Physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and metabolic outcomes in monozygotic twin pairs discordant for body mass index.

This study aims to investigate (i) how monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs who are discordant for body mass index (BMI) differ for objectively and subjectively measured physical activity (PA) and cardiorespiratory fitness (VO max) and (ii) associations of PA and VO max with adiposity and measures of metabolic health, in individual twins and independent of genetic and shared environmental effects within twin pairs. We examined 27 BMI-discordant and 14 BMI-concordant MZ twin pairs. Fat and fat-free mass (ffm) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and VO max by spiroergometry.

From the subarctic to the tropics: effects of 4-month deployment on soldiers' heat stress, heat strain, and physical performance.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the heat stress of Finnish male soldiers (N = 20, age 22.0 ± 2.5 years, body mass 78.

Orthopaedic manual therapy, McKenzie method or advice only for low back pain in working adults: a randomized controlled trial with one year follow-up.

Objective: To examine the effects of 2 manual therapy methods compared with one counselling session with a physiotherapist with "advice-only to stay active" for treating low back pain/leg pain and disability.

Design: A randomized, controlled trial with a 1-year follow-up.

Subjects: A total of 134 subjects with low back disorders.

Heritability of BMD of femoral neck and lumbar spine: a multivariate twin study of Finnish men.

Unlabelled: Of the 80% variation in BMD among male twins that is caused by genetics, part was explained by genetic influences on lifting strength and lean body mass/height. Lifting strength was significant in both the femoral and spine BMD and body weight only for lumbar BMD.

Introduction: The dominant role of heritability in BMD has been shown in twin studies among women.

Impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions 6 and 12 months after breast cancer operation.

Objective: To describe the impairments of upper body and limbs, activity limitations and participation restrictions 6 and 12 months after operation for breast cancer and to examine the impact of impairments on activity limitations.

Design: A prospective survey 6 and 12 months after operation.

Patients: Ninety-six breast cancer patients.

Multivariate genetic analysis of lifetime exercise and environmental factors.

Purpose: We investigated whether the association between exercise and individual-specific factors that correlate with exercise may be explained by genetic or common environmental factors.

Methods: Lifetime exercise data were available from 147 MZ and 153 DZ adult male twin pairs with a mean age of 50 yr (SD = 8 yr).

Results: The best-fitting quantitative genetic model for adulthood exercise level consisted of additive genetic effects, genetic effects due to dominance and unique environment effects, with genetic effects explaining 51% (95% CI = 29-63%) of the variance.

Relative roles of heredity and physical activity in adolescence and adulthood on blood pressure.

Part of the association between physical activity and low blood pressure (BP) may be a consequence of genetic selection. We investigated the association of genetic factors and physical activity in adolescence and adulthood with BP. BP was measured with a Finapres device in 71 monozygotic and 104 dizygotic male twin pairs using no antihypertensive medication.

Postoperative education concerning the use of the upper limb, and exercise and treatment of the upper limb: cross-sectional survey of 105 breast cancer patients.

In this retrospective survey we investigated the recall of breast cancer patients (n=105) 6 months after the operation concerning postoperative instructions on exercises for shoulder mobility, and instructions for oedema prevention and treatment, upper limb strength training and the use of the upper limb in daily activities. Patients also described the content in their own words and ranked the instructors who had mostly given this education. Operation type and length of hospital stay did not have any effect on the education recalled, but the age of the respondent had some effect (r=-0.

Factors associated with exercise lifestyle--a study of monozygotic twins.

Regular exercise is widely advocated for a broad range of health issues. Yet, the association of familial factors (i. e.

Genome-wide linkage scan for physical activity levels in the Quebec Family study.

Purpose And Methods: It is commonly recognized that there is familial aggregation for physical activity level. However, the genes and sequence variants responsible for the familial clustering have not been investigated. We performed a genome-wide linkage scan based on 432 markers typed in 767 subjects from 207 families of the Quebec Family study with the aim of identifying loci affecting physical activity levels.

A dopamine D2 receptor gene polymorphism and physical activity in two family studies.

A role for dopamine neurotransmission in the regulation of motor activity and reinforcement of behavior is supported by considerable evidence. We studied the association between a marker in the dopamine D2 receptor gene (DRD2) and physical activity level in two cohorts. A first cohort consisted of 721 participants from 161 families of the Quebec Family Study (QFS).

Familial aggregation of physical activity levels in the Québec Family Study.

Purpose: Familial aggregation of physical activity phenotypes was investigated in 696 subjects from 200 families of the Quebec Family Study. The mean age of offspring and parents was 27 and 53 yr, respectively.

Methods: The levels of physical activity were estimated using a 3-d diary and a questionnaire dealing with physical activity during the past year.

Repeatability of lifetime exercise reporting.

The purpose of the study was to determine the reliability of lifetime exercise data obtained through a structured interview. Interviews were conducted in 1992-1993 and repeated in 1997 in 150 monozygotic male twins, aged 35-69 years, from the population-based Finnish Twin Cohort. Exercise mode, frequency, duration, intensity and period of participation were solicited for each regularly performed exercise from 12 years of age to the present.

The long-term effects of rally driving on spinal pathology.

Objectives: To investigate the consequences of rally driving on lumbar degenerative changes.

Background: Vehicular driving is suspected to accelerate disc degeneration through whole-body vibration, leading to back problems. However, in an earlier well-controlled study of lumbar MRI findings in monozygotic twins, significant effects of lifetime driving on disc degeneration were not demonstrated.

The effect of lifelong exercise on psychomotor reaction time: a study of 38 pairs of male monozygotic twins.

Purpose: The aim was to study the effect of lifetime physical activity on psychomotor speed.

Methods: Foot and dominant hand visual simple and choice psychomotor reaction times were studied among monozygotic twins (38 pairs) aged 35-69, discordant for lifetime exercise histories.

Results: There was a trend that some components of psychomotor reaction time were faster for frequent than for occasional exercisers, but the findings were not consistent for the hand and feet.

Determinants of psychomotor speed among 61 pairs of adult male monozygotic twins.

Background: Declining psychomotor speed is an indicator of the aging process, and it is influenced by genetics and environmental factors. The present study examined the relative effects of familial aggregation (reflecting a combination of genetics and early environmental influences), and occupational, lifestyle, and health factors on psychomotor speed.

Methods: Hand and foot psychomotor speed was studied with 61 pairs of monozygotic male twins aged 35-67 years from the population-based Finnish Twin Cohort.

Differences in hand and foot psychomotor speed among 18 pairs of monozygotic twins discordant for lifelong vehicular driving.

The purpose of this study was to examine driving as a determinant of hand and foot psychomotor reaction times. Visual simple and choice hand and foot psychomotor reaction times were measured. The occupational driving contrast was determined by an interview reviewing every job held during each subject's lifetime.

Differences in psychomotor reaction time in male monozygotic twins discordant for lifetime cigarette smoking.

The effects of long-term cigarette smoking on psychomotor reaction time were investigated among 8 pairs of monozygotic male twins highly discordant for lifetime smoking (means 32.4 versus 0.6 pack-years).

Comparison of foot and hand reaction times among men: a methodologic study using simple and multiple-choice repeated measurements.

The primary study goal was to compare visual simple and choice reaction times of the hand and foot to assess validity of measurements for evaluating subjects' ability to perform rapid, controlled movements. First, we examined the repeatability (N = 34) for four different data-sampling methods from a series of 12 trials within sessions and between two test sessions. Simple and choice reaction times with the preferred hand and both feet were then compared among 153 healthy male volunteers aged 35 to 67 years.