International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

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One Size Does Not Fit All: New Strategies to Improve Overall Health and Physical Activity Behavior in Vulnerable Populations

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Dear Colleagues,

Sedentary behavior increases the risk for several cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. For vulnerable populations (e.g., older adults and chronic diseases), sedentarism has amplified deteriorative effects on several physiological systems. Hence, the scientific literature has been communicating strategies which would make people more active. However, the physical activity strategy should account for a clear outcome, population characteristics, environmental conditions, and participants' preferences. Thus, this challenge remains today, as one size does not fit all. This Special Issue aims to explore the bridge between ongoing physical activity/exercise strategies and therapeutic targets/overall health benefits in vulnerable populations.

This Research Topic welcomes review papers and original research regarding the following themes:

Breaks in the sedentary behavior and exercise promotion in chronic diseases;
Acute and chronic whole-body exercise and respiratory exercise strategies;
Environmental effects on cardiorespiratory responses and physical capacity.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in JCM.

Dr. Gabriel Dias Rodrigues
Dr. Marco Vicenzi
Guest Editors

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Keywords

chronic diseases
vascular function
aging
sedentarism
active breaks
exercise
respiratory muscle training
hostile environments

Published Papers (2 papers)

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10 pages, 727 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Increased Prolonged Sitting in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Within-Subjects, Accelerometer-Based Study

by Ana Jessica Pinto, Diego Rezende, Sofia Mendes Sieczkowska, Kamila Meireles, Karina Bonfiglioli, Ana Cristina de Medeiros Ribeiro, Eloisa Bonfá, Neville Owen, David W. Dunstan, Hamilton Roschel and Bruno Gualano

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 3944; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20053944 - 23 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1725

Abstract

Background: Social distancing measures designed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic can restrict physical activity, a particular concern for high-risk patient groups. We assessed rheumatoid arthritis patients’ physical activity and sedentary behavior level, pain, fatigue, and health-related quality of life prior to and during the social distancing measures implemented in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Methods: Post-menopausal females diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis were assessed before (from March 2018 to March 2020) and during (from 24 May to 7 July 2020) social distancing measures to contain COVID-19 pandemic, using a within-subjects, repeated-measure design. Physical activity and sedentary behavior were assessed using accelerometry (ActivPAL micro). Pain, fatigue, and health-related quality of life were assessed by questionnaires. Results: Mean age was 60.9 years and BMI was 29.5 Kg/m². Disease activity ranged from remission to moderate activity. During social distancing, there were reductions in light-intensity activity (13.0% [−0.2 h/day, 95% CI: −0.4 to −0.04; p = 0.016]) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (38.8% [−4.5 min/day, 95% CI: −8.1 to −0.9; p = 0.015]), but not in standing time and sedentary time. However, time spent in prolonged bouts of sitting ≥30 min increased by 34% (1.0 h/day, 95% CI: 0.3 to 1.7; p = 0.006) and ≥60 min increased by 85% (1.0 h/day, 95% CI: 0.5 to 1.6). There were no changes in pain, fatigue, and health-related quality of life (all p > 0.050). Conclusions: Imposed social distancing measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak were associated with decreased physical activity and increased prolonged sedentary behavior, but did not change clinical symptoms sitting among patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue One Size Does Not Fit All: New Strategies to Improve Overall Health and Physical Activity Behavior in Vulnerable Populations)

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10 pages, 871 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Time Course of Cardiorespiratory Adaptations to Rowing Indoor Training in Post-Menopausal Women

by Renata Cardoso Araujo, Gabriel Dias Rodrigues, Luana Farinazzo Ferreira and Pedro Paulo da Silva Soares

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3238; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043238 - 13 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2531

Abstract

Background: Post-menopausal women have impaired cardiorespiratory responses to exercise compared to young women. Exercise training may counterbalance impairments, but the time-dependent effects of exercise training remain unclear. The current study aims to investigate the effects of rowing training on maximal aerobic capacity and time-course cardiorespiratory adaptations in older women. Methods: Female participants (n = 23) were randomly allocated to the experimental group (EXP; n = 23; 66 ± 5 years old) enrolled in rowing exercise training and control group (CON; n = 10; 64 ± 4 years old). The cardiopulmonary exercise test (CET) was performed in a cycle ergometer pre- and post-interventions. Oxygen uptake (VO₂), stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO), and HR were recorded during CET and analyzed at the peak of the exercise. HR was monitored during exercise recovery, and the index of HRR was calculated by ΔHRR (HR_peak—HR one-minute recovery). Every two weeks, Rowing Stepwise Exercise (RSE) in a rowing machine was performed to track specific adaptations to the exercise modality. HR was continuously recorded during RSE and corrected for the average power of each step (HR/watts). The rowing training protocol consisted of three weekly sessions of 30 min at an intensity corresponding to 60–80% of peak HR for ten weeks. Results: Rowing exercise training increased VO₂, SV, and CO at the peak of the CET, and ΔHRR. Increased workload (W) and reduced HR response to a greater achieved workload (HR/W) during RSE were observed after six weeks of training. Conclusions: Rowing exercise training is a feasible method to improve cardiorespiratory performance, vagal reactivation and heart rate adjustments to exercise in older women. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue One Size Does Not Fit All: New Strategies to Improve Overall Health and Physical Activity Behavior in Vulnerable Populations)

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