The prevalence of obesity continues to rise worldwide despite evidence-based public health recommendations. The promise to adopt a healthy lifestyle is increasingly important for tackling this global epidemic. Calorie restriction or regular exercise or a combination of the two is accepted as an effective strategy in preventing or treating obesity. Furthermore, the benefits conferred by regular exercise to overcome obesity are attributed not only to reduced adiposity or reduced levels of circulating lipids but also to the proteins, peptides, enzymes, and metabolites that are released from contracting skeletal muscle or other organs. The secretion of these molecules called cytokines in response to exercise induces browning of white adipose tissue by increasing the expression of brown adipocyte-specific genes within the white adipose tissue, suggesting that exercise-induced cytokines may play a significant role in preventing obesity. In this review, we present research-based evidence supporting the effects of exercise and various diet interventions on preventing obesity and adipose tissue health. We also discuss the interplay between adipose tissue and the cytokines secreted from skeletal muscle and other organs that are known to affect adipose tissue and metabolism.

Sports participation is not without risk, and most athletes incur at least one injury throughout their careers. Combat sports are popular all around the world, and about one-third of their injuries result in more than 7 days of absence from competition or training. The most frequently injured body regions are the head and neck, followed by the upper and lower limbs, while the most common tissue types injured are superficial tissues and skin, followed by ligaments and joint capsules. Nutrition has significant implications for injury prevention and enhancement of the recovery process due to its effect on the overall physical and psychological well-being of the athlete and improving tissue healing. In particular, amino acid and protein intake, antioxidants, creatine, and omega-3 are given special attention due to their therapeutic roles in preventing muscle loss and anabolic resistance as well as promoting injury healing. The purpose of this review is to present the roles of various nutritional strategies in reducing the risk of injury and improving the treatment and rehabilitation process in combat sports. In this respect, nutritional considerations for muscle, joint, and bone injuries as well as sports-related concussions are presented. The injury risk associated with rapid weight loss is also discussed. Finally, preoperative nutrition and nutritional considerations for returning to a sport after rehabilitation are addressed.

Objective: To investigate the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and sprint interval training (SIT) on fat oxidation during exercise (FatOx) and how they compare with the effects of moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT).Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.Data sources: Academic Search Ultimate, CINAHL, Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations, Open Access Theses and Dissertations, OpenDissertations, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science.Eligibility criteria for selecting studies: Studies using a between-group design, involving adult participants who were not trained athletes, and evaluating effects of HIIT or SIT on FatOx (vs no exercise or MICT) were included.Results: Eighteen studies of fair-to-good quality were included; nine comparing HIIT or SIT with no exercise and eleven comparing HIIT or SIT with MICT. A significant pooled effect of these types of interval training on FatOx was found (mean difference in g/min (MD)=0.08; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.04 to 0.12;p<0.001). Significant effects were found for exercise regimens lasting ≥4 weeks, and they increased with every additional week of training (β=0.01; 95% CI 0.00 to 0.02;p=0.003). HIIT and/or SIT were slightly more effective than MICT (MD=0.03; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.05;p=0.005). The effects on FatOx were larger among individuals with overweight/obesity.Conclusion: Engaging in HIIT or SIT can improve FatOx, with larger effects expected for longer training regimens and individuals with overweight/obesity. While some effects seem small, they may be important in holistic approaches to enhance metabolic health and manage obesity.

This study aimed to determine the effects of walking exercise to induce a mild energy deficit and to improve body composition and metabolic status in postmenopausal women (PMW) with obesity as means of minimizing endocrine disruption and maintaining bone health. Twenty-four PMW with obesity (age: 55.0 ± 3.7 y, BMI: 32.9 ± 4.2 kg/m², percent body fat: 46.2 ± 3.6%) were randomly assigned into either exercise (n = 12) or control (n = 12) groups. Exercise group participated in a-10 week supervised progressive walking programme and control group maintained regular habits. Pre- and post-training assessments included body composition, bone mass, peak oxygen uptake ( $\dot{\mathrm{V}}$O_2peak), osteocalcin, bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), type I collagen cross-linked C-telopeptide (CTX)glucose, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c)), leptin and adiponectin. Results: Following the training program, body weight (2.6%; p < 0.001), fat mass (4.5%; p = 0.002), resting glucose (6.8%; p = 0.017), and HbA1c (3.7%; p = 0.047) decreased, while relative $\dot{\mathrm{V}}$O_2peak (16%; p < 0.001) increased in the exercise group. Leptin, adiponectin, CTX, osteocalcin or BAP did not change in either group. In conclusion, small dose of aerobic exercise improves key markers of metabolic health in PMW with obesity without negatively affecting markers of bone metabolism.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of a 12-week high-intensity interval training on inflammatory cytokines, adipokines, and markers of bone turnover and examine whether high-intensity interval training-induced changes in inflammatory cytokines and adipokines were associated with changes in markers of bone turnover. Twenty-four women with obesity (mean [standard deviation]: age: 36.1 [3.38] years, height: 158.9 [11.9] cm, and body mass index: 31.9 [1.5] kg/m²) were randomly assigned to either control (n=10) or high-intensity interval training (n=14) groups. Body mass (− 2.7%), fat mass (− 15%), and percent body fat (− 6.2%) significantly decreased (p<0.05), while the predicted V̇O_2max increased (29.6%; p<0.001) following the high-intensity interval training program. The training program resulted in increased adiponectin (7.6%) and osteocalcin (11.3%; p<0.05) and reduced tumor necrosis factor alpha (66.1%), interleukin-1α (18.6%), C-reactive protein (24.0%), leptin (21.5%), and carboxy-terminal telopeptide cross-linking type one collagen (14%; p<0.05). When high-intensity interval training and control groups were analyzed separately, training-induced changes in inflammatory cytokines and adipokines were not associated with changes in bone turnover markers (p>0.05), whereas significant associations were found when the data of the groups were analyzed together (p<0.05). In conclusion, a 12-week high-intensity interval exercise program improves the inflammatory state, adipokines, markers of bone turnover, cardiorespiratory fitness, and body composition in women with obesity. Received: 26 August 2024 Accepted after revision: 11 December 2024 Article published online: 06 March 2025 © 2025. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

Changes in estradiol and progesterone hormones and associated fluid retention during the menstrual cycle phases might affect body composition (BC) in women.The main objectives of this study were to...