Health-enhancing physical activity and health-related risk in a sample of north Mexican, office-based employees.

Unlabelled: Levels of hypertension, obesity and raised total cholesterol are increasing in Mexico. Mexicans employed within sedentary occupations may be particularly at risk of developing one, or a clustering of these health-related risk factors, due to lack of participation in health enhancing physical activity (HEPA). The purpose of this study is to examine: (a) prevalence rates of hypertension, obesity and raised total cholesterol, and (b) the link between these variables and HEPA, in a sample of North Mexican, office-based employees.

Cardiorespiratory requirements of the 6-min walk test in older patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and no major structural heart disease.

The six-minute walk test (6-MWT) is widely used to assess functional status in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). The aims of the present study were: (1) to compare metabolic gas exchange during the 6-MWT in older patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) and in breathless patients with no major structural heart disease (MSHD); (2) to determine the exercise intensity of the 6-MWT relative to peak oxygen uptake; (3) to establish the accuracy and reproducibility of the Metamax 3B ergospirometer during an incremental workload. Twenty four older patients with LVSD (19 male; age 76 +/- 5 years; BMI 27 +/- 4), and 18 patients with no MSHD (12 male; age 75 +/- 8 years; BMI 27 +/- 4) attended on consecutive days at the same time.

Carbohydrate ingestion during prolonged high-intensity intermittent exercise: impact on affect and perceived exertion.

This study was designed to determine the effects of ingesting a carbohydrate (CHO) solution on affective states and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) during prolonged intermittent high-intensity exercise. Seventeen male soccer players completed a prolonged intermittent high-intensity exercise protocol for 90 min on two occasions, separated by at least 7 days. Participants consumed either a 6.

Prognostic value of the 6 min walk test and self-perceived symptom severity in older patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: The 6 min walk test (6-MWT) is a simple and popular test for evaluating functional status in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). However, the prognostic value of the 6-MWT in a large, representative sample of CHF patients, and in patients with different degrees of left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) remains unclear.

Methods And Results: Of an initial population of 1592 patients, 212 died representing a crude death rate of 13.

Influence of moderate dehydration on soccer performance: physiological responses to 45 min of outdoor match-play and the immediate subsequent performance of sport-specific and mental concentration tests.

Objective: To determine whether moderate water loss (approximately 1.5-2% of body mass (BM)) represents a significant impairment to soccer match-play and the related fitness variables.

Methods: 11 moderately active male soccer players (mean (SD) age 24.

Walking towards health in a university community: a feasibility study.

Objective: Using a randomised control trial design, this study assessed the impact of two walking interventions, on the work day step counts and health of UK academic and administrative, university employees.

Method: A convenience sample of 58 women (age 42+/-10 years) and 6 men (age 40+/-11 years) completed baseline and intervention measures for step counts, % body fat, waist circumference and systolic/diastolic blood pressure, during a ten-week period (October to December, 2005). Before intervention, baseline step counts (five working days) were used to randomly allocate participants to a control (maintain normal behaviour, n=22) and two treatment groups ("walking routes", n=21; "walking in tasks", n=21).

Effects of the glycemic index of breakfast on metabolic responses to brisk walking in females.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the metabolic responses during 1 h of brisk walking, 3 h after ingesting high glycemic index (HGI) and moderate glycemic index (MGI) breakfasts.

Design And Subjects: Six females completed three treadmill walking trials (approximately 50% VO2 max), separated by at least 1 month. Three hours before walking, they ingested either water or a HGI or MGI breakfast.

Coping in sport: A systematic review.

The aim of this paper was to systematically review the literature on coping in sport, examining evidence for both the trait and process perspectives, the types of coping strategies used by athletes, gender differences, age-related differences, and coping effectiveness. A comprehensive literature search of SPORTdiscus, PsychLIT, and PsychINFO in November 2004 yielded 64 studies spanning 16 years (1988 - 2004). The results indicated that athletes use a variety of coping strategies.

The influence of water ingestion during prolonged exercise on affect.

This study examined the influence of water ingestion on affect and perceived exertion during sub-maximal running. Fifteen endurance-trained men performed two counterbalanced 90-min treadmill runs at 70% V O2 max. No fluid was ingested during one trial (NF-trial), whereas a single water bolus (5.

Regulation of reproductive function in athletic women: an investigation of the roles of energy availability and body composition.

Exercise associated reproductive dysfunction in women is attributable to deficits of readily available energy

An alternative view of psychological well-being in cardiac rehabilitation: Considering temperament and character.

Background: Research suggests that personality is related to recovery from cardiac events, yet few conceptions of personality provide hope or possibility of improvement for patients with the least adaptive personality types. Psychobiological theory of personality has potential in this regard, but, to date, no research has investigated temperament and character in cardiac settings.

Aim: To explore relationships between temperament, character and psychological well-being among cardiac patients.

Effect of carbohydrate and prolonged exercise on affect and perceived exertion.

Introduction: It has been reported that perceptions of exertion are attenuated during prolonged cycle exercise, following CHO ingestion. However, no studies to date have examined the influence of such feedings on psychological affect during prolonged exercise, even though affect and perceived exertion are different constructs.

Purpose: To examine the influence of regular CHO beverage ingestion on affect (pleasure-displeasure) and perceived exertion during prolonged cycle exercise.