Purpose: To analyze the effect of a protocol based on the Mat Pilates method in an intervention group compared to a usual care control group, on quality of life, fatigue and body image of head and neck cancer survivors.
Methods: This was a randomized clinical trial with 30 survivors, allocated into an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group underwent a 12-week Mat Pilates, twice a week, one hour long, and the control group attended two lectures and received weekly follow-up throughout the study period. Data collection took place through individual face-to-face interviews, focusing on assessing the outcomes: quality of life (FACT-H&N); fatigue FACT-F) and body image (BIS).
Results: The Mat Pilates group showed significant improvements compared to the control group in both intragroup and intergroup analyses across the variables: quality of life (in total score ( = 0.007)/( = 0.003), family well-being ( = 0.001)/( = 0.008) and functional well-being ( = 0.001)/( = 0.001)); body image in the total score ( = 0.001)/( = 0.001) and in the subscales: body image ( = 0.046)/( = 0.010), body care ( = 0.026)/( = 0.010) and body touch ( = 0.013)/( = 0.022); fatigue ( = 0.006)/( = 0.003).
Conclusion: Based on these findings, future research could delve deeper into understanding the long-term effects of Mat Pilates interventions on quality of life, body image, and fatigue levels among survivors of head and neck cancer.
Context: Adolescent girls suffer the brunt of malnutrition due to increased nutritional needs to facilitate rapid growth spurt including menstruation and increased physical activity. This vulnerable group has low social power and is subjected to peer and social pressures related to body image and weight. All these factors along with the sociocultural milieu may lead to a spectrum of nutritional problems in them.
This study aims to optimize the process for preparing chitosan-based ultrasound-coupled hydrogel pads and investigate their application potential in ultrasonography. Chitosan, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, and N-isopropylacrylamide were used as the main materials to prepare chitosan-based ultrasound-coupled hydrogel pads. The free-radical polymerization conditions were optimized by a three-factor, three-level orthogonal test with the tensile strength and ultrasound image quality of the hydrogel pads as evaluation indicators.
Background: Excessive Gestational Weight Gain is a global public health problem with serious and long-term effects on maternal and offspring health. Early identification of at-risk groups and interventions is crucial for controlling weight gain and reducing the prevalence of excessive gestational weight gain. Currently, tools for predicting the risk of excessive gestational weight gain are lacking in China.
InsideOut Institute for Eating Disorders, Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Sydney Local Health District, NSW Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Muscle dysmorphia (MD) is a psychological disorder defined by a pathological belief that one lacks muscularity and has excess body fat. To date, treatment research on MD has been sparse. We conducted a pilot feasibility and acceptability study investigating the preliminary efficacy of an 8-week telehealth cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) intervention for adults with diagnosed MD.
Research has found that high social media use is associated with a greater tendency to compare oneself with others, which in turn may heighten body image concerns and problematic eating behaviours. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine the mean association between online social comparison and body image concerns, eating disorder behaviours and positive body image. Eligible articles published between 2008 and 2024 were searched for in scientific databases.
