Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://hdl.handle.net/1807/67549
Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism (APNM) is part of the suite of journals published by Canadian Science Publishing (CSP). Published since 1983, this monthly journal focuses on the application of physiology, nutrition, and metabolism to the study of human health, physical activity, and fitness.
Below is a collection of manuscripts accepted for publication in APNM. These manuscripts have not undergone copy editing or page composition.
By using TSpace for its journal article repository, CSP grants University of Toronto Libraries a universal non-exclusive license to distribute and preserve all content that CSP deposits in the repository. Copyright of all articles in CSP journals remains with the authors, or the authors' organization, unless specified otherwise, TSpace users must follow the usage rights set out on CSP's web site. Refer to CSP's License to Publish Forms for information on current licensing.
Below is a collection of manuscripts accepted for publication in APNM. These manuscripts have not undergone copy editing or page composition.
By using TSpace for its journal article repository, CSP grants University of Toronto Libraries a universal non-exclusive license to distribute and preserve all content that CSP deposits in the repository. Copyright of all articles in CSP journals remains with the authors, or the authors' organization, unless specified otherwise, TSpace users must follow the usage rights set out on CSP's web site. Refer to CSP's License to Publish Forms for information on current licensing.
Browse
Browsing Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism by Title
Now showing 1 - 20 of 1017
- Results Per Page
- Sort Options
Item Open Access 12 days of altitude exposure at 1800m does not increase resting metabolic rate in elite rowers.(Canadian Science Publishing, 2017-02-16) Woods, Amy L; Garvican-Lewis, Laura A; Rice, Anthony; Thompson, Kevin GrantFour elite rowers completed a twelve-day altitude training camp living at 1800m, and training at 1800m and 915m, to assess changes in resting metabolic rate (RMR). RMR and body composition were assessed PRE and POST-camp. Downward trends in RMR and body composition were observed post-altitude: absolute RMR (percent change: -5.2%), relative RMR (-4.6%), body mass (-1.2%), and fat mass (-4.1%), likely related to the hypoxic stimulus and an imbalance between training load and energy intake.Item Open Access A “healthy diet-optimal sleep” lifestyle pattern is inversely associated with liver stiffness and insulin resistance in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.(Canadian Science Publishing, 2016-10-26) Katsagoni, Christina N.; Papatheodoridis, George V.; Papageorgiou, Maria-Vasiliki; Ioannidou, Panagiota; Deutsch, Melanie; Alexopoulou, Alexandra; Papadopoulos, Nikolaos; Fragopoulou, Elisabeth; Kontogianni, Meropi D.Objectives: Several lifestyle habits have been described as risk factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Given that both healthy and unhealthy habits tend to cluster, the aim of this study was to identify lifestyle patterns and explore their potential associations with clinical characteristics of individuals with NAFLD. Methods: One hundred-thirty-six consecutive patients with ultrasound-proven NAFLD were included. Diet and physical activity level were assessed through appropriate questionnaires. Habitual night sleep hours and duration of midday naps (siesta) were recorded. Optimal sleep duration was defined as sleep hours ≥7 and ≤9 hours/day. Lifestyle patterns were identified using principal component analysis. Results: Eight components were derived explaining 67% of total variation of lifestyle characteristics. Lifestyle pattern 3, namely high consumption of low-fat dairy products, vegetables, fish and optimal sleep duration was negatively associated with insulin resistance (β=-1.66, P=0.008) and liver stiffness (β=-1.62, P=0.05), after controlling for age, sex, BMI, energy intake, smoking habits, adiponectin and tumor necrosis factor-a. Lifestyle pattern 1, namely high consumption of full-fat dairy products, refined cereals, potatoes, red meat and high television viewing time was positively associated with insulin resistance (β=1.66, P=0.005), although this association was weakened after adjusting for adiponectin and tumor necrosis factor-a. Conclusion: A “healthy diet-optimal sleep” lifestyle pattern was beneficially associated with insulin resistance and liver stiffness, in NAFLD patients, independently of body weight status and energy intake.Item Open Access A 12-week low carbohydrate, high fat (LCHF) diet improves metabolic health outcomes over a control diet in a randomised controlled trial with overweight defence force personnel.(Canadian Science Publishing, 2017-06-27) Zinn, Caryn; McPhee, Julia; Harris, Nigel; Williden, Micalla; Prendergast, Kate; Schofield, GrantIntroduction. Overweight, obesity and poor health is becoming a global concern for defence force personnel. Conventional nutrition guidelines are being questioned for their efficacy in achieving optimal body composition and long-term health. This study compared the effects of a 12-week low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet with a conventional, high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet on weight reduction and metabolic health outcomes in at-risk New Zealand Defence Force personnel. Materials and methods. In this randomised controlled trial, 41 overweight personnel were assigned to intervention and control groups. Weight, waist circumference, fasting lipids and glycaemic control were assessed at baseline and at 12 weeks. Within-group change scores were analysed using the t-statistic and interpreted using a pItem Open Access A Bioenergetics Systems Evaluation of Ketogenic Diet Liver Effects(Canadian Science Publishing, 2017-05-02) Hutfles, Lewis J.; Wilkins, Heather M.; Koppel, Scott J.; Weidling, Ian W.; Selfridge, J. Eva; Tan, Eephie; Thyfault, John P; Slawson, Chad; Fenton, Aron W.; Zhu, Hao; Swerdlow, Russell H.Ketogenic diets induce hepatocyte fatty acid oxidation and ketone body production. To further evaluate how ketogenic diets affect hepatocyte bioenergetic infrastructure, we analyzed livers from C57Bl/6J male mice maintained for one month on a ketogenic or standard chow diet. Compared to the standard diet, the ketogenic diet increased cytosolic and mitochondrial protein acetylation and also altered protein succinylation patterns. SIRT3 protein decreased while SIRT5 protein increased, and gluconeogenesis, oxidative phosphorylation, and mitochondrial biogenesis pathway proteins were variably and likely strategically altered. The pattern of changes observed can be used to inform a broader systems overview of how ketogenic diets affect liver bioenergetics.Item Open Access A comparative study on the effects of high-fat diet and endurance training on the PGC-1α-FNDC5/irisin pathway in obese and non-obese male C57BL/6 mice(Canadian Science Publishing, 2018-01-04) Kazeminasab, Fatemeh; Marandi, Sayed Mohammad; Ghaedi, Kamran; Safaeinejad, Zahra; Esfarjani, Fahimeh; Nasr-Esfahani, Mohammad HosseinThe present study was performed to clarify how a combined exercise/diet treatment could affect the expression level of the muscle Fndc5 with respect to the body fat mass. Male C57BL/6 mice were divided into 2 groups including low-fat (LF) and high-fat (HF) diets for 12 weeks. Then, LF fed (non-obese) and HF fed mice (obese), were divided into 4 groups: HF-Exercise, HF-Sedentary, LF-Exercise and LF-Sedentary. The exercise group received exercise, on a motor-driven treadmill for 45 min/day, 5 days/week during 8 weeks. Mice were sacrificed 24 hours after the final exercise session. Gastrocnemius muscle and the visceral adipose tissue were excised and frozen for the assessment of Pgc-1Îą and Fndc5 mRNA and protein levels. Data indicated that protein level of muscle PGC-1Îą was decreased in HF vs LF groups and in obese vs non-obese mice. Moreover, Fndc5 mRNA levels were increased in the muscle tissue of HF vs LF groups and, in obese vs non-obese mice. Also, in the gastrocnemius skeletal muscle, protein levels of FNDC5 were significantly higher in the high-fat fed mice, as compared to their low-fat fed counterparts, similar to what was observed for exercised vs sedentary mice. Overall, we found that the high fat diet increased Fndc5 transcript levels in the skeletal muscle, but exercise had a minimal effect on the transcript level of Fndc5, whereas endurance training increased the protein content of FNDC5 in the skeletal muscle.Item Open Access A comparison of critical power and the respiratory compensation point at slower and faster pedaling cadences(Canadian Science Publishing, 2024-08-19) Micheli, Lorenzo; Teso, Massimo; Guluzade, Nasimi A.; Rizzo, Matteo; Ferri Marini, Carlo; Lucertini, Francesco; Keir, Daniel A; Pogliaghi, SilviaWe investigated whether pedal cadence (60 vs 100 rpm) affects oxygen uptake (V̇O2) and power output (PO) at two indexes of the heavy-to-severe-intensity domain boundary (i.e., critical power [CP] and respiratory compensation point [RCP]) and their correspondence. Fourteen adults (7 females, 23±2 yrs) cycled at 60 and 100 rpm during: i) a “Step-Ramp-Step” protocol to identify V̇O2 and PO at RCP; ii) 4-5 exhaustive constant-PO bouts for CP identification; and iii) a constant-power bout at CP to identify V̇O2 at CP. Separate two-way repeated measures ANOVA assessed whether V̇O2 and PO were affected by index (CP vs RCP) and cadence (60 vs 100 rpm). The V̇O2 was not affected by index (mean difference [MD]=73±197 mL·min-1; p=0.136) but there was an index x cadence interaction (p=0.014), such that V̇O2 was higher at 100 vs 60 rpm for CP (MD=142±169 mL·min-1; p=0.008) but not RCP (p=0526).. The PO was affected by cadence (MD=13±9 W; pItem Open Access A compositional analysis of time spent in physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep with quality of life in Canadian older adults aged 65 years and above: Findings from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging(Canadian Science Publishing, 2024-09-18) Hakimi, Shawn; Martin, Luc J; Rosenberg, MarkAssociations between daily time spent in physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB) and sleep (collectively referred to as ‘movement behaviour’) and quality of life (QOL) are typically studied without considering they are compositional, co-dependant variables. Study objectives were to use compositional data analysis to: 1) examine the relationship between movement behaviour composition and QOL, 2) estimate the degree to which changing time spent in any movement behaviour within the movement behaviour composition is associated with QOL. 7,918 older Canadian adults ≥ 65 years of age from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging were studied using a quasi-longitudinal study design. Daily time spent in PA and SB were derived from self-reported Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly responses. Nighttime sleep was self-reported separately. QOL was assessed through the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Movement behaviour composition was significantly associated with QOL. Relative time spent in SB was negatively associated with QOL [HR = 0.89 (95% CI: 0.86, 0.93)]. Relative time spent in sleep was positively associated with QOL [HR = 1.10 (95% CI: 1.05, 1.16)]. Time displacement estimates revealed that greatest change in QOL occurred when time spent in PA was decreased and replaced with SB [HR = 0.96 (95% CI: 0.92, 0.99) for 45 min/day displacement]. Using compositional data analysis is advantageous because it shows how reduction in SB and increase in PA and sleep can lead to improvements in QOL for older Canadian adults.Item Open Access A compositional analysis of time spent in physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep with quality of life in Canadian older adults aged 65 years and above: Findings from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging(Canadian Science Publishing, 2024-09-18) Hakimi, Shawn; Martin, Luc J; Rosenberg, MarkAssociations between daily time spent in physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB) and sleep (collectively referred to as ‘movement behaviour’) and quality of life (QOL) are typically studied without considering they are compositional, co-dependant variables. Study objectives were to use compositional data analysis to: 1) examine the relationship between movement behaviour composition and QOL, 2) estimate the degree to which changing time spent in any movement behaviour within the movement behaviour composition is associated with QOL. 7,918 older Canadian adults ≥ 65 years of age from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging were studied using a quasi-longitudinal study design. Daily time spent in PA and SB were derived from self-reported Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly responses. Nighttime sleep was self-reported separately. QOL was assessed through the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Movement behaviour composition was significantly associated with QOL. Relative time spent in SB was negatively associated with QOL [HR = 0.89 (95% CI: 0.86, 0.93)]. Relative time spent in sleep was positively associated with QOL [HR = 1.10 (95% CI: 1.05, 1.16)]. Time displacement estimates revealed that greatest change in QOL occurred when time spent in PA was decreased and replaced with SB [HR = 0.96 (95% CI: 0.92, 0.99) for 45 min/day displacement]. Using compositional data analysis is advantageous because it shows how reduction in SB and increase in PA and sleep can lead to improvements in QOL for older Canadian adults.Item Open Access A herbal premix containing Macrotyloma uniflorum, ginger and whey curtails obesity in high fat diet fed rats by a novel mechanism(Canadian Science Publishing, 2019-04-14) Panda, Vandana S.; Shah, Taasin; S, SudhamaniThe present study designed and evaluated a polyherbal premix comprising Macrotyloma uniflorum, whey protein, Zingiber officinale, and Mentha piperita. Animals were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 30 days and were daily administered the premix (1.5 g/kg) in milk (PM) and water (PW), aerobic exercise (AE), premix in milk and water along with AE (PMAE and PWAE), ferulic acid (100 mg/kg), and the reference drug fluoxetine (6 mg/kg). All treatments showed significant reduction in food intake, weight gain, abdominal circumference, and body mass index compared with their initial values. All treatments generated a faster peak of the satiety marker cholecystokinin compared with the HFD group and control groups; PMAE and PWAE exhibited sustained satiety. The HFD-elevated blood glucose levels were significantly attenuated on the 30th day by all treatments when compared with their 15th day and basal values; PMAE exhibited the best results. All treatments significantly attenuated the HFD-elevated serum insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, C-reactive protein, triglycerides, total cholesterol, very-low-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein levels and significantly restored the HFD-depleted high-density lipoprotein and adiponectin levels. HFD-elevated thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values were attenuated successfully and the HFD-depleted reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase levels were significantly restored by all treatments. The histological findings corroborated the biochemical results. Novelty The polyherbal premix brought about appetite regulation and induction of satiety to control obesity in HFD-fed rats through homeostasis of energy metabolism. The premix along with exercise is a complete way to combat obesity.Item Open Access A High Salt Meal Does Not Augment Blood Pressure Responses During Maximal Exercise(Canadian Science Publishing, 2019-06-06) Migdal, Kamila U.; Robinson, Austin T.; Watso, Joseph C.; Babcock, Matthew C.; Serrador, Jorge M.; Farquhar, William B.Augmented blood pressure (BP) responses during exercise are predictive of future cardiovascular disease. High dietary sodium (Na+) increases BP responses during static exercise. It remains unclear if high dietary Na+ augments BP responses during dynamic exercise. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that an acute high-Na+ meal would augment BP responses during dynamic exercise. Twenty adults (10 male/10 female; age, 26 ± 5 years; BP, 105 ± 10/57 ± 6 mm Hg) were given a high-Na+ meal (HSM; 1495 mg Na+) and a low-Na+ meal (LSM; 138 mg Na+) separated by at least 1 week, in random order. Serum Na+ and plasma osmolality were measured. Eighty minutes following the meal, participants completed a graded-maximal exercise protocol on a cycle ergometer. Heart rate, beat-by-beat BP, cardiac output, total peripheral resistance, and manual BP were measured at rest and during exercise. Both serum Na+ (HSM: Δ1.6 ± 2.0 vs LSM: Δ1.1 ± 1.8 mmol/L, P = 0.0002) and plasma osmolality (HSM: Δ3.0 ± 4.5 vs LSM: Δ2.0 ± 4.2 mOsm/(kg·H2O), P = 0.01) were higher following the HSM. However, the HSM did not augment BP during peak exercise (systolic BP: HSM: 170 ± 23 vs LSM: 171 ± 21 mm Hg, P = 0.81). These findings suggest that an acute high-salt meal does not augment BP responses during dynamic exercise in adults. Novelty The high-salt meal increased serum sodium and plasma osmolality compared with the low-salt meal. The high-salt meal did not augment blood pressure responses during maximal dynamic exercise. This is important as augmented blood pressure responses during exercise put individuals at greater risk for development of cardiovascular disease.Item Open Access A high-fat diet is deleterious to mice under glycolysis restriction(Canadian Science Publishing, 2017-11-20) Hao, Yilin; Tsuruda, Toshihiro; Sekita-Hatakeyama, Yoko; Sakamoto, Sumiharu; Kitamura, KazuoIt is debated whether carbohydrate restriction has metabolic advantage for its variable weight loss. Five-week-old male mice fed a high-fat diet receiving a glycolytic inhibitor, 2-deoxyglucose, led to an absolute mortality within 9 days. They exhibited greater decreases in rectal temperature, appetite and decline in body weight accompanied by increasing total cholesterol level than the other groups. This study suggests that carbohydrate is necessary for adequate physical and metabolic performance when lipid-rich diet is loaded.Item Open Access A history of smoking does not reduce long-term benefits of cardiac rehabilitation on cardiorespiratory fitness in men and women with cardiovascular disease(Canadian Science Publishing, 2020-08-11) Noguchi, Kenneth Shinkichi; Pryzbek, Michael; Moncion, Kevin; McQuarrie, Angelica; MacDonald, Maureen J.; Tang, AdaSmoking is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is effective for reducing the risk of recurrent cardiac events through improving cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). Little is known about the influence of smoking on CRF throughout long-term CR. The purpose of this analysis was to compare CRF trajectories among individuals with positive and negative smoking history enrolled in long-term CR. Participants had a positive smoking history if they currently or formerly smoked (Smoke+, n = 55, mean age = 64.9 ± 9.0 years) and had a negative history if they never smoked (Smoke–, n = 34, mean age = 61.4 ± 9.0 years). CRF (peak oxygen uptake) was measured at baseline and annually thereafter for 6 years. The Smoke+ group had lower CRF compared with the Smoke– group over enrollment (β = −3.29 (SE = 1.40), 95% confidence interval (CI) −6.04 to −0.54, p = 0.02), but there was no interaction of smoking history and enrollment (β = 0.35 (SE = 0.21), 95% CI: −0.06 to 0.77, p = 0.10). Moreover, trajectories were not influenced by pack-years (β = 0.01 (SE = 0.01), 95% CI: −0.01 to 0.04, p = 0.23) or time smoke-free (β = −0.002 (SE = 0.01), 95% CI: −0.02 to 0.02, p = 0.80). Although the trajectories of CRF do not appear to be affected by smoking behaviour, individuals without a history of smoking maintained higher CRF throughout enrollment. Novelty: • The benefits of long-term exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation on cardiorespiratory fitness are similar between those who have smoked and those who have never smoked. • Neither the number of pack-years nor the length of time spent smoke-free influence cardiorespiratory fitness trajectories following long-term cardiac rehabilitation.Item Open Access A latent profile analysis based on diet quality and eating behaviours in participants of the PREDISE study characterized by a higher BMI(Canadian Science Publishing, 2024-03-20) Boulanger, Benoît; Bégin, Catherine; Bédard, Alexandra; Lévy-Ndejuru, Julia; Carbonneau, Elise; Lemieux, SimoneThe aim of this study was to identify eating-related latent profiles based on diet quality and eating behaviours within a population characterized by a BMI of at least 25 kg/m2, and to compare metabolic variables between profiles. This analysis was conducted in a sample of 614 adults (45.6% women; 44.8±12.9 years) from the cross-sectional PREDISE study. Participants completed the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, the Intuitive Eating Scale-2, the Regulation of Eating Behavior Scale and three self-administered 24-hour food recalls. Waist circumference, blood lipids, blood pressure and fasting glucose were measured to identify carriers of the metabolic syndrome. A latent profile analysis was performed, and cases of metabolic syndrome were compared between profiles. A three-profile solution was found. Profile 1 (22.8%) was characterized by lower diet quality, self-determined motivation for eating and restraint, and higher intuitive eating. Profile 2 (44.5%) was characterized by higher diet quality, self-determined motivation for eating and restraint, lower disinhibition and higher intuitive eating. Profile 3 (32.7%) was characterized by intermediate diet quality, higher non-self-determined motivation for eating, restraint and disinhibition, and lower intuitive eating. We found fewer cases of metabolic syndrome among participants in profile 2 than in the other profiles (p = 0.0001). This study suggests that a profile characterized by a lower disinhibition and higher levels of restraint, intuitive eating, self-determined motivation and diet quality is associated with a better metabolic health among individuals with a higher BMI.Item Open Access A multi-ingredient nutritional supplement enhances exercise training-related reductions in markers of systemic inflammation in healthy older men(Canadian Science Publishing, 2017-10-26) Bell, Kirsten E; Snijders, Tim; Zulyniak, Michael A; Kumbhare, Dinesh; Parise, Gianni; Chabowski, Adrian; Phillips, Stuart MWe evaluated whether twice daily consumption of a multi-ingredient nutritional supplement (SUPP) would reduce systemic inflammatory markers following 6wk of supplementation alone (Phase 1), and the subsequent addition of 12wk exercise training (Phase 2) in healthy older men, in comparison to a carbohydrate-based control (CON). Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-Îą) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentrations were progressively reduced (P-timeItem Open Access A multifaceted investigation into the effects of acute exercise on indices of brain function(Canadian Science Publishing, 2018-02-02) Walsh, Jeremy JThe present submission is a doctoral thesis abstract accepted by Queen's University on October 2, 2017. The body of the abstract is 350 words based on the Queen's dissertation format requirements and would not fit into the online forum. Please see the attached document for the full abstract.Item Open Access A narrative review exploring advances in interval training for endurance athletes(Canadian Science Publishing, 2024-03-25) Mølmen, Knut Sindre; Ronnestad, BentInterval training is considered an essential training component in endurance athletes. Recently, there has been a focus on optimization of interval training characteristics to sustain a high fraction of maximal oxygen consumption (≥ 90% VO2max) to improve physiological adaptations and performance. Herein, we present a synopsis of the latest research exploring both acute and chronic studies in endurance athletes. Further, a decision flowchart was created for athletes and coaches to select the most appropriate interval training regime for specific individualized goals.Item Open Access A narrative review of velocity-based training best practice: The importance of contraction intent vs. movement speed(Canadian Science Publishing, 2024-08-06) Behm, David G; Konrad, Andreas; Nakamura, Masatoshi; Alizadeh, Shahab; Culleton, Robyn; Hadjizadeh Anvar, Saman; Pearson, Liam T; Ramirez-Campillo, Rodrigo; Sale, DigbyExplosive movements requiring high force and power outputs are integral to many sports, posing distinct challenges for the neuromuscular system. Traditional resistance training can improve muscle strength, power, endurance, and range of motion; however, evidence regarding its effects on athletic performance, such as sprint speed, agility, and jump height, remains conflicting. The specificity of resistance training movements, including velocity, contraction type, and joint angles affects performance outcomes, demonstrates advantages when matching training modalities with targeted sports activities. However, independent of movement speed, the intent to contract explosively (ballistic) has also demonstrated high velocity-specific training adaptations. The purpose of this narrative review was to assess the impact of explosive or ballistic contraction intent on velocity-specific training adaptations. Such movement intent may predominantly elicit motor efferent neural adaptations, including motor unit recruitment and rate coding enhancements. Plyometrics, which utilize rapid stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) movements may augment high-speed movement efficiency and muscle activation, possibly leading to improved motor control through adaptations like faster eccentric force absorption, reduced amortization periods, and quicker transitions to explosive concentric contractions. An optimal training paradigm for power and performance enhancement might involve a combination of maximal explosive intent training with heavier loads and plyometric exercises with lighter loads at high velocities. This narrative review synthesizes key literature to answer whether contraction intent or movement speed is more critical for athletic performance enhancement, ultimately advocating for an integrative approach to resistance training tailored for sports-specific explosive action.Item Open Access A need for multi-sector and multi-pronged solutions to address the many barriers inhibiting change from unhealthy food environments in publicly funded recreation facilities: a mixed-method study(Canadian Science Publishing, 2022-04-29) Warken, Melanie May; Sanden, Tracy; Shanks, Naomi; Engler-Stringer, Rachel; Vatanparast, HassanPublic recreation facilities are preferred gathering places for families to participate in physical, social, intellectual, and creative pursuits, and the importance of food environments in these facilities is gaining recognition. Evidence from other Canadian jurisdictions describes such food environments as unsupportive of health, which contradicts national recreation priorities to have healthy choices as the easy choices. This study aimed to characterize food environments in a convenient sample of Saskatchewan public recreation facilities. A convergent/parallel mixed methods study design used quantitative methods to determine the healthfulness of concession stands and vending machines and qualitative methods to examine barriers and facilitators to healthy eating at facilitates. Results found that 5% of concession main dishes were defined as healthy and packaged foods/beverages in concession stands and vending machines were defined as Offer Most Often 6% and 8% of the time, respectively, according to Saskatchewan Nutrition Standards. Reported barriers to healthy eating were more than twice as prevalent as facilitators. To align with population health recommendations in Saskatchewan, food environments in public recreation facilities require immediate attention. Results and recommendations can be used to build collective action to address the problem and as a benchmark to measure change. Novelty Bullets • Only 5% of concession main dishes were defined as healthy. • Only 6% of packaged foods and beverages in concessions, and 8% in vending, were defined as Offer Most Often. • Reported barriers to healthy eating were more than twice as prevalent as facilitators, resulting in a current state that is difficult to change.Item Open Access A new aerobic fitness score based on lactate sensing during submaximal exercise(Canadian Science Publishing, 2019-12-13) Hagar, Amit; Melo, Luma; Hills, Grace; Kenshur, Nathan; Dickinson, StephanieGiven the known clinical utility of cardiorespiratory fitness, measurement of physiological responses to submaximal exercise may be a feasible approach well suited for diagnostic and prognostic purposes in non-athletes and the chronically ill. Lactate levels and watt output during a short submaximal exercise and a subsequent relaxation period yield an aerobic score that is consistent with cardiorespiratory fitness grades in non-athletes and that may be used as a marker in such approaches. In this study, 28 females (23 ± 3 years) were submitted to a 15 min submaximal recumbent bike session, and their capillary and saliva lactate concentrations were recorded and plotted against time. An individual aerobic score was calculated from this curve, using watt output during equal relative percentiles of maximum heart-rate benchmarks. The scores were compared with respective results in a V̇O2max test and with a similar scoring system in 14 older (51 ± 9 years) females; they correlated with the 6 categories of the V̇O2max test results and classified into 3 categories of V̇O2max grades (very poor/poor; fair/good; excellent/superior) with a combined accuracy of 80.95%. More studies are required to validate the potential utility of this submaximal test as an additional risk factor for diagnostic purposes in non-athletes. Novelty points: A novel method for estimating cardiorespiratory fitness during submaximal exercise consistent with V̇O2max performance. The method yields an aerobic score that may be used as a marker for diagnostic and prognostic purposes.Item Open Access A new conceptual framework for the integrated neural control of locomotor and sympathetic function: implications for exercise after spinal cord injury(Canadian Science Publishing, 2018-07-24) Cowley, Kristine CAll mammals, including humans, are designed to produce sustained locomotor movements. Many higher centres are involved in movement, but ultimately these centres act upon a core ‘rhythm-generating’ network within the brainstem-spinal cord. In addition, endurance-based locomotor exercise requires sympathetic neural support to maintain homeostasis and to provide needed metabolic resources. This review focuses on the roles and integration of these two neural systems. Part I reviews the cardiovascular, thermoregulatory and metabolic functions under spinal sympathetic control as revealed by spinal cord injury at different levels. Part II examines the integration between brainstem-spinal sympathetic pathways and the neural circuitry producing motor rhythms. In particular, the rostroventral medulla (RVM) contains the neural circuitry that: 1) integrates heart rate, contractility and blood flow in response to postural changes; 2) initiates and maintains cardiovascular adaptations for exercise; 3) provides direct descending innervation to pre-ganglionic neurons innervating the adrenal glands, white adipose tissue, and tissues responsible for cooling the body; 4) integrates descending sympathetic drive for energy substrate mobilization (lipolysis); and 5) is the relay for descending locomotor commands arising from higher brain centres. A unifying conceptual framework is presented, in which the RVM serves as the final descending supraspinal ‘exercise integration centre’ linking the descending locomotor command signal with the metabolic and homeostatic support needed to produce prolonged rhythmic activities. The role and rationale for an ascending sympathetic and locomotor drive from the lower to upper limbs within this framework is presented. Examples of new research directions based on this unifying framework are discussed.