Search Results (991)

Rapid population ageing in China urgently demands improved attention to elderly friendly community green space design. Despite national efforts toward community renovation and urban regeneration, existing projects often overlook the systematic optimisation of green spaces explicitly tailored to elderly residents, leading to environments that inadequately support their physical, psychological, and social needs. Given that home-based care remains the predominant preference for elderly populations in China, creating optimised community green spaces is essential to facilitate healthy ageing-in-place effectively. This study systematically investigates the discrepancies between elders’ observed usage patterns and their stated landscape design preferences in two residential communities in Suzhou, China. By integrating year-round observational data with subjective interviews, the research identifies critical mismatches between elderly individuals’ actual behaviours and expressed preferences, highlighting significant deficiencies in current landscape designs. Comparative analyses reveal that prioritising microclimate comfort, accessible pathways, and targeted seating arrangements significantly enhances elderly usage frequency and satisfaction. Ultimately, this study provides practical, policy-aligned recommendations for designing climate-adaptive, elderly centric community green spaces, effectively contributing to sustainable urban renewal and the Healthy China 2030 initiative. Full article

This study examines the relationship between health consciousness, the components of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and self-identity, as well as consumers’ willingness to pay more for Andean grains, which are recognised for their nutritional benefits and contribution to sustainable food systems. The study was conducted with 600 young university students living in Lima, Peru. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), the findings revealed a positive association between health consciousness and attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, and self-identity related to healthy food consumption. Of the TPB components, self-identity was found to be the strongest predictor of willingness to pay more for Andean grains, followed by perceived behavioural control; attitude and subjective norms, however, showed no significant effect. These results suggest that the willingness to pay for sustainable heritage foods is driven more by identity-based motivations and perceived access conditions than by favourable evaluations or social pressure alone. The study extends the TPB by incorporating health consciousness as an antecedent variable and by highlighting the prominent role of self-identity in sustainable food choices within the context of an emerging economy. Furthermore, the findings provide practical insights for designing marketing strategies and public policies aimed at promoting healthy and sustainable food consumption. Full article

Contemporary health cultures increasingly promote disciplined eating and bodily optimisation, contributing to growing interest in orthorexia nervosa (ON), a pattern of restrictive eating characterised by an obsessive focus on food purity and health. While ON has been widely studied in relation to dietary restriction and health anxiety, less attention has been given to how individuals themselves construct meaning around these practices. The present qualitative study aimed to explore how individuals displaying orthorexic tendencies construct moral identity and self-worth through their dietary practices. Eighteen participants (13 women, 5 men; aged 19–58) living in the United Kingdom who self-identified as “healthy eaters” took part in semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis within a social constructionist framework. Four themes were generated: (1) The Disciplined Self, describing how strict dietary practices were framed as evidence of personal control and self-regulation; (2) The Body as Evidence of Purity and Health, where physical appearance and bodily feelings were interpreted as confirmation of moral and dietary correctness; (3) Ethical Eating and Moral Positioning, illustrating how participants positioned their food choices as ethically superior; and (4) Guilt and Moral Repositioning, highlighting the moral emotions that followed perceived dietary transgressions. These findings suggest that orthorexic eating practices function not only as health behaviours but also as moral performances through which individuals construct disciplined, responsible, and virtuous identities. Understanding these moral and identity dimensions may help situate orthorexic tendencies within broader sociocultural narratives surrounding health, morality, and self-discipline. Full article

Background/Objectives: Lifestyle Modification Programs (LMPs) based on exercise and nutrition aim to prevent/manage chronic diseases and foster well-being. However, moving LMPs from research to medical practice can be challenging, as programs must be both effective and feasible. The primary goal of this study was to assess cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) changes according to an LMP, measured through VO_2max, as a key indicator of health outcomes and intervention efficacy. Methods: In this single-arm intervention study, 100 subjects were enrolled; per-protocol analysis of main parameters was performed on 85 participants (15 were excluded due to medical/technical reasons). A feasible intervention program (of low resource intensity with only two physician/patient encounters) provided personalized exercise prescription, optimized nutritional habits based on the Mediterranean diet and Healthy Eating Plate principles, and supported behaviour change. We assessed CRF through VO_2max, a key indicator of health outcomes and intervention efficacy. We also analyzed, using regression analysis, the relationship between VO_2max (the gold-standard measure of CRF) and MET_Speak, a simpler, feasible parameter of CRF derived from Exercise Stress Testing. Body composition (BC) and AHA diet score were also measured at baseline and post-6-month intervention. Statistical analyses included paired comparisons and multivariable regression to explore factors influencing CRF changes. Results: Analysis on the primary outcome, VO_2max, was performed according to the intention-to-treat principle and per-protocol. This feasible protocol resulted in a significant increase in VO_2max, improvements in fat-free mass, and a reduction in fat mass. Overall, 42.4% of participants achieved an improvement of ≥1 MET, a change previously associated with reduced mortality risk. Older participants tend to experience smaller improvements in VO_2max. Conclusions: Although observing an improvement in CRF and BC following an LMP is not surprising, the strength of the study is to show the feasibility of implementing an effective, feasible LMP into clinical routine, supporting the integration of such programs into clinical practice. Full article

Background: Childhood obesity remains a major public health challenge worldwide, with increasing prevalence across Europe. Schools represent an important setting for promoting healthy lifestyles through physical activity and nutrition-related interventions. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of school-based interventions promoting physical activity and healthy eating behaviours among children and adolescents aged 6–18 years in European countries. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed and Scopus. Studies were eligible if they were conducted in school settings, targeted children and adolescents aged 6–18 years, were implemented in European countries, had a minimum duration of nine months, and assessed anthropometric and/or behavioural outcomes related to obesity prevention. Methodological quality was assessed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) Quality Assessment Tool. Results: Sixteen studies conducted across nine European countries met the inclusion criteria. Intervention duration ranged from nine months to five years, and most studies employed multicomponent approaches combining physical activity promotion, nutrition education, environmental modifications, and parental involvement. Seven studies were rated as strong quality, six as moderate quality, and three as weak quality. Among the fourteen studies assessing BMI or other anthropometric outcomes, eleven (78.6%) reported statistically significant improvements in at least one obesity-related measure, including BMI, BMI z-score, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, body fat percentage, or overweight/obesity prevalence. Evidence regarding physical activity and nutrition-related outcomes was more heterogeneous, although several studies reported improvements in dietary behaviours, nutrition knowledge, sedentary behaviour, and physical activity levels. Positive anthropometric effects were more commonly observed in interventions lasting at least one academic year and in multicomponent programmes. Some studies also reported differential effects according to sex and parental educational background. Conclusions: The findings of this review suggest that long-term, multicomponent school-based interventions can contribute to improving obesity-related anthropometric outcomes among children and adolescents in European countries. However, evidence regarding sustained changes in physical activity and dietary behaviours remains less consistent. Future research should focus on identifying the most effective intervention components and strategies for achieving long-term behavioural change across diverse populations and educational contexts. Full article

Background: Sleep deprivation is one of the major public health and performance risk factors, with documented effects on vigilance, executive function, emotional regulation, and safety-critical behaviour. This review examines how event-related potentials (ERPs)—which provide millisecond-level resolution of cognitive processing stages—can clarify which neural processes are most affected by sleep loss, from early sensory encoding to later evaluative and control-related stages. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted as a systematic review of human studies on sleep deprivation and ERPs. Eligible studies included human participants, focused primarily on acute/total sleep deprivation, and reported ERP outcomes (e.g., amplitude, latency, topography, or related event-locked EEG measures). Searches were performed in major biomedical/psychology databases using sleep deprivation and ERP terms, with additional forward/backward citation searching. Data was extracted in a structured format (participant characteristics, deprivation protocol, ERP methods, behavioural outcomes, ERP findings, and recovery/countermeasure effects). Due to substantial heterogeneity in paradigms, protocols, and ERP methods, findings were synthesised narratively rather than meta-analysed. Risk of bias was assessed with RoB 2 and ROBINS-I. Results: The search identified 854 records, of which 82 studies were included following deduplication, screening, full-text review, and citation chasing. Samples were typically small, highly selected, and dominated by healthy young adults, with frequent attrition related to prolonged wakefulness and EEG data-quality constraints. Across studies, sleep deprivation produced stage-specific and task-dependent ERP effects rather than a single uniform pattern. The most consistent findings involved mid-to-late components. These components typically showed prolonged latency and reduced amplitude. In some cases, amplitude increases were observed and interpreted as compensatory recruitment. Early sensory/pre-attentive components (e.g., P1/N1/MMN/P50) were often relatively preserved, but showed selective vulnerability, including latency slowing, reduced filtering/gating, or decreased phase locking. A recurring observation was a behaviour–ERP dissociation, where ERP abnormalities were detectable even when behavioural impairment was modest, indicating covert neural inefficiency or compensation. Recovery sleep, naps, and countermeasures (e.g., modafinil, caffeine) produced partial, component-specific recovery, with amplitude and latency often recovering at different rates. Conclusions: The evidence indicates that sleep deprivation primarily disrupts higher-order, late-stage, and temporally coordinated neural processing, while earlier sensory processing is often preserved but becomes slower and less stable. Among ERP markers, the P300/P3 family is the most robust and informative signature of sleep loss effects and recovery. ERPs are therefore a sensitive tool for detecting neural dysfunction and compensation under sleep deprivation, including changes that may precede overt behavioural decline. Future research must improve the generalisability and reproducibility of ERP findings by employing larger, more diverse samples, alongside more standardised methodological, recording, and reporting practices. Full article

Background: Modifiable lifestyle factors may contribute additively to colorectal cancer (CRC) risk in individuals who already have non-modifiable risk factors, such as prior colorectal neoplasia or significant family history of CRC. However, the impact of multicomponent lifestyle interventions (such as dietary modification, physical activity, and counselling) on behavioural modification, risk of colorectal neoplasia, and quality of life (QoL) in this population has not yet been systematically reviewed. Aims: The primary aim was behavioural change (change in body weight, diet, physical activity, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, and alcohol consumption). The secondary aim was colorectal neoplasia outcomes, including the incidence of precancerous lesions and/or cancer and CRC mortality/survival, and QoL, including specific domains. Methods: This review was conducted following the Cochrane guidelines for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Both randomised and non-randomised studies assessing the effect of multicomponent lifestyle interventions on behavioural modification, risk of colorectal neoplasia, mortality, and quality of life in people at above-average risk of CRC were included. Medline/Ovid, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched. Screening, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment were independently performed by two reviewers using the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB) tools. Results: Of the 4174 studies screened, 10 interventional studies were eligible for inclusion, which had outcomes for behavioural change or quality of life. No interventions assessed neoplasia risk or mortality outcomes. Multicomponent lifestyle interventions mainly targeting diet and physical activity, delivered via a telephone-based or health coaching approach, showed positive effects on healthy behaviours and quality of life compared with usual care, although some studies reported inconsistent results. Conclusions: There is emerging evidence that multicomponent lifestyle interventions may offer beneficial effects on practicing healthy behaviours and improving QoL for individuals at above-average risk for CRC and undergoing colonoscopy surveillance. Full article

Sustainable dietary transitions are increasingly recognised as essential for addressing the interconnected challenges of public health, environmental degradation and food system sustainability. Although the Mediterranean Diet (MD) is widely acknowledged as a healthy and sustainable dietary model, adherence has progressively declined across diverse populations. This study develops an integrated conceptual framework to explain the sustainable adoption of the Mediterranean Diet, with particular emphasis on the conceptual mediating role of plant-based foods. A structured conceptual narrative review was conducted using interdisciplinary evidence from nutrition science, sustainability research, behavioural sciences and food policy. The proposed framework integrates individual capacities, socio-cultural contexts, structural environments and ecological awareness within a systems-oriented perspective. The findings suggest that dietary behaviour is shaped by dynamic and context-dependent interactions influenced by feedback mechanisms, life-course transitions and structural constraints. Within this framework, plant-based foods function as integrative leverage points linking health, environmental and cultural dimensions. The study highlights the limitations of individual-centred approaches and emphasises the importance of coordinated multi-level strategies to support sustainable dietary transitions. Overall, the framework provides a theoretically grounded basis for future research, policy development and integrated interventions aimed at promoting resilient and sustainable food systems. Full article

Human ageing and longevity are increasingly understood as biologically integrated and heterogeneous processes shaped by interactions among genetic susceptibility, epigenetic remodelling, and environmental modulation. This narrative review examines these interconnections within a nutrigenomic framework, with particular emphasis on how inherited variation and epigenetic plasticity may influence responses to ageing-related interventions. A structured literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase, focusing on English-language studies published during the last 10 years. The review was organized into three major domains: (i) genetic determinants of longevity, (ii) epigenetic mechanisms of ageing, and (iii) intervention-responsive pathways relevant to precision geroscience. Current evidence supports a polygenic model of longevity in which loci such as FOXO3 and APOE show the most consistent human associations, while telomere maintenance, insulin/IGF-1 and mTOR signalling, sirtuins, Klotho, inflammatory mediators, and DNA repair remain biologically important but variably supported at the variant level. Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation drift, epigenetic clocks, histone modifications, chromatin remodelling, heterochromatin loss, and non-coding RNA regulation, provide an environmentally responsive interface linking genetic background to ageing phenotypes. Nutritional, pharmacological, behavioural, and circadian interventions converge on overlapping molecular pathways involving AMPK, mTOR, FOXO, sirtuins, autophagy, mitochondrial maintenance, and inflammatory signalling, although human evidence remains heterogeneous and biomarker modulation should not be equated with clinically meaningful slowing of organismal ageing. Overall, this review highlights the value of integrating genetics, epigenetics, and intervention biology to support a more cautious and translationally relevant model of healthy ageing. It also underscores the need for precision nutrigeroscience approaches that account for tissue context, baseline physiology, and inter-individual molecular variability. Full article

Background/Objectives: Rigidity has been defined as an increase in muscle tone that is independent of the velocity of the stretch in Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, there is an ongoing debate about this non-velocity-dependent nature of rigidity in PD. To investigate the behaviour of axial muscle tone at different examination velocities using isokinetic dynamometry, and to determine whether trunk muscle resistance is velocity-dependent in people with PD compared with healthy controls (HCs). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with HC and people with PD (I–III stages of Hoehn and Yahr and assessed by the UPDRS, Section III: motor aspects) by a senior neurologist. The trunk extension–flexion component of an isokinetic dynamometer measured axial muscle tone over a range of 50° (S: 30-50-80). The continuous passive mode with three angular speeds (30°/s, 45°/s and 60°/s) was used to assess muscle tone. Peak torque (N), work (J) and work recorded in the first and in the last third of the explored trunk range of motion were calculated (J) were registered. All these outcomes were performed within 1–3 h of the administration of anti-Parkinsonian medication (ON phase) in the PD sample. Results: People with PD (N = 36) and healthy controls (N = 20) completed the study. Our results showed largely similar behaviour in work and peak torque registered in both groups, by which, resistance measures, like peak torque, weakly increased with mobilisation speed from 30°/s to 45°/s, without reaching statistical significance, but increased from 45°/s to 60°/s, only in the flexors. No clear increase was observed in the work. Furthermore, greater torque measures in PD than controls were only observed for peak torque at 30°/s. Conclusions: Peak torque of trunk flexors–extensors tends to increase as the angular speed increases in both PD and controls. This may suggest that the (relatively slow) tested speeds were likely evaluating the non-neural component of muscle tone. This has implications for the clinical assessment of axial rigidity in PD. Full article

The number of patients who require endoprosthetic treatment related to osteoporosis has increased in recent years. Vitamin D3 supplementation has long been standard practice in osteoporosis treatment, while vitamin K2 has gained importance. Using our in vitro model, we compared the osteogenic behaviour of primary healthy human osteoblasts (hOBs) and primary osteoporotic human osteoblasts (hopOBs) under unchanged conditions, with vitamin K2, vitamin D3 and the combined addition. Fluorescence microscopy examinations on a plastic surface and a rough titanium surface structure revealed morphological differences. A quantitative analysis of mineralisation and differentiation was performed using an alizarin red S assay and analysis of alkaline phosphatase activity. It was shown that the hopOBs behave differently morphologically on the titanium surface, while hopOBs are particularly noticeable due to the higher number of cell–cell interactions with vitamin K2. The rough surface led to more pronounced mineralisation of the hopOBs. This effect was pronounced under vitamin K2. Vitamin D3 had an effect in the initial phase of hopOB differentiation. Overall, vitamin K2 had a greater influence on the mineralisation of hopOBs than expected. It must be assumed that vitamin K2 plays a significantly greater role in the metabolism of hopOBs than previously assumed. Full article

Background: Dietary behaviours in young athletes are shaped by multiple behavioural, social, and environmental influences, which may contribute to the coexistence of healthy and unhealthy eating patterns. This study aimed to explore factors associated with fast-food consumption frequency and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) among young football athletes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 94 male football players aged 10–16 years from a Portuguese football club. Adherence to the MD was assessed using the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for Children and Adolescents (KIDMED) index. Fast-food consumption patterns and food-choice motivations were evaluated through a structured questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements were obtained using standardised procedures. Correlation, linear regression, and ordinal regression analyses were performed. Results: Most participants demonstrated high adherence to the MD (96.8%), with a median KIDMED score of 12.0 (IQR: 10.0–13.0). Although 88.3% of participants reported consuming fast food, intake frequency was generally low, with 67.0% reporting consumption never or only once per month. Higher fast-food consumption frequency was associated with lower fruit and vegetable intake and higher consumption of sweets and pastries. No significant associations were observed between fast-food consumption frequency and overall MD adherence, Body Mass Index z-score, or fat mass percentage. Higher health-related motivation scores were associated with lower odds of more frequent fast-food consumption (OR = 0.248; p = 0.021), whereas greater decision autonomy regarding restaurant choice was associated with higher consumption frequency (OR = 4.036; p = 0.010). Conclusions: Young football athletes showed high adherence to the Mediterranean diet despite the presence of fast-food consumption, suggesting that healthy and unhealthy dietary behaviours may coexist within the same population. Behavioural factors, particularly health motivations and food-choice autonomy, appear to influence fast-food consumption independently of overall diet quality and anthropometric status. Full article

Background: Dementia and Type 2 diabetes (T2D) represent two of the most pressing global public health challenges of our time, both exacerbated by physical inactivity. These conditions disproportionately affect Global Majority populations, who experience earlier onset, higher prevalence, and poorer access to culturally appropriate preventive care. However, conventional research and interventions often overlook the sociocultural and structural factors that underpin this disparity. This study synthesises current evidence to understand how these three conditions intersect and to identify equitable pathways for prevention and support. Methods: A meta-narrative review approach was employed to integrate evidence from diverse biomedical, public health, sociocultural and intervention science traditions. Searches were undertaken across MEDLINE/PubMed-adapted searches, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science Core Collection, AMED and ASSIA, supplemented by grey literature searching and citation chasing. Five meta-narratives were identified: biomedical and epidemiological, public health, health disparities, sociocultural and behavioural, and intervention science. Cross-narrative synthesis produced a conceptual framework linking upstream determinants, lifestyle factors, and disease outcomes. Results: The review revealed that structural inequities such as deprivation, environmental barriers and sociocultural factors including stigma, gendered norms, limited access to culturally appropriate facilities that restrict physical activity (PA) opportunities within Global Majority communities. These constraints elevate T2D and dementia risk through biological pathways involving insulin resistance, vascular injury, and neuroinflammation. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) interventions particularly those delivered in trusted cultural or faith settings emerged as effective strategies to improve PA, glycaemic control, and cognitive well-being. Conclusions: This synthesis reframes dementia and diabetes as interlinked within a wider syndemic driven by structural and sociocultural inequities. The proposed framework underscores the importance of culturally grounded, community-led approaches to promote brain health, reduce risk, and achieve equitable healthy ageing among Global Majority populations. Full article

Cells operate as open thermodynamic systems where energy transformations and transport processes occur across membranes, exhibiting distinct thermo-electro-biochemical behaviours in healthy versus diseased states. Living organisms generate waste heat due to internal irreversibility, which dissipates into the environment and serves as an observable flow of information. By analysing this heat loss and its changes under external influences, new insights into cellular behaviour can be gained. This paper highlights recent advances in this thermodynamic approach, which frames living systems as black boxes, focusing on their input–output dynamics and introducing the emerging field of bioengineering thermodynamics. A key challenge in applying extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) to proliferative disorders has been the empirical selection of effective field parameters. To address this, we employed a bio-thermodynamic engineering model to calculate the ELF frequency that maximizes mean entropy changes based on cellular biophysical parameters. This entropy change corresponds to a metabolic shift that reduces cell proliferation. Experimental validation was performed on six human cancer cell lines, where proliferation rates served as indicators confirming the model’s predictions. For the first time, this approach enabled the calculation and experimental validation of ELF frequencies selectively effective on different cell types, demonstrating a promising method for targeted therapeutic applications. Full article

Background/objectives: Obesity is a multifactorial condition influenced by interactions between genetic susceptibility and environmental factors. The fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene has been widely linked to obesity risk, particularly the rs9939609 polymorphism, which is associated with higher body mass index (BMI) and adiposity. However, evidence in adolescents remains inconsistent, and lifestyle factors such as physical activity and diet may modify genetic risk. The objectives of this study were: (i) to examine the influence of environmental, genetic, physical activity, and dietary factors on the BMI and overweight-related variables of adolescents, and (ii) to assess the impact of the rs9939609 polymorphism in the FTO gene on these variables. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 206 adolescents aged 12 to 16 years. Body mass index (BMI), physical fitness, physical activity levels, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, mobile phone usage, and FTO rs9939609 genotyping from buccal swabs were collected. Results: No significant associations were found between the FTO genotype and BMI, or with physical activity, mobile phone usage and dietary habits. Boys showed higher physical fitness and physical activity levels than girls (p < 0.05). The only factor significantly associated with BMI was regular breakfast consumption: adolescents who habitually ate breakfast had a lower prevalence of overweight (χ² = 7.98, p = 0.005). Conclusions: The rs9939609 polymorphism in the FTO gene was not associated with overweight in this adolescent cohort. The findings underscore the relevance of healthy behaviours, particularly regular breakfast consumption and physical activity, especially among boys, as factors potentially associated with lower prevalence of overweight during adolescence. Full article