Dyslipidemia, abnormal levels of lipids in the bloodstream, is associated with cardiovascular disease risk (CVD). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of dyslipidemia on cardiometabolic health in relatively young, healthy adults. Participants were 54 healthy males and females aged 18-60 years.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWildfire smoke (WFS) is an urgent and rapidly growing threat to global health. Aside from obvious threats to pulmonary function, increases in cardiac abnormalities or myocardial infarction have been documented during WF season, but little is known about the effects of WFS on cardiovascular health. We investigated the effect of nonoccupational WFS exposure on cardiovascular and pulmonary function at rest and during graded handgrip exercise through a case series of young, healthy adults (n = 4, 25 ± 6 years) assessed after ≥3 days of bad or good air quality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHeart rate variability (HRV) is defined as the fluctuation of time intervals between adjacent heartbeats and is commonly used as a surrogate measure of autonomic function. HRV has become an increasingly measured variable by wearable technology for use in fitness and sport applications. However, with its increased use, a gap has arisen between the research and the application of this technology in strength and conditioning.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Environ Res Public Health
December 2023
The public-health restrictions (e.g., remote learning, restricted access to facilities and dining halls) put in place by colleges to reduce the spread of COVID-19 resulted in forced isolation and modifications to health-related behaviors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDespite great strides in the development of contraceptive technologies, the United States has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the world. Religion and associated values may shape the sexual health behaviors of college students, as prior studies have aimed to determine how social factors may influence the use of contraception amongst college students. Thus, we sought to examine the differences in current contraceptive methods and the age of first contraceptive usage among sexually active female college students with different religious affiliations and strengths of religiosity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOverweight and obesity (Ow/Ob) is a risk factor for cardiometabolic disease. Caloric restriction (CR) have been investigated but little is known about the acute effects of CR and often such diets are not standardized. Thus, we aimed to assess the impact of a new standardized 3-day CR diet (590 kcal/d intake) on cardiometabolic health in weight-stable Ow/Ob individuals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: Elite athletes require a delicate balance of physiological and psychological stress and recovery-essential for achieving optimal performance. Monitoring heart rate variability (HRV) provides a non-invasive estimation of both physiological and psychological stress levels, offering potentially valuable insights into health, performance, and adaptability. Previous studies, primarily conducted on male participants, have shown an association between HRV and performance in the context of rowing training.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Sports Act Living
July 2023
Purpose: Heart rate variability (HRV) estimates the autonomic nervous system (ANS) influence on the heart and appears sex-specific. Sensory afferents exhibit sex-specificity; although, it is unknown if Capsaicin, an agonist for transient receptor potential vanilloid channel-1 (TRPV), alters cardiac ANS activity in a sex-dependent manner, which could be important given the predictive nature of HRV on risk of developing hypertension. Thus, we explored if there was sex-specificity in the effect of capsaicin on estimated cardiac ANS activity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIncreasing obesity rates among USA military members vary by age, pay grade, and measurement methods and threaten force fitness and readiness. Limited research has directly measured obesity among officers; those enrolled in graduate school at the Command and General Staff College (CGSC) face additional demands and increased obesity risk. This study compared obesity measurements and performance on the Army Physical Fitness test and self-rated health for a sample of mostly CGSC officers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAccurate baseline data are essential for researchers to determine an intervention’s effects yet may be affected by anticipatory anxiety and assessment familiarity. Familiarization sessions help establish accurate baseline data. High-intensity functional training (HIFT) elicits performance outcomes based on constantly varied workouts.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study determined anthropometric and body composition predictors of performance during a simulated direct-fire engagement. Healthy subjects (= 33, age = 25.7 ± 7.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study examined if field-expedient physical fitness/performance assessments predicted performance during a simulated direct-fire engagement. Healthy subjects ( = 33, age = 25.7 ± 7.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: Heart rate variability (HRV) may be useful for prescribing high-intensity functional training (HIFT) exercise programs. This study aimed to compare effects of HRV-guided and predetermined HIFT on cardiovascular function, body composition, and performance.
Methods: Recreationally-active adults ( = 55) were randomly assigned to predetermined HIFT ( = 29, age = 24.
J Healthy Eat Act Living
December 2021
COVID-19 restrictions and alterations to daily living (e.g. working from home, caregiving responsibilities) necessitated changes in physical activity (PA) behavior.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Military personnel supplement caffeine as a countermeasure during unavoidable sustained wakefulness. However, its utility in combat-relevant tasks is unknown. This study examined the effects of caffeinated gum on performance in a tactical combat movement simulation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhysical activity (PA) classes help college students add weekly PA, which can help improve health and maintain body weight. Traditional weight training (TWT) can improve strength and aerobic capacity. High-intensity functional training such as CrossFit (CF) provides time-efficient workouts with both muscle strengthening and aerobic exercises.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe study purpose was to determine the relationship of resting heart rate variability (HRV) and testosterone to cortisol (T:C) ratio, along with the diagnostic ability of HRV to assess changes in T:C ratio during a 9-week high-intensity functional training intervention. Eight recreationally-active men ( = 4, age 24.25 ± 1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHigh-intensity exercise interventions are often promoted as a time-efficient public health intervention to combat chronic disease. However, increased physical effort and subsequent fatigue can be barriers to long-term maintenance of high-intensity exercise programs. The purpose of the present study was to determine if heart rate variability (HRV) mediated state traits related to exercise program adherence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe session rate of perceived exertion method (sRPE) has often been utilized in sports activities in which quantification of external training loads is challenging. The multi-modal, constantly varied nature of high intensity functional training (HIFT) represents a significant hurdle to calculate external work and the sRPE method may provide an elegant solution to this problem. However, no studies have investigated the psychometric properties of sRPE within HIFT interventions.
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