Search Results (1,241)

Background: Several studies have investigated the importance of physical exercise (PE) in overweight and obese populations; however, to date, no bibliometric study has analyzed research trends in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in overweight and obese populations across the entire life course. Objective: To analyze the scientific output of HIIT trends in overweight and obese populations. Method: Theoretical study using bibliometrics as a research technique. A total of 282 studies were identified in the Web of Science and PubMed databases for analysis with VOSViewer software 1.6.20. The equation used was (“High-intensity interval training” OR HIIT) AND (overweight OR obesity OR “risk factors” OR “obesity risk”). Results: The year 2022 was the most productive year (n = 46). Most of the documents are research articles (81%), followed by review articles (15%). Most studies do not specify the characteristics of the sample, only mentioning the application of a HIIT program in overweight or obese individuals in (65.6%) of the total articles found. There is low scientific output in research focused on women (23.4%). The most frequently occurring words were “exercise” (n = 145), “obesity” (n = 131), “high-intensity interval training” (n = 81), “overweight” (n = 78), “physical activity” (n = 73), “body composition” (n = 46), “weight loss” (n = 45), “health” (n = 42), and “cardiorespiratory fitness” (n = 40). Conclusions: Scientific research has advanced the understanding of the impact of HIIT in relation to excess weight, with total fat reduction being one of the most frequently reported variables and no differences observed between sexes. HIIT has shown benefits in populations with overweight and obesity when compared with low-intensity training programs. Full article

Background/Objectives: Birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPCR) is a cornerstone of maternal health strategies designed to minimize the “three delays” in seeking, reaching, and receiving skilled care. In Ethiopia, uptake of BPCR remains insufficient, and little evidence exists on how individual- and community-level factors interact to shape preparedness. This study assessed the determinants of BPCR among women of reproductive age in Hawela Lida district, Sidama Region. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 3540 women using a multistage sampling technique. Data were analyzed with multilevel mixed-effect negative binomial regression to account for clustering at the community level. Adjusted prevalence ratios (APRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported to identify determinants of BPCR. Model fitness was assessed using Akaike’s Information Criterion (AIC), the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC), and log-likelihood statistics. Results: At the individual level, women employed in government positions had over three times higher expected BPCR scores compared with farmers (AIRR = 3.11; 95% CI: 1.89–5.77). Women with planned pregnancies demonstrated higher BPCR preparedness (AIRR = 1.66; 95% CI: 1.15–3.22), as did those who participated in model family training (AIRR = 2.53; 95% CI: 1.76–4.99) and women exercising decision-making autonomy (AIRR = 2.34; 95% CI: 1.97–5.93). At the community level, residing in urban areas (AIRR = 2.78; 95% CI: 1.81–4.77) and in communities with higher women’s literacy (AIRR = 4.92; 95% CI: 2.32–8.48) was associated with higher expected BPCR scores. These findings indicate that both personal empowerment and supportive community contexts play pivotal roles in enhancing maternal birth preparedness and readiness for potential complications. Random-effects analysis showed that 19.4% of the variance in BPCR was attributable to kebele-level clustering (ICC = 0.194). The final multilevel model demonstrated superior fit (AIC = 2915.15, BIC = 3003.33, log-likelihood = −1402.44). Conclusions: Both individual- and community-level factors strongly influence BPCR practice in southern Ethiopia. Interventions should prioritize women’s empowerment and pregnancy planning, scale-up of model family training, and address structural barriers such as rural access and community literacy gaps. Targeted, multilevel strategies are essential to accelerate progress toward improving maternal preparedness and reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. Full article

Background: Whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) is a training technology that enables the stimulation of all the main muscle groups with dedicated intensity, attracting many sportspeople and athletes of various disciplines. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the effect of WB-EMS on maximum jump, sprint, and agility performance in exercising cohorts. Methods: Systematic literature research of five electronic databases up to March 2025, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) scheme and including interventional trials with at least one WB-EMS and one active or inactive control group that focus on maximum jump, sprint, and agility performance in sportspeople and athletes. Applying a random-effect model that includes the inverse heterogeneity model (IVhet), effects sizes (SMD), and calculates 95% confidence intervals (95%-CIs). Subgroup analyses addressed superimposed WB-EMS application vs. underlying voluntary exercise. Results: Twelve studies with 145 participants in the WB-EMS and 148 participants in the control group were included. Most trials on jumping (10 of 12) and all trials on sprinting and agility performance applied superimposed WB-EMS protocols compared with underlying voluntary exercise. We observed no significant positive effects of WB-EMS on maximum jump (12 studies, SMD: 0.34, 95%-CI: −0.35 to 1.03), sprint (8 studies, SMD: 0.07, 95%-CI: −0.66 to 0.80), and agility performance (5 studies, SMD: −0.11, 95%-CI: −1.28 to 1.06). Heterogeneity between the trial results was considerable (I² > 80%) in all cases. Conclusions: Superimposed WB-EMS compared to the underlying predominately near-maximum to maximum intensity voluntary exercise provides only limited additional effects on jumping, sprinting, and ability performance. Full article

Resistance training (RT) influences endocrine pathways that control skeletal muscle (SM) growth. This review summarizes 25 years of evidence (January 2000–December 2025) from PubMed, Medline, and ScienceDirect, focusing on three aspects: (1) exercise types such as RT, speed, power, high-intensity interval training, and aerobic training at various intensities; (2) dietary factors, including caloric restriction, total protein, protein sources, amino acids, and carbohydrates; and (3) aging-related physiological factors that may impair the insulin/IGF-1 axis in SM, such as insulin resistance, fat infiltration, physical inactivity, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation. The data from Grade A evidence in systematic reviews and RCTs are prioritized to develop practical recommendations and future research directions for young, middle-aged, older, and very old individuals. Evidence regarding the effects of anabolic amino acids in women, middle-aged, and very old individuals, as well as locally mediated IGF-1 effects of any type of exercise, is limited. Full article

During exercise, increased oxygen consumption results in elevated production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). If the antioxidant system is unable to counteract this surge in ROS, oxidative stress occurs. Physical activity modulates both the generation and clearance of ROS through dynamic interactions between metabolic and antioxidant systems, and also influences the oxidative burst activity of phagocytes, a key component of the innate immune response. To investigate the acute physiological responses to high-intensity interval training (HIIT), we assessed the effects of a single HIIT session on oxidative stress markers and the oxidative burst activity of phagocytes in young professional athletes and non-athlete individuals. Blood samples were collected before and after a HIIT session from eleven male athletes (mean age: 22.1 ± 4.5 years) and ten male non-athlete university students (mean age: 21.6 ± 2.3 years). Participants performed a single treadmill HIIT session of ten 45-s intervals at 75–85% of heart rate reserve, separated by 45-s low-intensity recovery periods, with target intensities individualized using the Karvonen formula. Total antioxidant capacity, activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase enzymes, total serum nitrite/nitrate levels, lipid peroxidation products, and oxidative burst activity of phagocytes were evaluated before and after exercise. In athletes, a significant increase was observed in the activity of superoxide dismutase (from a median of 2.09 to 2.21 U/mL; p = 0.037) and catalase (from a median of 32.94 to 45.45 nmol/min/mL; p = 0.034) after exercise, whereas no significant changes were found in the control group. Total serum nitrite/nitrate levels significantly increased in both groups after exercise (athletes: from a median of 8.70 to 9.95 µM; p = 0.029; controls: from a median of 10.20 to 11.50 µM; p = 0.016). Oxidative burst capacity of peripheral blood phagocytes was significantly higher in athletes both before (median: 10,422 vs. 6766; p = 0.029) and after (median: 9365 vs. 7370; p = 0.047) the HIIT session compared to controls. Our findings demonstrate that training status markedly influences oxidative stress responses, with athletes exhibiting more effective long-term antioxidant adaptations. These results emphasize the necessity of tailoring exercise regimens to baseline fitness levels in order to optimize oxidative stress management across different populations. Full article

Background: The myokine response to various types of exercise may differ and influence the adaptations to various physiological systems in response to training. This study aimed to compare systemic myokines’ (apelin, interleukin-6 [IL-6], interleu-kin-15 [IL-15], fibroblast-growth factor-21 [FGF-21], and irisin) responses to acute moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise (MICE), high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE), or resistance exercise (RE). Methods: Six healthy, recreationally active adults (n = 4 males, n = 2 females) completed this crossover pilot study. After baseline testing, in a balanced randomized order, participants completed all three exercise sessions with one week between each of the exercise sessions. Blood samples were obtained at rest, immediately post-exercise, and 1 and 3 h post-exercise. Myokine response was analyzed using a 3 (exercise condition: MICE, HIIE, RE) × 4 (time: baseline, post-exercise, 1 and 3 h post-exercise) repeated-measures ANOVA. Results: Our results showed no significant interaction of time × exercise type in any of the analyzed myokines (all p > 0.05). A significant main effect of time was found for FGF-21, where concentrations at baseline (188.96 ± 127.34 pg/mL; p = 0.038) and immediately post-exercise (206.27 ± 135.95 pg/mL; p = 0.006) were higher than 3 h post-exercise (111.08 ± 127.65 pg/mL). No other main effects for time or exercise type were identified (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: The three exercise types, when analyzed together in this study, demonstrated a reduction in FGF-21 3 h post-exercise, suggesting this myokine was removed from the systemic circulation following exercise. The negative results of this study are inconclusive given the lower statistical power observed in this research. These preliminary results indicate the need for a larger trial to evaluate the effects of different types of exercise on the specificity of myokine responses and how acute exercise responses may translate into long-term exercise training adaptations. Full article

The largest survey to date of behavioral management practices among facilities breeding and housing nonhuman primates (NHPs) for research was conducted from 2019 to 2020. Its primary objective was to analyze and compare practices across the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States of America (US), identify regional differences, and highlight opportunities for refinement. Detailed information was captured on the management of NHPs at 49 facilities in these regions. Most respondents reported the number of NHPs at their institutions, which totaled 50,842. The findings suggest large variation in NHP behavioral management practices between world regions. Facilities in the UK and EU are at the forefront of best practice in many components of behavioral management. These involve the proportion of NHP populations housed socially, the age at which infants are removed from dams, the provision of pen enclosures, caging exceeding the regulatory/accreditation minimum floor space, and destructible enrichment (including floor substrates). Comparisons with the results of previous surveys conducted in the US in 2003 and 2014 show positive changes and progress over time, including a greater proportion of facilities providing access to exercise enclosures with more frequent implementation. Some previously reported impediments to social housing involving clinical and staffing constraints as well as scientific instrumentation eased over time. While there were increases in the use of social housing for some species, there was no increase across all species over the six-year interval since 2014. The proportion of US facilities providing destructible enrichment for caged NHPs remained the same. Importantly, overall, the data demonstrate that, with knowledge transfer and sufficient resources, perceived constraints on key elements of behavioral management can be overcome to improve NHP welfare and facilitate good science. The findings have been used to identify and discuss recommendations for best practice to improve animal welfare. Full article

Background/Objectives: Spexin (SPX) is a bioactive peptide involved in the regulation of appetite, lipid metabolism, and glucose homeostasis. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate exercise-induced changes in SPX levels and their implications for metabolic health. Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize evidence retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, without restrictions on publication year, with the final literature search completed on 10 September 2024 and conducted in line with PRISMA 2020 reporting standards. The search strategy employed the keywords exercise, metabolic health, obesity, spexin and diabetes yielding 42 eligible records. Eligible studies included human or experimental animal populations exposed to acute or chronic exercise interventions. Exercise interventions included aerobic, resistance, combined, and high-intensity interval training protocols, with exercise intensity reported using heterogeneous metrics. The primary focus was on circulating SPX, alongside the assessment of related metabolic and endocrine parameters. Six studies satisfied the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. Results: The included studies were conducted in overweight or obese sedentary populations. Plasma SPX levels remained unchanged following acute (<3 weeks) aerobic exercise, whereas increased SPX levels were reported after chronic (≥3 weeks) exercise interventions. Elevated SPX concentrations were observed across different exercise modalities, including aerobic exercise, combined aerobic–resistance training, treadmill running, swimming, and HIIT. In addition to SPX, the included studies reported changes in metabolic and endocrine markers, including lipid-related variables, insulin-associated indices, adipokines, hormones, and selected metabolic proteins. Conclusions: This systematic review and meta-analysis indicate that exercise-related increases SPX are reported alongside changes in adiposity and metabolic–endocrine markers. Full article

Beetroot juice (BRJ), a concentrated dietary source of nitrate alongside betalains and polyphenols, influences physiology through enhanced nitrate–nitrite–NO bioavailability, antioxidant activity, and interactions with oral and gut nitrate-reducing microbiota. The efficiency of these mechanisms depends on dose, timing, and preservation of oral bacteria, with antibacterial mouthwash or thiocyanate-rich foods potentially blunting NO₂⁻ generation. Acute BRJ ingestion consistently elevates circulating nitrate and nitrite, yet its impact on glucose, insulin, and lipid regulation is modest; chronic intake may reinforce nitrate-reduction capacity, improve redox balance, and shift microbial composition, though long-term metabolic outcomes remain variable. Cardiovascular adaptations appear more coherent, with acute reductions in systolic blood pressure and improved endothelial function complemented in some cases by microvascular enhancements during multi-week supplementation. Neuromuscular and cognitive effects are less uniform; BRJ does not reliably increase maximal strength or global cognition but may support electrophysiological recovery after muscle-damaging exercise and improve executive performance under fatigue. In exercise settings, dose and timing are critical, as BRJ most consistently benefits endurance performance by reducing oxygen cost, improving exercise economy, and enhancing time-trial or time-to-exhaustion outcomes, whereas effects on sprint, power, and team-sport tasks are more sensitive to contraction duration, recovery intervals, and athlete training status. Overall, available evidence supports a role for NO-mediated vascular and metabolic pathways in the physiological effects of BRJ, although marked inter-individual variability highlights the need for responder-focused dosing strategies and further mechanistic investigation integrating metabolic, microbial, and performance-related outcomes. Full article

Background/Objectives: Recent preclinical studies suggest that acute exercise induces immune modulation, enhances tumor blood perfusion, and is associated with reduced tumor growth. Adding exercise to immunochemotherapy treatment (ICT) has been proposed as a strategy to increase treatment effectiveness. The ERICA trial (NCT04676009) aimed to assess the feasibility of acute aerobic exercise performed immediately before the administration of ICT in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) and to explore hypothesis-generating outcomes related to physical fitness and patient-reported outcomes. Methods: Newly diagnosed mNSCLC patients were randomly assigned (2:1) to the exercise or control group. The exercise intervention included supervised acute exercise before each of four ICT cycles plus a 3-month home-based walking program with an activity tracker and step goals. The feasibility of the exercise protocol was assessed through adherence, acceptability, tolerability, and safety. Clinical, physical, and patient-reported outcomes were assessed at baseline and after 3 months. Results: Twenty-six patients (mean age 60.6 years; SD 10.65) participated, with an 87.5% acceptance rate. In the exercise group (n = 17), 80.9% of participants completed the acute exercise sessions, with a median interval of 38 min [IQR, 20–60] between exercise and ICT. No exercise-related adverse effects were reported. After 3 months, 60% of participants in the exercise group were classified as active and maintained their step goals. Self-reported measures suggest that maintaining physical fitness is favorable for reducing fatigue and insomnia, and therefore improving quality of life. Conclusions: Acute exercise performed immediately before each ICT administration in patients with mNSCLC appears feasible and safe. Full article

Background: Resistance training has recently focused more on a high- vs. low-load training approach, suggesting heavier loads optimize strength adaptations through maximal recruitment of motor units, whereas lower loads stimulate a greater hypertrophy response. The purpose of this investigation was to examine and determine significant differences in muscle thickness, strength, and hormonal markers over nine weeks of high- or low-load resistance training. Methods: Seventeen recreationally-trained males were recruited for this study (M_age = 20.4 ± 2.7 years). Participants were split into training with high-loads (85% 1-RM; n = 8) or low-loads (30% 1-RM; n = 9) completing 3 whole-body training sessions per week for 9 weeks. Each session included three working sets per exercise of repetitions to failure. Measures were collected at baseline and every three weeks after of muscle thickness (biceps brachii, triceps brachii, pectoral major, rectus femoris, and biceps femoris) and salivary hormones (basal and acute post-exercise testosterone and cortisol). RM-ANOVAs were conducted to analyze changes in hypertrophy and the hormones, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Muscle thickness increased significantly over time for all sites (p < 0.05), with no significant group × time interactions except for the triceps brachii (p = 0.04). There were no significant changes in basal hormone levels or changes from basal to immediately post exercise (p > 0.059). The high-load group showed greater increases in 1-RM following the training program. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate similar hypertrophy regardless of training volume and training load, but greater increases in strength in the high-load group. Hormonal data revealed no significant changes in basal cortisol and testosterone, suggesting similar stress and recovery. While nonsignificant for differences pre-post in either marker, the pattern of a slight decrease in testosterone may be an effect of receptor uptake, and additional monitoring over a longer time interval should be used to track the changes over a full recovery window. Full article

Background: The societal effects of prostate cancer are profound. Prostate surgeries remain one of the main treatment modalities in the care of prostate cancer, and one of the common complications associated with this procedure is postoperative erectile dysfunction (ED). ED can have a significant negative impact on men’s quality of life. The included articles from the last systematic review on effect of pre-operative pelvic floor muscle training (PPFMT) on ED after radical prostatectomy (RP) showed mixed findings but recommended the need for better exercise regime to witness better outcome. Therefore, this systematic review aims to provide further evidence from 2018 to understand the impact of PPFMT on postoperative ED and provide latest insights for future research. Methods: A systematic search was conducted on Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and Google Scholar from 2018 to June 2025, with the assistance of a subject-expert librarian. The inclusion criteria include articles which examine the effect of PPFMT on ED post prostatectomy from 2018 to June 2025 and have a minimum of two comparative groups (control vs. case). In addition, non-English articles were excluded from the study. The included articles were further assessed by two independent reviewers using Covidence, and disagreements were resolved by another independent reviewer. Results: A total of 344 articles were located and after removing duplicates, 250 articles remained. Following the abstract and title screening, nine articles were assessed for eligibility. Upon full-text review, three studies (two randomized control trials (RCTs) and one non-RCT) were ultimately included. The two RCTs showed no significant impact of PPFMT on post-operative ED. On the other hand, the non-RCT reported a significant difference in the post-operative ED rate in the case (5%) vs. control (48.6%) group. PPFMT was defined as ten pre-operative physiotherapy sessions in ten consecutive working days using anal biofeedback. Conclusions: The current study, since 2018, reveals mixed findings on the effect of PPFMT on postoperative ED. However, upon reviewing the evidence on the positive role of PPFMT in other fields (e.g., gynecology, general surgery), we noticed that the included studies may be lacking some major components like knowledge assessment, subjective and objective assessment, along with characteristics of sessions (number, duration, intensity, interval to surgery, and biofeedback) that play a crucial role in the effectiveness of the PPFMT in strengthening the pelvic floor muscle and improving the outcomes. Further research with robust designs is warranted. Full article

Hypertension contributes to brain dysfunction through apoptosis, oxidative stress, reduced neuronal connectivity, and neurotransmitter imbalance. Exercise training is a non-pharmacological strategy known to modulate these molecular alterations. This study investigated the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on transcriptomic changes in the cerebral cortex of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Rats were assigned to either a HIIT intervention group (HIIT-HFD-SHR) or a sedentary control group (HFD-SHR). Cortical RNA was extracted, sequenced using the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform, and analyzed with DESeq2. Functional enrichment was conducted using Metascape. RNA-seq identified 1223 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (adjusted p < 0.05), with 51 remaining significant under stringent criteria (adjusted p < 0.001, |log₂FC| > 0.5). Among these, eight key genes were closely associated with the regulation of apoptosis and autophagy, including seven downregulated (Egr1, Atf3, Tgm2, Lgals1, Nr4a1, Plekhf1, Nupr1) and one upregulated (Trim39). This transcriptomic analysis following HIIT also modulated circadian rhythm, long-term memory processes, and hypoxia response in the hypertensive brain. These findings indicate that HIIT decreases apoptosis and autophagy and improves circadian rhythm, long-term memory, and hypoxia in hypertensive rats’ brains. Full article

Background/Objectives: Patient preoperative cardiorespiratory physical fitness measured by maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) is highly relevant to postoperative outcomes, with low VO2max associated with a greater symptom burden and a greater prevalence of long-term treatment-related cardiovascular disease risk factors in patients undergoing surgery. A network meta-analysis (NMA) was conducted to determine the effects of different components of prehabilitation, including exercise, nutrition, psychological intervention, and different combinations of the aforementioned interventions, on oxygen consumption in people undergoing major abdominal or cardiothoracic surgery. Methods: A literature search was conducted from inception to December 2025. Randomized controlled trials on the effectiveness of prehabilitation programmes on pre-surgery VO2max were included. The risk of bias was assessed via the Cochrane risk of bias (RoB 2.0) tool, and the quality of evidence was assessed via the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) tool. Pairwise meta-analyses and NMAs were conducted for direct and indirect evidence. Results: Fourteen studies were included in this NMA. The highest effect (ES) for VO2max scores was for the exercise group versus the control group (ES: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.11, 0.78). When exercise was categorized according to intensity, the highest effect was for high-intensity interval training (HIIT) versus the control (ES: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.97). Conclusions: Exercise HIIT should be considered the most effective strategy for improving exercise capacity in patients undergoing major abdominal or cardiothoracic surgery. Given the importance of VO2 as a predictor of morbidity, mortality, and the potential occurrence of adverse events after the procedure in surgical patients, it is essential to include its measurement in future studies to estimate both the risk of procedures and the effect of prehabilitation programmes. Full article

Maximal fat oxidation (MFO) rate and the intensity at which it occurs (Fatmax) are key indicators of metabolic flexibility, yet their assessment in obese populations poses methodological challenges. This scoping review synthesizes evidence from 23 studies investigating protocols for determining Fatmax and MFO during cycle ergometry. Across studies, obese and sedentary participants followed testing procedures, typically involving lower initial workloads, smaller workload increments, and longer stage durations than those used for fitter individuals. In obese populations, Fatmax generally occurred at 30–50% of VO₂ peak, compared with values exceeding 60% in trained participants. While the reliability of Fatmax was acceptable, greater variability was observed for MFO rate. Fitness level appeared to exert a stronger influence than adiposity on fat oxidation, with obesity often associated with a left-shifted fat oxidation curve. Additional factors such as gender, developmental stage, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes further modulated these responses. Importantly, short-term training interventions, including moderate-intensity exercise, high-intensity interval training, and Fatmax-targeted protocols, consistently enhanced MFO and shifted Fatmax toward higher intensities, with favorable effects on insulin sensitivity and metabolic health. In contrast, nutritional and supplementation studies provided limited evidence of additional benefits. Overall, Fatmax assessment is feasible in obese populations when appropriate methodological adjustments are applied, and exercise interventions can rapidly enhance fat oxidation capacity. Future research should focus on protocol standardization, mechanistic exploration, and long-term interventions to clarify the role of Fatmax in obesity management and its potential clinical applications. Full article