Prediction of Cardiovascular Mortality by Estimated Cardiorespiratory Fitness Independent of Traditional Risk Factors: The HUNT Study.

Objective: To assess the predictive value of estimated cardiorespiratory fitness (eCRF) and evaluate the additional contribution of traditional risk factors in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality prediction.

Participants And Methods: The study included healthy men (n=18,721) and women (n=19,759) aged 30 to 74 years. A nonexercise algorithm estimated cardiorespiratory fitness.

Phase II Trial of Cetuximab and Conformal Radiotherapy Only in Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer with Concurrent Tissue Sampling Feasibility Study.

Background: Preclinical data have indicated the anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) agent cetuximab (Erbitux) as a radiosensitizer in pancreatic cancer, but this has not been specifically addressed in a clinical study. We report the results of an original study initiated in 2007, where cetuximab was tested with radiotherapy (RT) alone in locally advanced pancreatic cancer in a phase II trial (PACER).

Methods: Patients (n = 21) received cetuximab loading dose (400 mg/m(2)) and weekly dose (250 mg/m(2)) during RT (50.

Longitudinal algorithms to estimate cardiorespiratory fitness: associations with nonfatal cardiovascular disease and disease-specific mortality.

Objectives: This study sought to determine the capacity of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) algorithms without exercise testing to predict the risk for nonfatal cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and disease-specific mortality.

Background: Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is not routinely measured, as it requires trained personnel and specialized equipment.

Methods: Participants were 43,356 adults (21% women) from the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, followed up between 1974 and 2003.

Self-regulation of exercise behavior in the TIGER study.

Objective: This study aimed to test experiential and behavioral processes of change as mediators of the prediction of exercise behavior by two self-regulation traits, self-efficacy and self-motivation, while controlling for exercise enjoyment.

Methods: Structural equation modeling was applied to questionnaire responses obtained from a diverse sample of participants. Objective measures defined adherence (928 of 1,279 participants attended 80 % or more of sessions) and compliance (867 of 1,145 participants exercised 30 min or more each session at their prescribed heart rate).

Self-management of patient body position, pose, and motion using wide-field, real-time optical measurement feedback: results of a volunteer study.

Purpose: We present the results of a clinical feasibility study, performed in 10 healthy volunteers undergoing a simulated treatment over 3 sessions, to investigate the use of a wide-field visual feedback technique intended to help patients control their pose while reducing motion during radiation therapy treatment.

Methods And Materials: An optical surface sensor is used to capture wide-area measurements of a subject's body surface with visualizations of these data displayed back to them in real time. In this study we hypothesize that this active feedback mechanism will enable patients to control their motion and help them maintain their setup pose and position.

Exercise dose, exercise adherence, and associated health outcomes in the TIGER study.

Purpose: To effectively evaluate activity-based interventions for weight management and disease risk reduction, objective and accurate measures of exercise dose are needed. This study examined cumulative exercise exposure defined by HR-based intensity, duration, and frequency as a measure of compliance with a prescribed exercise program and a predictor of health outcomes.

Methods: One thousand one-hundred fifty adults (21.

Longitudinal cardiorespiratory fitness algorithms for clinical settings.

Background: Non-exercise algorithms are cost-effective methods to estimate cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in healthcare settings. The limitation of current non-exercise models is that they were developed with cross-sectional data.

Purpose: To extend the non-exercise research by developing algorithms for men and women using longitudinal data on indicators available in healthcare settings.

Effects of cardiorespiratory fitness on aging: glucose trajectory in a cohort of healthy men.

Purpose: We modeled the age-related trajectory of glucose and determined whether cardiorespiratory fitness altered the trajectory in a cohort of men from the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study.

Methods: A total of 10,092 men free of diagnosed diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, ages 20 to 90 years, completed from 2 to 21 health examinations between 1977 and 2005. Cardiorespiratory fitness was measured by a maximal treadmill exercise test and normalized for age.

Changes in fitness and fatness on the development of cardiovascular disease risk factors hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and hypercholesterolemia.

Objectives: This study sought examine the independent and combined associations of changes in fitness and fatness with the subsequent incidence of the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors of hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and hypercholesterolemia.

Background: The relative and combined contributions of fitness and fatness to health are controversial, and few studies are available on the associations of changes in fitness and fatness with the development of CVD risk factors.

Methods: We followed up 3,148 healthy adults who received at least 3 medical examinations.

The Bland-Altman method should not be used in regression cross-validation studies.

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the bias in the Bland-Altman (BA) limits of agreement method when it is used to validate regression models. Data from 1,158 men were used to develop three regression equations to estimate maximum oxygen uptake (R2 = .40, .

Longitudinal changes in body composition associated with healthy ageing: men, aged 20-96 years.

Obesity and sarcopenia are health problems associated with ageing. The present study modelled the longitudinal changes in body composition of healthy men, aged from 20 to 96 years, and evaluated the fidelity of BMI to identify age-dependent changes in fat mass and fat-free mass. The data from 7265 men with multiple body composition determinations (total observations 38,328) were used to model the age-related changes in body mass, fat mass, fat-free mass, BMI and percentage of body fat.

Ethnic bias in anthropometric estimates of DXA abdominal fat: the TIGER study.

Background/introduction: The purpose of this study was to examine the race/ethnicity bias of using waist circumference (WC) to estimate abdominal fat.

Methods: A total of 771 females and 484 males (17-35 yr) were tested one to three times during a prescribed 30-wk aerobic exercise program. The race/ethnicity distribution for women was non-Hispanic white, 29%; Hispanic, 25%; African American (AA), 35%; Asian Indian, 3%; and Asian, 8%.

Perceived exertion and heart rate models for estimating metabolic workload in elite British soldiers performing a backpack load-carriage task.

Identifying field measures to estimate backpack load-carriage work intensity in elite soldiers is of interest to the military. This study developed rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and heart rate models to define metabolic workload for a backpack load-carriage task valid for a population of elite soldiers using serial data. Male soldiers (n = 18) from the British Parachute or Special Air Service Regiment completed an incremental treadmill walking and (or) running protocol while carrying a 20-kg backpack.

Validity of processes of change in physical activity among college students in the TIGER study.

Objective: To test the factorial validity and measurement equivalence/invariance of scales used to measure processes of change derived from the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) applied to physical activity.

Methods: Confirmatory factor analysis of questionnaire responses obtained from a diverse sample (N = 1,429) of students enrolled in the Training Interventions and Genetics of Exercise Response (TIGER) Study at the University of Houston during academic years 2004-2005 through 2007-2008. Cohorts of students (N = 1,163) completed the scales at the beginning and end of each Fall semester, permitting longitudinal analysis.

Exposing college students to exercise: the Training Interventions and Genetics of Exercise Response (TIGER) study.

Objective: The Training Interventions and Genetics of Exercise Response (TIGER) study is an exercise program designed to introduce sedentary college students to regular physical activity and to identify genetic factors that influence response to exercise.

Participants: A multiracial/ethnic cohort (N = 1,567; 39% male), age 18 to 35 years, participated in the study.

Methods: Subjects underwent 30 weeks of exercise training, 3 days/week, for 40 minutes at 65% to 85% of age- and gender-predicted maximum heart rate reserve.

The six minute walk test accurately estimates mean peak oxygen uptake.

Background: Both Peak Oxygen Uptake (peak VO2), from cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and the distance walked during a Six-Minute Walk Test (6 MWD) are used for following the natural history of various diseases, timing of procedures such as transplantation and for assessing the response to therapeutic interventions. However, their relationship has not been clearly defined.

Methods: We determined the ability of 6 MWD to predict peak VO2 using data points from 1,083 patients with diverse cardiopulmonary disorders.

Generalized equations for estimating DXA percent fat of diverse young women and men: the TIGER study.

Purpose: Popular generalized equations for estimating percent body fat (BF%) developed with cross-sectional data are biased when applied to racially/ethnically diverse populations. We developed accurate anthropometric models to estimate dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry BF% (DXA-BF%) that can be generalized to ethnically diverse young adults in both cross-sectional and longitudinal field settings.

Methods: This longitudinal study enrolled 705 women and 428 men (aged 17-35 yr) for 30 wk of exercise training (3 d·wk(-1) for 30 min·d(-1) of 65%-85% predicted V˙O2max).

The effect of habitual smoking on measured and predicted VO2(max).

Background: Nonexercise models were developed to predict maximal oxygen consumption (VO2(max)). While these models are accurate, they don't consider smoking, which negatively impacts measured VO2(max). The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of smoking on both measured and predicted VO2(max).

Role of lifestyle and aging on the longitudinal change in cardiorespiratory fitness.

Background: Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in adults decreases with age and is influenced by lifestyle. Low CRF is associated with risk of diseases and the ability of older persons to function independently. We defined the longitudinal rate of CRF decline with aging and the association of aging and lifestyle with CRF.

Relation between adiposity and disease risk factors in Mexican American children.

Objective: Excess adiposity is associated with systemic low-grade inflammation, which has been implicated in the pathophysiology of various diseases. The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between measures of adiposity and disease risk factors in Mexican American children participating in a weight loss intervention.

Subjects And Methods: Boys and girls (N=170; 13.

Body mass index bias in defining obesity of diverse young adults: the Training Intervention and Genetics of Exercise Response (TIGER) study.

The BMI cut-score used to define overweight and obesity was derived primarily using data from Caucasian men and women. The present study evaluated the racial/ethnic bias of BMI to estimate the adiposity of young men and women (aged 17-35 years) using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) determination of percentage body fat (DXA-BF%) as the referent standard. The samples were 806 women and 509 men who were tested from one to three times over 9 months providing 1300 observations for women and 820 observations for men.

Development of an online university-based Physical Activity and Obesity education program.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to describe the development and implementation of an undergraduate university core course titled, Public Health Issues in Physical Activity and Obesity (KIN1304) at a diverse, urban university.

Methods: The course was designed to provide the scientific and public health information on obesity with a goal of prevention. Whereas the course was administered to college students, there are several applications within diabetes education where its content may be useful.

Cross-validation of generalised body composition equations with diverse young men and women: the Training Intervention and Genetics of Exercise Response (TIGER) Study.

Generalised skinfold equations developed in the 1970s are commonly used to estimate laboratory-measured percentage fat (BF%). The equations were developed on predominately white individuals using Siri's two-component percentage fat equation (BF%-GEN). We cross-validated the Jackson-Pollock (JP) generalised equations with samples of young white, Hispanic and African-American men and women using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as the BF% referent criterion (BF%-DXA).