Objective: Examine the physical fitness of career firefighters and compare their results to normative data and suggested standards for their profession. Methods: Eighty firefighters completed a body composition analysis, maximal aerobic capacity (VO₂max) test, and fitness testing battery, with results compared with normative value tables. Maximal aerobic capacity was correlated to fitness measures and differences between VO₂max quartiles were examined. Results: Twenty-two firefighters met the suggested standard for VO₂max. Seventy percent of participants were classified as overweight or obese based on body mass index, while 25% were classified as having either “poor” or “very poor” body fat levels. Firefighters were above average for muscular strength. Conclusion: The firefighters had low aerobic fitness and higher than optimal body fat levels. Training programs may be necessary to assist firefighters in achieving optimal fitness levels.

Subgroups but not for competitive athletes. This study was designed to compare the ventilatory threshold (VT) with the last positive (+/+), equivocal (+/−), and negative (−/−) stages of the TT for highly trained cyclists. Twelve men (26.5 ± 4.6 years, 71.9 ± 7.6 kg) consented and completed the study, as approved by the university institutional review board. A maximal graded exercise test was used to identify VT, maximal aerobic capacity ( JOURNAL/jscr/04.03/00124278-201504000-00005/math_5MM1/v/2021-02-09T094120Z/r/image-tiff max: 65.9 ± 6.9 ml·kg−1·min−1), and maximal heart rate (HRmax: 187.3 ± 11.3 b·min−1). On a separate visit, the TT was administered using the same protocol. Participants were asked if they could speak comfortably after a standard passage recitation. Response options were: “Yes” (+/+), “I'm not sure” (+/−), or “No” (−/−). Variables at VT were compared with the last (+/+), (+/−), and (−/−) stages of TT through t-test with Bonferroni's adjustment (0.05/3). Differences (p ≤ 0.017) were found between variables at VT, as compared with (+/+) TT ( JOURNAL/jscr/04.03/00124278-201504000-00005/math_5MM2/v/2021-02-09T094120Z/r/image-tiff : 32.9 ± 7.7 ml·kg−1·min−1, % JOURNAL/jscr/04.03/00124278-201504000-00005/math_5MM3/v/2021-02-09T094120Z/r/image-tiff : 49.9 ± 9.9, heart rate [HR]: 128.7 ± 18.7 b·min−1, %HRmax: 68.6 ± 7.9, rating of perceived exertion [RPE]: 11.1 ± 1.1) and (+/−) TT ( JOURNAL/jscr/04.03/00124278-201504000-00005/math_5MM4/v/2021-02-09T094120Z/r/image-tiff : 44.4 ± 7.5 ml·kg−1·min−1, % JOURNAL/jscr/04.03/00124278-201504000-00005/math_5MM5/v/2021-02-09T094120Z/r/image-tiff : 67.2 ± 7.5). There were no differences between RPE- and HR-based variables at VT, as compared with (+/−) TT (RPE: 13.6 ± 0.63, HR: 147.1 ± 17.2 b·min−1, %HRmax: 78.5 ± 7.4) or (−/−) TT ( JOURNAL/jscr/04.03/00124278-201504000-00005/math_5MM6/v/2021-02-09T094120Z/r/image-tiff : 48.8 ± 7.8 ml·kg−1·min−1, % JOURNAL/jscr/04.03/00124278-201504000-00005/math_5MM7/v/2021-02-09T094120Z/r/image-tiff : 73.9 ± 7.1, HR: 155.6 ± 13.6 b·min−1, %HRmax: 83.1 ± 5.3, RPE: 14.8 ± 0.90). We found that when the athlete could no longer speak comfortably, he was exercising at or near his VT; we concluded that (−/−) TT estimated VT and can therefore provide a practical method to gauge exercise intensity for highly trained competitive cyclists similar to those in our study....

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In this secondary analysis of a light-intensity physical activity intervention, we hypothesized that older cancer survivors would self-select a faster walking cadence to meet their daily step goals. Average steps/day and free-living walking cadence were measured in 41 participants (age 69 ± 3.1 years) with an ActivPAL monitor worn 7 days pre- and post-intervention. Besides peak and average walking cadence, stepping patterns associated with ambulatory intensity were sorted in cadence bands of 20 steps/min from 40–59 (incidental movement) to ≥120 steps/min (fast locomotor movement). Compared to the waitlist Control group (n = 17), the Intervention group (n = 24) increased their peak 30-min cadence (4.3 vs. 1.9 steps/minute; p = 0.03), average 10-min cadence (4.1 vs. −6.6 steps/minute; p = 0.04), and average 30-min cadence (5.7 vs. −0.8 steps/minute, p = 0.03). Steps taken in cadence bands denoting moderate-intensity physical activity (100–119 steps/min) increased by 478 (interquartile range (IQR): −121 to 1844) compared to decreasing by 92 (IQR: −510 to 181) steps/day for the intervention and Control groups, respectively (p < 0.01). Evaluation of free-living walking cadence and patterns of ambulatory behavior can inform future interventions targeting behavior change, especially in those populations most at risk for reduced physical activity and vulnerable to mobility deficits and loss of independence.

Numerous chronic conditions including obesity exhibit autophagic dysfunction. Association of immune cell autophagic marker regulation by body fat percentage (%BF) is unknown.Investigate autophagy a...