Objective
To examine combined associations of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and muscular fitness (MF) with metabolic syndrome (MetSy) in a sample of young men.
Methods
Participants were 557 men ...aged 19‐47 years. CRF was quantified as peak oxygen uptake measured during an incremental treadmill test by a metabolic cart, while a composite MF score was calculated as the sum of z‐scores from a push‐ups and sit‐ups test. The presence of MetSy was defined according to the updated NCEP‐ATP III criteria.
Results
We found a graded inverse relationship between CRF and MetSy presence. The most aerobically fit individuals had 90% lower odds of having MetSy compared to their least fit counterparts, independent of MF (odds ratio OR = 0.10, 95% CI = 0.04‐0.21). Conversely, an increment in MF across the first three quartiles was not associated with lower odds of MetSy; only the most muscularly fit men were 2.5 times less likely to have MetSy (OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.21‐0.78). Finally, participants with high CRF but low MF exhibited a 50% decrease in odds of having MetSy (OR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.26‐0.91), while no protective effect was found for having high MF but low CRF (OR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.55‐1.62).
Conclusions
CRF exhibited a strong protective effect against having MetSy, while the effect of MF was less pronounced.
This study aimed to evaluate the agreement between a 7-day recall questionnaire and multiple-sensor monitor in identifying sufficiently active adolescents. A total of 282 students involved in the ...CRO-PALS study were randomly selected for a device-based measurement of physical activity (PA) using the SenseWear Armband device (SWA) no more than three weeks before or after having fulfilled the SHAPES questionnaire. Valid data was obtained from 150 participants (61 boys; 89 girls) and included in the analysis. In boys, SHAPES exhibited high specificity (92.3%), overall percent agreement (85.0%), and significant agreement (κ = 0.32,
= 0.014) with the SWA in recognising sufficiently active individuals. Conversely, no agreement was detected for quartiles of PA, although boys that were classified in the first and in the fourth quartile by SHAPES differed in device-based measured duration of MVPA (134 95%CI: 109-160 vs. 87 95%CI: 65-108,
= 0.032); and VPA (39 95%CI: 23-56 vs. 14 95%CI: 6-22,
= 0.011). In girls, no significant agreement between the two methods was found in any of the analyses. It appears that the SHAPES questionnaire is effective to identify individuals that comply with PA recommendations and to distinguish between the most active and the least active individuals for adolescent boys, but not for girls.
This study aimed to investigate moderators of change in physical activity (PA) levels after 30 days (30-d) of restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic in young adults. This research is an extension ...of the CRO-PALS study and analyses for this study were performed on young adults (20–21 y.o., n = 91). Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), sport participation, student and socioeconomic status were assessed pre- and post-30-d restrictions. Differences in MVPA levels were examined using repeated-measures ANOVAs. After 30-d of restrictions, the drop in MVPA in females (−64.8 min/day, p = 0.006) and males was shown (−57.7 min/day, p < 0.00). However, active participants decreased, while non-active peers increased their MVPA level (−100.7 min/day, p < 0.00, and +48.9 min/day, p = 0.051, respectively). Moreover, students and non-students decreased their MVPA level (−69.0 min/day, p < 0.00, and −35.0 min/day, p = 0.22, respectively) as well as sport participants and non-sport participants (−95.3 min/day, p < 0.001, and −53.9 min/day, p < 0.00, respectively). Our results suggest that 30-d of restrictions equally affect females and males where the evident drop in MVPA is seen in both genders. However, active people decreased their PA level during lockdown and the opposite pattern was seen in non-active peers, where restrictions for them can represent an opportunity to change their behavior in a positive direction in order to gain better health status.
Temporal associations between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) at four different multi-hour intervals during the day and the following indicators of sleep quality and sleep quantity in ...adolescents were examined. This research is a part of the CRO-PALS study, including 129 adolescents (48 boys, 81 girls; mean age ± SD = 15.6 ± 0.4 years) having complete data on sleep and MVPA measured by the SenseWear Pro3 Armband monitor. As data had a hierarchical structure, repeated measures multilevel modelling was used to assess the associations between PA and sleep. During school nights, in girls, morning MVPA was not related to following indicators of sleep quality and sleep quantity. At the same time, evening MVPA was linked with longer sleep onset latency (β = 0.064; 95%CI = 0.025 to 0.103) and higher wake after sleep onset (β = 0.156; 95%CI = 0.0482 to 0.2638). Moreover, during weekend nights, morning MVPA was not associated with sleep, while evening MVPA was accompanied by longer sleep onset latency (β = 0.058; 95%CI = 0.023 to 0.093), higher wake after sleep onset (β = 0.104; 95%CI = 0.012 to 0.20), and negatively with sleep efficiency (β = −0.019; 95%CI = −0.037 to −0.001). In boys the specific multi-hour interval of performing physical activity was not associated with any of indicators of sleep quality. In conclusion, while no strong relations between MVPA and sleep were seen among boys, in girls morning hours MVPA resulted in better sleep patterns over school nights, while afternoon MVPA was followed with slight worsening of some indicators of sleep quality across the whole week.
•In boys, the timing of physical activity was not associated with subsequent sleep.•In girls, morning physical activity improved subsequent sleep quality on school nights only.•Evening physical activity impaired sleep quality in girls across the whole week.
Dietary supplement users tend to have a better diet quality and overall prudent lifestyle. The main goals of this research were to report the prevalence and type of dietary supplements among Croatian ...adolescents and to examine the differences in the diet quality among dietary supplement users vs. non-users at the beginning (15/16 y) and at the end of high school education (18/19 y). This research is based on results of the longitudinal CRO-PALS study in which 607 adolescents participated, who had complete dietary, anthropometric, and physical activity data at the beginning (15/16 y) and at the end of their high school education (18/19 y). The dietary assessment method used was a single multi-pass 24 h recall. Dietary supplement users were divided into two groups for the purposes of statistical analysis-users of vitamin and multivitamin preparations (VMV) and users of mineral and multivitamin preparations (MMV). As they aged, there was an increase in the consumption of dietary supplements, and the most frequently used preparation in both age groups was vitamin C (23.7% of users). Dietary supplement users had a higher intake of non-carbonated sweetened drinks and a lower intake of fruits and vegetables in both genders and both age groups. Fast food intake was higher among dietary supplement girl users and boys who were not dietary supplements users in both age groups. Dietary supplement users had a higher achieved average intake of most micronutrients (values obtained only from food) in both genders and both age groups (with exceptions for certain vitamins and minerals). By observing other parameters for assessing the diet quality in this research, we can conclude that girls who do not use dietary supplements have a better diet quality in both age groups.
The occurrence of chronic diseases in youth has become a serious global issue requiring early prevention. Due to the specific environment in large cities, urban youth are especially exposed to risky ...lifestyle patterns.
This survey aimed to determine the prevalence of key modifiable cardiovascular risk factors in the adolescent population of the Croatian capital Zagreb.
A clustered two-stage random sample design was employed to select a representative group of 903 adolescents (girls
= 444; boys
= 459; age 15.6 ± 0.4) starting their secondary education. Participants were invited to fulfil an electronic questionnaire meant to collect data on daily physical activity, screen time and tobacco use. In addition, anthropometric and blood pressure measurements were taken by medically trained personnel. Data that were not originally categorical were dichotomized based on internationally accepted cut-off values for each risk factor, summarized for females and males, and presented as percentages and 95% confidence intervals.
The outcomes suggest that more than one half did not meet the recommended daily physical activity (girls 59.4%; boys 45.5%), a vast majority exceeded 2 h of screen time per day (girls 87.9%; boys 91.6%), and one quarter had high blood pressure (girls 21.6%; boys 27.0%). Moreover, the results indicated nearly one fifth of adolescents had excess weight (girls 16.1%; boys 22.2%) and a similar proportion smoked tobacco (girls 20.8%; boys 17.0%).
Local and regional health stakeholders should make additional efforts to promote healthy lifestyles in urban teenagers. Special emphasis should be placed on promoting physical activity.
This multi-center study was conducted to objectively evaluate energy expenditure and physical activity (PA) patterns on school days and weekends in urban 11-year-olds.
The sample consisted of 241 ...children from three cities: Zagreb, Ljubljana (both in Central Europe) and Ann Arbor (United States). Energy expenditure and PA were assessed during two school days and two weekend days using a multiple-sensor body monitor.
Differences between the cities were observed for all PA variables. The highest level of moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) was noted in Ljubljana boys 284 (98) min/day and the lowest in Zagreb girls 179 (95) min/day. In Zagreb and Ljubljana, boys were more physically active than girls, while in Ann Arbor the opposite was observed. In contrast, no gender difference in sedentary behavior was observed in any of the cities. A decline in PA from school days to weekends was noted in all city groups in both genders. However, the magnitude of the reduction in daily energy expenditure differed between the cities, with the largest differences being observed in Ljubljana and the smallest in Ann Arbor. In all three city groups, the great majority of boys and girls achieved current recommendations of 60 min of MVPA either during school days or weekends.
Weekends seem to be an appropriate target when promoting PA in 11-year-olds in all the cities included in the study. Increasing vigorous activity on weekends seems to be of particular importance in Zagreb and Ljubljana.
FIFA World Cup represent one of the world's greatest phenomena. The spectators watch the matches of national teams with great emotional involvement. It is well documented fact that emotional stress ...can be a trigger of unwanted cardiovascular (CV) event.
The aim of this retrospective study was to determine whether there had been an increase in the number of the emergency admissions for CVD in the Emergency Room and Clinic for Cardiovascular Diseases of the Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Centre during and after the matches that the Croatian national team played in the FIFA World Cup 2018.
The hospital's database was examined for the dates when Croatia played its matches, plus two more days after each match. An unexposed period that included the same dates in 2017 and 2019 was formed.
1093 cases were assessed. The incidence of CV admissions during the exposed period was 1.15 (95% confidence interval CI; 1.02 to 1.31) times higher than during the unexposed period. There was a 1.30 (95% CI; 1.1 to 1.54) times higher incidence in women compared to the unexposed period. Arrhythmias and angina pectoris were the CVDs that occurred more frequently in the exposed period.
This study showed that watching Croatian national team's matches and cheering represented an additional risk for a CV incident, especially in women.
The aim of the study was to analyze positional
differences in anthropometric characteristics of 48 Croatian selected female handball
juniors (average age 18.43 years) who played in three positions: ...backs (B;
n=19), wings (W; n=7) and pivots (P; n=6). Twenty-four anthropometric measures, defining the four latent
morphological dimensions, were used. Globally, significant differences were revealed
by means of ANOVA in 11 morphological measures (7 at p≤.01 and 4 at p≤.05)
between the three groups of female juniors with no significant differences in
longitudinal dimensions. Only one significant positional difference was found
between pivots and backs (in the lower leg skinfold in favour of pivots
suggesting a higher body fat percentage. Between wings and pivots no
significant differences were found in longitudinal body dimensions; however,
the measures of skeletal transversality,
voluminosity and partially of fatty tissue (two variables) corroborated the
fundamental difference between these two positions: pivotsʼ body built was more
robust. No significant differences were found in longitudinal and almost all
transversal measures between backs and wings; however, the differences in body
voluminosity (all in favour of backs) were probably due to the selection
process. In the juniorsʼ somatotype (3.72‒3.49‒2.32),
endomorph and mesomorph components were predominant over the ectomorph
component, in which the lowest values were obtained from the players in all the
three positions. It is of outmost importance that handball
practitioners should work on the reduction of players’ percentage of
subcutaneous fatty tissue and on the enhancement of the portion of active
muscle mass in their body composition by the implementation of quality sports
training programmes and changes in dietary habits if better game performance
and sports achievements of the Croatian junior female handball players are
expected.
Much is known about the influence of potential lifestyle factors on adolescents' nutritional status, but in Croatia there are not many studies of this topic. Past studies have shown many variables ...associated with being overweight/obese. Thus, this study investigated the associations between the overweight/obesity status and lifestyle factors of Croatian adolescents. In this cross-sectional study, participants were 1,950 urban secondary-school students (884 male, 1,066 female) aged 17 to 18 years old. The dependent variable was body mass index derived from self-reported height and weight. The outcome was binarized, where participants with value < 25.0 lb/in were collapsed into normal weight, while those = 25.1 lb/in into the overweight/obesity weight category. Independent variables were gender, type of school, physical activity, sedentary behavior, self-rated health, self-perceived socioeconomic status, and psychological distress. The associations between the dependent and independent variables were analyzed through multiple logistic regression analysis. In the univariate model, being overweight/ obese was significantly associated with a male gender (OR 0.31; 95% CI 0.23 to 0.42), attending a vocational school (OR 1.87; 95% CI 1.42 to 2.48), not meeting the recommendations for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (OR 0.44; 95% CI 0.22 to 0.88), more time spent in sedentary behavior (OR 1.53; 95% CI 1.07 to 2.19), poor self-rated health (OR 0.35; 95% CI 0.20 to 0.56), and lower socioeconomic status (OR 0.63; 95% CI 0.48 to 0.84). In the multivariate model, the same associations occurred between the dependent and independent variable. In both models, psychological distress was not associated with being overweight/obese. In conclusion, the findings suggest that lifestyle factors are independently associated with body mass index.
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