These data extend previous findings by showing that environmental setting influences physiological, perceptual, and affective responses during exercise at a self-selected pace. Self-paced exercise performed over ground resulted in lower perceptual and more positive affective responses.

BackgroundTo determine the effects of a low dose, short-term Creatine monohydrate (Cr) supplementation (0.03 g.kg.d−1 during 14 d) on muscle power output in elite youth soccer players.MethodsUsing a two-group matched, double blind, placebo-controlled design, nineteen male soccer players (mean age = 17.0 ± 0.5 years) were randomly assigned to either Cr (N = 9) or placebo (N = 10) group. Before and after supplementation, participants performed a 30s Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT) to assess peak power output (PPO), mean power output (MPO), fatigue index (FI), and total work.ResultsThere were significant increases in both PPO and MPO after the Cr supplementation period (P ≤ 0.05) but not the placebo period. There were also significant increases in total work, but not FI, after the Cr supplementation and placebo periods (P ≤ 0.05). Notably, there were differences in total work between the Cr and placebo groups after (P ≤ 0.05) but not before the 14 d supplementation period.ConclusionThere is substantial evidence to indicate that a low-dose, short-term oral Cr supplementation beneficially affected muscle power output in elite youth soccer players.

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are a large family of respiratory viruses that can cause mild to moderate illness. The new variant COVID-19 has started to spread rapidly since December 2019, posing a new threat to global health. To counter the spread of the virus, the Italian government forced the population to close all activities starting from 9 March 2020 to 4 May 2020. In this scenario, we conducted a cross-sectional study on a heterogeneous sample (average age of 28 ± 12 years, 62.6% females) of the University of Naples Federico II (Italy). The aim of the study was to describe the lifestyle change in the university population during quarantine for the COVID 19 pandemic. Participants compiled an online survey consisting of 3 sections: socio-demographic data, dietary behaviours, physical activity habits and psychological aspects. The different results by gender are: 90.8% of females continued to work from home (81.9% were students); 34.8% increased their physical activity; and, only 0.8% prefer ready meals. Whereas, the same percentage of men continued to work from home (90%), but only 72.1% were students (p < 0.001 vs. females), only 23.9% increased physical activity (p < 0.001) and 1.7% favous ready meals. Our data shows that the male population was more affected by isolation and quarantine reporting more unfavourable behavioural changes.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of adiposity (% body fat) on physiological, perceptual, and affective responses during walking. 45 women were divided into low, medium, and high tertiles according to % body fat. Each participant completed a maximal exercise test and a 20-min. bout of walking at a self-selected pace. The preferred walking speed was similar among groups, whereas %VO2 max was greater in the high tertile group compared with the other two groups. Nevertheless, perceptual and affective responses were similar between the groups. These findings suggest that physiological responses relative to maximal capacity, but not perceptual and affective responses, of sedentary women are influenced by adiposity during walking at a self-selected pace. However, when the physiological responses are relative to ventilatory threshold, there are no differences between individuals with different levels of adiposity.

The aim of this study was to investigate gender-based differences in substrate use during exercise at a self-selected pace. Seventeen men and 17 women performed a maximal exercise test and a 20-minute bout of self-paced treadmill walking to determine carbohydrate and fat oxidation rates. Gas exchange measurements were performed throughout the tests, and stoichiometric equations were used to calculate substrate oxidation rates. For each individual, a best-fit polynomial curve was constructed using fat oxidation rate (g·min(-1)) vs. exercise intensity (percentage of maximal oxygen uptake, % VO(2)max). Each individual curve was used to obtain the following variables: maximal fat oxidation (MFO), the peak rate of fat oxidation measured over the entire range of exercise intensities; fat(max), the exercise intensity at which the MFO was observed; and fat(max) zone, range of exercise intensities with fat oxidation rates within 10% of fat oxidation rates at fat(max). Although the MFO was similar between genders, fat(max) was lower in men than in women. Similarly, the "low" and "high" borders of the fat(max) zone were lower in men than in women. During exercise at a self-selected pace, carbohydrate oxidation rates were greater in men than in women, despite no gender-based differences in fat oxidation rates. However, fat oxidation contribution to total energy expenditure (EE) was greater in women than in men, despite no gender-based differences in the exercise intensity. In conclusion, although both genders self-selected a similar exercise intensity, the contribution of fat oxidation to EE is greater in women than in men. Interestingly, both genders self-selected an exercise intensity that falls within the fat(max) zone.