Exercise effects on functional capacity and quality of life in older patients with colorectal cancer: study protocol for the ECOOL randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Surgery and treatment for colorectal cancer (CRC) in the elderly patient increase the risk of developing post-operative complications, losing functional independence, and worsening health-related quality of life (HRQoL). There is a lack of high-quality randomized controlled trials evaluating the potential benefit of exercise as a countermeasure. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a home-based multicomponent exercise program for improving HRQoL and functional capacity in older adults undergoing CRC surgery and treatment. METHODS: This randomized, controlled, observer-blinded, single-center trial aims to randomize 250 patients (>74 years) to either an intervention or a control group (i.e., usual care). The intervention group will perform an individualized home-based multicomponent exercise program with weekly telephone supervision from diagnosis until three months post-surgery. The primary outcomes will be HRQoL (EORTC QLQ-C30; CR29; and ELD14) and functional capacity (Barthel Index and Short Physical Performance Battery), which will be assessed at diagnosis, at discharge, and one, three, and six months after surgery. Secondary outcomes will be frailty, physical fitness, physical activity, inspiratory muscle function, sarcopenia and cachexia, anxiety and depression, ambulation ability, surgical complications, and hospital length of stay, readmission and mortality. DISCUSSION: This study will examine the effects of an exercise program in older patients with CRC across a range of health-related outcomes. Expected findings are improvement in HRQoL and physical functioning. If proven effective, this simple exercise program may be applied in clinical practice to improve CRC care in older patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05448846.

Physical activity and emotional intelligence among undergraduate students: a correlational study.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) can be a mechanism that develops emotions. Emotional intelligence (EI) is related to significant public health and psychological benefits. However, there is little information about the relationships between PA and EI dimensions: emotional attention, clarity, and repair. This study examined the possible relationships between these variables in undergraduate students from Madrid. As a secondary aim, sex differences in PA domains and EI dimensions were examined. METHODS: A total of 2960 (21.34 ± 4.34 years) undergraduate students from Madrid (Spain) fulfilled the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24) and Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). We used a MANOVA to compare EI and PA levels according to sex. Different linear regressions were conducted to calculate the PA and age prediction power based on EI. RESULTS: We found a significant association between EI dimensions and PA levels, although these relationships were small. Fully adjusted linear regression showed that sex and leisure-time PA (LTPA) were associated of emotional attention (r2c = .025). Sex, age, and LTPA were associated of emotional repair (r2c = .024). There were statistically significant differences in EI by sex (p ≤ .001; η2p = .039), with higher scores in emotional attention for women (p ≤ .001) and emotional clarity (p ≤ .001) and repair (p ≤ .001) for men. PA levels differed according to sex (p ≤ .001; η2p = .038). Men show higher scores in LTPA levels (p = .002) and occupational PA (p ≤ .001). CONCLUSIONS: Undergraduate students with higher levels of LTPA showed a better score on EI, specifically in emotional attention and emotional repair. However, these associations and the predictive power of LTPA regarding emotional attention and emotional repair were weak. Men engaged in more LTPA and occupational PA and had higher emotional clarity and emotional repair than women. However, women had higher emotional attention.

Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior at the End of the Human Lifespan.

To objectively assess physical activity levels and sedentary behavior in a cohort of Spanish centenarians and their nonagenarian peers. Physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns were objectively measured by an ActiGraph GT3X accelerometer in centenarians (n = 18; 83% women; 100.8 ± 0.8 [100-103] years) and nonagenarians (n = 11; 91% women; 93.3 ± 2.5 [90-98] years). Centenarians showed less counts per minute (17.6 ± 7.1 vs. 46.1 ± 23.7, p = .003, d = 1.851) and steps per day (455 ± 237 vs. 1,249 ± 776, p = .007, d = 1.587) than nonagenarians. The daily number of sedentary breaks was also lower in the former (5.0 ± 1.5 vs. 6.7 ± 2.0, p = .019, d = 0.971). When observing time distribution, the most active day period in both groups was the morning, with a peak between 10:00 and 11:59. This data suggest that the decline in physical activity levels continues to worsen until the end of the human lifespan.

Perceived environment in relation to objective and self-reported physical activity in Spanish youth. The UP&DOWN study.

The aims of the present study were to assess the association of environmental perception with objective and self-reported physical activity (PA) and the relation between environmental perception and meeting PA recommendations on children and adolescents. A sample of 1520 youth (770 boys) aged 8-18 years (12.1 ± 2.5 years) from the UP&DOWN study were included in the data analyses. Environmental perception was assessed with the short adapted version of the ALPHA environmental questionnaire. PA was objectively (accelerometers) and self-reported measured (PA Questionnaire for Children, Patient-centered Assessment and Counseling for Exercise Questionnaire and Finnish PA Index). Linear regression models were used to assess the association of environmental perception with PA. Bivariate logistic regression models were used to assess differences between environmental perception and meeting PA recommendations. Environmental perception was positively associated with both objective and self-reported PA. Some differences were found in the association of environmental perception and PA between sex- and age-specific groups. Youth who perceived a more favourable environment were more likely to meet PA recommendations (at least 60 min · day(-1) of moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA)). Results suggest that environmental perceptions of children and adolescents may play an important role in achieving higher levels of PA.

Prevalence of leisure-time sedentary behaviour and sociodemographic correlates: a cross-sectional study in Spanish adults.

BACKGROUND: Being physically inactive has been linked to a higher mortality and poorer quality of life. This cross-sectional study examines the prevalence of leisure-time sedentary behaviour in a population of Spanish adults and its correlates with several sociodemographic variables. METHODS: Data were collected from 1,330 subjects living in Madrid (age: 18-65 years, 51.6% women) by telephone interview. The sampling error was ±2.7% for a 95.5% confidence level. Leisure-time sedentary behaviour was assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (version 2). Further factors examined were: country of birth, sex, age, civil state, education level, employment and economic status and physical activity of parents. RESULTS: 76.3% of the subjects interviewed reported a mostly sedentary leisure-time lifestyle. The remaining subjects (23.7%) reported a moderate to high level of physical activity, meeting minimum recommendations. Logistic regression adjusted for all variables identified the following population subsets as showing a greater risk of sedentary behaviour: women (odds ratio (OR) = 2.14; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.64, 2.79), participants aged 41-50 years (OR = 1.64; 95%CI:1.05, 2.51), those with a middle economic status (OR = 1.48; 95% CI: 1.04, 2.10) or not providing information about their income (OR = 1.97; 95% CI: 1.05, 3.67), and those whose father (OR = 1.53; 95% CI: 1.13, 2.07) and/or mother (OR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.97) were never physically active during leisure-time. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of self-reported sedentary behaviour recorded suggests the need for public health policies targeted at increasing leisure-time physical activity levels. Our data identified several population subsets as priority candidates for possible interventions pursuing this goal.

Psychological resilience, athletic experience, and competitive level of judokas. A transversal study.

Introduction: While there is agreement on the positive link between psychological resilience and athletic performance, conclusive findings regarding the association between psychological resilience and other variables of interest (for example, age, gender, type of sport, or competitive level) remain elusive. Objective: The study aimed to assess psychological resilience levels among judokas and explore potential associations with demographic factors, judo experience and competitive level. Methods: A total of 702 judokas (469 men and 233 women) participated in the study, of whom 194 (27.6%) were classified as TOP by their competitive level. Psychological resilience was evaluated using the Spanish version of the 10 item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC 10), with a score range from 0 to 40. Independent T-test and Pearson's coefficient were used for bivariate analysis. A two-way non-parametric ANCOVA was carried out to analyse the impact of gender and competitive level on psychological resilience. Results: The judokas showed total mean scores in the CD-RISC 10 of 33.08 points (SD = 4.79), considered high. Levels of psychological resilience were significantly higher among men (33.36 ± 4.76) than women (32.53 ± 4.80) and were positively correlated with age and number of years practicing and competing in Judo (p = 0.019). Judokas with a higher competitive level (TOP judokas) showed significantly higher levels of resilience than the others (non-TOP judokas) (p < 0.001). These differences in resilience according to competitive level persisted, among both men and women, when adjusting the model of analysis (two-way ANCOVA) for all variables considered in the study, although with a small effect size. Conclusion: The results suggest that the practice of Judo, especially over long periods of time, is associated with high scores in psychological resilience. Furthermore, psychological resilience appears to be a differentiating variable among judokas at a high-competitive level, and its evaluation and development using different strategies based on age and gender should be considered by trainers and psychologists.

Exercise Intervention and Hospital-Associated Disability: A Nonrandomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Importance: Inpatient exercise interventions may prevent, at least partly, hospital-associated disability (HAD) in older adults, but whether they also confer clinical benefits in the months following discharge is unclear. Objective: To examine the association of exercise and health education with HAD incidence in hospitalized older adults receiving acute hospital care at discharge and 3 months later. Design, Setting, and Participants: This single-center open-label, nonrandomized controlled clinical trial included patients aged 75 years or older seen at an acute care for elders unit at a tertiary public hospital in Madrid, Spain, from May 1, 2018, to June 30, 2022. Interventions: Patients were allocated to an intervention or control group. Both groups received usual care, but the intervention group also performed a supervised multicomponent exercise program (daily strength, balance, and walking exercises along with inspiratory muscle training) during hospitalization and received health education on how to exercise at home and telephone counseling during follow-up. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was HAD incidence (determined by the Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living [hereafter, Katz Index]) at discharge and after 3 months compared with baseline (ie, 2 weeks before admission). Secondary outcomes included HAD incidence determined by the Barthel Index for Activities of Daily Living, ambulatory capacity decline at discharge and follow-up, changes in physical performance at discharge, and incidence of falls, readmissions, and mortality during the follow-up period. Results: The study included 260 patients (134 women [51.5%]; mean [SD] age, 87.4 [4.9] years [range, 75-105 years]; median hospital length of stay, 7 days [IQR, 5-10 days]), of whom 130 received the intervention and 130 were in the control group. Differences in HAD incidence did not reach statistical significance at discharge (odds ratio [OR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.37-1.05; P = .08) or follow-up (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.36-1.17; P = .15) when using the Katz Index. A lower HAD incidence was observed in the intervention group at discharge (OR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.27-0.81; P = .01) and at follow-up (OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.20-0.66; P = .001) when using the Barthel Index for Activities of Daily Living. The intervention was also associated with a lesser decline in ambulatory capacity (OR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.32-0.96; P = .03) and improved physical performance at discharge (Cohen d, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.12-0.65; P = .004). No significant associations were observed for readmissions, falls, or mortality. Conclusions and Relevance: In this nonrandomized controlled clinical trial, an exercise and health education intervention was not significantly associated with reduced HAD incidence when measured by the Katz Index. However, the benefits found for several secondary outcomes might support the implementation of in-hospital exercise programs for older patients. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03604640.

Emotional Intelligence in Spanish Elite Athletes: Is There a Differential Factor between Sports?

Emotional intelligence is a determinant factor in sports performance. The present study analysed differences in total emotional intelligence and its four dimensions in 2166 Spanish athletes (25.20 ± 10.17 years) from eight sports (volleyball, track and field, shooting, football, basketball, handball, gymnastics, and judo). A total of 1200 men and 966 women answered anonymously using a Google Forms questionnaire sent via WhatsApp about demographics and psychological variables. A Pearson correlation was conducted to assess the age-emotional intelligence relationship. An independent T-test and One-Way ANOVA were carried out to check for age differences between biological sex and sport and a One-Way ANCOVA to determine differences between sports controlled by age. Age differences were observed by sex and sport (p < 0.001). An association was found between age and emotional intelligence dimensions (p < 0.001), except for other's emotional appraisal (p > 0.05). Judo was the sport with the highest levels of regulation of emotions, other's emotional appraisal, use of emotion, and total emotional intelligence (p < 0.05). Generally, emotional intelligence was found to be more developed in individual sports than in team sports, except football. Consequently, psychological skills like emotional intelligence could be critical to achieving high performance, depending on the sport.

Physical Activity and Mental Health in Undergraduate Students.

Most research support positive relationships between physical activity and mental health. However, possible moderating variables of these relationships have also been identified, such as age, gender, level of physical activity, and the scope of physical activity. This study aimed to analyze the relationships between physical activity and mental health levels in undergraduate students, assessing whether these associations can change depending on the level of physical activity (low, medium, or high) and the setting (occupational, commuting, or leisure time physical activity) in which it was performed. A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted. The sample comprised 847 undergraduate students. Physical activity and mental health were measured by the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQv2) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). We found relationships between students' physical activity level and their mental health status. The higher the total physical activity, the better their mental health scores. High levels of commuting and leisure time physical activity is also associated with better mental health, while only moderate levels of occupational physical activity are associated with better mental health status. Regarding the possible associations between physical activity and vulnerability to mental health problems, with the fully adjusted regression model, leisure time and occupational physical activity remain protective of a poor state of mental health. Leisure time physical activity, performed at a high level, and moderate occupational physical activity seems to be the best combination of physical activity to reduce students' vulnerability to potential mental health problems.

Trp64Arg polymorphism in ADRB3 gene is associated with elite endurance performance.

In this study, allele and genotype frequencies of the ADRB1 Arg389Gly (rs1801253), ADRB2 Gly16Arg (rs1042713) and Gln27Glu (rs1042714), and ADRB3 Trp64Arg (rs4994) variations were compared in the following three groups of Spanish (Caucasian) men: (1) world-class endurance athletes (E; runners and cyclists, n=100), (2) elite power athletes (P; sprinters, jumpers and throwers, n=53) and (3) non-athletic controls (C; n=100). No significant differences were observed in genotype and allele distributions among the study groups except for the ADRB3 Trp64Arg polymorphism in E versus C (27% vs 8% of carriers of the Arg allele in E and C, p<0.001; frequency of the minor Arg (C) allele of 14% vs 4% in E and C, p=0.001). Heterozygosity for the ADRB3 Trp64Arg polymorphism seems to be associated with elite endurance performance, while other variants of the ß-adrenergic receptors' genes do not seem to significantly influence top-level sports performance, at least in athletes of Spanish origin.

Control of resistance training intensity by the OMNI perceived exertion scale.

The purpose of this study was to determine the applicability of the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scale as a means of controlling resistance training intensity and establishing the relationship between the RPE value, load, and mechanical power (MP) produced during the bench press. Eleven men (22.1 ± 1.0 years) were evaluated on 8 separate days with 48 hours of rest between sessions. After determining the 1 repetition maximum (1RM) value, each subject underwent 7 tests until achieving muscular failure with the following percentage ranges: 30-40, >40-50, >50-60, >60-70, >70-80, >80-90, and >90%. A rotary encoder and the OMNI-RES (0-10) scale were used to estimate the power and to determine the perception of effort (RPE) expressed after each repetition of each set. The RPE produced from the start to the end of each set was related to the percentage of the load and the variability of the MP measured. Additionally, except for the >90% range, significant differences (p < 0.05) between the initial RPE (RPE I) and the average RPE of the first 3 repetitions (RPE 1_3 rep) with respect to the RPE produced with a 10% reduction in MP were identified for all the ranges. These relationships demonstrate the utility of RPE for controlling resistance training intensity.

Emotional Intelligence in Physical Activity, Sports and Judo: A Global Approach.

Emotional intelligence (EI) has been studied in relation to health and physical activity (PA) or in a sport-specific approach. EI is related to sports performance; however, combat sports seem to show characteristics of their own that involve better control of emotions than other sports. This study aimed to analyse whether there are differences in EI dimensions between those who do not achieve World Health Organization (WHO) PA recommendations, those who meet WHO PA recommendations, those who meet WHO PA recommendations practising sports, and judokas of different levels. A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted. The sample comprised 2938 undergraduate students from Madrid and 487 active Spanish judokas. PA was measured by the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). EI was assessed by the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24). Three different one-way ANOVA and ANCOVA (controlling for gender and age) were conducted to compare the effect of type of group studied on the EI dimensions. Significant differences in EI dimensions were found between those who do not meet PA recommendations, those who meet PA recommendations, those who meet PA recommendations practising sports, and judo athletes of different levels. However, when controlling for gender and age, these differences remained specifically in emotional attention and in emotional repair. Judo athletes and high-performance judo athletes showed better EI than the rest of the studied groups.

Resilience in Sports: Sport Type, Gender, Age and Sport Level Differences.

There seems to be a broad consensus that there is a positive correlation between resilience and sport performance. However, different studies show divergent results on the role played by certain variables in this relationship. This study aimed to analyze the possible relationships between resilience levels and the practiced sport according to gender, age, and competitive level of the athletes in 1047 competitive athletes from five different sports (handball, basketball, volleyball, athletics, and judo). Resilience was assessed with the Spanish version of the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). Results of independent samples t-tests or analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed no significant differences on the level of resilience according to the practiced sport or the competitive level. However, the analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) showed that they were related to the gender and age of the athletes, being higher in males than in females, and there was a positive correlation with age. These results seem to suggest the convenience of using differentiated strategies, according to gender and age, when working on all those protective factors that could allow the athlete to perform better when facing adversity in the competitive environment.

Emotional Intelligence of Undergraduate Athletes: The Role of Sports Experience.

Sport is an emotional experience. Studies have shown that high emotional intelligence (EI) is associated with better sports performance, though different aspects of sports experience and their relationship with EI are still unclear. This study examined the possible relationships between sports experience and EI dimensions of undergraduate athletes. Likewise, according to the differences described in the literature between men and women, the secondary aim was to identify the possible relationship between EI and sports experience in both subgroups. A total of 1784 [712 men (39.9%), 1072 women (60.1%); mean age = 21.3 years, SD = 4.2)] undergraduate athletes completed the Trait Meta Mood Scale and a sports experience questionnaire. Comparisons between groups were performed using Mann-Whitney-U and H-Kruskal-Wallis tests and correlations between variables were analyzed using Spearman correlation. We found that the number of different sports practiced and the number of years practicing sports were positively associated with emotional repair (ER). However, the number of years practicing sports was negatively associated with emotional attention (EA). Male athletes who trained more and had a higher competitive level were more likely to show higher ER. In any case, it is necessary to take into account that all the associations were weak. Our study suggested that athletes tend to attend to and value their feelings and use positive thinking to repair their negative moods.

Does the ACE I/D polymorphism, alone or in combination with the ACTN3 R577X polymorphism, influence muscle power phenotypes in young, non-athletic adults?

We investigated the association of the angiotensin converting enzyme gene (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism, alone or in combination with the α-actinin-3 gene (ACTN3) R577X polymorphism, with jumping (vertical squat and counter-movement jump tests) and sprint ability (30 m dash) in non-athletic, healthy young adults [N = 281 (214 male), mean (SD) age 21 (2) years]. We did not observe any effect of the ACE I/D polymorphism on study phenotypes. We repeated the analyses separately in men and women and the results did not materially change. Likewise, the mean estimates of the study phenotypes were similar in subjects with the genotype combinations ACE II + ID and ACTN3 XX or ACE DD and ACTN3 RR + RX. We found no association between the ACE DD and ACTN3 RR + RX genotype combination and performance (≥90th of the sex-specific percentile). In summary, though the ACE I/D polymorphism is a strong candidate to modulate some exercise-related phenotypes or athletic performance status, this polymorphism, alone or in combination with the ACTN3 R577X polymorphism, does not seem to exert a major influence in the muscle 'explosive' power of young healthy adults, as assessed during multi-joint exercise tests.

Heart Rate Variability and Exceptional Longevity.

Centenarians are the paradigm of human extreme longevity and healthy aging, because they have postponed, if not avoided, mayor age-related diseases. The purpose of this study was to investigate potential differences in resting heart rate variability (HRV) between young adults, octogenarians, and centenarians and assess whether HRV variables are predictors of all-cause mortality in centenarians. To this end, three groups of participants: young adults (N = 20; 20.6 ± 2.3 years), octogenarians (N = 18; 84.1 ± 2.6 years), and centenarians (N = 17; 101.9 ± 1.9 years) were monitored for 15 min at rest (seated, without moving or talking) to measure RR intervals, from which HRV was evaluated. Our results showed a clear decrease with age in the main parasympathetic HRV variables, as well as in the standard deviation (SD) of the RR series [SD of normal-to-normal interval (SDNN)] and in low frequency (LF) heart rate (HR) oscillations, although differences between octogenarians and centenarians did not reach statistical significance. In 14 centenarians followed until death, only SDNN showed significant correlation (ρ = 0.536; p = 0.048) with survival prognosis. Additionally, SDNN <19 ms was associated with early mortality (≤1 year) in centenarians (Hazard Ratio = 5.72). In conclusion, HRV indices reflecting parasympathetic outflow as well as SDNN and LF all present an age-related reduction, which could be representative of a natural exhaustion of allostatic systems related to age. Moreover, low SDNN values (<19 ms) could be associated with early mortality in centenarians. HRV seems to play a role in exceptional longevity, which could be accounted for by centenarians' exposome.

Individual Responsiveness to Physical Exercise Intervention in Acutely Hospitalized Older Adults.

We analyzed inter-individual variability in response to exercise among acutely hospitalized oldest-old adults. In this ancillary analysis of a randomized controlled trial, 268 patients (mean age 88 years) were assigned to a control (n = 125, usual care) or intervention group (n = 143, supervised exercise, i.e., walking and rising from a chair [1-3 sessions/day]). Intervention group patients were categorized as responders, non-responders, or adverse responders (improved, no change, or impaired function in activities of daily living [ADL, Katz index] from hospital admission to discharge, respectively). We analyzed the association between responsiveness to exercise and variables assessed at baseline (2 weeks pre-admission), admission, during hospitalization, at discharge, and during a subsequent 3-month follow-up. An impaired ADL function and worse nutritional status at admission were associated to a greater responsiveness, whereas a better ADL function at admission, longer hospitalization and lower comorbidity index were associated with a poorer response (p < 0.05). Adverse responders had worse outcomes at discharge and during the follow-up (e.g., impaired physical performance and greater fall number) (p < 0.05). Although exercise intervention helps to prevent ADL function decline in hospitalized oldest-old people, a number of them-particularly those with a better functional/health status at admission and longer hospitalization-are at higher risk of being adverse responders, which can have negative short/middle-term consequences.

Effect of a Simple Exercise Program on Hospitalization-Associated Disability in Older Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Hospitalization-associated disability [HAD, ie, the loss of ability to perform ≥1 basic activities of daily living (ADLs) independently at discharge] is a frequent condition among older patients. The present study assessed whether a simple inpatient exercise program decreases HAD incidence in acutely hospitalized very old patients. DESIGN: In this randomized controlled trial (Activity in Geriatric Acute Care) participants were assigned to a control or intervention group and were assessed at baseline, admission, discharge, and 3 months thereafter. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: In total, 268 patients (mean age 88 years, range 75-102) admitted to an acute care for older patients unit of a public hospital were randomized to a control (n = 125) or intervention (exercise) group (n = 143). METHODS: Both groups received usual care, and patients in the intervention group also performed simple supervised exercises (walking and rising from a chair, for a total duration of ∼20 minutes/day). We measured ADL function (Katz index) and incident HAD at discharge and after 3 months (primary outcome) and Short Physical Performance Battery, ambulatory capacity, number of falls, rehospitalization, and death during a 3-month follow-up (secondary outcomes). RESULTS: Median duration of hospitalization was 7 days (interquartile range 4 days). The intervention group had a lower risk of HAD with reference to both baseline [odds ratio (OR) 0.36; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.17-0.76, P = .007] and admission (OR 0.29; 95% CI 0.10-0.89, P = .030). A trend toward an improved ADL function at discharge vs admission was found in the intervention group compared with controls (OR 0.32; 95% CI ‒0.04 to 0.68; P = .083). No between-group differences were noted for the other endpoints (all P > .05). CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: A simple inpatient exercise program decreases risk of HAD in acutely hospitalized, very old patients.

The -786 T/C polymorphism of the NOS3 gene is associated with elite performance in power sports.

The NOS3 gene is a candidate to explain individual variations in health and exercise related phenotypes. We compared genotypic and allelic frequencies of the NOS3 -786 T/C polymorphism (rs2070744) in three groups of men of the same Caucasian (Spanish) descent: (i) elite endurance athletes (cyclists, runners; N = 100); (ii) elite power athletes (jumpers, throwers, sprinters; N = 53) and (iii) non-athletic controls (N = 100). The frequency of the TT genotype was significantly higher in power athletes (57%) than in the endurance (33%, P = 0.017) or control group (34%, P = 0.026). The frequency of the T allele was also higher in power sportsmen (71%) than in their endurance (55%, P = 0.003) and control referents (56%, P = 0.015). No differences were observed between control and endurance groups. In summary, the -786 T/C polymorphism of the NOS3 gene seems to be associated with elite performance in power-oriented athletic events (throwing, jumping, sprinting), with the T allele exerting a beneficial effect. The mechanism by which this allele variant might benefit power performance remains to be elucidated.

Physical Activity among Spanish Undergraduate Students: A Descriptive Correlational Study.

Achieving the recommended levels of physical activity (PA) is associated with better health. Despite this, most undergraduate students report low levels of PA. This study aimed to assess the achievement of recommended PA levels in a wide sample of undergraduate students from Madrid (N = 2960). Overall PA and leisure-time PA (LTPA) were measured with the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). Descriptive analyses and logistic regression were performed. It was revealed that 22.4% and 55.6% of overall PA and LTPA, respectively, did not achieve World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. When PA was measured as overall PA, the achievement of the recommended level was positively predicted by male sex; a Body Mass Index (BMI) indicative of normal weight or being overweight; spending less time sitting or reclining; work; and studying health science, social sciences, engineering, or architecture (all p < 0.001; r2 = 0.075). Using LTPA, the positive predictors of achieving recommended PA levels were male sex, having a BMI indicative of normal weight or being overweight, work, studying at a public university, and studying health science (r2 = 0.048). These findings suggest that universities should implement strategies to promote PA.