This study sought to determine the association of relative age and performance of young elite basketball players. The distribution of the birth dates, heights, positions, classification and performance of the male and female participants (n = 2395) of the U16, U18 and U20 European Basketball Championships were analysed. We found an over-representation of players born during the initial months of the year in all groups, with the relative age effect being more evident in players of the U16 and U18 groups, than of the U20 teams, particularly in male squads. Nevertheless, in the U20 championships, those teams that had the oldest players performed the best. In all championships, the oldest participants played more minutes. In addition, relatively older male players scored better in total points and in performance index rating when results were normalised to played time. This effect was not found for female players. Regarding playing position, different distributions of birth dates were observed due to each position’s physical requirements. Thus, basketball coaches and managers should keep these results in mind when they select players because if not, they might subject players who are born towards the end of the year to a negative selection bias.

Few studies have simultaneously examined changes in physical, cognitive and emotional performance throughout the aging process. Baseline data from an ongoing experimental randomized study were analyzed. Physical activity, handgrip, the Senior Fitness Test, Trail Making Test A, Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test, Quality of Life-Alzheimer’s Disease Scale (QoL-AD) and the Goldberg Depression Scale were used to assess study participants. Logistic regression models were applied. Trial registration: ACTRN12616001044415 (04/08/2016). The study enrolled 114 participants with a mean age of 84.9 (standard deviation 6.9) years from ten different nursing homes. After adjusting for age, gender and education level, upper limb muscle strength was found to be associated with Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test [EXP(B): 1.16, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04–1.30] and QoL-AD [EXP(B): 1.18, 95% CI: 1.06–1.31]. Similarly, the number of steps taken per day was negatively associated with the risk of depression according to the Goldberg Depression Scale [EXP(B): 1.14, 95% CI: 1.000–1.003]. Additional analyses suggest that the factors associated with these variables are different according to the need for using an assistive device for walking. In those participants who used it, upper limb muscle strength remained associated with Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test [EXP(B): 1.21, 95% CI: 1.01–1.44] and QoL-AD tests [EXP(B): 1.19, 95% CI: 1.02–1.40]. In those individuals who did not need an assistive device for walking, lower limb muscle strength was associated with Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test [EXP(B): 1.35, 95% CI: 1.07–1.69], time spent in light physical activity was associated with QoL-AD test [EXP(B): 1.13, 95% CI: 1.00–1.02], and the number of steps walked per day was negatively associated with the risk of depression according to the Goldberg Depression Scale [EXP(B): 1.27, 95% CI: 1.000–1.004]. Muscle strength and physical activity are factors positively associated with a better performance on the Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test, QoL-AD and Goldberg Depression Scale in older adults with mild to moderate cognitive impairment living in nursing homes. These associations appeared to differ according to the use of an assistive device for walking. Our findings support the need for the implementation of interventions directed to increase the strength and physical activity of individuals living in nursing homes to promote physical, cognitive and emotional benefits. ACTRN12616001044415 (04/08/2016).

Background: Myostatin has been proposed as a candidate biomarker for frailty and sarcopenia. However, the relationship of myostatin with these conditions remains inconclusive. Objective: To determine the association of serum myostatin concentration with body composition, physical fitness, physical activity level, and frailty in long-term nursing home residents. We also aimed to ascertain the effect of an exercise program on myostatin levels. Methods: We obtained study data on 112 participants from long-term nursing homes. Participants were randomly assigned to a control or an intervention group and performed a 6-month multicomponent exercise program. Serum myostatin levels were analyzed by ELISA. Assessments also included body composition (anthropometry and bioelectrical impedance), physical fitness (Senior Fitness Test), physical activity level (accelerometry), and frailty (Fried frailty criteria, Clinical Frailty Scale, and Tilburg frailty indicator). Results: The concentration of myostatin at baseline was positively correlated with: a leaner body composition (p < 0.05), and a higher number of steps per day and light and moderate-vigorous physical activity in women (p < 0.005); greater upper and lower limb strength, endurance, and poorer flexibility (p < 0.05) in men; and better performance (less time) in the 8-ft timed up-and-go test in both women (p < 0.01) and men (p < 0.005). We observed higher concentrations of serum myostatin in non-frail than in frail participants (p < 0.05). Additionally, we found that the implemented physical exercise intervention, which was effective to improve physical fitness, increased myostatin concentration in men (p < 0.05) but not in women. The improvements in physical condition were related with increases in serum myostatin only in men (p < 0.05–0.01). Conclusions: Higher serum levels of myostatin were found to be associated with better physical fitness. The improvements in physical fitness after the intervention were positively related to increases in myostatin concentrations in men. These results seem to rule out the idea that high serum myostatin levels are indicative of frailty in long-term nursing home residents. However, although the direction of association was opposite to that expected for the function of myostatin, the use of this protein as a biomarker for physical fitness, rather than frailty, merits further study.

Background: Older adults with cancer experience negative long‐term functional effects of both cancer and treatments. Exercise may minimize their age‐related and cancer‐related functional decline.Methods: We conducted a multicentre open‐label 12 month randomized clinical trial with two parallel arms including participants aged ≥70 years with lymphoma or carcinoma requiring curative treatment. The study started at the beginning of any phase of cancer treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy). The usual care group (UCG) received the current national recommendations in physical activity (a guideline without specific counselling). The intervention group (IG) received 1 year phoned physical activity advice individually adapted to physical assessment (twice a month during the first 6 months and then monthly). The primary outcome was the proportion of subjects with a 1 year decreased short physical performance battery (SPPB) score of 1 point or more. Physical, cognitive, and clinical secondary outcomes were also investigated.Results: We allocated 301 participants (age 76.7 ± 5.0, female 60.6%) to each group. At baseline, the median SPPB was 10/12 in both groups. Breast was the most frequent tumour site (35.7%). After 1 year, 14.0% of participants in the UCG and 18.7% in the IG had a decrease in SPPB score of 1 point or more (P = 0.772). At 2 years, there was no difference in SPPB, gait speed, International Physical Activity Questionnaire score, and verbal fluency. Subgroup analyses after 2 years showed a decline in SPPB for 29.8% of UCG and 5.0% of IG breast cancer participants (P = 0.006), in 21.7% of UCG and 6.2% of IG female participants (P = 0.019), and in 24.5% of UCG and 11.1% of IG normal nutritional status participants (P = 0.009). Falls, hospitalization, institutionalization, and death rates were similar in both groups.Conclusions: Personalized phoned physical activity advice had not reduced functional decline at 1 year but provided preliminary evidence that may prevent physical performance decline at 2 years in older adults with breast cancer.