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Background: Digital technologies can play an important role in improving the limited accessibility of healthcare services in rural regions (e.g., via remote assessment). However, whether remote fitness assessments (RFA) of selected physical and cognitive fitness parameters are feasible both in younger and older persons and whether they can reproduce laboratory tests needs yet to be established. Thus, this study aimed to address this knowledge gap by investigating the feasibility, and reproducibility of RFA in younger and middle-aged to older adults (MOA). Methods: A total of 31 younger adults and 32 MOAs participated in this study. At an interval of seven days, laboratory-based and remote assessments (via videoconferencing software) were conducted which included the quantification of the following parameters: (i) measurement of heart rate variability [HRV]; followed by (ii) cognitive testing to examine the level of attention, executive functions (oral Trail Making Test [A and B]), working memory, verbal short-term memory (digit span memory test and word list test (immediate recall)) and episodic memory (word list test (delayed recall)); followed by (iii) physical fitness assessments including performance tests of balance (balance test), functional strength ability of the lower limbs (5-time-sit-to-stand-test) and endurance capacity (3-min step test). Parameters of absolute and relative reliability were determined to assess the reproducibility of the laboratory-based and remote assessments. Results: The selected physical and cognitive fitness parameters showed moderate to excellent relative reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.52—0.95). The parameters of absolute reliability (Bland–Altman plot and standard error of measurement [SEM]) provide evidence for good reproducibility of HRV parameters and measures of physical fitness, whereas measures of cognitive fitness showed moderate to good reproducibility. On a descriptive level, the absolute and relative reliability of the selected measures of physical and cognitive fitness did not vary as a function of participants' age. Conclusion: Our results suggest that RFA of selected measures of physical and cognitive fitness is feasible and reproduces corresponding laboratory results to a moderate to excellent level in both younger adults and MOA. Data showed that the reproducibility of laboratory-based and remote assessments is not influenced by the age of the participants. These findings support the use of digital technologies to improve the accessibility of healthcare services (e.g., in remote areas). However, as the reproducibility varies considerably across the different parameters, further studies are needed to evaluate the effects of an optimised standardisation of the remote assessments and confounding factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given the heightened risk of developmental challenges associated with preterm birth, it is crucial to explore interventions that may ameliorate potential adverse outcomes. This study aimed to examine whether meeting the 24-h movement behavior (24-HMB) guidelines, which include recommendations on physical activity (PA), screen time (ST), and sleep (SL), is related to indicators of cognitive difficulties, internalizing problems (e.g. depression and anxiety), and externalizing problems (e.g. difficulties in making friends and arguing) in a sample of preterm youth (children and adolescents born preterm). Method: In this cross-sectional study, data from 3410 preterm youth (aged 6 to 17 years) were included for data analyses. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate associations between meeting the 24-HMB guidelines and the above-mentioned health outcomes, while controlling for sociodemographic and health-related factors. Results: The prevalence of meeting 24-HMB guidelines varied across independent and integrated components of the 24-HMB guidelines. Meeting the ST guideline alone (p < 0.05) and integrated guidelines (i.e. ST + SL and ST + SL + PA) were associated with fewer cognitive difficulties and reduced internalizing and externalizing problems (p < 0.05). Specifically, meeting the SL guideline alone and integrated guidelines (i.e. SL + ST) were associated with lower odds of depression and anxiety (p < 0.01). Additionally, meeting independent, and integrated (PA and/or ST) guidelines were associated with less pronounced difficulties in making friends and arguing (p < 0.05). Meeting 24-HMB guidelines in an isolated and integrated manner are linked to better cognitive performance and fewer internalizing and externalizing problems in preterm youth. Conclusion: Results suggest that advocating for the implementation of the 24-HMB guidelines may reduce cognitive challenges and behavioral issues, which is of high relevance for improving public health. Future longitudinal studies in preterm youth should investigate how modifying specific 24-HMB behaviors, especially ST, influence cognitive difficulties, internalizing and externalizing problems in this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preserving health and physical fitness is critical to ensure independent living across the lifespan. Lower levels of physical fitness are associated with age-related cognitive decline and a higher prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Thus, this study investigates the influence of a six-month dance intervention on selected measures of physical fitness in older adults with MCI. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 55 patients with MCI were randomized into a sportive dance training (IG; n = 26; age: 70.7 ± 5.6 years; 62% female) or an inactive control group (CG; n = 24; age: 69.1 ± 6.8 years; 46% female). The dance group received two 90 min dance training sessions per week over a duration of six-months, which focused on learning dance movement patterns. During the training sessions, heart rate was measured to control exercise intensity. Physical fitness was assessed using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), lower limb functional fitness via sit-to-stand test, handgrip strength, and heart rate variability (HRV). Results: We observed that the dance intervention preserved the cardiorespiratory fitness as measured by maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) during CPET, which decreased in the CG. Furthermore, participants in the IG demonstrated increases in leg and handgrip strength, although these were not statistically significant. HRV displayed a non-significant decrease following the intervention. Conclusions: The results of this randomized controlled trial suggest that sportive dance training can preserve elements of physical fitness (i.e., cardiorespiratory fitness) in older adults with MCI. Although improvements in the other parameters (i.e., leg and handgrip strength) were statistically non-significant, likely due to the small sample size, stabilizing muscular fitness and preventing age-related decline in older adults with MCI is important for maintaining functional independence. For future studies, we recommend a longer training duration paired with precise control of regular physical activity levels, an important confounding factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Overweight and obesity pose a huge burden on individuals and society. While the relationship between lifestyle factors and overweight and obesity is well-established, the relative contribution of specific lifestyle factors remains unclear. To address this gap in the literature, this study utilizes interpretable machine learning methods to identify the relative importance of specific lifestyle factors as predictors of overweight and obesity in adults. Methods: Data were obtained from 46,057 adults in the China Health and Nutrition Survey (2004–2011) and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007–2014). Basic demographic information, self-reported lifestyle factors, including physical activity, macronutrient intake, tobacco and alcohol consumption, and body weight status were collected. Three machine learning models, namely decision tree, random forest, and gradient-boosting decision tree, were employed to predict body weight status from lifestyle factors. The SHapley Additive exPlanation (SHAP) method was used to interpret the prediction results of the best-performing model by determining the contributions of specific lifestyle factors to the development of overweight and obesity in adults. Results: The performance of the gradient-boosting decision tree model outperformed the decision tree and random forest models. Analysis based on the SHAP method indicates that sedentary behavior, alcohol consumption, and protein intake were important lifestyle factors predicting the development of overweight and obesity in adults. The amount of alcohol consumption and time spent sedentary were the strongest predictors of overweight and obesity, respectively. Specifically, sedentary behavior exceeding 28–35 h/week, alcohol consumption of more than 7 cups/week, and protein intake exceeding 80 g/day increased the risk of being predicted as overweight and obese. Conclusion: Pooled evidence from two nationally representative studies suggests that recognizing demographic differences and emphasizing the relative importance of sedentary behavior, alcohol consumption, and protein intake are beneficial for managing body weight status in adults. The specific risk thresholds for lifestyle factors observed in this study can help inform and guide future research and public health actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, organised and competitive video gaming, esports, has gained enormous popularity in many parts of the world, contributing to the growing professionalisation of this sports branch. To become or remain a professional esports player, individuals practice video gaming for several hours a day while remaining in a sitting posture which may not only lead to a decrease in training quality in the short term (eg, due to cognitive fatigue) but also put them at a higher risk for negative health events in the long-term (eg, overuse injuries). Thus, interrupting periods of prolonged video gaming in a sitting posture with acute physical exercise is strongly recommended for esports players even though the optimal dosage of acute physical exercise breaks remains unclear. To address this gap, we propose in this viewpoint that traditional concepts of exercise prescription and dosage determination using the variables frequency, intensity, time (also referred to as duration) and type of physical exercise (ie, abbreviated with the acronym FITT) should be complemented by the variable density which characterises the timing of consecutive bouts of acute physical exercise during an esports session., Competing Interests: None declared., (Copyright © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

A healthy lifestyle can be an important prerequisite to prevent or at least delay the onset of dementia. However, the large number of physically inactive adults underscores the need for developing and evaluating intervention approaches aimed at improving adherence to a physically active lifestyle. In this regard, hybrid physical training, which usually combines center- and home-based physical exercise sessions and has proven successful in rehabilitative settings, could offer a promising approach to preserving cognitive health in the aging population. Despite its potential, research in this area is limited as hybrid physical training interventions have been underused in promoting healthy cognitive aging. Furthermore, the absence of a universally accepted definition or a classification framework for hybrid physical training interventions poses a challenge to future progress in this direction. To address this gap, this article informs the reader about hybrid physical training by providing a definition and classification approach of different types, discussing their specific advantages and disadvantages, and offering recommendations for future research. Specifically, we focus on applying digital technologies to deliver home-based exercises, as their use holds significant potential for reaching underserved and marginalized groups, such as older adults with mobility impairments living in rural areas., (©Fabian Herold, Paula Theobald, Thomas Gronwald, Navin Kaushal, Liye Zou, Eling D de Bruin, Louis Bherer, Notger G Müller. Originally published in JMIR Aging (https://aging.jmir.org), 31.07.2024.)