Assessment of lifetime patterns of dairy food intake and physical activity

Patterns of nutrition and exercise throughout the life span may account for differences in health problems of aging. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a simple life span history questionnaire of dairy food intake and to assess recalled levels of leisure time physical activity over the life span. Volunteers, 98 women and 49 men, completed two nutritional surveys (Criterion Questionnaire, ¿CRIQ¿ and Diary Food Index, ¿INDX¿) and a physical activity questionnaire (P-ACTQ) in a test re-test design. The INDX and P-ACTQ consisted of a one to four scale (low to high intake). Dairy food intake averaged 1.4 to 2.3 servings per day with no significant differences in current dairy food intake between decade age categories. When compared to their own recalled 20's decade, dairy food intake declined slightly with age, except for the 80-89 age group which showed an increased intake. Test retest reliability for the INDX was r = 0.64. Validity of the INDX compared to the CRIQ was r = 0.64. All groups showed a decrease in physical activity levels across the life span. The Dairy Food Index holds promise as a simple "global" assessment of dairy food intake for the study of lifetime trends in advancing our understanding of the role of lifetime habits in chronic "lifestyle" diseases.

Incidence of injury during moderate- and high-intensity walking training in the elderly

To evaluate the effect of 26 weeks of moderate- and high-intensity walking training on injury rates in the elderly, 68 healthy volunteers (31 men, 37 women) were assigned to moderate intensity (MOD, n = 26) or high-intensity (HI, n = 24) training, or to a control (CONT, n = 18) group. To achieve prescribed training intensity, many subjects walked uphill on a treadmill. Seven of 50 subjects who trained (14%) suffered a training-related orthopedic injury; one subject was injured during treadmill testing. Four training injuries (lower leg and foot) occurred during weeks 1-13; three training injuries (leg and groin) occurred during weeks 14-26. Six of the injuries were to women. Because only one training injury occurred during uphill treadmill walking, injuries appeared related to fast walking and not exercise intensity. The higher incidence of injury in females is consistent with our earlier work, indicating the importance of further research to determine the underlying cause.

Effects of posture on upper and lower limb peripheral resistance following submaximal cycling

The purpose of this study was to determine postural effects on upper and lower limb peripheral resistance (PR) after submaximal exercise. Twelve subjects (six men and six women) completed submaximal cycle ergometer tests (60% age-predicted maximum heart rate) in the supine and upright seated positions. Each test included 20 minutes of rest, 20 minutes of cycling, and 15 minutes of recovery. Stroke volume and heart rate were determined by impedance cardiography, and blood pressure was measured by auscultation during rest, immediately after exercise, and at minutes 1-5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, and 15 of recovery. Peripheral resistance was calculated from values of mean arterial pressure and cardiac output. No significant (p less than 0.05) postural differences in PR were noted during rest for either limb. Immediately after exercise, PR decreased (55% to 61%) from resting levels in both limbs, independent of posture. Recovery ankle PR values were significantly different between postures. Upright ankle PR returned to 92% of the resting level within four minutes of recovery, compared to 76% of the resting level after 15 minutes in the supine posture. Peripheral resistance values in the supine and upright arm were not affected by posture and demonstrated a gradual pattern of recovery similar to the supine ankle recovery response (85% to 88% of rest within 15 minutes). The accelerated recovery rate of PR after upright exercise may result from local vasoconstriction mediated by a central regulatory response to stimulation from gravitational pressure on lower body circulation.

Cardiac dimensions and physical profile of masters level swimmers

Physical characteristics, physical activity patterns and cardiac dimensions of 18 men and 13 women masters swimmers were measured. Subjects consisted of swimminers aged 30-78 years who were competing in a regional invitational swim meet. Anthropometric measures for height, weight, body surface area (BSA), and skinfold thickness indicated no deviation from age or gender characteristics found in the general population. The swimmers averaged 21.0 +/- 16.9 total years swimming, 11.0 +/- 9.6 years competitive swimming, and 5.3 +/- 2.4 hours of swimming per week. Subjective reporting of the swimmer's habitual physical activity patterns (PAI) revealed that both the men and women considered their levels as moderate to high. Resting heart rate and blood pressure were within the normal ranges. Left ventricular size was measured by both electrocardiography and echocardiography. Cardiac dimensions were significantly (p less than 0.05) larger in the men than the women. Left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWT) of the women was 7.1 +/- 0.8 mm and 7.9 +/- 1.0 mm for the men. Left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD) was 43.5 +/- 3.8 mm for the women and 50.6 +/- 5.7 for the men, with the men showing evidence of borderline physiological hypertrophic dimensions. LVEDD was significantly correlated to BSA (0.66) while LVPWT was only moderately correlated to PAI (-0.46). Measures of cardiac dimensions were not significantly related to age. The results of this study indicate that moderately active male masters swimmers demonstrate a trend toward eccentric hypertrophy which is probably more related to body size than to age.

Psychological changes in exercising COPD patients

The effects of regular aerobic exercise on state-trait anxiety (Spielberger) and Depression (Zung) were assessed for nine men and six women, 46-71 years of age, with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Treatment subjects (N = 9) were evaluated prior to and following 14 and 28 weeks of exercise. Control subjects (N = 6) were evaluated at the same times but did not participate in the initial 14 weeks of exercise. The exercise regime consisted of stretching before and after 30 minutes of walking at about 50% of maximal oxygen uptake. Analyses showed the exercise intervention to have little impact on state-trait anxiety or depression scores. Anecdotal remarks and perceptions of the subjects suggest that further investigation of the relationship between exercise and psychological status of COPC patients is justified.

Body composition and physiological characteristics of law enforcement officers

The physical work capacity, body composition, and physiological characteristics of 12 law enforcement officers (9 males, 3 females) were measured. Subjects included a representative sample from the occupational categories of detective, staff, investigative and patrol officer. Mean maximal oxygen uptake of the men was 42.1 +/- 8.9 ml.kg-1min-1 with mean values of 41.5 +/- 8.7 ml.kg-1min-1 for the women. Measurement of body composition indicated an average of 24.4 +/- 7.1% body fat for the men and 30.9 +/- 1.2% for the women. Muscular power, strength, and endurance as measured by isolated limb flexion-extension movement and fitness test performance was considered average with no excessive bilateral differences. The results of this study were compared with other investigations of law enforcement officers of similar age groups. The officers displayed average or above health and physical fitness scores for their age classification and were able to complete all police task-oriented tests.

Haptoglobin and serum enzymatic response to maximal exercise in relation to physical fitness

This study investigated the potential value of specific cellular responses to acute and chronic exercise as indices of physical fitness. Muscle enzymatic and hemolytic responses following a progressive cycle-ergometer test to maximal aerobic capacity were studied in 12 women and 12 men, aged 27 to 55 yr, who had been previously assigned to "high" and "low" fitness groups. Venous blood samples were obtained at rest prior to the cycle test, immediately following maximal effort, and 1, 2, 4, 6 and 24 h post exercise. The samples were analyzed for hematocrit (Hct), hemoglobin (Hb), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (SGOT), creatine phosphokinase (CK), CK isoenzymes, and haptoglobin (Hapt). Hemoglobin and Hct were the only variables to rise significantly (P less than 0.05) following exercise, and at all sampling times were significantly lower in the women compared with the men; CK was constituted in the MM isoenzyme band at all times; and Hapt levels were significantly lower in high-fitness men and women as compared with low-fitness men and women. These results indicate that one progressive test to maximal aerobic capacity is not sufficient to induce significant muscle enzymatic or hemolytic stress responses. They do suggest, however, that a chronic hemolytic condition exists as a result of aerobic conditioning activity.

Work performance breathing normoxic nitrogen or helium gas mixtures

Twelve subjects completed a progressive treadmill test to maximal aerobic capacity while breathing air or a 79% helium--21% oxygen gas mixture (HeO2). Metabolic and thermoregulatory responses to work while breathing the two mixtures were compared at rest, 30-40%, 60-70%, and 85-90% of maximal performance, and at maximal effort. Ventilation, ventilatory equivalent, and respiratory rates were increased and oxygen uptakes decreased by breathing HeO2 when the level of work exceeded 85-90% of maximum. Heat loss through the respiratory tract was greater breathing HeO2. The reduction in maximal oxygen uptake is probably due to a reduction in the oxygen cost of breathing a less dense gas. It was not related to a lower body temperature and probably not to O2 transport or circulatory limitation. HeO2 breathing had no effect on maximal mechanical work capacity.