Gary S. Skrinar

The role of a fitness intervention on people with serious psychiatric disabilities.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects a health education and exercise program would have in limiting weight gain and in improving fitness and psychological parameters in adults with mood or psychotic disorders. Thirty volunteers were randomly assigned to the healthy lifestyle group (HL) or a control group. The HL group engaged in exercise for 12 weeks. Pre- and post-exercise testing was conducted to assess body fat, lipid profile, and cardiovascular fitness. Educational seminars were held weekly. The intervention group evidenced greater weight loss than the control group, although not statistically significant. Significant differences were observed in ratings of general health (p < .05) and empowerment (p < .01). Trends suggest that exercise interventions may encourage weight loss, particularly if barriers to full participation can be addressed. Additionally, such interventions may contribute to perceived well-being even among those with subclinical participation.

Intermittent altitude exposures reduce acute mountain sickness at 4300 m.

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) commonly occurs at altitudes exceeding 2000-2500 m and usually resolves after acclimatization induced by a few days of chronic residence at the same altitude. Increased ventilation and diuresis may contribute to the reduction in AMS with altitude acclimatization. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of intermittent altitude exposures (IAE), in combination with rest and exercise training, on the incidence and severity of AMS, resting ventilation and 24-h urine volume at 4300 m. Six lowlanders (age, 23 +/- 2 years; body weight, 77 +/- 6 kg; values are means +/- S.E.M.) completed an Environmental Symptoms Questionnaire (ESQ) and Lake Louise AMS Scoring System (LLS), a resting end-tidal partial pressure of CO2 ( PETCO2) test and a 24-h urine volume collection at sea level (SL) and during a 30 h exposure to 4300 m altitude-equivalent (barometric pressure=446 mmHg) once before (PreIAE) and once after (PostIAE) a 3-week period of IAE (4 h.day(-1), 5 days.week(-1), 4300 m). The previously validated factor score, AMS cerebral score, was calculated from the ESQ and the self-report score was calculated from the LLS at 24 h of altitude exposure to assess the incidence and severity of AMS. During each IAE, three subjects cycled for 45-60 min.day(-1) at 60-70% of maximal O2 uptake (VO2 max) and three subjects rested. Cycle training during each IAE did not affect any of the measured variables, so data from all six subjects were combined. The results showed that the incidence of AMS (%), determined from both the ESQ and LLS, increased (P<0.05) from SL (0 +/- 0) to PreIAE (50 +/- 22) at 24 h of altitude exposure and decreased (P<0.05) from PreIAE to PostIAE (0 +/- 0). The severity of AMS (i.e. AMS cerebral symptom and LLS self-report scores) increased (P<0.05) from SL (0.02 +/- 0.02 and 0.17 +/- 0.17 respectively) to PreIAE (0.49 +/- 0.18 and 4.17 +/- 0.94 respectively) at 24 h of altitude exposure, and decreased (P<0.05) from PreIAE to PostIAE (0.03 +/- 0.02 and 0.83 +/- 0.31 respectively). Resting PETCO2 (mmHg) decreased (i.e. increase in ventilation; P<0.05) from SL (38 +/- 1) to PreIAE (32 +/- 1) at 24 h of altitude exposure and decreased further (P<0.05) from PreIAE to PostIAE (28 +/- 1). In addition, 24-h urine volumes were similar at SL, PreIAE and PostIAE. In conclusion, our findings suggest that 3 weeks of IAE provide an effective alternative to chronic altitude residence for increasing resting ventilation and reducing the incidence and severity of AMS.

A framework for health promotion services for people with psychiatric disabilities.

The concepts of wellness and its complement, health promotion, have popularized the notion that health itself is more than simply the absence of disease. Furthermore, the wellness concept has advanced the idea of the importance of engaging in certain health promoting behaviors within healthy environments, not simply for the purpose of preventing or better managing a disease, but also to enhance ones well-being and quality of life (Green & Kreuter, 1991; Mullen, 1986). Encouraging this emphasis on wellness is Healthy People 2010 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2000), a national ten-year plan intended to increase quality and years of life and eliminate disparities which for the now features a new area that recognizes the importance of health promotion and disease prevention in the lives of people with disabilities. Increasingly, the value of promoting wellness--including for people with disabilities--is being recognized (Rimmer & Braddock, 2002).

Effects of Endurance Training on Body-Consciousness in Women

The Body Consciousness Questionnaire by Miller, Murphy, and Buss in 1981 was employed to assess the effects of intensive endurance training on changes in self-perception in 13 women volunteers aged 20 to 30 yr. The participants engaged in an intensive progressive running program for 6 to 8 wk. Additional moderate exercise (softball or volleyball) was engaged in for 3 ½ hr. per day. Before and after the training subjects completed the questionnaire on self-perceived attributes of internal body consciousness, public body consciousness, and body competence. Aerobic fitness, measured pre- and posttraining, significantly increased while body fat and weight significantly decreased. In consonance with these physiological changes, rated self-perception of internal body consciousness and body competence increased significantly while public body consciousness remained unchanged. Self-report of internal body consciousness tended to increase in proportion to changes in fitness (r = 0.53). These results suggest that endurance and moderate exercise training contribute to increased self-perception specifically with regard to perceived internal and body competence.

Estradiol levels predict bone mineral density in male collegiate athletes: a pilot study

Objectiveu2002 Strenuous training commonly results in amenorrhoea, which contributes to bone loss in some female collegiate athletes. However, the impact of athletic training on endocrine function and bone mineral density (BMD) in male collegiate athletes is less well understood. The objective of the study was to investigate the specific endocrine determinants of BMD in male collegiate runners and wrestlers, including the potential impact of gonadal steroid levels.

The Effect of a Cognitive Behavioral Exercise Intervention on Clinical Depression in a Multiethnic Sample of Women With Breast Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract Exercise is known to facilitate physical and emotional adjustment among women treated for breast cancer, and exercise exerts a profound effect on clinical depression. However, the effect of exercise on reducing clinical depression among breast cancer patients has not been demonstrated, especially among ethnic minority women who have a higher incidence of depression and higher mortality following breast cancer. First, literature is presented to assess exercise effects on depression among women with breast cancer. Second, we present the results of a randomized controlled trial assessing the effect of a structured exercise intervention on depression and exercise behavior in a multiethnic sample of women with early stage breast cancer enrolled prior to the start of adjuvant treatment. Results suggest that, in comparison to population norms, the rate of depression was higher in breast cancer patients. Analyses further showed that the intervention significantly increased self‐reported exercise and reduced depression. These data suggest that the beneficial effects of exercise may extend to breast cancer patients with depression and may be initiated prior to and during cancer treatment

Effect of endurance training on perceived exertion and stress hormones in women.

Fifteen women (20- to 23-yr.-old), engaged in an intensive 6- to 8-wk. endurance running program, progressively increased distance from 20 miles during the first week to 50 miles during the fifth week and thereafter. Before (T1), during (T2), and after training (T3), submaximal treadmill runs of 1-hr. duration subdivided into three successive 20-min. segments were completed at approximately 60, 70, and 80% of maximal oxygen uptake, respectively. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were differentiated to obtain local (L), central (C), and over-all (O) responses during these 20-min. segments. Subjects rated the effort during the final 30 sec. of each 5-min. interval. Upon completion of each exercise segment, blood samples were drawn for analysis of lactate (Hla), epinephrine (E), and norepinephrine (NE) to determine the relationship between the differentiated RPEs and these stress markers. Endurance training significantly lowered central and over-all ratings of perceived exertion between T1 and T3 runs but no change occurred in the L-RPE responses to muscular and joint strain. Significant correlations between the stress markers and RPE pooled across sessions were observed during the three treadmill sessions (Hla vs L-RPE, η, = 0.68; E vs C-RPE, η = 0.54; and NE vs C-RPE, η, = 0.63). These findings indicate that central and over-all ratings of perceived exertion may be more readily influenced by intensive endurance training than local ratings. In addition, while lactate levels may be related to local ratings of perceived exertion, catecholamine levels appear to be associated with central ratings.

White blood cell and hormonal responses to 4300 m altitude before and after intermittent altitude exposure

Recent studies have demonstrated that brief daily IAE (intermittent altitude exposure) was equally as effective as continuous altitude residence in inducing physiological adaptations consistent with altitude acclimatization. Although the positive benefits of IAE have been clearly defined, the potential negative consequences of IAE on health, specifically the immune system, remain undefined. The present study determined the effects of IAE on WBC (white blood cell) and hormonal responses during rest and exercise at 4300 m altitude. Six lowlanders (age, 23+/-2 years; body weight, 77+/-6 kg; values are means+/-S.E.M.) completed a VO(2)max (maximal O(2) uptake) and submaximal cycle ergometer test during a 30-h SL (sea level) exposure and during a 30 h exposure to 4300 m altitude-equivalent once before (PreIAE) and once after (PostIAE) a 3-week period of IAE (4 hxday(-1), 5 daysxweek(-1), 4300 m). The submaximal cycle ergometer test consisted of two consecutive 15-min work bouts at 40% and 70% of altitude-specific VO(2)max. Blood samples were obtained at rest and during both exercise work bouts for measurements of WBC count, leucocyte subset counts, cortisol, adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline (norepinephrine). WBC, neutrophil and lymphocyte counts increased significantly (P<0.05) during rest and exercise from SL to PreIAE and decreased (P<0.05) during rest and exercise from PreIAE to PostIAE. Monocyte counts decreased (P<0.05) during rest and exercise from PreIAE to PostIAE, but eosinophil and basophil counts did not change. Cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline did not change during rest or exercise from SL to PreIAE or PostIAE, but all increased significantly (P<0.05) from rest during the two work bouts. In conclusion, this type of IAE stimulus did not induce a hormonal stress response and did no harm in terms of activation of the immune system at altitude, as measured by WBC and leucocyte subset counts. This method of pre-acclimatization can therefore be highly recommended for inducing altitude acclimatization without the altitude residency requirement.