Submit to JCM Review for JCM Propose a Special Issue

Journal Browser

Effects of Physical Activity on Chronic Disease

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Published Papers

A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Epidemiology & Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2023) | Viewed by 15237

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special issue Effects of Physical Activity on Chronic Disease book cover image

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yoshiaki Minakata

E-Mail
Guest Editor

National Hospital Organization Wakayama Hospital, Hidaka-gun, Wakayama, Japan
Interests: COPD; physical activity; sedentary behavior; intervention

Dr. Kazuhisa Asai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
Interests: COPD; airway inflammation; oxidative stress; asthma

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Decreased physical activity is an important risk factor for poor mortality in the general population and in patients with several chronic diseases. Increased physical activity and decreased sedentary behavior could have a positive effect on health and disease progression in patients with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or mental disorders, among others. However, there are still several uncertainties regarding physical activity and sedentary behavior, including their evaluation methods, their characteristics in each disease, effective interventions, the factors associated with physical inactivity and prolonged sedentary behavior, and the physiological and molecular mechanisms of physical inactivity leading to poor prognosis.

This Special Issue aims to clarify the characteristics of physical activity and sedentary behavior in various chronic diseases and to know what interventions may improve physical activity more effectively.

We invite researchers to present articles on the advances in research on physical activity and sedentary behavior in chronic diseases from the perspective of measurement, characteristics, intervention, associated factors, and mechanisms. We are particularly interested in articles evaluating the effects of intervention on physical activity or sedentary behavior in different chronic diseases. Original articles, reviews and short communications are welcome.

Dr. Yoshiaki Minakata
Dr. Kazuhisa Asai
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Clinical Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (10 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Review

17 pages, 1006 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Interval Training Combined with Occlusion and Cooling on Selected Indicators of Blood, Muscle Metabolism and Oxidative Stress

by Bartłomiej Ptaszek, Szymon Podsiadło, Olga Czerwińska-Ledwig, Bartosz Zając, Rafał Niżankowski, Piotr Mika and Aneta Teległów

J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(24), 7636; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12247636 - 12 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1011

Abstract

There is increasing evidence to support the use of interval training and/or low-impact blood flow restriction exercises in musculoskeletal rehabilitation. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of interval training combined with occlusion and cooling in terms of changes in selected blood parameters affecting the development and progression of atherosclerosis of the lower limbs, as well as selected parameters of muscle metabolism and oxidative stress affecting the growth of muscle mass and regeneration after training. Material and methods: The study included 30 young, healthy and untrained people. The VASPER (Vascular Performance) training system was used—High-Intensity Interval Training with the simultaneous use of occlusion and local cryotherapy. Blood from the project participants was collected six times (2 weeks before the start of training, on the day of training, after the first training, after the 10th training, after the 20th training and two weeks after the end of training). The subjects were randomly divided into three groups: exercises only (controlled), with occlusion and with occlusion and local cryotherapy. Results: Statistical analysis of changes in the average values of indicators in all study groups showed a significant change increase due to the time of testing IGF-1 (F = 2.37, p = 0.04), XOD (F = 14.26, p = 0.00), D-Dimer (F = 2.90, p = 0.02), and decrease in MDA (F = 7.14, p = 0.00), T-AOC (F = 11.17, p = 0.00), PT Quick (F = 26.37, p = 0.00), INR (F = 8.79, p = 0.00), TT (F = 3.81, p = 0.00). The most pronounced changes were observed in the occlusion and cooling group. Conclusions: Both interval training without and with the modifications used in the study influences coagulation and oxidative stress parameters and, to a small extent, muscle metabolism. It seems reasonable to use occlusion and local cryotherapy in combination with occlusion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Physical Activity on Chronic Disease)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 1150 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhanced Physical Capacity and Gastrointestinal Symptom Improvement in Southern Italian IBS Patients following Three Months of Moderate Aerobic Exercise

by Antonella Bianco, Francesco Russo, Isabella Franco, Giuseppe Riezzo, Rossella Donghia, Ritanna Curci, Caterina Bonfiglio, Laura Prospero, Benedetta D’Attoma, Antonia Ignazzi, Angelo Campanella and Alberto Ruben Osella

J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(21), 6786; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12216786 - 26 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1234

Abstract

Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise improves gastrointestinal (GI) health and alleviates irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms. This study explored its effects on physical capacity (PC) and IBS symptoms in 40 patients from Southern Italy (11 males, 29 females; 52.10 ± 7.72 years). The exercise program involved moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (60/75% of HRmax) for at least 180 min per week. Before and after the intervention, participants completed the IBS-SSS questionnaire to assess IBS symptoms, reported their physical activity levels, and underwent field tests to evaluate PC. PC was quantified as the Global Physical Capacity Score (GPCS). A total of 38 subjects (21 males, 17 females; 53.71 ± 7.27 years) without lower GI symptoms served as a No IBS group. No significant differences were found between IBS patients and No IBS subjects, except for the symptom score, as expected. After the exercise, all participants experienced significant improvements in both IBS symptoms and PC. Higher PC levels correlated with greater benefits in IBS symptomatology, especially with GPCS reaching above-average values. Engaging in moderate-intensity aerobic exercise for at least 180 min per week positively impacts IBS symptoms and PC. Monitoring GPCS in IBS patients provides insights into the connection between physical activity and symptom severity, aiding healthcare professionals in tailoring effective treatment plans. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Physical Activity on Chronic Disease)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

8 pages, 2677 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Physical Activity Estimated by the Wearable Device in Lung Disease Patients: Exploratory Analyses of Prospective Observational Study

by Kentaro Ito, Maki Esumi, Seiya Esumi, Yuta Suzuki, Tadashi Sakaguchi, Kentaro Fujiwara, Yoichi Nishii, Hiroki Yasui, Osamu Taguchi and Osamu Hataji

J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(13), 4424; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12134424 - 30 Jun 2023

Viewed by 1137

Abstract

Background. Physical activity is a potential parameter to assess the severity or prognosis of lung disease. However, the differences in physical activity between healthy individuals and patients with lung disease remain unclear. Methods. The analyses in this report are a combined analysis of four cohorts, including a healthy control cohort, in a prospective study designed to evaluate wearable device-estimated physical activity in three cohorts: the lung cancer cohort, the interstitial pneumonia cohort, and the COPD cohort (UMIN000047834). In this report, physical activity in the lung disease cohort was compared with that in the healthy cohort. Subgroup analyses were performed based on age, sex, duration of wearable device use, and lung disease subtype. Results. A total of 238 cases were analyzed, including 216 patients with lung disease and 22 healthy cases. Distance walked and number of steps were significantly lower in the patient group compared to the healthy control group. ROC analysis for the diagnostic value of lung disease by mean distance walked and mean number of steps showed AUC of 0.764 (95%CI, 0.673 to 0.856) and 0.822 (95%CI, 0.740 to 0.905), respectively. There was a significant difference in physical activity by age, but not by gender nor by duration based on the threshold of 7 days of wearing the device. Conclusions. Lung disease decreases physical activity compared to healthy subjects, and aging may bias the estimation of physical activity. The distance walked or number of steps is recommended as a measure of physical activity, with a period of approximately one week and adjusted for age for future investigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Physical Activity on Chronic Disease)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 2301 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Neural Network Approach to Investigating the Importance of Test Items for Predicting Physical Activity in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

by Yoshiki Nakahara, Shingo Mabu, Tsunahiko Hirano, Yoriyuki Murata, Keiko Doi, Ayumi Fukatsu-Chikumoto and Kazuto Matsunaga

J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(13), 4297; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12134297 - 27 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1007

Abstract

Contracting COPD reduces a patient’s physical activity and restricts everyday activities (physical activity disorder). However, the fundamental cause of physical activity disorder has not been found. In addition, costly and specialized equipment is required to accurately examine the disorder; hence, it is not regularly assessed in normal clinical practice. In this study, we constructed a machine learning model to predict physical activity using test items collected during the normal care of COPD patients. In detail, we first applied three types of data preprocessing methods (zero-padding, multiple imputation by chained equations (MICE), and k-nearest neighbor (kNN)) to complement missing values in the dataset. Then, we constructed several types of neural networks to predict physical activity. Finally, permutation importance was calculated to identify the importance of the test items for prediction. Multifactorial analysis using machine learning, including blood, lung function, walking, and chest imaging tests, was the unique point of this research. From the experimental results, it was found that the missing value processing using MICE contributed to the best prediction accuracy (73.00%) compared to that using zero-padding (68.44%) or kNN (71.52%), and showed better accuracy than XGBoost (66.12%) with a significant difference (p < 0.05). For patients with severe physical activity reduction (total exercise < 1.5), a high sensitivity (89.36%) was obtained. The permutation importance showed that “sex, the number of cigarettes, age, and the whole body phase angle (nutritional status)” were the most important items for this prediction. Furthermore, we found that a smaller number of test items could be used in ordinary clinical practice for the screening of physical activity disorder. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Physical Activity on Chronic Disease)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

11 pages, 949 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Utility of the Shortness of Breath in Daily Activities Questionnaire (SOBDA-Q) to Detect Sedentary Behavior in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

by Yoshikazu Yamaji, Tsunahiko Hirano, Hiromasa Ogawa, Ayumi Fukatsu-Chikumoto, Kazuki Matsuda, Kazuki Hamada, Shuichiro Ohata, Ryo Suetake, Yoriyuki Murata, Keiji Oishi, Maki Asami-Noyama, Nobutaka Edakuni, Tomoyuki Kakugawa and Kazuto Matsunaga

J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(12), 4105; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12124105 - 17 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1167

Abstract

Sedentary behavior has been shown to be an independent predictor of mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, physicians have difficulty ascertaining patients’ activity levels because they tend to avoid shortness of breath. The reformed shortness of breath (SOB) in the daily activities questionnaire (SOBDA-Q) specifies the degree of SOB by measuring low-intensity activity behavior in everyday living. Therefore, we aimed to explore the utility of the SOBDA-Q in detecting sedentary COPD. We compared the modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale (mMRC), COPD assessment test (CAT), and SOBDA-Q with physical activity levels (PAL) in 17 healthy patients, 32 non-sedentary COPD patients (PAL ≥ 1.5 METs·h), and 15 sedentary COPD patients (PAL < 1.5 METs·h) in this cross-sectional study. CAT and all domains of the SOBDA-Q in all patients are significantly correlated with PAL, even after adjusting for age. The dietary domain has the highest specificity, and the outdoor activity domain has the highest sensitivity for detecting sedentary COPD. Combining these domains helped determine patients with sedentary COPD (AUC = 0.829, sensitivity = 1.00, specificity = 0.55). The SOBDA-Q is associated with PAL and could be a useful tool for determining patients with sedentary COPD. Moreover, eating and outing inactivity claims reflect sedentary behavior in patients with COPD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Physical Activity on Chronic Disease)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 528 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing Cognition in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment through High-Intensity Functional Training: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

by Yulieth Rivas-Campo, Agustín Aibar-Almazán, Carlos Rodríguez-López, Diego Fernando Afanador-Restrepo, Patricia Alexandra García-Garro, Yolanda Castellote-Caballero, Alexander Achalandabaso-Ochoa and Fidel Hita-Contreras

J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(12), 4049; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12124049 - 14 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1442

Abstract

Physical exercise is a very promising non-pharmacological approach to prevent or reduce the cognitive decline that occurs in people aged 60 years or older. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a high-intensity intervallic functional training (HIFT) program on cognitive functions in an elderly Colombian population with mild cognitive impairment. A controlled clinical trial was developed with a sample of 132 men and women aged >65 years, linked to geriatric care institutions, which were systematically blind randomized. The intervention group (IG) received a 3-month HIFT program (n = 64) and the control group (CG) (n = 68) received general physical activity recommendations and practiced manual activities. The outcome variables addressed cognition (MoCA), attention (TMTA), executive functions (TMTB), verbal fluency (VFAT test), processing speed (Digit Symbol Substitution Test-DSST), selective attention and concentration (d2 test). After the analysis, improvement was found in the IG with significant differences with respect to the CG in the level of cognitive impairment (MoCA), attention (TMTA), verbal fluency and concentration (p < 0.001). Executive functions (TMTB) showed differences in both groups, being slightly higher in the IG (p = 0.037). However, no statistically significant results were found for selective attention (p = 0.55) or processing speed (p = 0.24). The multiple analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) showed the influence of the education level on all cognition assessments (p = 0.026); when adjusting for sociodemographic variables, the influence of the intervention remained significant (p < 0.001). This study empirically validates that the implementation of a HIFT program has a positive effect on cognitive functions in elderly people with mild cognitive impairment. Therefore, professionals specialized in the care of this population could consider including functional training programs as an essential part of their therapeutic approaches. The distinctive features of this program, such as its emphasis on functional training and high intensity, appear to be relevant for stimulating cognitive health in the geriatric population. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Physical Activity on Chronic Disease)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 1234 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Computed Tomography Lung Density Analysis: An Imaging Biomarker Predicting Physical Inactivity in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Pilot Study

by Yoriyuki Murata, Tsunahiko Hirano, Keiko Doi, Ayumi Fukatsu-Chikumoto, Kazuki Hamada, Keiji Oishi, Tomoyuki Kakugawa, Masafumi Yano and Kazuto Matsunaga

J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(8), 2959; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12082959 - 19 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1237

Abstract

Physical inactivity correlates with poor prognosis in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is suggested to be related to lung hyperinflation. We examined the association between physical activity and the expiratory to inspiratory (E/I) ratio of mean lung density (MLD), the imaging biomarker of resting lung hyperinflation. COPD patients (n = 41) and healthy controls (n = 12) underwent assessment of pulmonary function and physical activity with an accelerometer, as well as computed tomography at full inspiration and expiration. E/I_MLD was calculated by measuring inspiratory and expiratory MLD. Exercise (EX) was defined as metabolic equivalents × duration (hours). COPD patients had higher E/I_MLD (0.975 vs. 0.964) than healthy subjects. When dividing COPD patients into sedentary (EX < 1.5) and non-sedentary (EX ≥ 1.5) groups, E/I_MLD in the sedentary group was statistically higher than that in the non-sedentary group (0.983 vs. 0.972). E/I_MLD > 0.980 was a good predictor of sedentary behavior in COPD (sensitivity, 0.815; specificity, 0.714). Multivariate analysis showed that E/I_MLD was associated with sedentary behavior (odds ratio, 0.39; p = 0.04), independent of age, symptomology, airflow obstruction, and pulmonary diffusion. In conclusion, higher E/I_MLD scores are associated with sedentary behavior and can be a useful imaging biomarker for the early detection of physical inactivity in COPD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Physical Activity on Chronic Disease)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

9 pages, 1961 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Validation of Simple Prediction Equations for Step Count in Japanese Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

by Yuichiro Azuma, Yoshiaki Minakata, Mai Kato, Masanori Tanaka, Yusuke Murakami, Seigo Sasaki, Kazumi Kawabe and Hideya Ono

J. Clin. Med. 2022, 11(19), 5535; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11195535 - 21 Sep 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1262

Abstract

Physical activity is decreased in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and decreased physical activity leads to a poor prognosis. To determine an individual’s target step count from the measured step counts and predicted step counts, simple and detailed prediction equations for step count were developed. To verify the validity of the simple prediction equation, the validity of the simple equation was evaluated in a different cohort and the correlation between the step counts calculated by the simple equation and those by the detailed prediction equation were evaluated. When the step counts calculated by the simple prediction equation for all participants were compared with the measured step counts, a significant correlation was obtained among them, and the calculated values were found to be reproducible with the measured values in patients with a measured step count of <6500 by Bland–Altman plots. Furthermore, the values calculated by the simple prediction equation and those calculated by the detailed prediction equation showed a significant correlation. In conclusion, the simple prediction equation was considered reasonable. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Physical Activity on Chronic Disease)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

15 pages, 1582 KiB

Open AccessReview

Objective Measurement of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Points to Keep in Mind during Evaluations

by Yoshiaki Minakata, Yuichiro Azuma, Seigo Sasaki and Yusuke Murakami

J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(9), 3254; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12093254 - 2 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2306

Abstract

Objective measurement methods using accelerometers have become the mainstream approach for evaluating physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB). However, several problems face the objective evaluation of PA and SB in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). For example, indicators of PA differ depending on whether the accelerometer detects the kind of activity on the one hand, or its intensity on the other. Measured data are also strongly influenced by environmental factors (weather, season, employment status, etc.) and methodological factors (days with uncommon activities, non-wearing time, minimum required wearing time per day, minimum number of valid days required, etc.). Therefore, adjusting for these factors is required when evaluating PA or SB, especially when evaluating the effects of intervention. The exclusion of sleeping time, unification of total measurement time, and minimization of the required wearing time per day might be more important for the evaluation of ST than for evaluating PA. The lying-down-time-to-sitting-time ratio was shown to be larger in COPD patients than in healthy subjects. In this review, we clarified the problems encountered during objective evaluations of PA and SB in patients with COPD and encouraged investigators to recognize the presence of these problems and the importance of adjusting for them. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Physical Activity on Chronic Disease)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 691 KiB

Open AccessReview

Clinical Impacts of Interventions for Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior on Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

by Hiroki Tashiro and Koichiro Takahashi

J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(4), 1631; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12041631 - 17 Feb 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2605

Abstract

Recently, physical activity has increasingly become the focus in patients with chronic obstructive airway disease (COPD) because it is a strong predictor of COPD-related mortality. In addition, sedentary behavior, which is included as a category of physical inactivity including such behaviors as sitting or lying down, has an independent clinical impact on COPD patients. The present review examines clinical data related to physical activity, focusing on the definition, associated factors, beneficial effects, and biological mechanisms in patients with COPD and with respect to human health regardless of COPD. The data related to how sedentary behavior is associated with human health and COPD outcomes are also examined. Lastly, possible interventions to improve physical activity or sedentary behavior, such as bronchodilators and pulmonary rehabilitation with behavior modification, to ameliorate the pathophysiology of COPD patients are described. A better understanding of the clinical impact of physical activity or sedentary behavior may lead to the planning of a future intervention study to establish high-level evidence. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Physical Activity on Chronic Disease)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Effects of Physical Activity on Chronic Disease

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Published Papers (10 papers)

Research

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI