This study evaluated the effects of exercise interventions on sleep quality and weight loss through a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library for publications up to December 2022. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the analysis. The Risk of Bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 (ROB 2) tool, and disagreements were resolved by consensus. Data synthesis and meta-analysis were performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Version 4 (CMA version 4) software, with outcomes expressed as pooled effect sizes, odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Seven RCTs encompassing 908 participants were analyzed. The meta-analysis indicated a significant improvement in sleep outcomes (OR = 3.93, 95% CI [2.04, 7.56], p < 0.001). The combined aerobic and resistance exercise regimen showed the most substantial effects on sleep quality. Additionally, four of the seven RCTs included in the weight loss analysis indicated a significant improvement in weight loss (OR = 2.58, 95% CI [1.79, 3.71], p < 0.001). Exercise interventions have a strong potential for improving sleep quality and weight loss in adults with obesity. Future studies should focus on developing optimized targeted strategies for sleep enhancement.

Total energy expenditure (TEE) is essential for understanding the growth, development, and physical activity of children and adolescents. This study aimed to summarize the existing evidence on TEE measured using the doubly labeled water (DLW) technique in children and adolescents aged 1–18 years. Furthermore, this review compared TEE between obese and normal-weight participants. This systematic review used the PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and EBSCO databases. These studies were limited to those published in English between January 2000 and December 2021. Articles presenting objectively measured data on the TEE of children and adolescents aged 1–18 years measured using the DLW method were included. Physical activity level (PAL; TEE/basal metabolic rate [BMR]) and BMR data were also obtained. The search strategy identified 2,351 articles, of which 63 (n=4,283 children and adolescents; 45.4% male) met the selection criteria. The participants in the 10 studies were overweight or obese (n=413). In our study, TEE increased in male and female participants aged 1–18 years. PAL increased with age in males (y=0.0272x+1.3887, r2=0.511) and females (y=0.0199x+1.401, r2=0.335), and the slope of PAL with age did not differ between males and females. The TEE of obese and overweight participants was higher than that of normal-weight participants, but the slope of TEE did not differ between normal-weight (y=132.99x+702.24, r2=0.877) and obese individuals (y=136.18x+1,037.9, r2=0.842). In conclusion, this review provides convincing evidence that daily TEE progressively increases with growth in males and females aged 1–18 years.

Background/Objectives: Sleep problems are frequently experienced and play an important role in inflammation and disease risk. US Montmorency tart cherries (MTC) improve sleep outcomes in previous studies, but studies in individuals with overweight and obesity are lacking. Methods: A total of 34 individuals with sleep issues and overweight or obesity (BMI: 32.1 ± 7.0 kg/m²) were recruited to this randomized controlled, crossover study. MTC capsules (500 mg) or a placebo were taken one hour before bed for 14 days. Sleep outcomes including total sleep time, deep and REM sleep duration, nap duration, and nocturnal sleep duration were assessed using the Zmachine and/or Fitbit Inspire 3. Subjective sleep information on quality and insomnia symptoms was collected using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Sleep Quality Scale, and the Insomnia Severity Index. Markers of inflammation included C-reactive protein, TNF-α, and IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-17A. Results: No significant effects of MTC supplementation were observed for any of the measures of interest (p > 0.05 for all). Conclusions: These results suggest studies of individuals with overweight and obesity should test higher doses of MTC than those currently recommended.

Insufficient sleep has been increasingly recognised as a risk factor for obesity, yet the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Research suggests that sleep restriction promotes excessive dietary intake, and it is commonly assumed that this relationship can be explained by appetite dysregulation. Human appetite is multifaceted and includes homeostatic appetite regulation (governed by energy balance), hedonic responses to food and motivation to eat. However, these appetitive dimensions have rarely been considered together when understanding the links between sleep restriction and excessive dietary intake. Having employed a systematic literature search, this review synthesises evidence from human randomised, controlled trials within a comprehensive conceptual framework to critically examine the veracity of assumptions on whether sleep restriction heightens appetite sensations and, subsequently, increases dietary intake. This review demonstrates that the effects of sleep restriction on appetite and motivation to eat were inconsistent and often incongruent with observed changes in dietary intake. In many cases, higher energy intake following sleep restriction was not explained by corresponding changes in appetite or motivation to eat, challenging prevailing assumptions about causal pathways. We propose that these inconsistencies are likely driven, at least in part, by methodological limitations and the lack of an integrative framework that guides study design and interpretation. This review highlights that a structured framework that explicitly links sleep, appetite and dietary intake is imperative and should be used to identify key gaps and sources of discordance in the literature. We conclude by outlining recommendations to advance research in this area in the future.

Engelhardtia chrysolepis Hance (ECH) is a perennial plant used in traditional medicine. A major active ingredient of ECH is astilbin (ASB), which has recently been shown to have neuroprotective effects as well as to affect catecholamine neurotransmissions in brain areas such as the prefrontal cortex. In this study, we investigated the effects of ECH and ASB on long-term memory in mice using a battery of behavioral tests. Acute ECH treatments dose-dependently facilitated nonspatial, but not spatial, memory. ECH treatments also upregulated expression of tyrosine hydroxylase, the enzyme mediating catecholamine synthesis, in neuroblastoma cell culture. Acute ASB treatments similarly improved nonspatial memory, whereas chronic ASB treatments improved both nonspatial and spatial memory. In accordance with such behavioral effects, the increased ratio of tissue concentrations of dopamine metabolites over dopamine in striatal regions was observed in mice with chronic ASB treatments. These results suggest that ECH and its active ingredient ASB may facilitate long-term memory by modulating catecholamine transmission.