Although increasing physical activity (PA) can substantially curb the metabolic syndrome, the causal effect of specific PA modification on the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains unclear. In this Mendelian randomization (MR) study, we evaluated the causal role of eight PA traits on T2DM, and investigated potential mediators linking PA to T2DM. Genetic instruments for PA and potential mediators were obtained from UK Biobank. Summary statistics for the association of these traits with T2DM were obtained from FinnGen. Potential mediators were identified via performing phenome-wide association study and searching for literature. Inverse-variance weighted model was used to estimate the causal effect. Mediating role of traits linking PA and T2DM were evaluated using multi-variable MR. Rigorous sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of results. Accelerometer-measured vigorous physical activity (VPA) (OR = 0.402, 95
="ae57a022-54f4-4afa-a039-53f9ffbca778" -theme="green" ID="Par1">Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) targets the inspiratory muscles, including diaphragm and intercostal muscles, and is commonly delivered using pressure-threshold devices. In contrast, TheraBand resistance training (TRT) is widely used to improve skeletal muscle strength and function. However, limited evidence exists comparing the effects of device based respiratory training and Theraband resistance training on respiratory muscle strength and pulmonary function in healthy individuals. Hence, this study aimed to compare the effects of IMT and TRT on diaphragmatic strength and pulmonary function in healthy adults. A randomized controlled trial was conducted at Surriya Majeed Trust Hospital, Faisalabad (Pakistan), over six months. 60 healthy participants aged 18–30 years were randomly allocated to either an inspiratory muscle training (IMT) group, which performed pressure-threshold inspiratory muscle training, or a Thera-Band resistance training (TRT) group, which performed resistance exercises using Thera-Bands of varying intensities. Two participants from each group were lost to follow-up; therefore, 28 participants per group were included in the final analysis. Maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and pulmonary function outcomes improved significantly in both groups; however, the increase in MIP was significantly greater in the IMT group than in the TRT group (p < 0.05), whereas no significant between-group differences were observed for pulmonary function outcomes (p > 0.05). These findings suggest that while both IMT and TRT are effective in improving pulmonary function in healthy adults, pressure-threshold IMT yields greater gains in inspiratory muscle strength.
To examine adherence to the WHO 24-h movement guidelines in Greek preschool children and investigate differences in movement behaviors by sex and area of residence. In this pilot study, 103 children aged 3–4 years provided data for at least one movement behavior. Physical activity and sedentary behavior were objectively assessed using ActiGraph accelerometers (valid data: n = 89); screen time (n = 100), restrained sitting and sleep (n = 101) were parent-reported. Complete data across all movement behaviors were available for 88 children. Differences by sex and residence were examined using chi-square tests, (M)ANOVAs, and Mann–Whitney U tests where appropriate. Adherence was 91.0
The load–velocity profile (LVP) has emerged as a practical tool for assessing neuromuscular performance and to monitor training adaptations. However, how LVP variables evolve over time and whether they reflect training status or inherent individual traits remains unclear. Thus, this study was conducted to better understand the effects of six weeks of squat training on the individual squat LVP, and whether LVP variables differ according to training status. A group of previously untrained individuals completed a six-week back-squat training program, while comparisons were made between similar untrained individuals (UT) with the short-term trained who were included in the training program (ST) and long-term trained (LT) individuals. The level of significance was set to p < 0.05. Although the intervention lasted six weeks, the principal modifications in the LVP occurred during the first two weeks of training, while maximal dynamic strength (1RM) continued to increase throughout the intervention (p < 0.001). LVP changes included decreased maximal theoretical strength (LD0; p = 0.025), relative to the 1RM, and a less steep slope (p < 0.001), with a trend for an increased maximal theoretical velocity (V0; p = 0.001, although within the range of the Standard Error of Measurement). Additionally, when comparing groups with different training experience, clear differences in 1RM were observed (LT > ST > UT), whereas no statistically significant differences were detected in the LVP variables between groups. These findings suggest that selected LVP variables are responsive during the initial stages of resistance training in previously untrained individuals. Although no statistically significant differences in LVP variables were detected between groups with different training experience, Bayesian analyses indicated that the available evidence was insufficient to confidently support either the presence or absence of meaningful between-group differences. Therefore, while the present findings demonstrate that selected LVP variables are responsive to short-term resistance training, the influence of training status on LVP characteristics remains to be clarified.
Exercise is a key non-pharmacological intervention for managing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), yet the quality and completeness of exercise reporting in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) remain inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates how well exercise interventions in RCTs are reported using the Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template (CERT), and whether CERT-assessed reporting quality is associated with the observed effects of aerobic training (AT) on endothelial function, measured by brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (baFMD). A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, and EBSCOhost, encompassing RCTs that investigated AT interventions in individuals with CVDs. From 1818 reports identified through the search, 28 RCTs comprising 1659 unique randomized participants were included, yielding 34 intervention–control comparisons from six multi-arm studies. Overall reporting quality was moderate (mean CERT score = 12/19), with the lowest reporting completeness observed for the description of each exercise in sufficient detail to enable replication, non-exercise components, individual or group delivery, and home-program components. Meta-analysis revealed a significant improvement in baFMD following AT (MD = 2.29
