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This study examined the alterations of heart rate variability (HRV) following iso-duration resistance (RES) and sprint-interval exercises (SIE) by comparing with that of non-exercise control (CON) in 14 non-obese (NOB) and 15 obese (OB) young men. Time and frequency domain measures as well as nonlinear metrics of HRV were assessed before and immediately after exercise, and during every 20 min until 120 min post-exercise. The variables during the first 4 h of actual sleep time at night, and the period of 12–14 h post-exercise were also measured. All trials were scheduled at 20:00. It was found that RES and SIE attenuated the HRV in both NOB and OB ( P 0.05). These findings suggest that obesity is likely to be a factor hindering the removal of exercise-induced cardiac autonomic disturbance in young men. Nonetheless, the declined HRV following both the RES and SIE protocols was well restored after a resting period of ∼10 h regardless of obesity. The study was registered at ISRCTN as https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN88544091 .

Kong, Zhaowei, Qian Yu, Shengyan Sun, On Kei Lei, Yu Tian, Qingde Shi, Jinlei Nie, and Martin Burtscher. The impact of sprint interval exercise in acute severe hypoxia on executive function.

In this study we investigated changes in concentrations of cerebral oxyhaemoglobin (O2Hb), deoxyhaemoglobin (HHb), and total haemoglobin (tHb) during repeated sprints and their relationship with cardiac output. We also examined the effect of glucose ingestion and acute hyperglycaemia on cerebral haemoglobin responses. Ten young male participants ingested either a glucose drink (70 g) or a placebo before performing a set of 10 repeated 6-second sprints on a cycle ergometer. Heart rate, stroke volume, and cardiac output were measured continuously using impedance cardiography, while changes in O2Hb, HHb, and tHb in the frontal region of the cerebral cortex were measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). The results showed that each sprint elicited a transient increase in O2Hb and to lesser extent HHb concentrations, which was enhanced with the number of sprint repetitions and correlated with cardiac output. After each sprint, O2Hb and HHb quickly returned to baseline, while cardiac output remained elevated. At the end of the repeated sprints, O2Hb was decreased to below pre-exercise levels, while HHb and tHb were elevated. After a recovery of 10-15 min, O2Hb returned to pre-exercise values in the placebo trial, but increased to above pre-exercise values (reactive hyperaemia) in the glucose trial. Our findings suggest that short sprint exercise increases O2Hb, HHb, and tHb levels during exertion in parallel with cardiac output. However, in addition to the transient increase in cerebral haemoglobin, a progressive decline in cerebral oxygen saturation occurs during repeated sprints. Glucose ingestion does not alter cerebral haemoglobin responses to sprint exercise but appears to be associated with faster recovery of O2Hb.

Background The efficacy of exercise interventions in the treatment of mental health disorders is well known, but research is lacking on the most efficient exercise type for specific mental health disorders. Objective The present study aimed to compare and rank the effectiveness of various exercise types in the treatment of mental health disorders. Methods The PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL databases, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials as well as Google Scholar were searched up to December 2021. We performed pairwise and network meta-analyses as well as meta-regression analyses for mental health disorders in general and each type of mental health disorder, with alterations in symptom severity as the primary outcome. Results A total of 6456 participants from 117 randomized controlled trials were surveyed. The multimodal exercise (71%) had the highest probability of being the most efficient exercise for relieving depressive symptoms. While resistance exercise (60%) was more likely to be the most effective treatment for anxiety disorder, patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) benefited more from mind–body exercise (52%). Furthermore, resistance exercise (31%) and multimodal exercise (37%) had more beneficial effects in the treatment of the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia, respectively. The length of intervention and exercise frequency independently moderated the effects of mind–body exercise on depressive (coefficient = 0.14, p = .03) and negative schizophrenia (coefficient = 0.96, p = .04) symptoms. Conclusion Multimodal exercise ranked best for treating depressive and negative schizophrenic symptoms, while resistance exercise seemed to be more beneficial for those with anxiety-related and positive schizophrenic symptoms. Mind–body exercise was recommended as the most promising exercise type in the treatment of PTSD. However, the findings should be treated with caution due to potential risk of bias in at least one dimension of assessment and low-to-moderate certainty of evidence. Trial Registration This systematic review was registered in the PROSPERO international prospective register of systematic reviews (CRD42022310237).

The present research examined the effects of family-related factors on how parents perceive and choose physical activities that stimulate their children’s physical fitness and motor development. Using the random sampling approach, a total of 284 4- to 5-year-old children (n = 147 boys; n = 137 girls) were included in the sample. These children’s physical fitness [measured by the Manual of National Physical Fitness Evaluation Standard (China’s Department of General Administration Buren of Sport, 国民体质测定标准手册 (幼儿部分) [The manual of national physical fitness evaluation standard-child version], People’s Sports Press, 2003)], large and fine motor development [measured by the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (Henderson et al., Movement assessment battery for children-2: Movement ABC-2: Examiner’s manual, Pearson, 2007)], and their parents’ attitudes toward physical activities [measured using the items of Parental Attitude toward Physical Activities scale (Wen, T. (2011). 幼儿园体育活动现状与改革的研究 [An investigation research on current situation and reform of physical education in kindergarten]. Master dissertation. Inner Mongolia Normal University)] were assessed. The results showed that parental attitudes positively predicted the performance of two-feet jumping in the physical fitness measurement and negatively predicted the performance of post coins by non-dominant hand in the motor ability test. Children who participated in both competitive and leisure physical activity showed significantly higher scores on the motor ability test than children who only participated in leisure physical activity. The child who participated in both types of physical activity scored significantly higher in tennis ball throwing, catching bean bag, and jumping on mats test. Children who participated in competitive physical activity showed significantly higher scores in tennis ball throwing and jumping on mats. This study provided evidence that family-related factors (e.g., parental attitude towards physical activities and children’s participation in activities) stimulate their children’s physical fitness and motor development among Chinese preschool children. Discussions and implications of the findings about how to provide support for children’s physical fitness and motor development, such as providing children more time for physical activities and more kinds of activities, were included.

This study examined the effects of 12 weeks of sprint interval training (SIT), high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on cardiorespiratory fitness (peak oxygen uptake, VO

ObjectiveThis study was aimed to evaluate the effects of low-carbohydrate diet (LC) and incorporated high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on gut microbiota, and the associations between changes in gut microbiota and cardiometabolic health-related profiles.MethodsFifty overweight/obese Chinese females (age 22.2 ± 3.3 years, body mass index 25.1 ± 3.1 kg/m–2) were randomized to the groups of LC, LC and HIIT (LC-HIIT, 10 repetitions of 6-s sprints and 9-s rest), and LC and MICT group (LC-MICT, cycling at 50–60% V̇O2peak for 30 min). The LC-HIIT and LC-MICT experienced 20 training sessions over 4 weeks.ResultsThe 4-week LC intervention with/without additional training failed to change the Shannon, Chao 1, and Simpson indexes (p > 0.05), LC increased Phascolarctobacterium genus, and LC-HIIT reduced Bifidobacterium genus after intervention (p < 0.05). Groups with extra exercise training increased short-chain fatty acid-producing Blautia genus (p < 0.05) and reduced type 2 diabetes-related genus Alistipes (p < 0.05) compared to LC. Sutterella (r = −0.335) and Enterobacter (r = 0.334) were associated with changes in body composition (p < 0.05). Changes in Ruminococcus, Eubacterium, and Roseburia genera were positively associated with blood pressure (BP) changes (r = 0.392–0.445, p < 0.05), whereas the changes in Bacteroides, Faecalibacterium, and Parabacteroides genera were negatively associated with BP changes (r = −0.567 to −0.362, p < 0.05).ConclusionLC intervention did not change the α-diversity and overall structure of gut microbiota. Combining LC with exercise training may have additional benefits on gut physiology. Specific microbial genera were associated with LC- and exercise-induced regulation of cardiometabolic health.

Interval training protocols have gained popularity over the years, but their impact on appetite sensation compared to officially recommended training method, moderate intensity continuous training (MICT) is not well understood. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare a single session of high intensity interval training (HIIT) including sprint interval training (SIT) with MICT on appetite perception measured by the visual analog scale (VAS). After searching up articles published up to September 2021, 13 randomized controlled studies were included in the meta-analysis. Outcomes of meta-analysis demonstrated that both acute sessions of HIIT/SIT and MICT suppressed appetite compared to no-exercise control groups immediately post exercise but there were no significant effects 30-90 min post exercise or in AUC values, indicating a transient effect of exercise on appetite sensations. Moreover, differences in appetite sensations between HIIT/SIT and MICT were negligible immediately post exercise, but HIIT/SIT suppressed hunger (MD = -6.347 [-12.054, -0.639], p = 0.029) to a greater extent than MICT 30- to 90-min post exercise, while there was a lack of consistency other VAS subscales of appetite. More studies that address the impact of exercising timing, nutrient compositions of energy intake (energy intake (EI)) and differences in participants' characteristics and long-term studies analyzing chronic effects are needed to comprehensively examine the differences between HIIT/SIT and MICT on appetite and EI. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO], Identifier [CRD42021284898].

The impairment of cognitive function can cause substantial emotional and financial burdens. A recent global increasing trend in cognitive impairment and associated disorders has been observed, which will continue to grow as the population ages rapidly. As a nonpharmaceutical approach, calorie restriction (CR) has received extensive research interests due to its health benefits, including maintaining cognitive function. In this narrative review, we first briefly introduce the role of cognitive function in activities of daily living and CR as a part of healthy lifestyle behaviors to protect against cognitive decline. Second, we present results from human studies demonstrating that CR might be beneficial for improving age-related cognitive decline and cognitive impairment in the clinical population such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Third, the potential mechanisms regarding the protective effects of CR on cognition are discussed. Fourth, specific suggestions are highlighted to be considered in future human studies. Overall, although there are few data available from human studies, CR appears to be beneficial for cognitive protection for both healthy and clinical populations. Further scientific investigations are needed before a firm conclusion can be made.

Sprint interval training (SIT) is characterized by intensity of “all-out” effort and superior time-efficiency compared to traditional moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) and has been proposed as one viable solution to address the commonly reported barrier of lack of time for physical activity. While substantial physiological benefits of participation in SIT have been well-documented, the psychological responses to SIT are less clear. No systematic review has been conducted thus far to respond to the assumption that its supramaximal intensity will induce adverse feelings. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to synthesize studies analyzing affective and enjoyment responses to SIT and to compare the responses to SIT with MICT and other high intensity interval training (HIIT) protocols with lower intensities. After searching relevant databases up until 22nd March 2021, twenty-five studies meeting the inclusion criteria were included in the present review. Random effect meta-analysis using the pooled data demonstrated that SIT induced similar post-exercise affective valences during the training compared to MICT and HIIT, but lower affective valences immediately post-exercise compared to MICT. Moreover, affective responses during SIT decreased to negative valences according to the results from most included studies, while low-volume SIT protocols with shorter sprint duration and repetitions induced more positive affective responses. Level of enjoyment after SIT were positive and were comparable to MICT or HIIT. Overall, the results from the existing literature indicate that SIT might cause unpleasant feelings during the training and be perceived less pleasurable than MICT immediately post training but could be a comparably enjoyable modality for healthy individuals in relation to MICT or HIIT, despite its supramaximal intensity. Low-volume SIT may be a realistic option for individuals seeking a time-efficient workout with comparable affective responses to MICT or HIIT.Systematic Review Registration[https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO], Identifier [CRD42021284898].

BackgroundStudies have shown that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is superior to moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) for increasing peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. To our knowledge, previously published systematic reviews have neither compared different HIIT models with MICT nor investigated intervention frequencies of HIIT vs. MICT for purposes of improving cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with CVD.ObjectiveThe purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare the effects of different training models, intervention frequencies and weeks of HIIT vs. MICT on changes in cardiorespiratory fitness during cardiac rehabilitation (CR).MethodsA systematic search was carried out for research articles on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) indexed in the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase and Scopus databases for the period up to December 2021. We searched for RCTs that compared the effect of HIIT vs. MICT on cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with CVD.ResultsTwenty-two studies with 949 participants (HIIT: 476, MICT: 473) met the inclusion criteria. Sensitivity analysis revealed that HIIT increased VO2peak more than MICT (MD = 1.35). In the training models and durations, there was a greater increase in VO2peak with medium-interval HIIT (MD = 4.02) and more than 12 weeks duration (MD = 2.35) than with MICT. There were significant improvements in VO2peak with a HIIT frequency of 3 times/week (MD = 1.28). Overall, one minor cardiovascular and four non-cardiovascular adverse events were reported in the HIIT group, while six non-cardiovascular adverse events were reported in the MICT group.ConclusionHIIT is safe and appears to be more effective than MICT for improving cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with CVD. Medium-interval HIIT 3 times/week for more than 12 weeks resulted in the largest improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness during CR.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021245810, identifier: CRD42021245810.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether exercise training mediated cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and whether this was associated with increases in left ventricular mass (LVM). Fifty-four sedentary obese women were randomised to high-intensity interval training (HIIT, repeated 4–min cycling at 90% V̇O2max interspersed with 3–min rest), work-equivalent continuous aerobic training (CAT, continuous cycling at 60% V̇O2max) or a control group (CON). Resting serum cTnT was assessed using a high-sensitivity assay before and after 12 weeks of training. LVM was determined from 2D echocardiography at the same timepoints. Both HIIT and CAT induced a similar elevation (median 3.07 to 3.76 ng.l−1, p0.05). LVM index in HIIT increased (62.2±7.8 to 73.1±14.1 g.m−2, p0.05) and CON (67.9±9.5 to 70.2±9.1 g.m−2, p>0.05). Training-induced changes in resting cTnT did not correlate with changes in LVM index (r=−0.025, p=0.857). These findings suggest that twelve weeks of either HIIT or CAT increased resting cTnT, but the effects were independent of any changes in LVM in sedentary obese women.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of repeated sprint interval training (RSIT) under different hypoxic conditions in comparison with normoxic RSIT on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and metabolic health in sedentary young women. Methods: Sixty-two sedentary young women (age: 21.9 ± 2.8 years, peak oxygen uptake [V̇O2peak] 25.9 ± 4.5 ml kg−1·min−1) were randomized into one of the four groups, including a normoxic RSIT group (N), RSIT simulating an altitude of 2500 m (H2500), RSIT simulating an incremental altitude of 2500–3400 m (H2500–3400) and a non-exercise control group (C). The training intervention (80 × 6 s all-out cycling sprints with 9 s recovery) was performed three times/week for 4 weeks. Anthropometric measures, V̇O2peak, fasting blood glucose and lipids were assessed during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle before and after the intervention. Results: Compared with the control group, significant increases in V̇O2peak were found in both hypoxic groups (H2500: +8.2%, p 0.05, d = 0.21) after the intervention, whereas the two hypoxic groups had no difference in V̇O2peak. Blood glucose and lipids, and body composition remained unchanged in all groups. Conclusion: The present study indicates that combining hypoxia with RSIT can enhance the improvement of CRF compared with normoxic RSIT alone in the sedentary young population. Yet, compared with RSIT under stable hypoxia, incremental hypoxia stress in the short-term does not additionally ameliorate CRF.

BACKGROUND: It remains uncertain whether exercise modality (high-intensity interval [HIE]; moderate-intensity continuous [MCE]) mediates exercise-induced changes in markers of pro-arrhythmogenic state and/or cardiac damage. This study examines heart rate variability (HRV) and cardiac troponin T (cTnT) kinetic responses to HIE and MCE. METHODS: Fourteen sedentary, overweight/obese females completed two trials including HIE (2-min running at 90% V̇O2max followed by 2-min running at 50% V̇O2max, repeated for 60 min) and MCE (70% V̇O2max steady-state running for 60 min) in a randomized, counterbalanced fashion. Supine HRV was evaluated as root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), normalized low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) spectral power, as well as the LF/HF ratio before (PRE), immediately (0 HR), 3 (3 HR) and 24 (24 HR) hours after exercise. Serum cTnT was assessed using a high-sensitivity assay at the same time-points and the values were corrected for plasma volume changes. RESULTS: Exercise temporarily altered all HRV indices (i.e. RMSSD and HF decreased; LF and LF/HF ratio increased at 0 HR, all P

The purpose of this study was to compare the differences in enjoyment and affect in response to four weight control intervention protocols over 12 weeks.Sixty overweight young females were randomised into four intervention groups: repeated sprint training (RST, 6-sec all-out sprint interspersed with 9-sec rest), high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with short interval (HIITThe score of the PACES on average over 12 weeks showed a significant between-group effect that was lower in MICT (80.8 ± 11.8) compared with HIITInterval training, especially the long-interval type, is an enjoyable and pleasant long-term exercise intervention for overweight young women. RST could be an alternative for weight control considering its time efficiency with comparable enjoyment and overall pleasure.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) on the primary motor cortex (M1) during action observation, and subsequent action execution, on motor cortex excitability. The participants received tACS at 10 Hz or 20 Hz, or a sham stimulation over the left M1 for 10 min while they observed a video displaying a repeated button-tapping task using the right hand, and then performed an identical task with their right hand. Motor-evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes were measured before (T0) and after the action observation paired with tACS or a sham stimulation (T1), and after the performance of the action (T2). The results showed that MEPs were significantly reduced at time point T1 (p = 0.042, Cohen’s d = 0.611) and T2 (p = 0.0003, Cohen’s d = 0.852) in the 20 Hz tACS condition, in contrast with the sham stimulation. There was a significantly smaller MEP amplitude at time point T2 in the 20 Hz tACS condition, as compared to the 10 Hz tACS condition (p = 0.01, Cohen’s d = 0.622), but the MEP amplitude did not significantly change at time point T1 between the 20 Hz and 10 Hz tACS conditions (p = 0.136, Cohen’s d = 0.536). There were no significant differences at time point T1 and T2 between the 10 Hz tACS condition and the sham stimulation. We conclude that 20 Hz tACS during action observation inhibited motor cortex excitability and subsequently inhibited execution-related motor cortex excitability. The effects of tACS on task-related motor cortex excitability are frequency-dependent.

Episodic memory is the ability that enables individuals to recall and re-experience previous events and usually includes information concerning the spatial and temporal context. This study examined the effects of a physical exercise break during a period of prolonged sitting on episodic memory. Furthermore, we aimed to investigate whether alterations of functional connectivity patterns might contribute to the exercise-induced changes in episodic memory.Sixty healthy male college students were randomly assigned (1:1 ratio) to a prolonged-sitting group (PS group) or a physical-exercise-break group (PE group). The face-name paired-associate learning task was used to probe episodic memory. During the task, cortical hemodynamics in the prefrontal cortex were recorded using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Changes in cortical hemodynamics were used to determine functional connectivity using graph-theoretical network analysis.There was no between-group difference in neurobehavioral outcomes at the pretest assessment. During the posttest assessment, compared with the PS group, higher nodal efficiency in the anterior prefrontal cortex (orbitofrontal and frontopolar cortices) was observed during the encoding phase (FDR corrected p values = 0.039), and higher nodal efficiency and degree centrality of orbitofrontal cortex were observed in the retrieval phase in the PE group (FDR corrected p values = 0.035). Moreover, the PE group showed closer temporal correlational interactions between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the anterior prefrontal cortex in the left hemisphere during the episodic memory encoding phase (FDR corrected p values = 0.043), when compared to the PS group. Neither significant between-group difference in accuracy nor correlations between neural and behavioral outcomes were observed after the intervention.Our findings suggest that a physical exercise break during a prolonged sitting period has neither a beneficial nor a detrimental effect on behavioral performance concerning episodic memory. However, physical breaks do facilitate functional connectivity patterns of the prefrontal cortex while performing a episodic memory task.

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) has become a prevalent issue worldwide. Previous studies suggest that physical exercising may effectively reduce smartphone users’ addiction levels. Comparisons and further evaluations on the long-term effects of different types of exercise-based interventions on treating PSU remain to be investigated. Objective. We investigated if group-based basketball and Baduanjin exercise (a type of Qigong) would reduce PSU and improve the mental health of college students and whether such effects would be sustained. A twelve-week experiment was conducted, where 96 eligible Chinese college students with PSU were randomly assigned to two intervention arms (i.e., basketball and Baduanjin exercises) and a control arm. Outcome measures, including PSU (measured by the Mobile Phone Addiction Index in Chinese (MPAI)) and mental health indices for anxiety (measured by Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SRAS)), loneliness (measured by the short-form of the UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS)), inadequacy (measured by the revised Janis and Field’s Feelings of Inadequacy Scale (FIS)), and stress (measured by the Chinese version of Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS)) were collected at the baseline, the end of week 12, and the two-month follow-up. A Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) model for longitudinal data was utilized in analyses. Results. Both exercise interventions demonstrated significant effects on decreasing PSU (basketball: p < 0.01 ; Baduanjin: p < 0.01 ), feelings of anxiety (basketball: p < 0.01 ; Baduanjin: p = 0.04 ), loneliness (basketball: p < 0.01 ; Baduanjin: p < 0.01 ), inadequacy (basketball: p < 0.01 ; Baduanjin: p < 0.01 ), and perceived stress (basketball: p < 0.01 ; Baduanjin: p = 0.04 ), at the end of interventions. At two months after interventions, both exercise interventions demonstrated significant effects on decreasing PSU (basketball: p < 0.05 ; Baduanjin: p < 0.05 ), feelings of anxiety (basketball: p < 0.01 ; Baduanjin: p = 0.03 ), loneliness (basketball: p < 0.01 ; Baduanjin: p < 0.01 ), and inadequacy (basketball: p < 0.01 ; Baduanjin: p = 0.01 ), but not for feeling of stress. Furthermore, group-based basketball demonstrated larger improvements for all these significant results on reducing PSU and meanwhile improving their related mental health parameters among college students.

ObjectiveThe current study aimed at determining effects of Tai Chi as an example of a combined motor-cognitive exercise relative to regular walking as an example of an exercise without cognitive demands on cognitive functioning and the functional and structural integrity of the brain in the elderly.MethodsHealthy elderly women with at least 6 years of regular Tai Chi or brisk walking exercise were recruited and underwent cognitive assessment via the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and brain structural and resting state functional MRI assessments.ResultsEpisodic memory in Tai Chi group was superior to that of the walking group; (2) higher gray matter density in inferior and medial temporal regions, including the hippocampal formation; (3) higher ReHo in temporal regions, specifically the fusiform gyrus and hippocampal formation (4) significant partial correlations were found between the gray matter density of the left hippocampus and episodic memory in the whole sample (5) significant partial correlations were observed between the ReHo in left hippocampus, left parahippocampal, left fusiform and delayed memory task was observed among all subjects.ConclusionThe present study suggest that long-term Tai Chi practice may improve memory performance via remodeling structure and the function of the hippocampal formation.

Visceral fat loss in response to four-cycle ergometer training regimens with explicit differences in exercise intensity and modality was compared. Fifty-nine obese young women (body fat percentage ≥ 30%) were randomized to a 12-week intervention consisting of either all-out sprint interval training (SITall-out , n = 11); supramaximal SIT (SIT120 , 120% V˙ O2peak , n = 12); high-intensity interval training (HIIT90 , 90% V˙ O2peak , n = 12), moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT, 60% V˙ O2peak , n = 11), or no training (CON, n = 13). The total work done per training session in SIT120 , HIIT90 , and MICT was confined to 200 kJ, while it was deliberately lower in SITall-out . The abdominal visceral fat area (AVFA) was measured through computed tomography scans. The whole-body and regional fat mass were assessed through dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Pre-, post-, and 3-hour post-exercise serum growth hormone (GH), and epinephrine (EPI) were measured during selected training sessions. Following the intervention, similar reductions in whole-body and regional fat mass were found in all intervention groups, while the reductions in AVFA resulting from SITall-out , SIT120 , and HIIT90 (>15 cm2 ) were greater in comparison with MICT (

Benefits of performing sprint interval training (SIT) under hypoxic conditions on improving cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition have been well-documented, yet data is still lacking regarding affective responses to SIT under hypoxia. This study aimed to compare affective responses to SIT exercise under different oxygen conditions. Nineteen active males participated in three sessions of acute SIT exercise (20 repetitions of 6 s of all-out cycling bouts interspersed with 15 s of passive recovery) under conditions of normobaric normoxia (SL: PIO2 150 mmHg, FIO2 0.209), moderate hypoxia (MH: PIO2 117 mmHg, FIO2 0.154, simulating an altitude corresponding to 2500 m), and severe hypoxia (SH: PIO2 87 mmHg, FIO2 0.112, simulating an altitude of 5000 m) in a randomized order. Perceived exertions (RPE), affect, activation, and enjoyment responses were recorded before and immediately after each SIT session. There were no significant differences across the three conditions in RPE or the measurements of affective responses, despite a statistically lower SpO2 (%) in severe hypoxia. Participants maintained a positive affect valence and reported increased activation in all the three SIT conditions. Additionally, participants experienced a medium level of enjoyment after exercise as indicated by the exercise enjoyment scale (EES) and physical activity enjoyment scale (PACES). These results indicated that performing short duration SIT exercise under severe hypoxia could be perceived as pleasurable and enjoyable as performing it under normoxia in active male population.

Purpose: Previous research has evaluated the effects of acute hypoxia exposure on cognitive function, notably executive function. No studies, to date, have evaluated the effects of acute hypoxia exposure on memory interference, which was the purpose of this experiment. Methods: A within-subjects, counterbalanced experimental design was employed, with condition (hypoxia vs. normoxia) and time (immediate vs. delayed) being the independent variables. Participants (N = 21, Mage = 21.0 years) completed two laboratory visits, involving 30 min of exposure to either hypoxia (FIO2 = 0.12) or normoxia (FIO2 = 0.21). Following this, they completed a memory interference task (AB/AC paradigm), assessing immediate and delayed proactive and retroactive interference. Results: For retroactive interference, we observed a significant main effect for condition, F(1, 20) = 5.48, p = 0.03, ƞ2 = 0.10, condition by time interaction, F(1, 20) = 4.96, p = 0.03, ƞ2 = 0.01, but no main effect for time, F(1, 20) = 1.75, p = 0.20, ƞ2 = 0.004. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that acute hypoxia exposure was facilitative in reducing memory interference. We discuss these findings in the context of the potential therapeutic effects of acute hypoxia exposure on synaptic plasticity.

An elevation in cardiac troponin T (cTnT), as a highly specific biomarker of cardiomyocyte damage, after moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MCE) has been described. The exercise-induced cTnT response distorts the diagnostic role of the cTnT assay. Although high-intensity interval exercise (HIE) is growing in popularity and concerns remain about its safety, available data related to cTnT release after HIE is limited, which hampers the use of HIE as a health intervention. Here, we present three representative HIE protocols [traditional HIE (repeated 4 min cycling at 90% V̇O2max interspersed with 3 min rest, 200 kJ/session); sprint interval exercise (SIE, repeated 1 min cycling at 120% V̇O2max interspersed with 1.5 min rest, 200 kJ/session); and repeated sprint exercise (RSE, 40 x 6 s all-out sprints interspersed with 9 s rest)] and one representative MCE protocol (continuous cycling exercise at an intensity of 60% V̇O2max, 200 kJ/session). Forty-seven sedentary, overweight young women were randomly assigned to one of four groups (HIE, SIE, RSE, and MCE). Six bouts of respective exercise were performed by every single group, with each being 48 h apart. Meanwhile, for four groups, the duration of the entire testing period was identical, being 10 days. Before and after the first and final exercise bouts, an assessment was conducted of cTnT. The current study provides a frame of reference giving a clear picture of how a specific exercise session affects the circulating cTnT concentration at the early stage of training. The information may assist with clinical interpretations of post-exercise cTnT elevation and guide the prescription of exercise, especially for HIE.

OBJECTIVES: It is unclear whether exercise modality (moderate-intensity continuous [MCE]; high-intensity interval [HIE]) and menstrual cycle phase (follicular [FP]; luteal [LP]), individually or in combination, mediate the commonly observed exercise-induced elevation in cardiac troponin T (cTnT). This study examines cTnT responses to MCE and HIE during both the FP and LP. DESIGN: Randomised crossover study. METHODS: Seventeen healthy, eumenorrheic women completed four trials including MCE (60% VO2max steady-state cycling until 300kJ) and work-equivalent HIE (repeated 4-min cycling at 90% VO2max interspersed with 3-min rest) during both the FP and LP. The FP and LP were verified based on ovarian hormones. Serum cTnT was assessed using a high-sensitivity assay before, immediately after, and 1 (1HR), 3 (3HR) and 4 (4HR) hours after exercise. cTnT values were corrected for plasma volume changes. RESULTS: cTnT was significantly elevated (p0.05) in peak post-exercise cTnT, which mostly occurred at 3HR, was seen among the four trials (median [range], ngl-1: 5.2 [1.7-18.1] after MCE during FP; 4.8 [1.7-24.9] after MCE during LP, 8.2 [3.9-24.8] after HIE during FP and 6.9 [1.7-23.1] after HIE during LP). CONCLUSIONS: A single 300kJ bout of both MCE or HIE resulted in a significant post-exercise increase in cTnT, with no differences in peak cTnT response between menstrual cycle phases or between exercise modes, but the cTnT elevation occurs slightly earlier after HIE.

This current meta-analysis review was conducted to examine the effectiveness of Qigong-based therapy on individuals with major depressive disorder. Six electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wangfang) were employed to retrieve potential articles that were randomized controlled trials. The synthesized effect sizes (Hedges’ g) were computerized to explore the effectiveness of Qigong-based therapy. Additionally, a moderator analysis was performed based on the control type. The pooled results indicated that Qigong-based therapy has a significant benefit on depression severity (Hedges’ g = −0.64, 95% CI −0.92 to −0.35, p < 0. 001, I2 = 41.73%). Specifically, Qigong led to significantly reduced depression as compared to the active control groups (Hedges’ g = −0.47, 95% CI −0.81 to −0.12, p = 0.01, I2 = 22.75%) and the passive control groups (Hedges’ g = −0.80, 95% CI −1.23 to −0.37, p < 0.01, I2 = 48.07%), respectively. For studies which reported categorical outcomes, Qigong intervention showed significantly improved treatment response rates (OR = 4.38, 95% CI 1.26 to 15.23, p = 0.02) and remission rates (OR = 8.52, 95% CI 1.91 to 37.98, p = 0.005) in comparison to the waitlist control group. Conclusions: Qigong-based exercises may be effective for alleviating depression symptoms in individuals with major depressive disorder. Future well-designed, randomized, controlled trials with large sample sizes are needed to confirm these findings.

This study compared the effects of 12-week sprint interval training (SIT), high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak), body mass and insulin sensitivity in overweight females. Forty-two overweight women (age 21.2 ± 1.4 years, BMI 26.3 ± 2.5 kg·m-2) were randomized to the groups of SIT (80 × 6-s sprints + 9-s rest), and isoenergetic (300KJ) HIIT (~9 × 4-min cycling at 90% VO2peak + 3-min rest) and MICT (cycling at 60% VO2peak for ~ 61-min). Training intervention was performed 3 d·week-1 for 12 weeks. After intervention, all three groups induced the same improvement in VO2peak (~ +25%, p < 0.001) and a similar reduction in body mass (~ - 5%, p < 0.001). Insulin sensitivity and fasting insulin levels were improved significantly on post-training measures in SIT and HIIT by ~26% and ~39% (p < 0.01), respectively, but remain unchanged in MICT. In contrast, fasting glucose levels were only reduced with MICT (p < 0.01). The three training strategies are equally effective in improving VO2peak and reducing body mass, however, the SIT is time-efficient. High-intensity training (i.e. SIT and HIIT) seems to be more beneficial than MICT in improving insulin sensitivity. Abbreviations: BMI: body mass index; CVD: cardiovascular disease; HIEG: hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic glucose; HIIT: high-intensity interval training; HOMA-IR: homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance; HR: heart rate; MICT: moderate-intensity continuous training; RPE: ratings of perceived exertion; SIT: sprint interval training; T2D: type 2 diabetes; VO2peak: peak oxygen consumption.

Introduction: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an emerging lifestyle intervention strategy for controlling obesity. HIIT consisted of brief all-out supramaximal sprint intervals was termed as sprint interval training (SIT). This study was designed to examine the time-efficient characteristics of SIT in reducing abdominal visceral fat.Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare the specific adaptations of SIT (80 × 6 s all-out cycle sprints interspersed with 9 s passive recovery) with those resulting from a HIIT regimen with training volume relatively higher (repeated 4 min bouts of cycling at 90% V˙O2max alternated with 3 min rest, until the work of 400KJ was achieved), and with those of nonexercising control counterparts (CON). Forty-six obese young women (body fat percentage ≥30) received either SIT (n = 16), HIIT (n = 16), or no training (n = 14), 3–4 sessions per week, for 12 weeks. The abdominal visceral fat area (AVFA) and abdominal subcutaneous fat area (ASFA) of the participants were measured through computed tomography scans pre-intervention and post-intervention. Total fat mass and the fat mass of the android, gynoid, and trunk regions were assessed through dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.Results: Following the intervention, abdominal visceral and subcutaneous fat were reduced markedly (p < 0.05). The reduction in AVFA (−6.31, −9.7 cm2) was not different between SIT and HIIT (p > 0.05), while the reduction in ASFA (−17.4, −40.7 cm2) in SIT was less than that in HIIT (p < 0.05). Less reduction in the fat mass of the trunk (−1.2, −2.0 kg) region was also found in SIT, while the reductions in fat percentage (−1.9%, −2.0%), total fat mass (−2.0, −2.8 kg), and fat mass of the android (−0.2, −0.2 kg), and gynoid (−0.4, −0.3 kg) regions did not differ between the two regimes (p > 0.05). In contrast, the increase in V˙O2max was significant greater following the SIT than HIIT (p < 0.01). No variable changed in CON.Conclusion: Such findings suggest that the lower training load and exercise time commitments of the SIT regime could optimize the time-efficiency advantage of the traditional HIIT, facilitating the abdominal visceral fat reduction in obese young women.

The risk of malignant arrhythmias is higher during extremely intense exercise and after its cessation. It is still unclear whether high-intensity interval exercise (HIE), an increasingly popular option in preventive and rehabilitative medicine, can lead to an impaired electrophysiological milieu, as revealed by QT interval prolongation on an electrocardiogram. This study investigated heart rate-corrected QT interval (QTc) dynamics during recovery from HIE in obese adults. In total, 13 obese males (age: 24.3 ± 4.6 years old; body mass index: 31.6 ± 4.1 kg/m2) underwent: (1) HIE: an HIE session of four 30-s all-out cycling efforts interspersed with 4‑min recovery periods; (2) REC: a recovery session 24 h after HIE; and (3) CON: a control session of no treatment. The QT interval was measured before HIE, REC, and CON, and then at 30-min intervals thereafter, for up to 3 h. QTc values were obtained using Bazett, Fridericia, Framingham, Hodges, and Rautaharju correction formulas. Acute HIE led to a significant increase in QTc for each correction (by 5–47 ms, all p

To compare postprandial glucose responses to high-intensity interval exercise (HIE) between obese and lean individuals.Thirty healthy young adult males (15 obese, 15 lean) ate a standardised meal, then performed HIE (4 × 30-s Wingate cycling/4-min rest) or a no-exercise control trial (CON). Blood glucose was measured preprandially and up to 150 min postprandially.Compared to CON, HIE reduced postprandial glucose concentrations at 120-150 min in obese (p 0.001) and lean men (p 0.05), with greater reductions in obese than lean subjects at 120 (-27.0% vs. -8.3%), 135 (-31.9% vs. -15.7%), and 150 min (-21.8% vs. -10.6%). The total glucose area under the curve (AUC) for the testing period was lower with HIE than CON among obese men (p 0.05), but not lean men (p 0.05). We found moderate correlations between body mass and postprandial glucose changes (r = 0.39-0.44, p 0.05), and between glucose AUC and body mass and fat free mass (r = 0.39-0.48, p 0.05).Our findings suggest that HIE may act as a time-efficient lifestyle intervention strategy for improving obesity-related diabetes risk factors, and might play a role in primary diabetes prevention for the healthy but sedentary population.

Low-volume, high-intensity exercise is a time-efficient method of inducing physiological responses and may also improve glucose homeostasis. Therefore, effects of two different volumes of sprint-interval cycling on post-prandial blood glucose were assessed.Twenty healthy young males undertook two Wingate anaerobic tests (2WAT), four Wingate anaerobic (4WAT) and without-exercise (CON) 90 min after eating a standard meal. Blood glucose was examined at 60, 90, 105, 120, 135 and 150 min post-prandially.2WAT and 4WAT both accelerated the decrease of blood glucose compared with CON (P0.05). There were significant reductions at 120 (4.45 ± 0.64 vs. 4.93 ± 0.9 vs. 5.68 ± 0.69), 135 (4.28 ± 0.50 vs. 4.48 ± 0.75 vs. 5.54 ± 0.6) and 150 min (4.64 ± 0.71 vs. 4.71 ± 0.73 vs. 5.36 ± 0.48, all P0.05). Blood glucose at 120 min was lower after 2WAT than 4WAT (4.45 ± 0.64 vs. 4.93 ± 0.9, P0.05), this producing a significant statistical interaction between groups and post-exercise time (P0.005).2WAT and 4WAT tests both accelerate the post-prandial decrease in blood glucose in young healthy males, 2WAT being superior to 4WAT in producing this response, even though 2WAT is easier to perform and less time consuming.

What is the central question of this study? Does exercise training impact resting and postexercise cardiac troponin T (cTnT) concentration? What is the main finding and its importance? This randomized controlled intervention study demonstrated that 12 weeks of either high-intensity interval training or moderate-intensity continuous training largely abolished the exercise-induced elevation in cTnT when exercise was performed at the same absolute intensity. There was no impact of training on resting cTnT or postexercise appearance of cTnT when exercise was performed at the same relative intensity. These findings provide new information that might help clinicians with decision-making in relationship to basal and postexercise values of cTnT in individuals with different training status.We evaluated the influence of 12 weeks of high-intensity interval training [HIIT; repeated 4 min cycling at 90% of maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max) interspersed with 3 min rest, 200-300 kJ per session, 3 or 4 days each week] and work-equivalent moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT; continuous cycling at 60% V̇O2max) on resting cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and the appearance of exercise-induced cTnT. Forty-eight sedentary obese young women were randomly assigned to HIIT, MICT or a control group. The V̇O2max and body composition were measured before and after training. At baseline, cTnT was assessed using a high-sensitivity assay at rest and immediately, 2 and 4 h after 45 min cycling at 60% V̇O2max. After a 12 week training period, cTnT was assessed before and after 45 min cycling at the same relative and absolute intensities as before training. Training led to higher V̇O2max and lower fat mass in both HIIT and MICT groups (all P 0.05). Before training, cTnT was significantly elevated in all three groups (by 35-118%, all P 0.05) with acute exercise. After training, both resting and postexercise cTnT concentrations (same relative intensity) were similar to pretraining values. In contrast, postexercise cTnT (same absolute intensity, which represented a smaller exercise stimulus) was not elevated from rest in both HIIT and MICT groups. In conclusion, 12 weeks of either HIIT or MICT largely abolished the postexercise elevation of cTnT concentration when exercise was performed at the same absolute intensity. There was, however, no impact of training on resting cTnT or postexercise appearance of cTnT for exercise performed at the same relative intensity.

Previous studies have investigated the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition in overweight populations. However, the additive effect of HIIT and hypoxia on health parameters is not clear. This study compared the effects of HIIT under hypoxic conditions on cardiometabolic function with that under normoxia in overweight Chinese young women. Methods: A double-blind randomized controlled experimental design was applied. Twenty-four sedentary overweight Chinese young women (weight: 68.8  7.0 kg, BMI: 25.8  2.3 kg∙m-2) participated in the HIIT under either normoxia (NORM, n = 13, PIO2: 150 mmHg, FIO2: 0.21) or normobaric hypoxia (HYP, n = 11, PIO2: 117 mmHg, FIO2: 0.15) for five weeks. HIIT was composed of 60 repetitions of 8 s maximal cycling effort interspersed with 12-s recovery per day, for four days per week. Cardiorespiratory fitness [peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), and peak oxygen pulse (peak O2 pulse)], serum lipid profile [triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)], and body composition (regional and whole-body), were assessed at pre- and post-intervention during the days beyond the self-reported menstrual phase of the participants. Habitual physical activity and diary behavior were maintained during the intervention period. Results: With similar daily energy intake and physical activity, the increases in VO2peak [NORM: 0.26  0.37 Lmin-1 (+11.8%) vs. HYP: 0.54  0.34 Lmin-1 (+26.1%)] and peak O2 pulse (NORM: +13.4% vs. HYP: +25.9%) for HYP were twice-larger than for NORM (p < 0.05). Although the 5-wk HIIT led to significant improvements in the ratios of TC/HDL-C (p = 0.035) and TG/HDL-C (p = 0.027), no significant group effects were found on the serum variables. Further, no significant changes in body composition or serum fasting leptin were observed in either group. Conclusion: 5-wk of HIIT improved cardiorespiratory fitness and blood lipids in overweight Chinese young females, while the additive effect of the HIIT under normobaric hypoxia solely enhanced cardiorespiratory fitness, but not body composition or serum lipid profile.

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) scholars and health professionals worldwide share a common concern about the decline in children's physical development and activity due to lack of access to good quality outdoor environments. Early childhood education and care facilities across the world have been affected by trends that are limiting outdoor play, including large-scale migration of rural populations to industrial urban areas where access to the outdoors is limited. In China, this migration and other factors have resulted in dramatic changes to the nation's sociocultural fabric. The authors discuss policies and practices regarding outdoor play designed for millennial preschoolers in China. It presents a Chinese perspective on preschoolers' (3- to 6-year-olds) outdoor play and physical activity and provides recommendations to enhance a worldwide view of child development in the new millennium.

Background: Cognitive decline and balance impairment are prevalent in the aging population. Previous studies investigated the beneficial effects of 24-style Tai Chi (TC-24) on either cognitive function or balance performance of older adults. It still remains largely unknown whether modified Chen-style TC (MTC) that includes 18 complex movements is more beneficial for these age-related health outcomes, as compared to TC-24. Objective: We investigated if MTC would show greater effects than TC-24 on global cognitive function and balance-related outcomes among older adults. Methods: We conducted a randomized trial where 80 eligible adults aged over 55 were allocated into two different styles of Tai Chi (TC) arms (sixty-minute session &times, three times per week, 12 weeks). Outcome assessments were performed at three time periods (baseline, Week 6, and Week 12) and included the Chinese Version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) for overall cognitive function, One-leg Standing Test (LST) for static balance, Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT) for dynamic balance, chair Stand Test (CST) for leg power, and the six-meter Walk Test (6MWT) for aerobic exercise capacity. Results: Compared to TC-24 arm, MTC arm demonstrated significantly greater improvements in MoCA, LST, TUGT, CST, and 6MWT (all p &lt, 0.05). Conclusions: Both forms of TC were effective in enhancing global cognitive function, balance, and fitness. Furthermore, MTC was more effective than TC-24 in enhancing these health-related parameters in an aging population.

Purpose: To examine the effect of acute moderate-intensity continuous exercise performed under normobaric severe hypoxia on cognition, compared to sea-level normoxia. Methods: Thirty healthy inactive women randomly performed two experimental trials separated by at least three days but at approximately the same time of day. Executive functions were measured during the follicular stage via an interference control task before (rest) and during exercise with 45% peak power output under normobaric normoxia (PIO2 = 150 mmHg, FIO2 = 0.21), and (2) hypoxia (PIO2 = 87 mmHg, FIO2 = 0.12, simulated at an altitude of 4000 m). Reaction time (RT), accuracy rate (AC), heart rate, ratings of perceived exertion, and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) were collected before and during exercise. Results: RT (p &lt, 0.05, &eta, 2p = 0.203) decreased during moderate exercise when compared at rest, while a short bout of severe hypoxia improved RT (p &lt, 2p = 0.134). Exercise and hypoxia had no effects on AC (p &gt, 0.05). No significant associations were found between the changes of RT and SpO2 under the conditions of normoxia and hypoxia (p &gt, 0.05). Conclusions: At the same phase of the menstrual cycle, a short bout of severe hypoxia simulated at 4000 m altitude caused no impairment at rest. RT during moderate exercise ameliorated in normoxia and severe hypoxia, suggesting that both exercise and short-term severe hypoxia have benefits on cognitive function in sedentary young women.

Background and Objectives: Limited research has evaluated the effects of acute exercise on cognition under different conditions of inspired oxygenation. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of high-intensity interval exercise (HIE) under normoxia (inspired fraction of oxygen (FIO2): 0.209) and moderate hypoxia (FIO2: 0.154) on cognitive function. Design: A single-blinded cross-over design was used to observe the main effects of exercise and oxygen level, and interaction effects on cognitive task performance. Methods: Twenty inactive adults (10 males and 10 females, 19&ndash, 27 years old) performed a cognitive task (i.e., the Go/No-Go task) before and immediately after an acute bout of HIE under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. The HIE comprised 10 repetitions of 6 s high-intensity cycling against 7.5% body weight interspersed with 30 s passive recovery. Heart rate, peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) and rating of perceived exertion were monitored. Results: The acute bout of HIE did not affect the reaction time (p = 0.204, &eta, 2 = 0.083) but the accuracy rate decreased significantly after HIE under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions (p = 0.001, &eta, 2 = 0.467). Moreover, moderate hypoxia had no influence either on reaction time (p = 0.782, &eta, 2 = 0.004) or response accuracy (p = 0.972, &eta, 2 &lt, 0.001). Conclusions: These results indicate that an acute session of HIE may impair response accuracy immediately post-HIE, without sacrificing reaction time. Meanwhile moderate hypoxia was found to have no adverse effect on cognitive function in inactive young adults, at least in the present study.

Intermittent normobaric hypoxia training, an alternative to altitude training for athletes, may be beneficial to treat overweight and obesity. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether normobaric hypoxia training combined with low-caloric diet has the additive effect on weight loss compared with normoxia training in obese young adults. Twenty-two subjects (age 17–25 years, body mass index >27.5 kg/m2) were recruited for a 4-week residential camp of weight loss with low caloric intake, and trained at 60–70 % maximal heart rate of aerobics and 40–50 % of maximal strength of training. They were randomly assigned to either a normobaric hypoxia (HT, FiO2 = 16.4–14.5 %) or normoxia training group (NT, FiO2 = 21 %), and subjects in HT and NT groups experienced weekly 16-h normoxia and 6-h hypoxia or 22-h normoxia training, respectively. Body composition, resting blood pressure (BP) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) were determined before and after the intervention. Weight loss was found in HT (−6.9 kg or −7.0 %, p

This study investigated the acute changes in glycemic homeostasis in response to brief, high-intensity, intermittent exercise in obese adults. Ten obese adults (age: 25.3±5.1 years; body mass index: 32.0±4.0) volunteered to participate in the study. The time-course changes in blood glucose in response to a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test were examined following: high-intensity intermittent exercise (HIE) of four 30-second all-out cycling efforts interspersed with 4-minute active recovery periods; 24 hours of recovery post-HIE (REC); and no treatment (control, CON). Blood glucose in each trial was measured before, and 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after glucose intake (GI). Blood glucose (mmol/L) at 30 minutes post-GI in the HIE (6.9±0.4) trial was significantly lower (p0.05). This study demonstrated the improvement in glycemic homeostasis in obese adults immediately after brief, high-intensity, intermittent exercise. These effects were maintained for at least 24 hours postexercise. The findings may be useful in the development of time-efficient lifestyle intervention strategies for improving obesity-related risk factors for diabetes.

Background/Objective: This research examines whether or not the Yo-Yo testing performance could reflect the repeatability of high-intensity intermittent dribbling in adolescent basketball players. Methods: Thirty-six teenage basketball players aged 13–18 years were invited to participate in this study. Results: A test–retest showed that the Yo-Yo intermittent endurance Level 2 (IE2) test with dribbling (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.92; coefficient of variation = 12.6%; d = 0.24) and without dribbling (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.83; coefficient of variation = 15.0%; d = 0.37) had acceptable reliability. The dribbling distance covered was significantly shorter than was the running performance of the Yo-Yo IE2 test in participants younger than 15 years (junior; 1138 ± 417 m vs. 910 ± 299 m, p 0.05; d = 0.35). Moderate to large correlations were found between running and dribbling performances in the senior sample (r = 0.57, p = 0.06), the junior sample (r = 0.87, p

We thank Gonzalez-Muniesa et al. for their comments on our article, which could be seen as evidence for the hypothesis that hypoxia can be used as a tool to treat obesity and associated comorbidities. Despite the fact that hypoxia training resulted in more weight loss than normoxia training in our study, the contributions of nutrition, hypoxia, and physical activity to weight loss are still unknown and thus more well-controlled studies are needed in this area. Over the last two decades, new techniques to simulate hypoxia training, typically referred to as living high/training low (LHTL) and intermittent hypoxic training (IHT), have been studied extensively; it is generally agreed that they are valid methods for improving cardiovascular capacity and sports performance [1]. In a Chinese study with a design that was similar to ours, Wang et al. (2013) [2] found that obese adolescents with a controlled caloric intake of up to 2,000 kcal/day in a residential camp who performed endurance exercise at 60–80% of the maximum heart rate for 24 h a week (2 h per session, two sessions per day, 6 days per week) for 4 weeks had greater weight loss when living in normobaric hypoxia conditions equivalent to 2,700 m altitude for 10 h per day (LHTL) compared to living and training at sea level (living low/training low, LLTL). However, no significant additive effects were found for weight loss (−9.3 % for LHTL and −8.0 % for LLTL) or fat loss (−14.1 % for LHTL and −14.4 % for LLTL) or for metabolic improvements. Moreover, the rate of muscle mass reduction was 2.9 % for LHTL and less than 1.0 % for LLTL. The reason for the unexpected results with respect to weight loss might be the pattern of constant hypoxia, which did not reach the level of an altitude/hypoxic dose–response effect; in addition, good acclimatization to hypoxia limits the use of altitude or hypoxia to treat obesity [3, 4]. In agreement with a previously published statement that referred to the dual role of hypoxia in the pathogenesis and therapy of obesity [3], it is obviously essential to maximize the strengths and minimize the weaknesses of hypoxia exposure and/or training in treating overweight and obesity. Controllable nonadjustment to hypoxia exposure at a range of 2,000–3,000 m (fraction of inspired oxygen=16.4–14.5 %) should be considered as a critical factor of a therapeutic hypoxia paradigm. Moreover, combining aerobic and resistance training seems to be helpful in protecting against excessive muscle loss during exposure to hypoxia. From the perspective of applicability, it is imperative to increase our knowledge of and to develop practical methods for using hypoxia as a therapeutic approach to preventing and treating obesity in different populations. The research team led by Marinez has carried out a substantial amount of work on the etiology of obesity and strategies for combating obesity and related risk factors. We look forward to hearing about their new research findings soon.

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in Chinese; abstract also in English.The changes of serum hormones during strenuous exercise were studied. 40 female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into two groups— the exhaustive swimming group rats and the control. They were sacrificed after exhaustive swimming. Changes in the exercised rats indicated that: 1) the concentrations of serum estradiol (雌二醇, E2) decreased significantly, 2) no significant change in progesterone (孕酮, P, 3) the level of serum cortisol (皮質酵, C)was higher in the exercised rats, 4) the testosterone (睾酮, T) level remained unchanged in both groups, 5) triiodothyronine (二碘甲狀腺胺酸,T3) and thyroxine (四碘甲狀腺胺酸, T4) levels were lower than those of the control group. It appears the changes of serum E2 and P are related to adrenal and thyroid functions and they in turn affect the ovary indirectly.本文章利用40只大白鼠探討有關在力竭性游泳後血清激素的變化。研究員把大白鼠分成實驗組和對照組，經測試後分析其結果及作出討論。

The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effects of an all-out 100-m swimming sprint on changes in serum enzyme and calcium ion concentrations in young (12 to 14 years) male and female swimmers. Changes in serum enzyme concentrations of creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), glutamic pyruvate transaminase (GPT), glutamic oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), serum glucose (GL), and calcium ion (Ca2+) concentrations were measured in 23 elite swimmers (13 boys and 10 girls) before and after a 100-m freestyle all-out sprint. Analysis showed (1) there were significant sex differences in serum CK concentration at baseline (Pretest); (2) significant sex differences in serum CK and LDH concentrations after the 100-m spring; (3) no significant differences in Ca2+ concentration after the 100-m spring; and (4) significant increase in Serum GOT and blood glucose concentrations after the 100-m sprint, suggesting chat these might both be useful indicators of anaerobic exercise stress in young swimmers.