Association between wearable device usage and engagement of strength activity among people with and without disabilities

There is a lack of literature examining the engagement in strength activities of people with disabilities (PWD) using and not using wearable devices. The objectives of the current study were to determine the prevalence of strength activity engagement among wearable device users with disabilities, and to compare strength activity engagement between wearable device users and non-users with and without disabilities. Wearable device users and non-users with and without disabilities from eight states of the CDC's 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance were included in the analysis. Linear regression was used to examine the association between wearable device use and disability status and the interaction term for frequency of strength activity per week, while logistic regression was used to determine the association between the two variables and the interaction term for strength activity engagement and meeting strength activity guidelines. 7055 wearable device users and non-users with and without disabilities were included in the analysis. No interaction effects were found between wearable device use and disability status. In unadjusted logistic regressions, wearable device users were more likely to engage in strength activity (OR = 1.16, 95% CI [1.16, 2.20]) and meet strength activity guidelines (OR = 1.50, 95% CI [1.07, 2.09]), whereas PWDs were less likely to engage in strength activity (OR = 0.57, 95% CI [0.44, 0.75]) and meet strength activity guidelines (OR = 0.72, 95% CI [0.53, 0.98]). The use of wearable devices could lead to engagement in strength activity. However, further research is needed to determine its effectiveness in PWD.

The effects of resistance training on cardiovascular factors and anti-inflammation in diabetic rats

Diabetes induces a range of macrovascular and microvascular changes, which lead to significant clinical complications. Although many studies have tried to solve the diabetic problem using drugs, it remains unclear. In this study, we investigated whether resistance exercise affects cardiovascular factors and inflammatory markers in diabetes. The study subjected Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats, which have genetically induced diabetes mellitus, to a resistance exercise program for 12 weeks and assessed the levels of cardiovascular factors and inflammatory markers using western blotting analysis, ELISA, and immunohistochemistry. During the training period, OLETF + exercise (EX) group exhibited lower body weight and reduced glucose levels when compared with OLETF group. Western blotting analysis, ELISA, and immunohistochemistry revealed that the levels of PAI-1, VACM-1, ICAM-1, E-selectin, TGF-β, CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α were decreased in OLETF + EX group when compared with the OLETF group. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory markers, IL-4 and IL-10, were highly expressed after exercise. Therefore, these results indicate that exercise may influence the regulation of cardiovascular factors and inflammatory markers, as well as help patients with metabolic syndromes regulate inflammation and cardiovascular function.

Comparison of Participation in Strength Activity Among People With and Without Disabilities: 2013-2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

BACKGROUND

The current physical activity guidelines recommend engagement in strength activities at least 2 days per week. Currently, there is a lack of literature examining strength activities among people with disabilities. The purpose of this study is to estimate and compare the prevalence of engagement in strength activities and adherence to strength activity guidelines among adults with and without disabilities in the United States.

METHODS

A total of 1,005,644 adults (18-80 y old) with and without disabilities from the 2013 to 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were included in this secondary data analysis. Descriptive analyses were performed to describe the prevalence of strength activity behaviors of adults with and without disabilities. Logistic and Poisson regression models were performed to evaluate the relative contribution of disability status on strength activity behaviors.

RESULTS

A higher proportion of participants without disabilities (46.42%, 95% CI, 46.18-46.65) reported engaging in strength activities compared with participants with disabilities (30.68%, 95% CI, 30.29-31.08; P < .01). Participants with disabilities were less likely to engage in strength activities (odds ratio = 0.51, 95% CI, 0.50-0.52; adjusted odds ratio = 0.75, 95% CI, 0.73-0.77) and meet strength activity guidelines (odds ratio = 0.56, 95% CI, 0.54-0.57; adjusted odds ratio = 0.75, 95% CI, 0.73-0.77) than participants without disabilities.

CONCLUSION

Experiencing a disability is associated with lower engagement in strength activities; thus, it is important to identify effective and efficient approaches to promoting strength activities among people with disabilities.

Males Have a Higher Energy Expenditure than Females during Squat Training

The main objective of this study was to determine the differences in energy expenditure (EE) according to sex during and after two different squat training protocols in a group of healthy young adults. Twenty-nine Sports Sciences students volunteered to participate in this study. They attended the laboratory on four different days and completed four sessions: two sessions with 3 sets of 12 repetitions at 75% of their one-repetition maximum (RM) and two sessions with 3 sets of 30 repetitions at 50% of their 1RM. Energy expenditure was evaluated using an indirect calorimeter. Males consistently demonstrated higher EE in all sessions and intensities. The linear regression model identified a significant association between sex, BMI, and total EE across all sessions and intensities. In conclusion, males exhibited higher EE in both protocols (50% and 75% of 1RM) throughout all sessions. Furthermore, sex and BMI were found to influence EE in healthy young adults. Therefore, coaches should consider sex when assessing EE, as the metabolic response differs between males and females.

Comparison of Participation in Strength Activity Between Wearable Device Users and Nonusers: 2017 Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System

BACKGROUND

There are many benefits associated with engaging in strength physical activity. Many studies did not examine the engagement of strength activity among wearable device users. This study aimed to examine the association between wearable device usage and engagement of strength activity in free-living settings using nationally representative data.

METHODS

A total of 8250 adult wearable device users and nonusers from 8 states of the 2017 Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System were included in analysis. Multiple regression models were performed to determine the association between the dependent variables of strength activities and the independent variable of wearable devices.

RESULTS

Wearable device users were 1.26 (95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.81) times the odds of nonusers in engaging in strength activity. Users also had higher odds of meeting both the strength and aerobic physical activity guidelines than nonusers (odds ratio = 1.49; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-2.06; adjusted odds ratio = 1.43; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-2.00). No associations were found between wearable device utilization and frequency of strength activity per week.

CONCLUSION

Wearable device users were more likely to engage in strength activity than nonusers. However, additional studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of wearable devices in promoting strength activity.

Usability and Acceptance of an Interactive Tablet-Based Exercise Application: A Mixed Methods Study

Purpose: To investigate usability and acceptance of a newly developed interactive, tablet-based exercise application (app) and to explore personal opinions of therapists when using this app in the clinical setting.

Methods: Twenty participants (10 therapists and 10 inactive healthy adults) tested usability of this app performing different test tasks, using the think aloud method, and rated overall satisfaction with the System Usability Scale and acceptance with a modified Technology Acceptance Model Questionnaire. For a secondary objective, personal opinions of therapists were evaluated with two focus groups, one for team leaders and one for team members.

Results: Overall, the app was judged to be usable. Effectiveness varied between 73 and 90%, overall satisfaction between 70.5 and 85.5/100 points and acceptance between 74 and 80%. Team leader and team member focus groups considered the app as providing a great opportunity for therapy extension, especially because of its blended character. Barriers to its implementation were seen in the existing clinical working processes, personal attitudes of therapists and uncertainty of who would cover expenses for this new form of therapy. Some improvements such as using videos instead of photos, the integration of more interactive tools and the possibility to add additional exercises were suggested in both settings.

Conclusion: The app showed high acceptance and usability in trainees and therapists, although some ideas for upgrading functions were formulated. Before this app can be used in clinical practice, feasibility of this blended approach should be evaluated in a clinical setting.

Resistance training as an acute stressor in healthy young men: associations with heart rate variability, alpha-amylase, and cortisol levels

Regular resistance training has been shown to have many physiological and psychological health benefits. However, the underlying physiological processes are not yet fully understood. One explanation is that resistance training acts like an acute stressor and modulates physiological pathways that are associated with the stress response such as the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This was systematically investigated in our study. Participants were 45 healthy men who had been doing resistance training regularly for at least nine months. Salivary α-amylase and heart rate that were used as markers for SNS activity increased during the training and decreased afterwards. PNS activity that was assessed by means of heart rate variability parameters decreased during the training and increased after it. Salivary cortisol that was used as marker for HPA axis activity decreased throughout the session. Furthermore, an improvement of positive affect was found after the training. However, additional analyses indicated that the physiological response patterns were found for participants who chose upper-body exercises (in contrast to lower-body exercises) only. Therefore, we were able to show that an upper-body resistance training acts partially like an acute stressor which leads to the typical SNS and PNS - but not HPA axis - stress responses. We conclude that resistance trainings might be an alternative to classical relaxation programs which would have the additional advantage that it is a physical training at the same time. However, more research is needed to develop specific trainings which entirely fulfill this goal.

Management of Reduced Bone Mineral Density in HIV: Pharmacological Challenges and the Role of Exercise

Low bone mineral density is becoming more common among people living with HIV following the use of current antiretroviral therapy drugs such as tenofovir. Although pharmacological therapies used to treat low bone mineral density are associated with adverse effects and may increase the pill burden in people living with HIV who are already burdened by antiretroviral therapy drugs, non-pharmacological strategies to prevent and treat reduced bone mineral density resulting from antiretroviral therapy drugs in people living with HIV have not been fully explored. Despite evidence that exercise is effective in increasing bone mineral density, effects of exercise on low bone mineral density resulting from antiretroviral therapy drugs in HIV infected individuals are still unknown. This review highlights gaps in the strategies used to manage reduced bone mineral density resulting from antiretroviral therapy drugs and focuses on exercise as an alternative or adjunctive strategy.

Women with metabolic syndrome present different autonomic modulation and blood pressure response to an acute resistance exercise session compared with women without metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of risk factors in individuals with high risk of diabetes and heart disease. Resistance training (RT) has been proposed to be a safe, effective and worthwhile method for the prevention and treatment of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. However, no study has analysed the acute response of blood pressure (BP) and autonomic control of heart rate (HR) after a RT session in female patients with MetS. The aim of the present study was to analyse the response of laboratory assessed and ambulatory BP and cardiac autonomic modulation after a RT session in women with MetS. Nine women without MetS (35.0 ± 6.7 years) and 10 women with MetS (34.1 ± 9.4 years) completed one experimental exercise session and a control session. Laboratory BP, heart rate variability (HRV) and ambulatory BP of each subject were measured at rest, over 60 min, and for 24 h after the end of the sessions, respectively. There was a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (SBP), night time diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and mean blood pressure (MBP) only for women with MetS, for all periods after the RT session when compared with the control session (P<0.05). Significantly lower laboratory values of SBP and DBP (10, 30 and 40 min postexercise) and MBP (10, 40 and 50 min postexercise) were observed in women with MetS (P<0.05). Patients with MetS exhibited significant lower basal HRV and a lower autonomic responsiveness during the 60 min of acute recovery. These results confirmed that an acute session of resistance exercise induced a lower BP during day time and sleeping hours in women with MetS that may offer a cardio-protective effect. Women with MetS exhibited an impaired autonomic modulation at rest and a lower acute autonomic responsiveness to a RT session. The dissociation between BP and HRV responses suggests that other factors than autonomic control could be involved in the hypotensive effect of a RT session in MetS patients.

Effects of eight weeks of resistance training on the risk factors of metabolic syndrome in overweight /obese women - "A Pilot Study"

BACKGROUND

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of eight weeks of resistance training (RT) on anthropometric, cardiovascular and biochemical risk factors of metabolic syndrome (MetS), and neuromuscular variables on overweight/obese women.

METHODS

Fourteen middle-aged (33.9 ± 8.6 years) overweight/obese women (body mass index - BMI 29.6 ± 4.1 kg/m2) underwent 24 sessions (3 times/week) of a whole body RT program with 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions maximum (RM). The following variables were evaluated: maximum strength on chest press and frontal lat pull-down; isometric hand-grip strength; biceps brachii (BB) and rectus femoris (RF) muscle thickness, body mass; BMI; body adiposity index (BAI); waist, hip and neck circumferences; visceral fat volume; blood glucose; glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c); insulin; HDL-C and triglycerides.

RESULTS

There was an increase of chest press (from 52.9 ± 9.7 to 59.8 ± 7.7 kg; P = 0.02) and front lat pull-down (from 51.5 ± 7.5 to 57.6 ± 9.2 kg; P = 0.01) muscle strength, isometric handgrip (P = 0.02) and RF muscle thickness (from 42.2 ± 8.5 to 45.1 ± 7.3 mm; P = 0.02) after the 8 week RT program. There were no statistically significant alterations on plasma glucose, HbA1c, insulin, triglycerides, HDL-C, anthropometric indexes and BB muscle thickness (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

A RT program without caloric restriction promotes an increase on muscle thickness and strength, with no effects on risk factors of MetS in overweight/obese women.

Resistance training and the risk of colon and rectal cancers

PURPOSE

Although there is convincing evidence that physical activity reduces colon cancer risk, research in this area has focused on aerobic activity. We conducted a case-control study to investigate whether resistance training was associated with the risk of colon and rectal cancers.

METHODS

Data were collected on various colorectal cancer risk factors, including recreational physical activity performed during three age periods, from 870 cases and 996 controls in Western Australia in 2005-2007. Participants were classified as having never, possibly, or definitely performed resistance training in each age period and over the adult lifetime. The association between resistance training and colon and rectal cancer risk was analyzed using multinomial logistic regression.

RESULTS

Participants who definitely performed resistance training in their lifetime had a non-significant reduced risk of colon cancer compared with those who did no resistance training (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.70, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 0.45-1.11). No association was found for rectal cancer risk (AOR = 1.16, 95 % CI = 0.71-1.87). Performing resistance training was associated with a lower risk of colon cancer in each age period, although none of the relationships were statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

This study provides some initial evidence, albeit inconclusive, that resistance training may be inversely associated with colon cancer risk.

Resistance exercise training influences skeletal muscle immune activation: a microarray analysis

The primary aim of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of training on the immune activation in skeletal muscle in response to an acute bout of resistance exercise (RE). Seven young healthy men and women underwent a 12-wk supervised progressive unilateral arm RE training program. One week after the last training session, subjects performed an acute bout of bilateral RE in which the trained and the untrained arm exercised at the same relative intensity. Muscle biopsies were obtained 4 h postexercise from the biceps brachii of both arms and assessed for global transcriptom using Affymetrix U133 plus 2.0 microarrays. Significantly regulated biological processes and gene groups were analyzed using a logistic regression-based method following differential (trained vs. untrained) gene expression testing via an intensity-based Bayesian moderated t-test. The results from the present study suggest that training blunts the transcriptional upregulation of immune activation by minimizing expression of genes involved in monocyte recruitment and enhancing gene expression involved in macrophage anti-inflammatory polarization. Additionally, our data suggest that training blunts the transcriptional upregulation of the stress response and the downregulation of glucose metabolism, mitochondrial structure, and oxidative phosphorylation, and it enhances the transcriptional upregulation of the extracellular matrix and cytoskeleton development and organization and the downregulation of gene transcription and muscle contraction. This study provides novel insight into the molecular processes involved in the adaptive response of skeletal muscle following RE training and the cellular and molecular events implicating the protective role of training on muscle stress and damage inflicted by acute mechanical loading.

Resistance Training for Women’s Health

This review discusses evidence-based perspectives on resistance training for women’s health. Future directions for inquiry and empirically driven public policy initiatives also are addressed.

Resistance Training During Weight Loss in Overweight and Obese Older Adults: What Are the Benefits?

Obesity and sarcopenia are important public health challenges that affect the healthy aging trajectory of older adults. Although weight loss is recommended for overweight and obese older adults to prevent chronic disease, exercise is an important additional weight management strategy to maximize fat mass loss while retaining lean mass and improving function. Resistance training (RT) is a well-known exercise modality to improve muscle function and lean mass and has been investigated in several recent studies as a potentially powerful strategy to employ along with weight loss in overweight and obese older adults. RT is an important exercise training strategy as outlined in the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans and is recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine for older adults who are able to safely participate. This brief review will highlight some of the age-related consequences of sarcopenia and obesity and will summarize some of the published research findings of combined RT and weight loss in overweight and obese older adults.