1.
Dancing for Healthy Aging: Functional and Metabolic Perspectives.
Rodrigues-Krause, J, Krause, M, Reischak-Oliveira, A
Alternative therapies in health and medicine. 2019;(1):44-63
Abstract
CONTEXT Dancing has been used as a form of exercise to improve functional and metabolic outcomes during aging. The field lacks randomized, clinical trials (RCTs) evaluating metabolic outcomes related to dance interventions, but dancing may be a form of exercise that could induce positive effects on the metabolic health of older adults. However, primary studies seem very heterogonous regarding the trial designs, characteristics of the interventions, the methods for outcomes assessments, statistical powers, and methodological quality. OBJECTIVE The current research team intended to review the literature on the use of dance as a form of intervention to promote functional and metabolic health in older adults. Specifically, the research team aimed to identify and describe the characteristics of a large range of studies using dance as an intervention, summarizing them and putting them into perspective for further analysis. DESIGN The research team searched the following data sources-MEDLINE, Cochrane Wiley, Clinical Trials.gov, the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDRO), and the Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS)-for RCTs, quasi-experimental studies, and observational trials that compared the benefits of any style of dancing, combined with other exercises or alone, to nonexercising controls and/or controls practicing other types of exercise. SETTING The study took place at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (Porto Alegre, Brazil). PARTICIPANTS Participants were aging individuals, >55 y, both with or without health conditions. INTERVENTIONS Interventions should be supervised, taking form as group classes, in a dance setting environment. Dance styles were divided into 5 categories for the review: (1) cultural dances developed by groups of people to reflect the roots of a certain region, such as Greek dance; (2) ballroom dance (ie, dances with partners performed socially or competitively in a ballroom, such as foxtrot); (3) aerobic dance with no partner required, which mixes aerobic moves with dance moves; (4) dance therapies, whichare special dance programs including emotional and physical aspects; and (5) classical dances, which are dances with a unique tradition and technique, such as ballet or jazz dance. OUTCOME MEASURES Studies needed to have evaluated functional and/or metabolic outcomes. Functional outcomes included (1) static and/or dynamic balance, (2) gait ability, (3) upper and/or lower muscle strength or power, (4) cardiorespiratory fitness, (5) flexibility, (6) risk of falls, and (7) quality of life. Metabolic outcomes included (1) lipid and glycemic profile; (2) systolic and diastolic blood pressure; (3) body composition; and (4) other specific cardiovascular risk factors or inflammatory or oxidative stress markers. RESULTS The research team retrieved 1042 articles, with 88 full texts assessed for eligibility, and 50 articles included in the analysis. Of the analyzed studies, 22 were RCTs evaluating dancing vs controls, and 3 were RCTs evaluating dancing vs other exercise. Regarding the participants of the reviewed studies: (1) 31 evaluated healthy individuals, (2) 7 evaluated patients suffering from Parkinson's disease, (3) 4 evaluated postmenopausal women, (4) 2 evaluated obese women, (5) 2 evaluated patients with chronic heart failure, (6) 1 evaluated frail older adults, (7) 1 evaluated individuals with visual impairments, (8) 1 evaluated persons with metabolic syndrome, and (9) 1 evaluated individuals with severe pain in the lower extremities. Regarding the interventions, most interventions were 12 wk long, 3 ×/wk, for 60 min each session. The dance styles most used were ballroom and cultural dances. Regarding the outcomes, functional and metabolic benefits were described in most of the included studies. Balance was the functional outcome most often assessed. CONCLUSIONS Any dance style can induce positive functional adaptations in older adults, especially related to balance. Metabolic improvements may also be a result of dancing; however, more RCTs are needed. Dancing may be a potential exercise intervention to promote health-related benefits for aging individuals.
2.
Molecular logic of mTORC1 signalling as a metabolic rheostat.
Valvezan, AJ, Manning, BD
Nature metabolism. 2019;(3):321-333
Abstract
The protein kinase complex mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) serves as a key conduit between growth signals and the metabolic processes underlying cell growth. The activation state of mTORC1 is controlled by intracellular nutrients and energy, as well as exogenous hormones and growth factors, thereby integrating local and systemic growth signals. Here we discuss the molecular logic of the mTORC1 signalling network and its importance in coupling growth signals to the control of cellular metabolism. After activation, mTORC1 promotes the conversion of available nutrients and energy into the major macromolecular species contributing to cellular mass, including proteins, nucleic acids and lipids, while suppressing the autophagic recycling of these macromolecules back into their nutrient constituents. Given that uncoupling of mTORC1 from its normal regulatory inputs contributes to many diseases-including cancer, genetic tumour syndromes, metabolic diseases, autoimmune diseases and neurological disorders-understanding the molecular logic of the mTORC1 network and how to modulate it may present therapeutic opportunities for treatment of a broad range of diseases and potentially even for the extension of lifespan.
3.
[Effect of two hypocaloric diets and their combination with physical exercise on basal metabolic rate and body composition].
Bonfanti, N, Fernández, JM, Gomez-Delgado, F, Pérez-Jiménez, F
Nutricion hospitalaria. 2014;(3):635-43
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is diagnosed by the detection of at least three criteria (hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL-C, hypertension, obesity and altered fasting glucose). Visceral fat excess would be the starting point for its development. Scientific evidence supports hypocaloric diets -mediterranean or low fat diet and rich in complex carbohydrates diet included- as the best treatment to reduce fat mass (FM), maximizing its impact by combining them with physical exercise (PE). However, the effects of these treatments on basal metabolic rate (BMR) of patients with MetS, are unknown. OBJECTIVE To study the effect of the hypocaloric diet - mediterranean or low fat diet- with or without PE on the BMR and body composition (BC) of adults with MetS. METHODS 36 volunteers, MetS, both sexes, > 50 years, meeting the inclusion criteria. They were randomly assigned to a group of intervention (3 months) of hypocaloric diet: mediterranean diet (MED), low fat and rich in complex carbohydrates diet (CHO) and both combined with PE (MEDE and CHOE respectively). Anthropometric data was taken (weight, muscle mass (MM) and FM) and BMR was determined by indirect calorimetry, before and after intervention. RESULTS The addition of PE to both hypocaloric treatments produced greater FM loss and weight loss than dieting alone, being this loss in CHOE > MEDE (p < 0.05). These groups decreased the BMR after treatment being MEDE > CHOE (p < 0.05). Mediterranean diet with or without PE lost MM (p < 0.05) being MEDE > MED CONCLUSIONS CHOE induces less reduction of BMR while supporting a better profile of BC than MEDE.