This study aimed to explore the relationship between physical exercise (PE) and mobile phone dependence (MPD) in Chinese university students and verify the potential role of self-control (SC) in mediating the decrease of MPD by PE. Through the quota sampling, 608 students that complied with the requirements were surveyed from 10 universities in China. PE, MPD, and SC were assessed using standard scales. For data analysis, t-tests, correlation analysis, hierarchical regression, and regression analysis were carried out in turn. The results showed significant gender differences in PE, MPD, and SC. For male students, the level of PE and score of SC were higher than those in females, yet the MPD score was lower. PE and SC were negatively related to MPD (r = −0.124, p < 0.01; r = −0.563, p < 0.001), so both could remarkably predict MPD (β = −1.00, p < 0.05; β = −0.552, p < 0.001). Gender was also a significant predictor for MPD (β = 0.089, p < 0.05). PE could, to some extent, decrease MPD, in which SC played a significant mediating role—its mediating effect accounted for nearly 71% of the total effect. The present study shows that PE is negatively correlated with MPD, and SC mediates the decrease of MPD by PE for university students in China. This indicates that the improvement of SC by PE could be a highly trustworthy and practicable way to effectively address the issue of MPD in university students or other young people across the world.

These days, mobile phone dependency (MPD) has become one of the most imperative and impressive puzzles in the area of behavioral addictions and public health across the world, especially the individuals with MPD that might frequently crave using mobile phones themselves. The target of the current study was to determine whether moderate-intensity aerobic exercise could reduce the craving degree for mobile phones for university students with MPD by a randomized, controlled trial. Sixty Chinese undergraduates, including 30 male and 30 female students aged from 18 to 22 years (20.08 ± 1.94 years) with MPD were recruited and then randomly assigned to the exercise group (n = 30) or the control group (n = 30) with even numbers by gender and major. Participants in the exercise group were required to perform an acute moderate-intensity treadmill exercise lasting for 30 min at 45–68% heart rate reserve (HRR) with background music, while the control group were only asked to listen to the same music for 40 min without any exercise. Sport watches were employed to monitor their heart rate (HR), and the exercise group was also obliged to report their rating of perceived exertion (RPE). After completing the experimental task, a visual analog scale (VAS) was used to evaluate their craving degree for mobile phones, and an independent samples t-test was computed to reveal the difference in the scores of craving degree for mobile phones between the two groups. The results showed that the VAS score for the exercise group (3.77 ± 1.36) was significantly lower (p < 0.001) than that of the control group (6.11 ± 1.39). The findings suggested that acute moderate-intensity aerobic exercise could be an effective and reliable means to help deal with the issue of mobile phones craving for the undergraduates with MPD, and more longitudinal intervention studies and control trial designs should be conducted in the near future to further test the long-term effects of this exercise.

Background: Although aerobic exercise is the primary modality recommended for the treatment of hypertension, it remains unclear whether high-intensity all-out sprint interval training (SIT) can result in greater reductions of blood pressure (BP) and cardiorespiratory health. This systematic review aims to compare the impact of SITversusModerate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on improvements in resting systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) among adults.Methods: We conducted a systematic search of three online databases (PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science) from January 2000 to July 2023 to identify randomized controlled trials that compared the chronic effects of SITversusMICT on BP in participants with high or normal blood pressure. We extracted information on participant characteristics, exercise protocols, BP outcomes, and intervention settings. Furthermore, the changes in VO₂max between the two groups were analyzed using a meta-analysis. The pooled results were presented as weighted means with 95% confidence intervals (CI).Results: Out of the 1,874 studies initially were found, eight were included in this review, totaling 169 participants. A significant decrease in SBP (MD = −2.82 mmHg, 95% CI [−4.53 to −1.10],p = 0.08,I²=45%) was observed in the SIT group compared to before the training, but no significant decrease in DBP (MD = −0.75 mmHg, 95% CI [−1.92 to 0.42],p = 0.16,I²= 33%) was observed. In contrast, both SBP (MD = −3.00 mmHg, 95% CI [−5.31 to −0.69],p = 0.68,I²= 0%) and DBP (MD = −2.11 mmHg, 95% CI [−3.63 to −0.60],p = 0.72,I²= 0%) significantly decreased in the MICT group with low heterogeneity. No significant difference was found in resting SBP and DBP between SIT and MICT after the intervention. Both SIT and MICT significantly increased VO₂peak, with SIT resulting in a mean difference (MD) of 1.75 mL/kg/min (95% CI [0.39–3.10],p = 0.02,I²= 61%), and MICT resulting in a mean difference of 3.10 mL/kg/min (95% CI [1.03–5.18],p = 0.007,I²= 69%). MICT was more effective in improving VO₂peak (MD = −1.36 mL/kg/min, 95% CI [−2.31 to 0.40],p = 0.56,I²= 0%). Subgroup analysis of duration and single sprint time showed that SIT was more effective in reducing SBP when the duration was ≥8 weeks or when the sprint time was <30 s.Conclusion: Our meta-analysis showed that SIT is an effective intervention in reducing BP and improving cardiorespiratory fitness among adults. Consequently, SIT can be used in combination with traditional MICT to increase the variety, utility, and time efficiency of exercise prescriptions for different populations.

Background: Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a key hormone factor that regulates glucose and lipid homeostasis. Exercise may regulate its effects and affect disease states. Therefore, we sought to determine how exercise affects FGF21 concentrations in adults. Methods: The review was registered in the International Prospective Systematic Review (PROSPERO, CRD42023471163). The Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Web of Science databases were searched for studies through July 2023. Studies that assessed the effects of exercise training on FGF21 concentration in adults were included. The random effect model, data with standardized mean difference (SMD), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to evaluate the pooled effect size of exercise training on FGF21. The risk of heterogeneity and bias were evaluated. A total of 12 studies involving 401 participants were included. Results: The total effect size was 0.3 (95% CI [−0.3–0.89], p = 0.33) when comparing participants who exercised to those who were sedentary. However, subgroup analysis indicated that concurrent exercise and a duration ≥10 weeks significantly decreased FGF21 concentrations with an effect size of −0.38 (95% CI [−0.74–−0.01], p < 0.05) and −0.38 (95% CI [−0.63–−0.13], p < 0.01), respectively. Conclusion: Concurrent exercise and longer duration may be more efficient way to decrease FGF21 concentrations in adults with metabolic disorder.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the acute effects of exercise timing (morning vs. evening) on fat oxidation and energy expenditure in young men, with a focus on interactions between exercise and meal timing.Methods: Eighteen male college students (23.47 ± 2.11 years) completed a randomized crossover trial under five conditions: sedentary control (SC), exercise before breakfast (EBB), exercise after breakfast (EAB), exercise before dinner (EBD), and exercise after dinner (EAD). Indirect calorimetry (COSMED K5) measured substrate utilization during exercise, post-exercise recovery (0–4 h), and the following morning. Total exercise volume (running distance) was standardized, and energy expenditure was normalized to body weight (kcal/kg).Results: During the sedentary control test, participants showed similar trends in total energy expenditure. Dring exercise, the EBB group demonstrated significantly higher fat expenditure compared to EAB (P < 0.05), EBD (P < 0.01), and EAD (P < 0.01). Morning exercise overall exhibited superior fat oxidation (P < 0.01). Post-exercise (0–4 h), EBB sustained elevated fat utilization (P < 0.01 vs. EBD/EAD), while EAD showed enhanced fat oxidation the following morning (P < 0.01 vs. EAB).Conclusion: The findings suggest that exercise timing may influence temporal patterns of fat oxidation, with morning fasting potentially favoring acute lipid utilization, while evening exercise appears to correlate with delayed metabolic adjustments. Although total energy expenditure remained comparable across conditions, the observed shifts in substrate allocation imply a possible circadian-sensitive modulation of energy partitioning. These preliminary observations underscore the need for further investigation to clarify the long-term physiological relevance of such timing-dependent metabolic responses.