Suchergebnisse

The objective of this study was to explore the stated importance of promoting healthy lifestyle habits (alcohol, eating habits, physical activity and tobacco) by healthcare professionals, and to what extent these attitudes were translated into clinical work. In 2014, healthcare professionals (n = 251) from cardiology departments in two hospitals in Stockholm, Sweden, participated in a cross-sectional descriptive questionnaire-based survey. The questionnaire included topics regarding stated importance and clinical work undertaken to promote healthy lifestyle habits. Personal and organisational factors of potential importance, expectations and future work were also explored. To analyse differences in stated importance and clinical work within and between lifestyle factors, comparisons of proportions were performed with 99% confidence intervals (CI). Relationships between stated importance and clinical work were investigated using logistic regression. The majority of healthcare professionals stated that it was 'very important' to promote healthy lifestyle habits among patients in general (69%-94%) and in their own clinical work (63%-80%). Despite this, always asking questions (18%-41%) or providing counselling (11%-23%) regarding lifestyle habits was reported to be rare. Overall, tobacco cessation was considered the most important behavioural change and was more often included in clinical work compared to promoting physical activity, healthy eating habits and limiting alcohol use. Clinical work was mainly influenced by to what extent the healthcare professional perceived clear organisational routines and objectives. In conclusion, we observed a gap between stated importance and clinical work in the promotion of healthy lifestyle habits among healthcare professionals. There were differences between lifestyle factors, indicating that work with tobacco cessation is the most established. Our results suggest that in order to promote patients' lifestyle habits in line with evidence-based guidelines, healthcare management should focus on and improve organisational routines and objectives.

INTRODUCTION: The ability to carry heavy loads is an important and necessary task during numerous outdoor activities and especially in military operations. The aim of this study was to investigate factors associated with load-carrying ability in men and women with and without extensive load-carrying experience. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The energy expenditure during carrying no load, 20, 35, and 50 kg at 2 walking speeds, 3 and 5 km h-1, was studied in 36 healthy participants, 19 men (30 ± 6 years, 82.5 ± 7.0 kg) and 17 women (29 ± 6 years, 66.1 ± 8.9 kg), experienced (>5 years) in carrying heavy loads (n = 16, 8 women) or with minor or no such experience (n = 20, 9 women). A standard backpack filled with weights to according carry load was used during the walks. Anthropometric data, leg muscle strength, as well as trunk muscle endurance and muscle fiber distribution of the thigh, were also obtained. Extra Load Index (ELI)-the oxygen uptake (VO2) during total load over unloaded walking-was used as a proxy for load-carrying ability at 20, 35, and 50 kg (ELI20, ELI35, and ELI50, respectively). In addition to analyzing factors of importance for the ELI values, we also conducted mediator analyses using sex and long-term carrying experience as causal variables for ELI as the outcome value. The study was approved by the Regional Ethics Committee in Stockholm, Sweden. RESULTS: For the lowest load (20 kg), ELI20, was correlated with body mass but no other factors. Walking with 35 and 50 kg load at 5 km h-1 body mass, body height, leg muscle strength, and absolute VO2max were correlated, while relative VO2max, trunk muscle endurance, and leg muscle fiber distribution were not correlated to ELI35 and ELI50.ELI50 at 5 km h-1 differed between the sexes. This difference was only mediated by the difference in body mass. Neither muscle fiber distribution, leg muscle strength, trunk muscle endurance, and body height nor did absolute or relative VO2max explain the difference.Participants with long-term experience of heavy load carrying had significant lower ELI20 and ELI50 values than those with minor or no experience, but none of the above studied factors could explain this difference. CONCLUSION: The study showed that body mass, without sex differences, and experience of carrying heavy loads are the dominant factors for the ability to carry heavy loads. Even though the effect of experience alludes to the need for extensive carrying training, no causality can be proven. Load carry training intervention studies is suggested for future investigations. ; Militärprojektet

High aerobic fitness, more moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and less sedentary behavior (SED) have all been suggested to promote cognitive functions, but it is unclear whether they are independent predictors of specific cognitive domains. This study aimed to investigate to what extent aerobic fitness MVPA and SED are independently associated with cognitive performance among middle-aged Swedish adults. We acquired device-based measures of aerobic fitness, cognitive performance and percent daily time spent in MVPA and SED in Swedish adults (n = 216; 54-66 years old). Aerobic fitness was associated with better performance at one out of two tests of speed/attention and one out of four tests of executive attention, and with worse performance at one of seven tests of memory. Increasing %MVPA was associated with better performance at one out of seven tests of memory and two out of three tests of verbal ability, whereas increasing %SED was associated with better performance at all four tests of executive attention and four out of seven tests of memory. These findings suggest that aerobic fitness, %MVPA and %SED are partly independent correlates of cognitive performance. To fully understand the association between SED and performance at several tests of cognitive function, future investigations might attempt to investigate intellectually engaging SED (such as reading books) separately from mentally undemanding SED (such as watching TV). ; SCAPIS ; Militärprojektet

The energy expenditure during carrying no load, 20, 35 and 50 kg at two walking speeds, 3 and 5 km/h, was studied in 36 healthy participants, 19 men (30 ± 6 yrs, 82.5 ± 7.0 kg) and 17 women (29 ± 6 yrs, 66.1 ± 8.9 kg). Anthropometric data, leg muscle strength as well as trunk muscle endurance and muscle fibre distribution of the thigh were also obtained. To load the participant a standard backpack filled with extra weight according to the carrying weight tested was used. Extra Load Index (ELI), the oxygen uptake (VO2) during total load over no-load-exercise, was used as a proxy for load carrying ability. In addition to analyzing factors of importance for the ELI values, we also conducted mediator analyzes using sex and long term carrying experience as causal variables for ELI as the outcome value. For the lowest load (20 kg), ELI20, was correlated with body mass but no other factors. Walking at 5 km/h body mass, body height, leg muscle strength and absolute VO2max were correlated to ELI35 and ELI50, but relative VO2max, trunk muscle endurance and leg muscle fibre distribution were not. Sex as causal factor was evaluated in a mediator analyses with ELI50 as outcome. ELI50 at 5 km/h differed between the sexes. The limit for acceptable body load, 40% of VO2max (according to Astrand, 1967), was nearly reached for women carrying 35 kg (39%) and surpassed at 50 kg at 3 km/h, and for men carrying 50 kg at 5 km/h. This difference was only mediated by difference in body mass. Neither muscle fibre distribution, leg muscle strength, trunk muscle endurance and body height nor did absolute or relative VO2max explain the difference. Participants with long term experience of heavy load carrying had significant lower ELI20 and ELI50 values than those with minor or non-experience, but none of the above studied factors could explain this difference. The study showed that body mass and experience of carrying heavy loads are important factors for the ability to carry heavy loads. ; Militärprojektet