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- Ahnesjö, Jonas, 1969-, et al.
(författare)
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Benefits of outdoor exercise and recovery outdoors in elderly
- 2019
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Ingår i: HEPA Europe, Odense, Denmark, August 28-30, 2019. ; , s. 38-38
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the ”outdoors” has an added health effect on top of that of physical activity. This hypothesis is based on the fairly extensive volume of evidens suggesting that the outdoor environment is beneficial for overall health. We, however, consider most previous studies insufficiently designed in order to draw causal relationship between spending time outdoors and examined health parameters. In this study we state that our experimental design allows us to do just that. Methods:In this randomized cross-over experimental design, 49 healthy subjects (+65 years, 27 female) performed a standardized submaximal bike ergometer test in three different environments (indoors, simulated outdoors and outdoors). The test consisted of 20 minutes cycling and subjects were instructed to stay between 11-13 at the Borg RPE scale (i.e. moderate intensity). Each test was followed by two hours of passive recovery. We measured power output, heart rate, lactate and counts of five fractions (lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophiles, basophiles and eosinophiles) of white blood cells (leukocytes) in circulation. Results:Our results revealed that the outdoor treatment resulted in higher levels of lactate, higher heart rate and higher power output despite that there were no differences in Borg RPE-rating between the treatments. The white blood cell analysis showed an increase of circulating leukocytes in almost all fractions immediately post exercise in all treatments. Numbers decreased rapidly post exercise and the lymphocyte numbers stayed well under baseline for more than one hour during recovery. This is referred to as an “open window” where the immune function is temporarily suppressed and there is an elevated risk of infection of primarily URTI. Conclusions:Our results not only suggest that exercise is more efficient out of doors such that more exercise/effort is obtained but also that recovery outdoors may be a way to decrease the risk of infections due to exercise induced immune suppression. The risk of getting an infection is known to be generally lower out of doors. Taken together, our results support the notion that exercising and spending time outdoors indeed is beneficial for health in senior citizens.
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| 2. |
- Ahnesjö, Jonas, 1969-, et al.
(författare)
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Effects on white blood cells in senior citizens during post exercise recovery in three different environments (indoors, simulated outdoors and outdoors)
- 2016
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- IntroductionNatural environments are known to promote health and may also provide extraordinary conditions for post exercise recovery (Kuo 2015). In the project Health Effects of Recreation Outdoors (HERO) we explore the hypothesis that post exercise recovery in natural environments may be reflected in white blood cell counts (WBC). In our study 50 seniors (age >65 years) performed moderate physical activity (20 min) followed by passive recovery (2h) in three different environments (indoors, simulated outdoors and “true” outdoors).MethodThe experimental setup was a randomized cross-over design, thus all test persons did all treatments in a randomized order. We sampled white blood cells (WBC-diff), which were used to detect and quantify inflammatory response.ResultsOur early findings provide some support for the hypothesis that environment may impose differences in recovery effectiveness. White blood cell count (WBC-diff) appears to differ between the treatments and there is a significant interaction between sampling time and recovery environment in the monocytes, suggesting that the monocyte numbers differ, not only between sampling times but also between environments. In addition, WBC also show that some of the test persons develop leukocytosis during exercise and that white blood cell levels decrease rapidly immediately post exercise to levels significantly lower than base line values.DiscussionOur results suggest that moderate physical activity in senior citizens may result in acute leukocytosis (see e.g. Sand et. al. 2013) and that recovery effectiveness (e.g in monocyte response) may be dependent upon environmental factors. The clinical importance of our results are not fully understood but there has been suggested an “open window” immediately post exercise in which infection risk may be elevated (Pedersen & Toft 2000) and it is possible that recovery out of doors may reduce this risk.ReferencesSand, K., L, Flatebo, K., Andersen, M., B., Maghazachi, A., A. (2013) World J Exp Med 20; 3(1): 11-20Pedersen, B., K. & Toft, A., D. (2000) Br J Sports Med 34:246–251Kuo, M. (2015) Frontiers in Psychology 6:1-8
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| 3. |
- Ahnesjö, Jonas, 1969-, et al.
(författare)
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Outdoor Exercise is More Efficient than Indoor Exercise in Senior Citizens. Physiological Evidence from the HERO Project
- 2018
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: IntroductionPhysical exercise has been proven beneficial for health in all ages. In elderly, physical exercise, may contribute to prolonged life with maintained high quality and less costs associated with health care for society. In this study we explore if exercise out of doors may provide extra benefits as compared to exercise indoors and we measure power output, lactate levels and perceived effort in 49 senior citizens performing 20 minutes of moderate physical activity.METHODS:MethodThe HERO project is a randomized cross-over experiment with three different treatments . The study sample consisted of 49 healthy senior citizens. They performed 20 minutes moderate intensity physical activity on an ergometer bike in all three conditions. Before immediately after and at minutes 10, 20, 30, 60 and 120 we sampled blood lactate. Power output was computed at 7 occasions during the 20 minutes of cycling, as was the rating of perceived exertion . Data was analyzed using mixed linear models. RESULTS:ResultsOur findings show that there were no differences between the two indoor treatments in any of the measured variables. In the outdoor treatment, however, there were significant effects on blood lactate levels and power output but not in perceived exertion, suggesting that exercise out of doors makes the test person more efficient although the experience of effort stay unaffected.CONCLUSION:Discussion/conclusionsOur results support the notion that the outdoors may provide extraordinary conditions for exercise, not only because it appear to results in more exercise/effort, the outdoors is also an “arena” with high availability and most often totally for free. Previous results from the HERO project also suggests that white blood cell counts are affected by the outdoor treatment, something that may be related to the observed increased power output herein
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| 4. |
- Ahnesjö, Jonas, 1969-, et al.
(författare)
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Recreational fishing in an educational intervention context promotes awareness and knowledge about nature in schoolchildren
- 2013
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Outdoor activities may be intuitively associated with interest for nature and environmental concern. However, most scientific studies suggest that no such correlation exists. In this quantitative study we have used a questionnaire and explored the hypothesis that a one day educational intervention may be a successful tool in increasing environmental awareness, interest for nature and interest for recreational fishing. We present evidence suggesting that educational interventions in which young people are exposed to natural environments in a recreational fishing context have positive effects on interest for nature and recreational fishing, knowledge about nature and environmental awareness. Our findings also reveal that frequency of nature visits does not correlate with self estimated interest for nature. We also show that the observed effects of the educational intervention “Klassdraget” appear to be larger for the girls which are, by tradition, less interested in recreational fishing as compared to boys.
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| 6. |
- Danielsson, Tom, 1969-, et al.
(författare)
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Peak oxygen uptake predicts finishing- and segment time in a full distance Ironman
- 2018
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Ingår i: Presented at the 23rd annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science (ECSS), Dublin, Ireland, July 4-7, 2018.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: Ironman competitions and other extreme endurance events has spread worldwide attracting thousands of endurance-trained athletes, athletes who differ in anthropometric and training characteristics. The relationship between peak oxygen uptake and finishing- and segment time during a full distance IRONMAN competition (Swim 3.9km, Bike 180km and Run 42.2km) has not been examined thoroughly in non-elite athletes.PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), finishing time and segment time in non-elite athletes.METHODS: 39 non-elite athletes (10 female; age 41.1 ± 9.7, range 24-70 years) performed a 20 m shuttle run test to assess VO2peak. Association between VO2 and finishing- and segment time was estimated using bivariate correlation tests. Gender specific analysis was also performed.RESULTS: VO2peak peak was on average 49.9 ± 6.4 O2 ml/kg/minute, range 36.5-63.9 (pooled genders). Finishing time was on average 11h and 52 min. The average times for the different segments were; Swim 1h 21m, Bike 5h 46min and Run 4h 33min. The relationship between VO2peak and finishing time was significant to p<0.001 and 0.51. The relationship between segment times were Swim 0.19, Bike 0.37 and Run 0.46 all at p<0.001. Gender specific analyses revealed that the association between VO2peak and finishing time was 0.80 for females and 0.49 for males. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that VO2peak is a good predictor of finishing time (approx. 50%) as well as for segment time with 19%, 37% and 46% for Swim, Bike and Run respectively (pooled genders). For females VO2peak explains as much as 80% of the variation in finishing time.
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