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Effects of 8-weeks of daily time restricted feeding and aerobic exercise on fat oxidation – A randomized controlled trial
No full textIntroduction & Purpose
Substrate metabolism, especially lipid metabolism and thus fat oxidation, is of special interest to reduce the risk of metabolic diseases (diabetes, high cholesterol or triglycerides, etc), and improve athletic performance (Aird et al., 2018). Thus, patients and athletes are recommended to engage in exercise training at a mild to moderate intensity where fat oxidation is high.
Fasting is known to increase lipolysis (i.e., fat oxidation) and therefore may represent a simple intervention to increase training induced adaptions in fat oxidation (Venables & Jeukendrup, 2008). However, breaking the fast with a carbohydrate meal prior to aerobic training may limit these benefits because carbohydrate consumption is known to prioritize carbohydrate oxidation during exercise (Achten & Jeukendrup, 2003).
Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that 8 weeks of aerobic exercise training at a workload that maximizes fat oxidation would improve the maximal rate of fat oxidation during exercise. Moreover, engaging in a fasting regime would augment the improvements in fat oxidation, but breaking the fast prior to training with a carbohydrate rich snack would attenuate the improvements in fat oxidation.
Methods
Thirty-six participants (28 females, 8 males) were randomized into three groups. 1) One group fasted for at least 14 hours prior to training, 2) One group fasted, but consumed a carbohydrate rich snack 30 minutes prior to training, 3) One exercise only control group where participants could eat ad libitum. Pre-tests included anthropometric measurements, a bio-impedance-analyses, and cycle ergometry combined with indirect calorimetry to identify maximum rates of fat oxidation (fatmax). All participants exercised on a stationary bike 3x/week for 60 min at a heart rate that corresponded to 90-100% of their individualized fatmax values. Pre-test measurements were repeated after the intervention. Rates of fat and carbohydrate oxidation, energy expenditure and heart rate were analysed as workload matched and absolute data using a series of 3 x 2 mixed ANOVAs.
Results
3 x 2 mixed ANOVA showed no group-by-time interactions for any workload-matched data (fatmax: p = .371, η²p = .058; CHO: p = .540, η²p = .037; EE: p = .470, η²p = .045; HR: p = .570, η²p = .033). No significant group-by-time interactions at the absolute maximal fat oxidation rate were observed (fatmax: p = .262, η²p = .078; CHO: p = .966, η²p = .002; EE: p = .111, η²p = .125; HR: p = .618, η²p = .029).
Discussion and conclusion
In the current study, the addition of a 16-hour fasting window did not provide any additional improvements in fat oxidation rates beyond an ad libitum control group. This is surprising as both low-intensity training (Achten & Jeukendrup, 2004) and TRF (Jong-Yeon et al., 2002) have independently been shown to improve fat oxidation.
We conclude that fatmax training is an effective lifestyle intervention to improve fat oxidation in young healthy individuals. Collectively, these data suggest fatmax training independent of the fed state might be a useful lifestyle intervention in healthy individuals looking to maintain or improve their metabolic health and avoid future metabolic disease.
References
Achten, J., & Jeukendrup, A. E. (2003). The effect of pre-exercise carbohydrate feedings on the intensity that elicits maximal fat oxidation. Journal of Sports Sciences, 21(12), 1017–1025. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640410310001641403
Achten, J., & Jeukendrup, A. E. (2004). Optimizing fat oxidation through exercise and diet. Nutrition, 20(7-8), 716–727. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2004.04.005
Aird, T. P., Davies, R. W., & Carson, B. P. (2018). Effects of fasted vs fed-state exercise on performance and post-exercise metabolism: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 28(5), 1476–1493. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13054
Jong-Yeon, K., Hickner, R. C., Dohm, G. L., & Houmard, J. A. (2002). Long- and medium-chain fatty acid oxidation is increased in exercise-trained human skeletal muscle. Metabolism, 51(4), 460–464. https://doi.org/10.1053/meta.2002.31326
Venables, M. C., & Jeukendrup, A. E. (2008). Endurance training and obesity: Effect on substrate metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 40(3), 495–502. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e31815f256
Effects of long-term periodized carbohydrate intake on body composition, substrate metabolism and running performance in recreational active men: A pilot trial
No full textIntroduction & Purpose
It is important to consider the impact of nutrition on training adaptations and performance outcomes (Jeukendrup, 2017). The present study was therefore conducted with the objective of determining whether long-term periodizing carbohydrate (CHO) intake during an eight-week endurance training plan has any benefit in comparison to a traditional high-CHO or low-CHO diet in terms of running performance, substrate metabolism and body composition in recreational active males.
Methods
In a controlled, randomised, parallel-group and free-living design, recreationally active runners (n = 24, VO2 peak: 51 ± 8 mL·min-1·kg-1) completed 8 weeks of an ad-libitum dietary intervention (LCHF[low CHO, high fat]/CHO: 4-week regimen with ≤ 50 g CHO per day directly followed by a 4-week regimen comprising 50-60% of daily energy intake from CHO, n = 8; CHO/CHO: 8-week regimen comprising 50-60% of daily energy intake from CHO, n = 9; LCHF/LCHF: 8-week regimen with ≤ 50 g CHO per day, n = 7) together with 5 prescribed sessions of an endurance training program. Dietary recalls were conducted 3 times a week. Body composition, performance and substrate metabolism were assessed 3 times during the study (T -0, T -1 and T -2) using bioelectric impedance and a graded exercise test on a treadmill starting at 6 km·h−1 with increasing speed by 1.5 km·h−1 every 3 minutes until exhaustion. Data were analysed using a 2-way mixed ANOVA and are presented as mean ± STD. Significance was set at p < .05.
Results
Peak running speed (PRS) and time to exhaustion (TTE) demonstrated an increase over time, with no additional benefit observed in relation to any group. Total fat oxidation and maximum fat oxidation (MFO) increased in the first half of the LCHF/CHO diet and decreased during the CHO rich diet (p < .001). In LCHF/LCHF fat oxidation and MFO increased from T -0 to T -1 (p < .001) and remained unchanged at T -2. In CHO/CHO no changes in fat oxidation or MFO were observed (p > .05). Total fat oxidation and MFO were significantly higher at T -1 in LCHF/CHO and LCHF/LCHF compared to CHO/CHO (p < .05). However, at T -2 fat oxidation and MFO were significantly higher in LCHF/LCHF compared to LCHF/CHO and CHO/CHO (p < .05). Significant reductions in weight, BMI, and absolute fat mass were observed in LCHF/CHO from T -0 to T -1 (p < .05) without any further changes until T -2. For LCHF/LCHF weight and BMI were significantly reduced in the first four weeks (p < .001) and even further reduced in the second half (p < .05). For CHO/CHO no significant changes in body composition were observed (p > .05).
Discussion & Conclusion
As previously noted, a high-fat diet resulted in a greater reliance on fat oxidation during exercise (Cao et al., 2021). Here, long-term periodisation of CHO according to the preferred training adaptation leads to changes in substrate metabolism during exercise in terms of improved fat oxidation during a LCHF diet and restoration of CHO oxidation during a CHO-rich diet. Despite the observed improvements in PRS and TTE over the course of the study, no significant advantage was demonstrated by any of the groups in comparison to the other trial groups.
References
Cao, J., Lei, S., Wang, X., & Cheng, S. (2021). The effect of a ketogenic low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet on aerobic capacity and exercise performance in endurance athletes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients, 13(8), Article 2896. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13082896
Jeukendrup, A. E. (2017). Periodized nutrition for athletes. Sports Medicine, 47(S1), 51-63. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-017-0694-
VRodel - A virtual sledding simulator
No full textIntroduction & Purpose
Sledding is a low-cost and accessible recreational activity popular in alpine regions. However, the risk of injury is high, especially for beginners or tourists, according to the Österreichisches Kuratorium für Alpine Sicherheit (2021). Therefore, promoting sledding safety is important to minimize the number of accidents and fatalities in the sport. Sterr (2019) says, the major reason behind an accident is often the lack of skill in steering the sled. Hence, it would be ideal to acquire the skill to steer before going on a track. In many fields skill training is done in virtual reality. Realism in skill training is a major aspect in the virtual worlds according to Newman et al. (2022). Therefore, the goal of VRodel was to create a virtual environment for training that is as close as reasonably possible to reality.
Methods
In the first step, an environment had to be chosen that would be safe yet effective for training the skill of steering the sled. Next, the sledding track of Kühtai was transferred to a virtual model by means of drone based photogrammetry. The three-dimensional model was then cleaned, polished, and set into the virtual valley that surrounds the track. In a third step, a game was developed in the virtual world to create a virtual training experience. Input from professional sledders and comparisons to time splits of the real track were used to adapt the physics. The user steers the sled by moving their hands in space to reflect the pulling of the reins and leaning into curves. To increase immersion, the safety training uses gamification aspects. As a fourth step, the game was tested by four experts from Rodel Austria and 49 beta-testers, which gave feedback about the realism.
Results
The project resulted in a virtual reality safety training for the sport of sledding, that excels the current sledding simulation games in terms of appearance and realism. This was underlined by the feedback from the experts of the Austrian Luge Federation and the beta-testers that gave the simulation an average score of 4.98 out on a scale from 1 to 7. In Figure 1, a glimpse of the virtual world is visible.
Discussion
Le Noury et al. (2022) mention the potential of extended reality for training a skill in sports in their review. They also outlined that this field showed low efficacy on improving motor skills in the past and more research is needed. This project is addressing the needs of society for safer luging and at the same time uses an approach that needs more research according to Le Noury et al. (2022). Therefore, not only the project’s goals have been met, but also a contribution to the scientific progress in this field was made.
Conclusion
The immersive nature of the VRodel training program successfully engaged users, particularly children, through its gamified elements. Furthermore, this initiative not only enables sledding on a virtual track but also enables a study on the efficacy of virtual skill training in sledding.
References:
Le Noury, P., Polman, R., Malone, M., & Gorman, A. (2022). A narrative review of the current state of extended reality technology and how it can be utilised in sport. Sports Medicine, 52, 1473–1489. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-022-01669-0
Newman, M., Gatersleben, B., Wyles, K., & Ratcliffe, E. (2022). The use of virtual reality in environment experiences and the importance of realism. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 79, Article 101733. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2021.101733
Österreichisches Kuratorium für Alpine Sicherheit (2021). Der Zwischenbericht Winter 2021/22 liegt vor: 111 Alpintote in Österreichs Bergen (Mittel 10 Jahre: 113). Insgesamt verunfallten 6.716 Personen in Österreich. Die alpinen Unfallzahlen nehmen im Vergleich zum Vorwinter (2.476 Verunfallte) und dem langjährigen Mittel wieder Fahrt auf (Mittel 10 Jahre: 7.242) [The Winter 2021/22 interim Report is available: 111 Alpine fatalities in Austria‘s mountains (average 10 years: 113). A total of 6,716 people had an accident in Austria. Compared to the previous winter (2,476 accidents) and the long-term average (10-year average: 7,242), the number of alpine accidents is picking up again.]. https://alpinesicherheit.at/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/PA-2022-Winter-2021_22_12042022.pdf
Sterr, R. (2019). Rodeln in Zahlen [Sledging in numbers]. ÖKAS, Österreichisches Kuratorium für Alpine Sicherheit. https://www.alpinmesse.info/de/Rodeln-in-Zahlen
Resistance exercise snacks as a workplace health intervention
No full textIntroduction & Purpose
Although resistance training (RT) is essential to preserve musculoskeletal fitness and maintain a healthy, independent life into old age, only 10-30% of adults perform the recommended number of 2 RT per week, with women participating in even less RT (Bennie et al., 2016, 2018). As women have less skeletal muscle mass, experience an earlier strength loss, and a greater decline in muscle quality, RT appears especially beneficial for them (Doherty, 2001; Janssen et al., 2000). A novel approach to deal with common participation barriers (lack of time, limited access to equipment/facilities) are resistance exercise snacks (RES; Fyfe et al., 2022). Therefore, it was investigated whether RES is an efficient concept for the workplace health promotion (WHP) to facilitate RT in women and improve musculoskeletal fitness.
Methods
This pilot-study followed a prospective, controlled intervention design. Female employees with sedentary occupations doing RT on less than 2 days/week before study participation were included. Participants self-selected for intervention group (IG) or control group (CG). While the IG (N = 15, mean age 42.1 ± 11.1 years) completed 10 min of RES each working day for 12 weeks supervised by a trainer, the CG (N = 15, mean age 49.9 ± 9.7 years) maintained their habitual physical activity. Primary outcome was change in muscle mass (bioelectrical impedance analysis, SECA® mBCA515 scale). Secondary outcome was change in maximum isometric strength (Dr. WOLFF BackCheck® 617). Balance (Y-balance composite-score, Y-Balance test kit), cardiovascular fitness, (6-minute walking test), perceived health (minimum European health module), and general life satisfaction (general life satisfaction short scale) were assessed for exploratory purpose. Measurements were taken before and after the intervention. The difference in change between groups for muscle mass, strength, balance, and cardiovascular fitness was analyzed via mixed model ANOVA. For perceived health and general life satisfaction Wilcoxon test was applied to analyze within group changes.
Results
12 participants of IG and 14 of CG completed the study. Muscle mass improved significantly more in the IG (+.42 kg ± .54) compared to the CG (-.16 kg ± .51; p = .01, ⴄ²p = .24). Strength did not change significantly between groups. Nevertheless, there was a trend for greater improvements in the IG compared to the CG for trunk extension, trunk flexion, and upper body push but not upper body pull. Regarding exploratory endpoints, no significant changes were found.
Discussion
Findings of the present study support the notion that training with light loads (< 30% of 1RM) effectively stimulate muscle protein synthesis if the intensity of effort is high. Higher training loads might be required to maximally recruit muscle fibers and induce optimal strength gains. For improvements in balance and cardiovascular fitness more specific training programs are required. Future studies should investigate what training stimuli are needed within RES (e.g., volume, load, frequency) to optimize improvements in musculoskeletal fitness and motivate participants in the long-term applying randomized controlled intervention designs.
Conclusion
RES is an efficient approach for the WHP to improve muscle mass in inactive women with sedentary occupations.
References
Bennie, J. A., Lee, D.-C., Khan, A., Wiesner, G. H., Bauman, A. E., Stamatakis, E., & Biddle, S. J. H. (2018). Muscle-strengthening exercise among 397,423 U.S. adults: Prevalence, correlates, and associations with health conditions. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 55(6), 864–874. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2018.07.022
Bennie, J. A., Pedisic, Z., van Uffelen, J. G. Z., Charity, M. J., Harvey, J. T., Banting, L. K., Vergeer, I., Biddle, S. J. H., & Eime, R. M. (2016). Pumping iron in Australia: Prevalence, trends and sociodemographic correlates of muscle strengthening activity participation from a national sample of 195,926 adults. PLoS ONE, 11(4), Article e0153225. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0153225
Doherty, T. J. (2001). The influence of aging and sex on skeletal muscle mass and strength. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care, 4(6), 503–508.
Fyfe, J. J., Hamilton, D. L., & Daly, R. M. (2022). Minimal-dose resistance training for improving muscle mass, strength, and function: A narrative review of current evidence and practical considerations. Sports Medicine, 52(3), 463–479. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01605-8
Janssen, I., Heymsfield, S. B., Wang, Z., & Ross, R. (2000). Skeletal muscle mass and distribution in 468 men and women aged 18–88 yr. Journal of Applied Physiology, 89(1), 81–88. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.2000.89.1.8
A study on acute expectation effects on affective state and intention after a brief full-body workout in a student sample
No full textIntroduction & Purpose
Research shows that even short exercise programs can have positive effects on affective state (Focht, 2009), which in turn could have a positive influence on the intention to exercise in the future (Finne et al., 2022). The state of research in recent years also indicates that such benefits can be enhanced by manipulating expectations (Helfer et al., 2015). However, most of these studies on expectation effects were conducted in laboratory settings, meaning that the results are transferable to a natural context or everyday situations only to a limited extent. The aim of this study was therefore to examine whether the manipulation of affective expectations can influence affective state after physical activity in a more naturalistic setting; in addition, it was investigated whether the expectation manipulation has an effect on the intention for future exercise.
Methods
In an online experiment, 121 physically active students (25.58 ± 5.11 years), 70.2% female, were randomly assigned to either a ten-minute, virtually-guided whole-body workout (PA), a ten-minute, virtually-guided whole-body workout after manipulation of affective expectations via audio file (PA + EM), or a sedentary control intervention (CG). In the audio file, a purported speaker for the research team highlighted that recent research indicates that brief workouts would have particularly positive effects on stress experience and affective state. Pre- and post-intervention data, including affective state and intention, were collected using questionnaires, such as the Mood Survey Scales by Abele-Brehm and Brehm (1986).
Results
After controlling for the baseline level before the intervention via analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs), PA and PA + EM showed significantly more positive scores than CG in several parameters of affective state (e.g., scale Activation, Elation, Fatigue) after the intervention, in some scales (e.g., Affective Valence, Depression) only PA + EM differed significantly from CG. The mean scores in intention after the intervention did not differ significantly between PA + EM (27.00 ± 4.57), PA (27.41 ± 6.79), and CG (27.70 ± 5.78), p = .836.
Discussion
Even a short, virtually-guided workout can have strong positive effects on affective state. No direct effects of the expectation manipulation on affective state or intention were found. Possible reasons for this include ceiling effects in the participants’ expectations, or that the form of expectation manipulation used was less suitable for influencing the outcomes. However, in some affective parameters, the expectation manipulation was the decisive factor for the differences to the control group, so that more latent effects of the manipulation cannot be ruled out.
Conclusion
Even though no significant effects of the expectation manipulation were found, the results do not appear to be entirely unaffected by it. Also, because the differences found in affect could have a long-term effect on physical activity behavior, further research is needed in this field in order to be able to make more reliable statements. From a practical perspective, when designing or implementing interventions to increase physically active behavior, practitioners should be aware of the importance of the wording used when describing physical activity to their clients.
References
Abele-Brehm, A., & Brehm, W. (1986). Zur Konzeptualisierung und Messung von Befindlichkeit: Die Entwicklung der „Befindlichkeitsskalen“ (BFS) [The conceptualization and measurement of mood: The development of the “Mood Survey“]. Diagnostica, 32(3), 209-228.
Finne, E., Nigg, C., Weyland, S., Sauzet, O., Wienke, B., & Jekauc, D. (2022). Examining the role of affective states in relation to exercise intentions and participation in extra-curricular exercise classes at university: A repeated measurement observational study. Frontiers in Psychol, 13, Article 815466. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.815466
Focht, B. C. (2009). Brief walks in outdoor and laboratory environments: Effects on affective responses, enjoyment, and intentions to walk for exercise. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 80(3), 611-620. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2009.10599600
Helfer, S. G., Elhai, J. D., & Geers, A. L. (2015). Affect and exercise: Positive affective expectations can increase post-exercise mood and exercise intentions. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 49(2), 269-279. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-014-9656-
Affective experiences from school physical education in children and adolescents
No full textAffective exercise experiences comprise a spectrum of memories, capturing both unpleasant and pleasant episodes. These can be assessed using the Affective Exercise Experience Questionnaire (AFFEXX, Ekkekakis et al., 2021), which examines three separate aspects: 1) antecedent cognitive appraisals (e.g., “incompetence vs. competence”), 2) core affective exercise experiences (e.g., “displeasure vs. pleasure”), and 3) the hedonistic motivation (“antipathy vs. attraction”) to engage in exercise. A German version, AFFEXX-PEG, designed to assess the affective exercise experiences from physical education (PE) in school-aged students, was used to investigate the correlations with PE school grades (as reported by the participants) and extracurricular sports participation (self-reported as the number of days per week spent engaging in at least 60 minutes of sports activities). This study analysed data from 569 individuals (Mage = 14.62, SD ± 1.84; 52% female) across grades 5 to 13. Nearly one-third (29%) of students reported unpleasant core affective experiences from PE in school, and negative experiences correlated with lower PE grades, r(517) = .52, p < .001, 95% CI [.45, .58]. Less attraction or antipathy toward PE was associated with fewer days of sports outside of school, r(559) = .38, p < .001, 95% CI [.31, .45]. Multiple regression analysis with negative core affective experiences from PE as the criterion and the six cognitive appraisals as predictors, showed that these experiences were primarily influenced by students’ perceived incompetence (b = .49, p < .001; R² = .84, F(6, 500) = 436.52, p < .001) in PE. Given the empirical evidence on the correlation between affective experiences and exercise behaviours in adults (Rhodes & Kates, 2015), these findings highlight the potential role of fostering positive affective PE experiences. Such experiences may influence lifelong exercise behaviours, and early intervention may prevent the onset of an inactive lifestyle. A new study focuses on children’s (8-12 years) affective experiences from exercise and parent-child interactions, examining the influences of socioeconomic status, parental exercise involvement, and children’s self-perceived body esteem. Elementary school children will report their affective experiences on another, simplified version of the AFFEXX, while their parents will complete a survey on, for example, socioeconomic status and parental involvement in physical activity. By matching data from both surveys, the analysis will explore the relationships between household factors and children’s affective exercise experiences. The goal is to understand early negative affective exercise experiences, assess the impact of family structures, and offer strategies to promote exercise beyond regular school programs.
References
Ekkekakis, P., Zenko, Z., & Vazou, S. (2021). Do you find exercise pleasant or unpleasant? The Affective Exercise Experiences (AFFEXX) questionnaire. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 55, Article 101930. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.101930
Rhodes, R. E., & Kates, A. (2015). Can the affective response to exercise predict future motives and physical activity behavior? A systematic review of published evidence Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 49(5), 715–731. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-015-9704-
Dropout in elite sport: What stressors and resilience factors are perceived in youth sport climbing?
No full textIntroduction & Purpose
Psychosocial stress is a major risk factor for the development of a wide range of psychiatric and somatic illnesses (Hughes et al., 2017). Social factors such as perceived autonomy and competence, relatedness and task climate appear to be related to people dropping out of a sport (Balish et al., 2014). To this point in time, the developmental aspects in youth sports are insufficiently described in the literature. Previous studies dealing with dropout have indicated critical aspects on a personal, contextual, chronological, and procedural level (Moulds et al., 2024). The perception of these aspects seems to determine the individual stress experience. Therefore, the aim of the study was to identify stressors and resources in youth sport climbing and to gain a deeper understanding of how these relate to dropout.
Methods
Guided by the theoretical framework of the bioecological system theory (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006), two active and six non-active climbers between the ages of 18 and 25 were interviewed using a semi-structured interview approach. The non-active climbers were dropouts, defined here as an athlete ending their competitive sport career before reaching their individual performance peak. In this case they were asked about the related circumstances. Active athletes started the interview from their current perspective. Each development-relevant factor (person, process, context, time; Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006) was then reflected on in terms of resources and stressors. The inclusion criterion was the qualification for the national team. A qualitative content analysis was carried out according to Mayring and Fenzl (2022). The data was analyzed using MAXQDA 24 software.
Results
The interviewed climbers addressed the context of family, school, social environment, training, and personal factors. A high level of social interaction was experienced. The topics of bodyweight and nutrition were often reported with negative connotations, particularly impacted by external factors. Communication skills were a consistently mentioned factor as a resource and potential stressor. A lack of individualisation and opportunities for personal development were reported as long-term stress factors. Feelings of responsibility and self-inflicted pressure were described as additional loads. Professional attachment was reported as a personal resource when positively evaluated. Reflection skills were recognised as a helpful stress management tool. As illustrated in Figure 1, the mindset of individuals appears to be shaped by the internal and external interplay of available resources, aspects of motivation and beliefs that are internalised.
Discussion & Conclusion
Several factors seem to interact modifying an individual’s experience of stress. The perception of stress at a certain point in time must be seen as a combination of the load experienced and the individual available resources. Sport-specific requirements should be considered. Dropout can be one of the consequences of overall stress in competitive sports and should be analysed systemically. The intention was to identify starting points for reducing dropout rates in sports and support health-promoting participation. These are the first results of this project, in which further athletes from climbing and other sports will be interviewed.
References
Balish, S. M., McLaren, C., Rainham, D., & Blanchard, C. (2014). Correlates of youth sport attrition: A review and future directions. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 15(4), 429–439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2014.04.003
Bronfenbrenner, U., & Morris, P. A. (2006). The ecology of human developmental processes. In W. Damon, & R. M. Lerner (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology: Theoretical models of human development (6th ed., pp. 793–828). Wiley.
Hughes, K., Bellis, M. A., Hardcastle, K. A., Sethi, D., Butchart, A., Mikton, C., Jones, L., & Dunne, M. P. (2017). The effect of multiple adverse childhood experiences on health: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Public Health, 2(8), e356-e366. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(17)30118-4
Mayring, P., & Fenzl, T. (2022). Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse [Qualitative content analysis]. In N. Baur, & J. Blasius (Eds.), Handbuch Methoden der empirischen Sozialforschung (pp. 691–706). Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-37985-8_43
Moulds, K., Galloway, S., Abbott, S., & Cobley, S. P. (2024). Youth sport dropout according to the Process-Person-Context-Time model: A systematic review. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 17(1) 440–481. https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984X.2021.201281
Effects of 4 weeks of device-induced normobaric intermittent hypoxia/hyperoxia training on the performance of elite cyclists: A pilot study
No full textIntroduction & Purpose
Classic altitude training and other forms of hypoxia are regularly used in endurance training (Mujika et al., 2019). Due to corona exit restrictions in 2019-2020, device-induced normobaric hypoxia/hyperoxia was suggested as an alternative to classic altitude training. Intermittent hypoxia/hyperoxia training (IHHT) has been studied and used in various forms since the 1940s (Serebrovskaya, 2002) with the advantage to be used at the athlete’s training site (Burtscher, 2005). The aim of this pilot study was to test the effects of a IHHT intervention on aerobic performance, hematological parameters and hypoxia-induced factor-1α (HIF-1α).
Method
A total of 11 athletes (2 women) from the U23 and elite national squads of the Austrian Cycling Federation completed 16 IHHT units in addition to their normal training program over a period of 4 weeks as part of a randomized cross over intervention study (control – IHHT, IHHT – control). The IHHT units were carried out on a Cellgym CellAir® Gecko Plus device at rest without exercise following a predetermined protocol (Sessions 1-8: 5 min of hypoxia (12.0% oxygen) followed by 3 min of hyperoxia (34.0% oxygen) repeated five times. Sessions 9-16): 6 min of hypoxia (11.0% oxygen) followed by 3 min of hyperoxia (34.0% oxygen). During the 4 weeks of control period, participants should maintain their training schedule. Aerobic performance was determined before and after the intervention by spiroergometry. As secondary outcomes, changes in hematological parameters and protein levels of HIF-1α were determined from venous blood which was processed immediately after collection. Serum was stored at -80 °C until HIF-1 α determination by ELISA technique.
Results
Eleven out of 13 athletes took part in the pre – post IHHT measurements, but only three of them managed to participate in the measurements planned for the control period, making it impossible to compare the two conditions. Replacement was not possible due to the availability of candidates and the ongoing preparation for the season. After 4 weeks of intervention with 16 IHHT training sessions, no significant changes were observed in performance parameters such as VO2peak, relative VO2max, maximum power (watts) or threshold values (p > .05). There were also no significant changes in blood enzymes, lipid and iron metabolism (p > .05). However, a tendency towards increased values of haemoglobin (z = 1.738; p = .082) and a significant increase of erythrocyte counts (z = 2.193; p = .028) were detected. Other haematological parameters and HIF-1α did not change significantly (p > .05).
Discussion & Conclusion
In summary, four weeks of device-induced normobaric IHHT had a modest effect on haematological parameters, but with no detectable transfer to maximal or submaximal endurance performance in highly trained athletes. Although various studies have shown that the difference between normobaric and hypobaric hypoxia exposure is not limited to the partial pressure of oxygen, but Mounier and Brugniaux state that the physiological responses are in fact equivalent (Mounier & Brugniaux, 2012). However, due to the limitations of the competitive setting and the low sample size, the final interpretation of the study remains difficult.
References
Burtscher, M. (2005). Intermittierende Hypoxie: Höhenvorbereitung, Training, Therapie [Intermittent hypoxia: altitude preparation, training, therapy]. Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Sportmedizin und Sporttraumatologie, 53(2), 61-67.
Serebrovskaya, T. V. (2002). Intermittent hypoxia research in the former Soviet Union and the commonwealth of independent states: History and review of the concept and selected applications. High Altitude Medicine & Biology, 3(2), 205-221. https://doi.org/10.1089/15270290260131939
Mounier, R., & Brugniaux, J. V. (2012). Counterpoint: Hypobaric hypoxia does not induce different responses from normobaric hypoxia. Journal of Applied Physiology, 112(10), 1784-1786. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00067.2012a
Mujika, I., Sharma, A. P., & Stellingwerff, T. (2019). Contemporary periodization of altitude training for elite endurance athletes: A narrative review. Sports Medicine, 49, 1651-1669. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-019-01165-
Comparison of a guided assessment and an app-based assessment of physical activity using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ)
No full textIntroduction & Purpose
The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ; Armstrong & Bull, 2006) is commonly used to assess frequency, duration and intensity of physical activity (PA) in three domains: work, travel and recreation. It is frequently used as a self-administered questionnaire; however, the execution was originally designed for an interviewer. With the continuous development of app-based technology, the evaluation of PA online-assessment is relevant (Mosa et al., 2012). The objective of the study was to compare an online self-administered version of the GPAQ with the original version administered by an interviewer.
Methods
The physical activity behaviour of 533 participants (70% female, average age 44, ± 13.9) from the LIFE-Tirol Study (Lasting Health through Intermittent Fasting, Emotional Firmness and Exercise) was assessed by an interviewer using the GPAQ. The interviewer used generic show cards for explaining different levels of exercise intensities as recommended in the analysis guidelines (Armstrong & Bull, 2006). After two months, participants were asked to fill in the GPAQ via online app without show cards. Participant were advised not to change their usual physical activity levels during the two months.
The movement domains and intensities of the two versions were compared with Jamovi v2.3 using a series of Wilcoxon W-tests and a series of 2 × 2 mixed ANOVAs to analyse gender- and age-specific aspects.
Results
Total metabolic equivalent task (MET) minutes were significantly different between interview and self-assessed online version (1,971 ± 2,590 vs. 4,143 ± 4,370 MET minutes; p < .001, d = 0.670). Significantly more MET minutes were reported in the online version compared to the interview version across all three PA-domains and both vigorous and moderate intensities (F(1, 552) = 167, p < .001, ƞ² = .232). This difference was not influenced by gender. 18–34-year-old participants reported significantly less MET minutes during recreational PA than participants older than 55 years in both versions (F(1, 551) = 113, p < .001, ƞ²= .170). No further gender/age × assessment interaction effects were found. Male participants tend to report higher intensity minutes more likely than females in both assessment versions (F(1, 551) = 4.43, p = .360, ƞ²= .008).
Discussion
The amount of PA as well as its intensities seem to differ between the self-assessed online version compared to the interview assessment of the GPAQ, although the interview was conducted as the first measurement and PA as well as intensities were explained in detail to participants using generic show cards. It was previously reported that show cards have no significant impact on the results of the self-administered version of the GPAQ (Rudolf et al., 2020). Therefore, the authors suggest that the main differences between both assessments were caused by the presence of the interviewer independent of age or gender.
Conclusion
Regardless of the use of show cards and detailed explanations of PA, the main difference between guided and self-administered PA-assessments may result from the presence or absence of an interviewer. Therefore, it is important to interpret self-administered app-based GPAQ evaluations with caution. Future studies should validate app-based GPAQ data by using objective PA measurements, such as accelerometers.
References
Armstrong, T., & Bull, F. (2006). Development of the World Health Organization Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). Journal of Public Health, 14(2), 66–70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-006-0024-x
Mosa, A. S. M., Yoo, I., & Sheets, L. (2012). A systematic review of healthcare applications for smartphones. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 12, Article 67. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6947-12-67
Rudolf, K., Lammer, F., Stassen, G., Froböse, I., & Schaller, A. (2020). Show cards of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) – Do they impact validity? A crossover study. BMC Public Health, 20, Article 223. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-8312-
Gender-specific images of the athletes’ body in workers’ sport in Austria from 1945-1971
No full textThe study to be presented deals with gender-specific images of the athletes’ bodies in workers’ sports in Austria from 1945 to 1971.
High performance sports and exercise culture are increasingly becoming the focus of social and cultural-historical analyses (Stieglitz, 2018). However, less attention has been paid to the connection between bodies doing sport, their socio-cultural meanings and their visual representations (Stieglitz, 2018). In particular sports photography was largely ignored in scientific studies (O’Mahony, 2018). The present study uses sport-historical photographs to deconstruct gender-stereotyped representations of the athlete’s body in the workers’ sport movement in Austria from 1945 to 1971.
Questions to be answered include the division of sports between men and women and which stereotypes are manifested through this gender-specific distribution, how women and women‘s bodies are depicted in the photographs and which gender-specific discourses are established as a result, which specific discursive attributions of femininity and athletes’ female bodies are re/produced and in which media settings these images are produced, published and received. This topic is of particular interest because emancipatory motives for including female workers in the sports movement emerged particularly early in the workers sports movement. The aim was to achieve theoretical and practical equality for both genders in political, cultural and social terms, even so the natural differences between sexes were always pointed out. Nevertheless, the expansion of women’s sports in Austria has been very successful (Krammer, 1987).
With regard to the research material, the archive holdings of the “Verein für Geschichte der ArbeiterInnenbewegung” in Vienna are viewed and analysed. The special focus is on a private and partly published photo collection, which particularly includes around 600,000 photos from the 1950s-1980s and images from magazines and another photo collection beginning 1945.
The core of the study is visual history. The aim is not only to perceive images as illustrations (Stieglitz, 2018) and to analyse their representation (Bernhardt, 2013), but also to examine them as an independent entity in historical research (Stieglitz, 2018). This not only expands the source base, but also opens up new methodological possibilities (Bleichmar & Schwartz, 2019). The focus of visual history is the whole field of visual practices of self-representation, the staging and appropriation of the world, and finally the visual mediality of experience and history (Bernhardt, 2013). In order to largely rule out misinterpretations additional methods are used.
Among other things, this includes content analysis, discourse analysis and methods of reception and audience research. Discourse analysis is useful to uncover the underlying social and cultural discourses that shape the meaning and interpretation of the images.
Reception and audience research can be used to determine who the main readership is and how the target group perceives and interprets the images.
The study is part of a bigger doctoral thesis research project and still in an early stage, so interim results will be presented at the congress. By means of specifically selected examples of photographic documents an insight into the relatively new field of visual history will be provided.
References
Berhardt, M. (2013). Visual history. Zeitschrift für Geschichtsdidaktik, 12(1), 5-8. https://doi-org.uaccess.univie.ac.at/10.13109/zfgd.2013.12.1.5
Bleichmar, D., & Schwartz, V. (2019). Visual history: The past in pictures. Representations, 145(145), 1-31. https://doi.org/10.1525/rep.2019.145.1.1
Krammer, R. (1987). Der ASKÖ und die Wiener Arbeiterolympiade 1931 [The ASKÖ and the 1931 Vienna Labour Olympics]. In H. J. Teichler & G. Hauck (Eds.), Illustrierte Geschichte des Arbeitersports (180-185). Dietz.
O’Mahony, M. (2018). Through a glass darkly: Reflections on photography and the visual representation of sport. Historical Social Research, 43(2), 25-38. https://doi.org/10.12759/hsr.43.2018.2.25-38
Stieglitz, O. (2018). Der Reiz der Bilder. Sportgeschichte als visuelle Körpergeschichte [The allure of images. Sports history as a visual history of the body]. In M. Marschik, A. Meisinger, R. Müllner, J. Skocek, & G. Spitaler (Eds.), Images des Sports in Österreich: Innensichten und Außenwahrnehmungen (1st ed., pp. 21-32). V&R Unipress
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