Background: Walking speed decreases in old age. Even though old adults regularly participate in exercise interventions, we do not know how the intervention-induced changes in physical abilities produce faster walking. The Potsdam Gait Study (POGS) will examine the effects of 10 weeks of power training and detraining on leg muscle power and, for the first time, on complete gait biomechanics, including joint kinematics, kinetics, and muscle activation in old adults with moderate mobility disability. Methods/Design: POGS is a …

Background: There are inconsistent results for the effectiveness of using smartphone applications (apps) or websites on weight loss. We investigated the efficacy of a smartphone intervention using a designated app that utilizes a lifestyle intervention-focused approach, including a human coaching element, toward weight loss in overweight or obese Korean adults. Methods: One hundred four adults aged 20–60 years with a body mass index≥ 23 kg/m2, who signed up for a smartphone program for weight loss (using the Noom app), were …

Circulating amino acids are potential markers of body composition. Previous studies are mainly limited to middle age and focus on either fat or lean mass, thereby ignoring overall body composition. We investigated the associations of fat and lean body mass with circulating amino acids in older men and women. We studied 594 women and 476 men from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study (age 62–74 years). Bioelectrical impedance analysis was used to indicate two main body compartments by fat (fat mass/height2) and lean mass …

This study aimed to examine the association between sleep and health in order to provide useful information to manage the health of obese women in the future. One hundred fifty-five Korean women aged 40–60 years without a previous diagnosis of abnormal glucose metabolism or other health problems and with body fat percentages greater than 30 percent were classified into two groups: a non-obese group and an obese group. Sleep hours exhibited a significant positive correlation with weight, body mass index, muscle mass, and …

Background and purpose Anorexia nervosa (AN) becomes chronic, with high physical, psychological and social morbidity and high mortality without early and effective treatment. The impact of physical exercise as a coadjutant to conventional treatment in this clinical population has been studied with favorable results. Although a Pilates program could be beneficial for patients with AN, no study has analyzed its feasibility and effects in adolescents with AN. Therefore, this study evaluated the safety of a Pilates program and …

The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a novel 6‐week after school nutrition and physical activity intervention administered by a registered dietitian with the help of a humanoid robot targeting elementary school aged children aged 6–12 years. The study was conducted across four Young Men's Christian's Association (YMCA) sites in Miami‐Dade County, Florida (N= 114, Mean age: 8.16±1.57 years) using a pretest‐posttest quasi‐experimental design via randomly assigned intervention (two sites; n= 63) and comparison …

Objective Acute resistance exercise has been shown to reduce brachial endothelial function. Whether there are concomitant reductions in carotid endothelial function remains unexplored. Methods Cold pressor test–mediated vasodilation of the carotid artery was used to assess carotid endothelial function in 15 young and healthy participants (age 26±1 years, body mass index 24±1 kg/m 2) after acute resistance exercise or an inactive time control condition. Results Acute resistance exercise had no effect on the cold pressor test–mediated …

The impact of obesity on physical and psychological health is well recognized in the literature with, among others, evidence of alterations in cognition. Indeed, obese populations are characterized by lower executive functions as well as an enhanced food craving. However, the relationship between executive functions and food craving remains unexplored. Moreover, these two variables have also been shown to predict food intake, but studies in the context of obesity are lacking. Thus, this study had two objectives:(1) …

Background/Aim Most studies regarding low-carbohydrate diets (LCDs) have been intervention studies. The aim of the current study was to investigate dietary intake and cardiovascular risk factors among individuals who voluntarily follow a LCD. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted (N= 54, 20–66yrs) in Reykjavik, Iceland. Participants recorded food intake for three days. Blood samples were analyzed for cardiovascular risk factors. Results Nearly half of the participants were obese and around 60% had been on a …

This study comparatively analyzed obesity, lean balance, and physical fitness related to growth and development in female middle school students to investigate the importance of regular physical activity on body composition and physical fitness in adolescence. The subjects were 31 elementary school students in grades 5–6 in Seoul, consisting of 16 students in the regularly active group and 15 students in the inactive group. Body composition and physical fitness factors were measured. Height, weight, body mass index …