Osteoporosis and sarcopenia are diseases which affect the myoskeletal system and often occur in older adults. They are characterized by low bone density and loss of muscle mass and strength, factors which reduce the quality of life and mobility. Recently, apart from pharmaceutical interventions, many studies have focused on non-pharmaceutical approaches for the prevention of osteoporosis and sarcopenia with exercise and nutrition to being the most important and well studied of those. The purpose of the current narrative review is to describe the role of exercise and nutrition on prevention of osteoporosis and sarcopenia in older adults and to define the incidence of osteosarcopenia. Most of the publications which were included in this review show that resistance and endurance exercises prevent the development of osteoporosis and sarcopenia. Furthermore, protein and vitamin D intake, as well as a healthy diet, present a protective role against the development of the above bone diseases. However, current scientific data are not sufficient for reaching solid conclusions. Although the roles of exercise and nutrition on osteoporosis and sarcopenia seem to have been largely evaluated in literature over the recent years, most of the studies which have been conducted present high heterogeneity and small sample sizes. Therefore, they cannot reach final conclusions. In addition, osteosarcopenia seems to be caused by the effects of osteoporosis and sarcopenia on elderly. Larger meta-analyses and randomized controlled trials are needed designed based on strict inclusion criteria, in order to describe the exact role of exercise and nutrition on osteoporosis and sarcopenia.

The playful training method shows positive effects on sports learning, thus the aim of the present study was to compare the effect of two different swimming learning programs. In an 8-week intervention with a training frequency of three times per week, 23 healthy primary school-aged novice swimmers (13 boys, 10 girls) aged 9.0 ± 0.9 participated. They were split into control (CG) and alternative (AG) groups and evaluated on skills (Start, Sink), backstroke (BK) and breaststroke (BR) technique, performance (Skills time, Kicks Time), and salivary cortisol concentration. According to the results, “Start” had a greater percentage of success in AG, at the first (CG = 9.1% vs. AG = 58.3%, p = 0.027) and third (CG = 63.6% vs. AG = 100%, p = 0.037) measurement. Additionally, greater scores were found in technique for AG in both BK (p = 0.009, η² = 0.283) and BR (p = 0.020, η² = 0.231). Salivary cortisol concentration was decreased for both groups (p < 0.001) and greater in CG at the second measurement (p < 0.001). The alternative swimming learning program was found to be more efficient or equally effective, compared with the standardized method in-water skills, swimming technique and performance, and in salivary cortisol concentration.

The aim of this study was tο examine the acute responses to an Ultra-Short Race Pace Training (USRPT) and a High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), both oriented for the event of 100 m freestyle. Eighteen national-level swimmers (8 boys, 10 girls) aged 13.5 ± 0.1 years, with 8.0 ± 0.5 years of experience participated in the study. All participants completed a USRPT and a HIIT protocol consisting of 2 × 10 × 25 m (USRPT1 & USRPT2) and 5 × 50 m. Significantly higher swimming velocity (SV) were achieved in USRPT compared to HIIT (p < 0.001), while significantly lower distance per stroke (DPS) and stroke index (SI) were obtained (p = 0.007 and p < 0.001). Also, significantly lower blood lactate and glucose (BL & BG) concentrations were found after USRPT (p ≤ 0.001 and p = 0.037). Heart rate (HR) and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) were significantly lower after USRPT than HIIT (p < 0.001 and p = 0.015). According to the results, an USRPT swimming set consisting of 20 × 25 m at a 100 m pace seems to induce more specific responses in kinematic characteristics, biomarkers, HR and RPE compared to a 5 × 50 m HIIT set.

Background/Objectives: Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence is associated with a lower risk of developing several chronic diseases, including cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, cancer, and mental health diseases. University students are vulnerable to mental disorders that considerably affect their well-being and quality of life, which may be ascribed to the stressful environment during their academic studies. This cross-sectional survey designed to explore the relationship between MD compliance and perceived stress levels as well as sleep quality in a representative sample of university students from Greece. Methods: This survey assigned 5433 university students from 10 Greek regions. We used qualified questionnaires to examine the socio-demographics of the assigned students. Anthropometrics were determined by qualified methods. Validated questionnaires were used to determine diverse lifestyle factors like physical activity, perceived stress, sleep quality and MD adherence. Results: Concerning the primary objectives of this study, greater MD compliance was independently and significantly related to lower incidence of perceived stress and poor sleep quality in university students. As far as the secondary objectives of this study concern, greater MD compliance was independently and significantly related to female gender, rural type of residence, living with family, smoking, biomedicine studies, being normal weight, and having enhanced physical activity. Conclusions: This study reinforces the idea that healthy dietary patterns like MD could be a significant modifiable factor against perceived stress and poor sleep quality of university students. Based on this evidence, longitudinal studies should be performed to confirm whether MD can exert a causal effect on perceived stress and sleep quality.

Patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) face malnutrition risk, which, combined with inflammation, can lead to sarcopenia, associated with a worse prognosis. The purpose of the present study was to assess malnutrition and sarcopenia in patients with CD. Fifty-three patients (26 women) participated (38.1 ± 10.9 years, 79% in remission). Body composition, physical performance, nutritional questionnaires, and biomarkers were performed. Malnutrition was screened with the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and the Malnutrition Inflammation Risk Tool (MIRT) and was assessed with the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) tool using etiologic along with three different phenotypic criteria: low Body Mass Index (BMI), low Calf Circumference (CC), and low Fat-Free Mass Index (FFMI). To find cases and evaluate sarcopenia, the Sarcopenia Questionnaire (SARC-F) and European Working Group on Sarcopenia2 (EWGSOP2) criteria were used. Malnutrition rates were 11.3% (n = 6), 7.5% (n = 4), and 5.6% (n = 3) based on low FFMI, CC, and BMI, correspondingly. Four (7%) patients had low Hand-Grip Strength (HGS), n = 8 (14.8%) had low Appendicular Lean Mass (ALM), and n = 3 (5.6%) had low gait speed. No-one had sarcopenia. A high albumin and triceps skinfold pattern, identified by principal component analysis, was related to reduced C-Reactive Protein (CRP) levels (B = −0.180, SE = 0.085, p = 0.045). In conclusion, based on the studied anthropometric, nutritional, and functional variables, CD patients were not diagnosed with sarcopenia in the present study. Body composition patterns were related to the inflammatory burden, underlying the interplay of inflammation and malnutrition, even in remission states. Further studies on older populations and during disease exacerbation are necessary to explore the potential link between CD, inflammation, and sarcopenia.

A lifestyle factor which contributes to the remission of Crohn’s disease (CD) is physical activity. The effect seems to positively impact the disease’s symptoms, improving the quality of life, especially on patients in remission. Due to the lack of clinical studies about the effects of physical activity on active CD patients, the purpose of the present case study was to record the influence of swimming training (aerobic type of exercise) on an athlete with active CD. In this study participated a 22-year-old male, who is an elite swimmer and who was diagnosed in 2019 with CD. The research was conducted over the last three years (2019–2022). Both the athlete and doctor consented to the clinical examinations by the author. According to the present study, immediate medical examination and the prescription of anti-TNF-α therapy is probably the most appropriate solution for someone who is diagnosed with CD symptoms. Moreover, patient participation in any sport activity is discouraged because of the potential danger of exacerbation of the symptoms. Therefore, for the sake of patient safety, physical activity should only be encouraged when the disease is in remission.