eight studies were included in this systematic review, after inclusion/exclusion criteria considered. Compared with the control conditions, exercise training programs seem associated with a positive effect on PhA, both in solid tumours and haematologic cancer types, but only when using resistance exercise alone. According to the best evidence synthesis criteria, we could not conclude the superiority of any exercise program analysed in the value of the PhA. CONCLUSIONS: There were several exercise details that may have potential to be beneficial for PhA in cancer patients, including an early start of the exercise intervention (during treatment and immediately after discharge from hospital), the use of resistance exercise or/and aerobic exercise, and mainly a long follow-up period (≥ 4 months) to verify the structural effects of exercise on the PhA. However, there were no effects on the PhA value immediately after the intervention, regardless of the type of protocol and the intervention time.

Relationship between Heart Rate Variability and Functional Fitness in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide. The treatments may also cause neuromuscular and skeletal disorders; therefore, the aim of this study was to verify the existence of a relationship between heart rate variability and different functional fitness parameters in women survivors of breast cancer. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 25 women survivors of breast cancer, with a mean ± SD age, height, and body mass of 50.8 ± 8.8 years, 1.6 ± 0.7 m, and 67.1 ± 12.3 kg, respectively. Patients underwent measurements of heart rate variability with time and frequency domain analyses, as well as a "30 s chair-stand test", "6 min walking test", "timed up and go test", and "ball throwing test". RESULTS: A multiple linear regression analysis showed that from the heart rate variability frequency domain, high frequency explained 21% (R2 = 0.21) of the "30 s chair-stand test" performance. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study highlight high frequency as a predictor of "30 s chair-stand test" performance, regardless of age and time after diagnosis, suggesting its usefulness as a clinical indicator of functionality in breast cancer survivors. This study presents a straightforward and non-invasive methodology predicting functional fitness in women breast cancer survivors potentially applicable to clinical practice.

Tendências do Fitness emPortugal para 2021 / Tendencias de Fitness en Portugal para 2021 / Fitness Trends in Portugal for 2021

O American College of Sports Medicine(ACSM) publica anualmente um estudo com as tendências mundiais do fitness para o ano seguinte. O presente estudo reproduziu a metodologia do estudo das tendências do ACSM e caracterizou as tendências do fitness em Portugal para 2021 segundo os profissionais, os estudantes e os praticantes do setor, confrontando os resultados com os estudos a nível mundial, europeu e espanhol. Foram também comparadas as tendências entre os praticantes e os profissionais/estudantes, e nestes entre géneros, exercer ou não funções enquanto profissional e possuir o título de Técnico de Exercício Físico (TEF), Diretor Técnico (DT) ou não possuir título. Responderam a um questionário online, construído para o efeito, 165 profissionais, 135 estudantes e 85 praticantes.Como resultado, foram identificadas as principais tendências para o fitness em Portugal para 2021, nos diferentes grupos da amostra. Portugal tende a ir mais ao encontro das tendências europeias, do que das mundiais. Na comparação entre os profissionais/estudantes e os praticantes existiram diferenças em 4 das 42 tendências, entre géneros em 20, entre profissionais que exerciam ou não funções em 7, e entre títulos de TEF, DT ou sem título em 9. Em conclusão, não obstante a variabilidade de opiniões entre grupos de sujeitos, poder-se-á dizer que, consensualmente, as principais tendências do fitness em Portugal para 2021 são: licenças (títulos) para profissionais de fitness, empregar profissionais de fitness certificados, exercício para perda de peso, estilo de vida saudável e mudança comportamental, atividades outdoore treino com o peso corporal. (AU)

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) publishes an annual study of world fitness trends for the following year. The present study reproduced the methodology of ACSM trends study and characterized the fitness trends in Portugal for 2021 according to professionals, students and clients in the sector, confronting the results with studies at a worldwide, European and Spanish level. The trends between clients and professionals/students were also compared, and in these, between genders, whether or not toperform functions as a professional and to have the title of Physical Exercise Technician (TEF), Technical Director (DT) or not to have a title. 165 professionals, 135 students and 85 clients answered to an online questionnaire, built for this purpose.Asa result, the main trends for fitness in Portugal for 2021 were identified, in the different sample groups. Portugal tends to be more in line with European trends than worldwide ones. In the comparison between professionals/students and clients, there were differences in 4 out of 42 trends, between genders in 20, between professionals who performed functions with those who did not in 7, and between titles of TEF, DT or untitled in 9. In conclusion, despite the variability of opinions between groups of subjects, it can be said that, by consensus, the main fitness trends in Portugal for 2021 are: licenses (titles) for fitness professionals, employing certified fitness professionals, exercise for weight loss, healthy lifestyle and behavioral change, outdoor activities and bodyweight training.

El Colegio Americano de Medicina Deportiva (ACSM) publica anualmente un estudio que identifica las tendencias mundiales de fitness para el año siguiente. El estudio presente reproduce la metodología del estudio de las tendencias del ACSM y caracterizó las tendencias del fitness en Portugal para 2021 según profesionales, estudiantes y practicantes del sector, confrontando los resultados con estudios a nivel mundial, europeo y español. También se compararon las tendencias entre practicantes y profesionales/estudiantes, y en esta entre géneros, ejercer o no funciones como profesional y tener el título de Técnico en Ejercicio Físico (TEF), Director Técnico (DT) o no tener título. Respondieron a un cuestionario online, diseñado para tal fin, 165 profesionales, 135 estudiantes y 85 practicantes.Como resultado, se identificaron las principales tendencias del fitness en Portugal para 2021, en los diferentes grupos de la muestra. Portugal tiende a estar más en línea con las tendencias europeas que con las mundiales. En la comparación entre profesionales/estudiantes y practicantes, hubo diferencias en 4 de 42 tendencias, entre géneros en 20, entre profesionales que ejercían funciones o noen 7, y entre títulos de TEF, DT o sin título en 9. En conclusión, a pesar de la variabilidad de opiniones entre grupos de sujetos, se puede decir que, por consenso, las principales tendencias del fitness en Portugal para 2021 son: licencias (títulos) para profesionales de fitness, emplear profesionales de fitness certificados, ejercicio para bajar de peso, estilo de vida saludable y cambio de comportamiento, actividades outdoory entrenamiento con el peso corporal. (AU)

Phase angle cutoff value as a marker of the health status and functional capacity in breast cancer survivors.

Accurate predictive tools are key factors for cancer care. Phase angle (PhA) has been proposed as a marker of cellular health, particularly of cell-membrane integrity. Cutoff values have been proposed, including for cancer survivors. This study aimed to assess the usefulness of the proposed PhA cutoff, as a marker of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) assessed health-status, and functional capacity in breast cancer (BC) survivors. This cross-sectional study included 25 women (50.6 ± 8.6 yrs) survivors of BC, divided into two groups according to the PhA reference value of 5.6° (group 1 [G1]: PhA ≤ 5.6° [n=13]; group 2 [G2]: PhA > 5.6° [n=12]) (Gupta et al. 2008). BIA-assessed health status parameters included: extracellular water (ECW), intracellular water (ICW), total body water (TBW), PhA, body mass, fat-free mass, muscle mass, body cell mass (BCM). Four functional tests were performed: 30 s chair-stand test, timed up and go test, ball throw test and 6-minute walking test. Results showed G2 had lower ECW/ICW ratio (p=0.001; ES=1.2), ECW/BCM ratio (p=0.001; ES=3.2) and ECW/TBW ratio (p=0.001; ES=4.8). There was no difference in functional capacity between groups. The results of the present study show that patients with higher PhA values have a higher ICW values and preservation in the ECW/ICW ratio, suggesting it's a better cell membrane quality and integrity. Relation of both PhA and cell membrane integrity with functional capacity warrants further research.

Responsiveness of the Calf-Raise Senior test in community-dwelling older adults undergoing an exercise intervention program.

INTRODUCTION: Mobility significantly depends on the ankle muscles' strength which is particularly relevant for the performance of daily activities. Few tools are available, to assess ankle strength with all of the measurement properties tested. The purpose of this study is to test the responsiveness of Calf-Raise Senior Test (CRS) in a sample of elderly participants undergoing a 24-week community exercise program. METHODS: 82 older adults participated in an exercise program and were assessed with CRS Test and 30-second chair stand test (CS) at baseline and at follow-up. Effect size (ES), standardized response mean (SRM) and minimal detectable change (MDC) measures were calculated for the CRS and CS tests scores. ROC curves analysis was used to define a cut-off representing the minimally important difference of Calf-Raise Senior test. RESULTS: Results revealed a small (ES = 0.42) to moderate (SRM = 0.51) responsiveness in plantar-flexion strength and power across time, which was lower than that of CS test (ES = 0.64, SRM = 0.67). The responsiveness of CRS test was more evident in groups of subjects with lower initial scores. A minimal important difference (MID) of 3.5 repetitions and a minimal detectable change (MDC) of 4.6 was found for the CRS. CONCLUSION: Calf-Raise Senior Test is a useful field test to assess elderly ankle function, with moderate responsiveness properties. The cutoff scores of MDC and MID presented in this study can be useful in determining the success of interventions aiming at improving mobility in senior participants.

Development and validation of a complex intervention: A physical exercise programme aimed at delaying the functional decline in frail older adults.

Aim: To develop and validate a physical exercise programme aimed at delaying the functional decline in frail older adults. Design: The revised guideline of Criteria for Reporting the Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions in health care was followed. Methods: The physical exercise programme was designed and validated by exercise specialists to be implemented by healthcare professionals. The physical exercise programme underwent three stages of development, piloting and evaluation. It includes a portfolio of exercises in different support materials (posters, e-book and website). A testing intervention was delivered to the target population. Results: The Criteria for Reporting the Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions in health care process has the potential to help practitioners in developing and planning complex interventions, such as an exercise programme. Its components can be adjusted to the context and to the characteristics of the target population. A study protocol and a pilot study will be developed to test the effectiveness of the physical exercise programme on delaying the functional decline of frail older adults.