Open Access
Exercise during pregnancy on maternal lipids: a secondary analysis of randomized controlled trial
(BioMed Central, 2017) Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; Lobelo, Felipe; Aguilar de Plata, Ana C.; Izquierdo Redín, Mikel; García Hermoso, Antonio; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
Background: Today, scientific evidence has supported the popular belief that physical activity is associated with biological health in pregnant women. A randomized controlled trial was used to assess the benefits of physical exercise during pregnancy on maternal lipids in low-income Latina women. Methods: The study included 67 nulliparous low-income Latina women in gestational weeks 16–20, randomly assigned into one of two groups: 1) The exercise group, which took part in aerobic and resistance exercise for 60min, three times a week for 12 weeks, 2) The control group, which undertook their usual physical activity and prenatal care. The primary outcomes were changes in maternal blood lipids after intervention. Obstetrical and neonatal outcomes measured were type of delivery, postpartum hemorrhage, newborn and/or maternal complications’, gestational age, weight gain, birth weight, foetal growth, and Apgar score. Results: Fifty women completed the study. At the end of the intervention, there were differences between groups in low-density lipoprotein levels (mean change: −8 mg/dL, 95%CI -3 to −29; P < 0.001) and triglycerides (mean change: −6 mg/dL, 95%CI -1 to −11; P = 0.03). Also, compared with women who remained in the control group, active women showed lower complications during delivery (moderate postpartum haemorrhage) (58% compared with 75%; P < 0.05) and lower complications in newborns (e.g. cyanosis or respiratory distress) (21% compared with 46%; P < 0.001). Conclusions: An exercise programme during the second and third trimester favours less gain in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides fewer delivery and neonatal complications.
Open Access
A cluster randomized controlled trial of the Archena Infancia Saludable project on 24-h movement behaviors and adherence to the mediterranean diet among schoolchildren: a pilot study protocol
(MDPI, 2023) López Gil, José Francisco; García Hermoso, Antonio; Smith, Lee; Gallego, Alejandra; Victoria-Montesinos, Desirée; Ezzatvar, Yasmin; Hershey, María Soledad; Gutiérrez Espinoza, Héctor; Mesas, Arthur; Jiménez-López, Estela; Sánchez-Miguel, Pedro Antonio; López-Benavente, Alba; Moreno Galarraga, Laura; Chen, Sitong; Brazo-Sayavera, Javier; Fernández-Montero, Alejandro; Alcaraz, Pedro E.; Panisello Royo, Josefa María; Tárraga López, Pedro J.; Kales, Stefanos N.; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
Objective: The aim of this paper is to describe the protocol of pilot cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) that will evaluate the effects of a lifestyle-based intervention. The Archena Infancia Saludable project will have several objectives. The primary objective of this project is to determine the 6-month effects of a lifestyle-based intervention on adherence to 24-h movement behaviors and Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) in schoolchildren. The secondary objective of this project is to test the intervention effects of this lifestyle-based intervention on a relevant set of health-related outcomes (i.e., anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, perceived physical fitness, sleep habits, and academic performance). The tertiary objective is to investigate this intervention’s “halo” effect on parents’/guardians’ 24-h movement behaviors and adherence to the MedDiet. Methods: The Archena Infancia Saludable trial will be a cluster RCT submitted to the Clinical Trials Registry. The protocol will be developed according to SPIRIT guidelines for RCTs and CONSORT statement extension for cluster RCTs. A total of 153 eligible parents/guardians with schoolchildren aged 6–13 years will be randomized into an intervention group or a control group. This project focuses on two fundamental pillars: 24-h movement behaviors and MedDiet. It will mainly focus on the relationship between parents/guardians and their children. Behavior change strategies for dietary and 24-h movement behaviors in schoolchildren will be based on healthy lifestyle education for parents/guardians through infographics, video recipes, brief video clips, and videos. Conclusions: Most of the current knowledge on 24-h movement behaviors and adherence to the MedDiet is based on cross-sectional or longitudinal cohort studies, warranting a need to design and conduct RCTs to obtain more robust evidence on the effect of a healthy lifestyle program to increase 24-h movement behaviors and to improve adherence to the MedDiet in schoolchildren.
Open Access
Twenty-four-hour movement guidelines during adolescence and its association with obesity at adulthood: results from a nationally representative study
(Springer, 2022) García Hermoso, Antonio; Ezzatvar, Yasmin; Alonso Martínez, Alicia; Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; Izquierdo Redín, Mikel; López Gil, José Francisco; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
To determine the association between adherence to the 24-h movement guidelines during adolescence with obesity at adulthood 14 years later in a nationally representative cohort. We analyzed data from 6984 individuals who participated in Waves I (1994–1995) and IV (2008–2009) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) in the USA. Obesity was defined by the International Obesity Task Force cut-off points at Wave I and adult cut-points at Wave IV (body mass index [BMI]≥30 kg/m2 and waist circumference [WC]≥102 cm in male and 88 cm in female). Physical activity, screen time and sleep duration were self-reported. Adolescents who met screen time recommendation alone (β = −1.62 cm, 95%CI −2.68 cm to −0.56), jointly with physical activity (β = −2.25 cm, 95%CI −3.75 cm to −0.75 cm), and those who met all three recommendations (β = −1.92 cm, 95%CI −3.81 cm to −0.02 cm) obtained lower WC at Wave IV than those who did not meet any of these recommendations. Our results also show that meeting with screen time recommendations (IRR [incidence rate ratio] = 0.84, 95%CI 0.76 to 0.92) separately and jointly with physical activity recommendations (IRR = 0.86, 95%CI 0.67 to 0.97) during adolescence is associated with lower risk of abdominal obesity at adulthood. In addition, adolescents who met all 24-h movement recommendations had lower risk of abdominal obesity later in life (IRR = 0.76, 95%CI 0.60 to 0.97). Conclusion: Promoting the adherence to the 24-h movement guidelines from adolescence, especially physical activity and screen time, seems to be related with lower risk of abdominal obesity later in life, but not for BMI.
Open Access
Active commuting to and from university, obesity and metabolic syndrome among Colombian university students
(BioMed Central, 2018) García Hermoso, Antonio; Quintero, Andrea P.; Hernández, Enrique; Izquierdo Redín, Mikel; Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
Background: There is limited evidence concerning how active commuting (AC) is associated with health benefits in young. The aim of the study was to analyze the relationship between AC to and from campus (walking) and obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a sample of Colombian university students. Methods: A total of 784 university students (78.6% women, mean age = 20.1 ± 2.6 years old) participated in the study. The exposure variable was categorized into AC (active walker to campus) and non-AC (non/infrequent active walker to campus: car, motorcycle, or bus) to and from the university on a typical day. MetS was defined in accordance with the updated harmonized criteria of the International Diabetes Federation criteria. Results: The overall prevalence of MetS was 8.7%, and it was higher in non-AC than AC to campus. The percentage of AC was 65.3%. The commuting distances in this AC from/to university were 83.1%, 13.4% and 3.5% for < 2 km, 2-5 km and > 5 km, respectively. Multiple logistic regressions for predicting unhealthy profile showed that male walking commuters had a lower probability of having obesity [OR = 0.45 (CI 95% 0.25–0.93)], high blood pressure [OR = 0.26 (CI 95% 0.13–0.55)] and low HDL cholesterol [OR = 0.29 (CI 95% 0.14–0.59)] than did passive commuters. Conclusions: Our results suggest that in young adulthood, a key life-stage for the development of obesity and MetS, AC could be associated with and increasing of daily physical activity levels, thereby promoting better cardiometabolic health.
Open Access
Twenty-four-hour movement guidelines during middle adolescence and their association with glucose outcomes and type 2 diabetes mellitus in adulthood
(Elsevier, 2022) García Hermoso, Antonio; López Gil, José Francisco; Ezzatvar, Yasmin; Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; Izquierdo Redín, Mikel; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
Background: The aim of the present study was to determine the association between adherence to the 24-h movement guidelines during middle adolescence and glucose outcomes (glycated hemoglobin and fasting glucose) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in adulthood, 14 and 22 years later. Methods: We analyzed data from apparently healthy adolescents aged 12-18 years who participated in Waves I and II (1994-1996, n = 14,738), Wave IV (2008-2009, n = 8913), and Wave V (2016-2018, n = 3457) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) in the United States. Physical activity, screen time, and sleep duration were measured using questionnaires, and the 24-h guidelines were defined as: 5 or more times moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week, ≤2 h per day of screen time, and sleeping 8-10 h per day and or night. Capillary and venous whole blood was collected and analyzed to determine glycated hemoglobin and fasting glucose for Waves IV and V, respectively. Results: Only 2.1% of the adolescents met all the 3 guidelines, and 37.8% met none of them. In both waves IV and V, adolescents who met physical activity and screen time guidelines had lower odds of T2DM in adulthood than those who did not meet any of these guidelines (Wave IV; prevalence ratio (PR) = 0.57, 95%CI: 0.21-0.89; Wave V: PR = 0.43, 95%CI: 0.32-0.74). Only for Wave V did adolescents who met all three guidelines have lower odds of T2DM at follow-up compared with those who did not meet any of these guidelines (PR = 0.47, 95%CI: 0.24-0.91). Also, for each increase in meeting one of the 24-h recommendations, the odds of T2DM decreased by 18% (PR = 0.82, 95%CI: 0.61-0.99) and 15% (PR = 0.85, 95%CI: 0.65-0.98) in adulthood for Waves IV and V, respectively. Conclusion: Promoting all 24-h movement guidelines in adolescence, especially physical activity and screen time, is important for lowering the potential risk of T2DM in adulthood.
Open Access
Long-term impact of adherence to muscle-strengthening guidelines on inflammation markers: a 17-year follow-up study with obesity parameters as mediators
(BMJ Publishing, 2024-12-07) García Hermoso, Antonio; Ezzatvar, Yasmin; Yáñez-Sepúlveda, Rodrigo; Olivares-Arancibia, Jorge; Páez-Herrera, Jacqueline; López Gil, José Francisco; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
Objective: To evaluate the relationship between adherence to muscle-strengthening guidelines in young adulthood and inflammation markers over a 17-year follow-up period. Additionally, it aims to examine whether body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) act as mediators in this relationship. Methods: The study analysed data from young adults aged 18–26 years who participated in waves III (2001–2002), IV (2008–2009) and V (2016–2018) of the Add Health Study. Adherence to muscle-strengthening guidelines was self-reported, and participants were classified as adherent if they engaged in strength training ≥2 days per week across all waves. Venous blood samples were collected at participants’ homes to measure highsensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels and various cytokine concentrations, including interleukin (IL)−6, IL1beta, IL-8, IL-10 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα). A global inflammation score was also calculated using z-scores of these markers. Results: A total of 2320 individuals participated (60.8% females). Participants adhering to muscle-strengthening guidelines exhibited significant reductions in hs-CRP, IL-6 and the inflammation z-score, with mean difference (MD) of −1.556mg/L (95% CI BCa −2.312 to −0.799), −0.324 pg/mL (95% BCa CI −0.586 to −0.062), and −0.400 (95% BCa CI −0.785 to −0.035), respectively. Mediation analysis revealed that BMI and WC levels at wave V significantly mediated the relationship between strength training and inflammation z-score, with significant indirect effects of −0.142 (95% CI −0.231 to −0.055) for BMI and −0.210 (95% CI −0.308 to −0.124) for WC. Conclusion: Adherence to muscle-strengthening guidelines alone may not be sufficient to achieve a notable decrease in inflammation without concurrent reductions in these obesity parameters.
Open Access
Self-rated health status and cardiorespiratory fitness in a sample of schoolchildren from bogotá, Colombia: the FUPRECOL study
(MDPI, 2017) Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; Silva-Moreno, Carolina; Correa Bautista, Jorge Enrique; González Ruiz, Katherine; Prieto Benavides, Daniel Humberto; Villa González, Emilio; García Hermoso, Antonio; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
To evaluate the relationship between Self-Rated Health (SRH) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in a sample of children and adolescents enrolled in official schools in Bogotá, Colombia. A cross-sectional study was performed with 7402 children and adolescents between 9 and 17 years of age. Participants were asked to rate their health based on eight validated questions, addressing the participants propensity for headache, stomach-ache, backache, feeling-low, irritability/bad mood, nervousness, sleeping-difficulties, and dizziness. The choices were 'rarely or never', 'almost every month', 'almost every week', and 'more than once a week/about every day'. Participants performed the international course-navette shuttle run test to estimate CRF, and cut-off points for age and gender were used to categorize the healthy/unhealthy fitness zone according to the FITNESSGRAM® criteria. Overall, 16.4% of those surveyed reported a perception of irritability/bad mood ¿more than once a week/about every day¿, followed by feeling-low and nervousness (both with 9.9%). Dizziness had the lowest prevalence with a percentage of 6.9%. Unhealthy CRF in boys increased the likelihood of headaches by 1.20 times, stomach aches by 1.31 times, feeling-low by 1.29 times, nervousness by 1.24 times, and dizziness by 1.29 times. In girls, unhealthy CRF increased the likelihood of headaches by 1.19 times, backache by 1.26 times, feeling-low by 1.28 times, irritability/bad mood by 1.17 times, sleeping-difficulties by 1.20 times, and dizziness by 1.27 times. SRH was associated with CRF in both genders. Early identification of children and adolescents with low CRF levels will permit interventions to promote healthy behaviors and prevent future diseases during adulthood.
Open Access
Effects of exercise interventions on inflammatory parameters in acutely hospitalized older patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
(MDPI, 2021) Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; García Hermoso, Antonio; Martínez Velilla, Nicolás; Zambom Ferraresi, Fabrício; López Sáez de Asteasu, Mikel; Recarey Rodríguez, Anel Eduardo; Izquierdo Redín, Mikel; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to appraise the acute effects of exercise training on inflammatory parameters in hospitalized older adults. We conducted a systematic review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Web of Science, Medline and PubMed were searched for studies published until August 2020. The review included all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated and compared the effect of exercise versus usual care on inflammatory parameters in acutely hospitalized older adults. Two reviewers independently assessed the studies. The quality of all the included studies was assessed using the DerSimonian–Laird random-effects inverse-variance model. Five studies (275 participants) met the inclusion criteria. The exercise interventions included resistance or multicomponent intervention programs. The results indicate that, compared with usual care, exercise interventions have a positive impact on overall inflammatory parameters, including C-reactive protein (CRP) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-1) (Hedge's g = −0.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] −0.33 to −0.04, p = 0.011, I2 = 0%). However, analyses of individual inflammatory parameters revealed a non-significant trend for reductions in CRP (Hedge's g = −0.20, 95% CI −0.47 to 0.07, p = 0.151, I2 = 31.2%) and IGF-I (Hedge's g = −0.34, 95% CI −0.79 to 0.11, p = 0.138, I2 = 0%). On the basis of this review, we conclude that exercise during acute hospitalization offers a mild improvement in the inflammatory profile over usual care in older patients. Nevertheless, due to limited number of RCTs, our findings must be interpreted with caution and confirmed in future studies.
Open Access
Patterns of healthy lifestyle behaviours in older adults: findings from the Chilean National Health Survey 2009-2010
(Elsevier, 2018) Troncoso, Claudia; Petermann-Rocha, Fanny; Brown, Rosemary; Leiva, Ana María; Martínez, María Adela; Diaz-Martinez, Ximena; Garrido-Méndez, Alex; Poblete-Valderrama, Felipe; Iturra-González, José A.; Villagrán, Marcelo; Mardones, Lorena; Salas-Bravo, Carlos; Ulloa, Natalia; García Hermoso, Antonio; Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; Vásquez-Gómez, Jaime; Celis Morales, Carlos; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
The purpose of this study was to investigate healthy lifestyle behaviours across age categories in the older population in Chile. Data from 1390 older adults (¿60 years), in the 2009-2010 Chilean National Health Survey were analyzed. We derived the following age categories: 60-65, 66-70, 71-75, 76-80 and >80 years. The associations between age and compliance with healthy lifestyle behaviours (smoking, sitting time, physical activity, sleep duration and intake of salt, alcohol, fruit and vegetables) were investigated using logistic regression. The probability of meeting the guidelines for alcohol intake (OR trend: 1.35 [95% CI: 1.11; 1.64], p = 0.001) and smoking (OR trend: 1.23 [95% CI: 1.13; 1.33], p < 0.0001) increased with age, whereas spending <4 h per day sitting time or engaging in at least 150 min of physical activity per week or sleep on average between 7 and 9 h per day were less likely to be met with increasing age (OR trend: 0.77 [95% CI: 0.71; 0.83], p < 0.000; OR trend: 0.73 [95% CI: 0.67; 0.79], p < 0.0001, and OR trend: 0.89 [95% CI: 0.82; 0.96], p = 0.002, respectively). No significant trend across age categories was observed for fruit and vegetables, and salt intake. The probability of meeting at least 3 out of 7 healthy lifestyle behaviours across the age categories was also lower in older age categories compared to those aged 60 to 65 years. Overall, in older adults the probability of having the healthy lifestyle behaviours of physical activity, sitting time and sleeping behaviours was low but not for smoking or alcohol consumption. With an increasingly ageing population, these findings could inform stakeholders on which lifestyle behaviours could be targeted in the older adults and therefore which interventions should take place to promote healthy ageing.
Open Access
Adherence to 24-hour movement guidelines in adolescence and its association with lower risk of hypertension in adulthood
(Springer, 2025-03-06) García Hermoso, Antonio; López Gil, José Francisco; Yáñez-Sepúlveda, Rodrigo; Olivares-Arancibia, Jorge; Páez-Herrera, Jacqueline; Ezzatvar, Yasmin; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
Background There is limited research on how adherence to 24 h movement guidelines from adolescence to adulthood afects long-term hypertension outcomes. This study examined the association between sustained adherence to these guidelines and hypertension risk. Methods Analysis was done on data from adolescents 12- to 19-year-olds who took part in Waves I and V of the Add Health Study. Physical activity (PA), screen time, and sleep duration were assessed through self-report questionnaires. Blood pressure (BP) was assessed on the right arm following a 5 min seated rest, utilizing an oscillometric device, and hypertension was defned as systolic/diastolic BP≥140/90 mmHg, physician-diagnosed hypertension, or current antihypertensive medication use. Results This prospective study included a total of 3076 participants (60.3% female), and 802 were diagnosed with hypertension. Meeting sleep duration guidelines at Wave I was associated with reductions in systolic [−0.568 mmHg, 95% biascorrected and accelerated (BCa) confdent interval (CI)−2.128 to−0.011, P=0.044] and diastolic (−0.331 mmHg, 95% BCa CI−1.506 to−0.071, P=0.043) BP at Wave V. Adherence to PA and sleep duration guidelines at both waves further reduced BP, with the greatest decreases observed among participants meeting all three guidelines: systolic (−6.184 mmHg, 95% BCa CI−13.45 to−0.915, P=0.040) and diastolic BP (−3.156 mmHg, 95% BCa CI−6.413 to−0.120, P=0.047). The risk of hypertension was lower among those who met the PA guidelines individually [relative risk (RR) 0.710, 95% CI 0.516–0.976, P=0.035] or adhered to all three recommendations (RR 0.699, 95% CI 0.311–0.899, P=0.030) in both waves. Conclusions Our fndings highlight the cardiovascular benefts of consistently adhering to healthy movement behaviors from adolescence through adulthood.