Health-related lifestyles in young adults are a public health concern because they affect the risk for developing noncommunicable diseases. Although unhealthy lifestyles tend to cluster together, most studies have analyzed their effects as independent factors. This study assessed the prevalence, association, and clustering of health-related lifestyles (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and quality of diet) among university students. This cross-sectional study examined a sample of student participants from the University of the Balearic Islands (n = 444; 67.8% females; mean age: 23.1 years). A self-reported questionnaire was used to assess health-related lifestyles. Men that consumed more alcohol, had less healthy diets, were more likely to be overweight, and performed more physical activity. Women had a higher prevalence of low weight and performed less physical activity. Physical activity had a negative association with time using a computer (OR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.76, 0.95) and a positive association with adherence to the Mediterranean diet (OR: 1.16; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.32). Adherence to the Mediterranean diet had a negative association with tobacco consumption (OR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.30, 0.91), and positive associations with having breakfast every day (OR: 1.70; 95% CI: 1.05, 2.76) and consuming more daily meals (OR: 1.43; 95% CI: 1.10, 1.87). Cluster analysis indicated the presence of three distinct groups: Unhealthy lifestyles with moderate risk; unhealthy lifestyles with high risk; and healthy lifestyles with low risk. Health promotion interventions in the university environment that focus on multiple lifestyles could have a greater effect than interventions that target any single lifestyle.

Background: People with prediabetes have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D). Few studies have evaluated the influence of lifestyle factors on the risk of progression to diabetes and reversion to normoglycemia. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of T2D in a large cohort of workers with prediabetes, and to evaluate the influence of sociodemographic, clinical, metabolic, and lifestyle factors that affect the persistence of prediabetes and the progression to T2D. Methods: A cohort study of 27,844 adult workers (aged 20 to 65 years) from Spain who had prediabetes based on an occupational medical examination from 2012 to 2013. Prediabetes was defined as fasting plasma glucose (FPG) between 100 and 125 mg/dL. At the baseline evaluation, sociodemographic, anthropometric, metabolic, and lifestyle data were collected. At the 5-year follow-up, incident T2D was defined as an FPG of at least 126 mg/dL or initiation of an antidiabetic medication. Results: Among 235,995 initially screened workers, the prevalence of T2D was 14.19% (95% confidence interval (CI) 14.05 to 14.33) and the prevalence of prediabetes was 11.85% (95% CI 11.71 to 11.99). Follow-up data were available for 23,293 individuals with prediabetes. Among them, 36.08% (95% CI 35.46 to 36.70) returned to normoglycemia, 40.92% (95% CI 40.29 to 41.55) had persistent prediabetes, and 23.00% (95% CI 22.46 to 23.54) progressed to T2D. The risk for persistence of prediabetes and for progression to T2D increased with age, body mass index (BMI), triglyceride level, and less than 150 min/week of physical activity. An HbA1c level of 6% or greater was the strongest individual predictor of progression to T2D. Conclusions: Physical activity, diet, smoking, and BMI are modifiable factors that are associated with the persistence of prediabetes and the progression to T2D. The workplace is a feasible setting for the early detection of prediabetes and the promotion of lifestyles that can prevent progression to T2D.

The effects of antioxidant diet supplements on blood lactate concentration and on the aerobic and anaerobic thresholds and their adaptations to training were analysed. Fifteen amateur male athletes were randomly assigned to either a placebo group or an antioxidant-supplemented group (90 days supplementation with 500 mg · day⁻¹ of vitamin E and 30 mg · day⁻¹ of β-carotene, and the last 15 days also with 1 g · day⁻¹ of vitamin C). Before and after the antioxidant supplements, the sportsmen performed a maximal exercise test on a cycle ergometer and maximal and submaximal physiological parameters were assessed together with blood lactate concentration. Maximal oxygen uptake ([Vdot]O_2max), maximal blood lactate concentration, and the maximal workload attained rose significantly in both groups after the 3 months of training. At the end of the study, maximal blood lactate concentration was lower in the group that took supplements than in the placebo group. The percentage of [Vdot]O_2max attained at the anaerobic threshold rose significantly in both groups after 3 months of training, although the final value in the supplemented group was higher than that in the placebo group. Antioxidant diet supplements induced lower increases in blood lactate concentration after a maximal exercise test and could improve the efficiency in which aerobic energy is obtained.

Low-grade chronic inflammation is associated with many chronic diseases and pathological conditions. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of regular caffeine intake, physical activity levels, and sedentary behavior on the inflammatory status in healthy participants. In total, 112 men and 132 women aged 18 to 55 years and belonging to the staff and student population of the University of the Balearic Islands volunteered to participate in this descriptive cross-sectional study. Plasma concentrations of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory markers were measured. Weight, height, and body composition (bioelectrical impedance) were determined. Caffeine intake, physical activity levels and sitting time, and diet quality were determined using questionnaires. Statistical regression analysis showed that caffeine intake was a negative predictor of C-reactive protein (CRP) (p = 0.001). Body fat percentage was positively associated with CRP (p < 0.001) and inversely associated with adiponectin (p = 0.032) and interleukin (IL)-10 levels (p = 0.001). Visceral fat was the main predictor for IL-6 (p < 0.001) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (p < 0.001). Sitting time was found to be the main, inverse, predictor for IL-10 (p < 0.001), and a positive predictor for TNF-α (p < 0.001). In conclusion, regular caffeine consumption induced very limited anti-inflammatory effects. Sedentary behavior and body fat accumulation induced significant pro-inflammatory effects.

People with cardiovascular risk have more depression than the general population. Depression and cardiovascular risk have been commonly linked to lower sense of coherence (SOC) values, unhealthy lifestyles, and poor sleep quality. The aim of this study was to analyze the association between depression, health-related lifestyles, sleep quality, and SOC in a population with cardiovascular risk. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 310 participants (aged 35–75 years) with cardiovascular risk. Sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics, cardiovascular risk, SOC score, depression levels, sleep quality, and lifestyles (physical activity, diet quality (measured as the adherence to the Mediterranean diet), and tobacco and alcohol consumption) were determined. The regression analysis showed significant associations between depression levels and sex (odds ratio (OR): 2.29; 95% CI: 1.29, 4.07), diet (OR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.73, 0.99), body mass index (BMI) (OR: 1.06; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.12), cardiovascular disease (CVD) (OR: 2.55; 95% CI: 1.18, 5.48), sleep quality (OR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.15, 0.46), and SOC (OR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.94, 0.98). Protective effects of male sex, a lower BMI, no CVD, a higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet, a high sleep quality, and a higher SOC were found. In conclusion, among lifestyles determined, only diet was associated with depression levels. SOC and sleep quality were also found as significant predictors for depression levels.

Lower socio-economic status (SES) is significantly associated with metabolic syndrome (MS) prevalence, possibly affecting women more than men, although evidence in Spain is still limited. The present cross-sectional study analyzed the association between MS and SES by age and gender among 42,146 working adults living in the Balearic Islands (Spain). Prevalence was higher in men (9.4% by ATP-III; 12.3% by IDF) than women (3.8% by ATP-III; 5.7% by IDF) and in the lower social class (7.9% by ATP-III; 10.7% by IDF) than the higher (4.1% by ATP-III; 5.9% by IDF). The SES gradient in MS prevalence was larger in women (PR 95% CI: 3.38, 2.50–4.58 by ATP-III; 3.06, 2.43–3.86 by IDF) than in men (1.23, 1.06–1.41 by ATP-III; 1.15, 1.03–1.30 by IDF) and was already evident from early adulthood, reaching the highest ratio at the late stages of middle adulthood (4.34, 1.11–16.98). Among men, it was significant during the late stages of early adulthood only (1.80, 1.19–2.73). Lower SES influenced MS prevalence in both genders, however, women seemed more affected than men. From a public health perspective, SES could be strongly associated with the burden of MS; in an effort to reduce its prevalence, public health policies should focus on gender differences in socio-economic inequality and consider women with low socio-economic resources as a priority.