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Background: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a 6‐month home‐based high‐intensity interval training (HIIT) intervention to improve peak oxygen consumption (V̇O2peak) and lactate threshold (LT) in older adults. Methods: Two hundred thirty‐three healthy older adults (60–84 years; 54% females) were randomly assigned to either 6‐month, thrice‐weekly home‐based HIIT (once‐weekly circuit training and twice‐weekly interval training) or a passive control group. Exercise sessions were monitored using a Polar watch and a logbook for objective and subjective data, respectively, and guided by a personal coach. The outcomes were assessed using a modified Balke protocol combining V̇O2peak and LT measures. General linear regression models assessed between‐group differences in change and within‐group changes for each outcome. Results: There was a significant between‐group difference in the pre‐to‐post change in V̇O2peak (difference: 1.8 [1.2; 2.3] mL/kg/min; exercise: +1.4 [1.0; 1.7] mL/kg/min [~5%]; control: −0.4 [−0.8; −0.0] mL/kg/min [approximately −1.5%]; effect size [ES]: 0.35). Compared with controls, the exercise group had lower blood lactate concentration (−0.7 [−0.9; −0.4] mmol/L, ES: 0.61), % of peak heart rate (−4.4 [−5.7; −3.0], ES: 0.64), and % of V̇O2peak (−4.5 [−6.1; −2.9], ES: 0.60) at the intensity corresponding to preintervention LT and achieved a higher treadmill stage (% incline) at LT (0.6 [0.3; 0.8]; ES: 0.47), following the intervention. Conclusion: This study highlights the effectiveness of a home‐based HIIT intervention as an accessible and equipment‐minimal strategy to induce clinically meaningful improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness in older adults. Over 6 months, the exercise group showed larger improvements in all outcomes compared with the control group. Notably, the LT outcome exhibited a more pronounced magnitude of change than V̇O2peak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Active travel and school settings are considered ideal for promoting physical activity. However, previous research suggests limited effect of school-based interventions on overall physical activity levels among adolescents. The relationship between physical activity in different domains remains inconclusive. In this study, we examined the effects of adding two weekly hours of school-based physical activity on active travel rates. Method: We analyzed data from 1370 pupils in the 9th-grade participating in the cluster RCT; the School In Motion (ScIM) project. Intervention schools (n = 19) implemented 120 min of class-scheduled physical activity and physical education, in addition to the normal 2 hours of weekly physical education in the control schools (n = 9), for 9 months. Active travel was defined as pupils who reported walking or cycling to school, while motorized travel was defined as pupils who commuted by bus or car, during the spring/summer half of the year (April–September), or autumn/winter (October–February). The participants were categorized based on their travel mode from pretest to posttest as; maintained active or motorized travel ("No change"), changing to active travel (motorized-active), or changing to motorized travel (active-motorized). Multilevel logistic regression was used to analyze the intervention effect on travel mode. Results: During the intervention period, most participants maintained their travel habits. In total, 91% of pupils maintained their travel mode to school. Only 6% of pupils switched to motorized travel and 3% switched to active travel, with small variations according to season and trip direction. The intervention did not seem to influence the likelihood of changing travel mode. The odds ratios for changing travel habits in spring/summer season were from active to motorized travel 1.19 [95%CI: 0.53–2.15] and changing from motorized to active travel 1.18 [0.30–2.62], compared to the "No change" group. These findings were consistent to and from school, and for the autumn/winter season. Conclusion: The extra school-based physical activity does not seem to affect rates of active travel among adolescents in the ScIM project. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov ID nr: NCT03817047. Registered 01/25/2019′ retrospectively registered'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Previous research on the association between sports participation and body composition has shown mixed findings. The family home is considered one of the most influential environments on childhood obesity. Thus, the association between sports participation and body composition in children may be influenced by an obesogenic home environment. Objectives: To investigate if an obesogenic family environment moderates the association between sports participation and body composition in children. Methods: A total of 3999 children (54% girls; 11.6 ± 0.7 years) and their parent(s) were included from the ENERGY project. A composite obesogenic family environment risk score was created from 10 questionnaire items. Height, weight (to calculate body mass index), and waist circumference were obtained by trained researchers and used as indicators of body composition. Results: The composite risk score significantly moderated the association between sports participation and both waist circumference and body mass index. In children from families with moderate and high obesogenic risk, organized sports participation was significantly associated with smaller waist circumference (moderate risk: −0.29, 95% CI −0.45 to −0.14; high risk: −0.46, 95% CI −0.66 to −0.25) and lower body mass index (moderate risk: −0.10, 95% CI −0.16 to −0.04; high risk: −0.14, 95% CI −0.22 to −0.06), but not in children with a low obesogenic family risk score. Conclusions: Enrolling children in sports activities from an early age can be important for healthy weight maintenance, especially among children from obesogenic family environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cost-effectiveness is important in the prioritisation between interventions in health care. Exercise is cost-effective compared to usual care during oncological treatment; however, the significance of exercise intensity to the cost-effectiveness is unclear. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the long-term cost-effectiveness of the randomised controlled trial Phys-Can, a six-month exercise programme of high (HI) or low-to-moderate intensity (LMI) during (neo)adjuvant oncological treatment. A cost-effectiveness analysis was performed, based on 189 participants with breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer (HI: n = 99 and LMI: n = 90) from the Phys-Can RCT in Sweden. Costs were estimated from a societal perspective, and included cost of the exercise intervention, health care utilisation and productivity loss. Health outcomes were assessed as quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), using EQ-5D-5L at baseline, post intervention and 12 months after the completion of the intervention. At 12-month follow-up after the intervention, the total cost per participant did not differ significantly between HI (€27,314) and LMI exercise (€29,788). There was no significant difference in health outcome between the intensity groups. On average HI generated 1.190 QALYs and LMI 1.185 QALYs. The mean incremental cost-effectiveness ratio indicated that HI was cost effective compared with LMI, but the uncertainty was large. We conclude that HI and LMI exercise have similar costs and effects during oncological treatment. Hence, based on cost-effectiveness, we suggest that decision makers and clinicians can consider implementing both HI and LMI exercise programmes and recommend either intensity to the patients with cancer during oncological treatment to facilitate improvement of health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exercise during oncological treatment is beneficial to patient health and can counteract the side effects of treatment. Knowledge of the societal costs associated with an exercise intervention, however, is limited. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the long-term resource utilisation and societal costs of an exercise intervention conducted during (neo)adjuvant oncological treatment in a randomised control trial (RCT) versus usual care (UC), and to compare high-intensity (HI) versus low-to-moderate intensity (LMI) exercise in the RCT. We used data from the Physical Training and Cancer (Phys-Can) project. In the RCT, 577 participants were randomised to HI or to LMI of combined endurance and resistance training for 6 months, during oncological treatment. The project also included 89 participants with UC in a longitudinal observational study. We measured at baseline and after 18 months. Resource utilisation and costs of the exercise intervention, health care, and productivity loss were compared using analyses of covariance (RCT vs. UC) and t test (HI vs. LMI). Complete data were available for 619 participants (RCT HI: n = 269, LMI: n = 265, and UC: n = 85). We found no difference in total societal costs between the exercise intervention groups in the RCT and UC. However, participants in the RCT had lower rates of disability pension days (p <.001), corresponding costs (p =.001), and pharmacy costs (p =.018) than the UC group. Nor did we find differences in resource utilisation or costs between HI and LMI exercise int the RCT. Our study showed no difference in total societal costs between the comprehensive exercise intervention and UC or between the exercise intensities. This suggests that exercise, with its well-documented health benefits during oncological treatment, produces neither additional costs nor savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of an individualized training program based on force‐velocity (FV) profiling on jumping, sprinting, strength, and power in athletes. Forty national level team sport athletes (20 ± 4years, 83 ± 13 kg) from ice‐hockey, handball, and soccer completed a 10‐week training intervention. A theoretical optimal squat jump (SJ)‐FV‐profile was calculated from SJ with five different loads (0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 kg). Based on their initial FV‐profile, athletes were randomized to train toward, away, or irrespective (balanced training) of their initial theoretical optimal FV‐profile. The training content was matched between groups in terms of set x repetitions but varied in relative loading to target the different aspects of the FV‐profile. The athletes performed 10 and 30 m sprints, SJ and countermovement jump (CMJ), 1 repetition maximum (1RM) squat, and a leg‐press power test before and after the intervention. There were no significant group differences for any of the performance measures. Trivial to small changes in 1RM squat (2.9%, 4.6%, and 6.5%), 10 m sprint time (1.0%, −0.9%, and −1.7%), 30 m sprint time (0.9%, −0.6%, and −0.4%), CMJ height (4.3%, 3.1%, and 5.7%), SJ height (4.8%, 3.7%, and 5.7%), and leg‐press power (6.7%, 4.2%, and 2.9%) were observed in the groups training toward, away, or irrespective of their initial theoretical optimal FV‐profile, respectively. Changes toward the optimal SJ‐FV‐profile were negatively correlated with changes in SJ height (r = −0.49, p < 0.001). Changes in SJ‐power were positively related to changes in SJ‐height (r = 0.88, p < 0.001) and CMJ‐height (r = 0.32, p = 0.044), but unrelated to changes in 10 m (r = −0.02, p = 0.921) and 30 m sprint time (r = −0.01, p = 0.974). The results from this study do not support the efficacy of individualized training based on SJ‐FV profiling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are currently no studies available reporting intervention effects on breaking up children's sedentary time. This study examined the UP4FUN intervention effect on objectively measured number of breaks in sedentary time, number of sedentary bouts (≥ 10 mins) and total and average amount of time spent in those sedentary bouts among 10- to 12-year-old Belgian children. The total sample included 354 children (mean age: 10.9 ± 0.7 years; 59% girls) with valid ActiGraph accelerometer data at pre- and posttest. Only few and small intervention effects were found, namely on total time spent in sedentary bouts immediately after school hours (4-6PM; β = -3.51mins) and on average time spent in sedentary bouts before school hours (6-8.30AM; β = -4.83mins) and immediately after school hours in favor of children from intervention schools (β = -2.71mins). Unexpectedly, girls from intervention schools decreased the number of breaks during school hours (8.30AM-4PM; β = -23.45breaks) and increased the number of sedentary bouts on a weekend day (β = +0.90bouts), whereas girls in control schools showed an increase in number of breaks and a decrease in number of bouts. In conclusion, UP4FUN did not have a consistent or substantial effect on breaking up children's sedentary time and these data suggest that more intensive and longer lasting interventions are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of short‐term high‐frequency failure vs non‐failure blood flow–restricted resistance exercise (BFRRE) on changes in satellite cells (SCs), myonuclei, muscle size, and strength. Seventeen untrained men performed four sets of BFRRE to failure (Failure) with one leg and not to failure (Non‐failure; 30‐15‐15‐15 repetitions) with the other leg using knee‐extensions at 20% of one repetition maximum (1RM). Fourteen sessions were distributed over two 5‐day blocks, separated by a 10‐day rest period. Muscle samples obtained before, at mid‐training, and 10‐day post‐intervention (Post10) were analyzed for muscle fiber area (MFA), myonuclei, and SC. Muscle size and echo intensity of m.rectus femoris (RF) and m.vastus lateralis (VL) were measured by ultrasonography, and knee extension strength with 1RM and maximal isometric contraction (MVC) up until Post24. Both protocols increased myonuclear numbers in type‐1 (12%–17%) and type‐2 fibers (20%–23%), and SC in type‐1 (92%–134%) and type‐2 fibers (23%–48%) at Post10 (p < 0.05). RF and VL size increased by 5%–10% in both legs at Post10 to Post24, whereas the MFA of type‐1 fibers in Failure was decreased at Post10 (−10 ± 16%; p = 0.02). Echo intensity increased by ~20% in both legs during Block1 (p < 0.001) and was ~8 to 11% below baseline at Post24 (p = 0.001–0.002). MVC and 1RM decreased by 5%–10% after Block1, but increased in both legs by 6%–11% at Post24 (p < 0.05). In conclusion, both short‐term high‐frequency failure and non‐failure BFRRE induced increases in SCs, in myonuclei content, muscle size, and strength, concomitant with decreased echo intensity. Intriguingly, the responses were delayed and peaked 10–24 days after the training intervention. Our findings may shed light on the mechanisms involved in resistance exercise‐induced overreaching and supercompensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of asthma on physical activity (PA) in youth remains equivocal. This review synthesizes the evidence regarding the influence of asthma on PA and sedentary time and evaluates the role of key moderators for this relationship. In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, six electronic databases and gray literature were searched. Primary studies in English were included if they reported device‐assessed PA in youth with and without asthma. Random effects meta‐analyses examined the effect of asthma on PA and, separately, sedentary time. Mixed‐effect meta‐regression analyses were conducted using age and sex as moderators, with sub‐group comparisons for study quality and asthma diagnosis criteria. Overall, of 3944 citations retrieved, 2850 were screened after the removal of supplication and 2743 citations excluded. Of the 107 full‐text publications reviewed, 16 were included in data extraction and analysis, with 15 and five studies included in the PA and sedentary time meta‐analyses, respectively. The robust effect size estimate for the influence of asthma on PA and sedentary time was −0.04 [95% CI = −0.11, 0.03] and −0.09 [95% CI = −0.12, −0.06], indicating a non‐significant and significant trivial effect, respectively. The effect of asthma on PA levels or sedentary time was not associated with age or sex. Youth with controlled asthma are equally physically (in)active as their healthy peers, with asthma associated with less sedentary time. However, methodological limitations and a paucity of clear methodological reporting temper these conclusions. More rigorous device‐based assessments, with a particular focus on sedentary time, and more robust diagnoses of asthma, especially with regard to severity, are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have systematically evaluated the risk of adverse events (AEs) among persons exercising during oncological treatment. We aimed to describe incidence and types of AEs during exercise for persons undergoing oncological treatment, and associations to exercise intensity, exercise adherence, chemotherapy treatment, initial aerobic fitness. A second aim was to compare incidence of lymphedema, periphery inserted central catheter (PICC) complications, and other new medical conditions (any illness or injury occurred during the exercise trial) between high-intensity vs low-to-moderate exercise and usual care (UC). This descriptive, comparative study was based on data from an observational study including patients in an UC setting (n = 90) and a randomized exercise trial (n = 577) in which participants exercised at high-intensity (HI) or low-moderate intensity (LMI). Persons with breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer undergoing neo/adjuvant treatment were included. AEs were reported by exercise coaches, participants, and identified in medical records, as were lymphedema, PICC-complications, and new medical conditions. Coaches reported AEs for 20% of the participants, while 28% of participants self-reported AEs. The most common coach- and participant reported AEs were musculoskeletal and the majority (97%) were considered minor. HI had higher likelihood of AEs than LMI, according to both coaches (OR: 1.9 [95%CI 1.16–3.21], p=.011) and participants (OR: 3.36 [95%CI 2.00–5.62], ≤.001). Lymphedema rates were low (4-9%) and PICC complications ranged from 15% in LMI to 23% in UC and there were no statistically significant differences between HI, LMI, and UC. There were no statistically significant differences between HI and LMI regarding new medical conditions. Exercise during treatment is safe for these patient groups in this setting, even HI exercise can be recommended if no medical contraindications are present. Similar to healthy populations, a higher risk of having minor AEs when exercising at HI in comparison to LMI may exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exercising during oncological treatment is beneficial but challenging for persons with cancer and may require strategies to increase motivation. Behaviour change support, including specific behaviour change techniques (BCTs), have been used to facilitate exercise in persons undergoing oncological treatment, but more detailed knowledge from an individual perspective is needed to inform clinical practice. The aims were to explore the motivational experiences of exercise combined with behaviour change support, and to describe how specific BCTs were valued among persons exercising during oncological treatment. Methods: A mixed-methods study was conducted using semi-structured interviews (n = 18) and a questionnaire (n = 229). Participants with breast, colorectal or prostate cancer who completed or dropped out of a six-month exercise programme during oncological treatment were included. The interviews were analysed with thematic analysis and the questionnaire with descriptive statistics (median and interquartile range). Results: The participants underwent a motivational process through the exercise programme. By experiencing 'Health gains and mastery', 'Learning', 'Affinity', 'Commitment', and 'Managing challenges', they found incentives that fostered feelings of autonomy, competence and relatedness, leading to an increased motivation to exercise. Social support from coaches, structuring the physical environment with scheduled sessions, self-monitoring with resistance training log, and feedback based on heart rate monitor and fitness tests were the most valued BCTs. Conclusions: The results indicate the importance of finding incentives and creating an environment that fosters autonomy, competence and relatedness to motivate persons to exercise during oncological treatment. Some BCTs appear particularly useful and may be used by health professionals to increase patients' motivation to exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physical activity may reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes; however, compared to non-pregnant women, a lower proportion of pregnant women meet the physical activity guidelines. Our objectives were to explore overall changes and ethnic differences in objectively recorded moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) during pregnancy and postpartum and to investigate the associations with objective and perceived access to recreational areas. Methods: We analysed 1,467 person-observations from 709 women in a multi-ethnic population-based cohort, with MVPA data recorded with the SenseWear™ Pro³ Armband in early pregnancy (mean gestational week (GW) 15), mid-pregnancy (mean GW 28) and postpartum (mean postpartum week 14). MVPA was limited to bouts ≥10 min. Women were nested within 56 neighbourhoods defined by postal code area. We derived neighbourhood-level objective access to recreational areas (good vs limited) by geographic information systems. We collected information about perceived access (high vs low perception) to recreational areas in early pregnancy. We treated ethnicity, objective and perceived access as explanatory variables in separate models based on linear mixed effects regression analyses. Results: Overall, MVPA dropped between early and mid-pregnancy, followed by an increase postpartum. Western women performed more MVPA than women in other ethnic groups across time points, but the differences increased postpartum. Women residing in neighbourhoods with good objective access to recreational areas accumulated on average nine additional MVPA minutes/day (p < 0.01) compared with women in neighbourhoods with limited access. Women with perceptions of high access to recreational areas accumulated on average five additional MVPA minutes/day (p < 0.01) compared with women with perceptions of low access. After mutual adjustments, perceived and objective access to recreational areas remained significantly associated with MVPA. The association between MVPA and access to recreational areas did not differ by time point, ethnic group or socio-economic position. Conclusions: In all ethnic groups, we observed a decline in MVPA between early and mid-pregnancy. However, at both time points during pregnancy, and especially three months postpartum, Western women were more physically active than ethnic minority women. In all ethnic groups, and at all three time points, both objective and perceived access to recreational areas were positively associated with MVPA levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]