Alejandro Gómez-Bruton

Background: Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) leads to rapid weight loss, marked by reductions in fat mass (FM) and lean soft tissue (LST), contributing to a decline in resting metabolic rate (RMR). The role of early exercise and the relationship between body composition and RMR remain unclear. Objectives: To evaluate early changes in RMR and body composition after SG, explore the effects of a whole-body vibration (WBV) resistance training intervention, and examine associations between RMR and body composition. Methods: Twenty-six participants with severe obesity (61.5% female, age 40.1 ± 9.1 years, BMI 45.4 ± 4.8 kg/m²) were assessed pre-surgery (T1), 7 weeks post-surgery (T2), and 6 months post-surgery (T3). Participants were randomised to 16 weeks of WBV training or usual care. Body composition (DXA) and RMR (indirect calorimetry) were measured. Results: SG induced significant reductions in LST (-7.81 kg) and FM by T2, with a decline in absolute RMR (-357.7 ± 164.3 kcal/day). The WBV group showed mitigated loss of appendicular LST (ALST) and ALST index from T2 to T3. Over the entire study period (T1-T3), the reduction in RMR was 20% smaller in the WBV group (-430.6 vs. -536.3 kcal/day); however, this difference did not reach statistical significance ( p = 0.085). Cross-sectionally, LST parameters were associated with RMR at all timepoints (R²=0.66–0.81), and baseline LST parameters predicted postoperative RMR. Conclusion: In this pilot trial, early WBV training attenuated losses of appendicular LST following SG. A smaller reduction in RMR was observed in the WBV group; however, this difference did not reach statistical significance and may warrant investigation in larger adequately powered trials. The predictive value of preoperative LST for postoperative RMR highlights the benefit of prehabilitation strategies to improve metabolic outcomes.

Alejandro Gómez-Bruton, Helder Fonseca, Susana Ara-Gimeno, Angel Matute-Llorente, Lucas Veras, Gabriel Lozano-Berges, Cláudia Mendes, Jorge Bravo, Manuel Carvalho, Pilar Irún, Ana Moradell, Maria Jose Palacios Fanlo, Marta Sánchez-Luengo, Gonzalo Hijos-Mallada, German Vicente-Rodríguez, Armando Raimundo, Angel Lanas, Jose A. Casajus. J Obes Metab Syndr -0001;0:0-. https://doi.org/10.7570/jomes25065

Background: Taxi drivers are at an elevated risk for work‐related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), and the reasons for this are prolonged sitting, static postures, and whole‐body vibration. Physical activity (PA) may mitigate MSD risk but is often assessed subjectively. This study compared objective (wrist‐worn accelerometry) and subjective (IPAQ‐S) measures of PA and sedentary behaviours by examining their associations with MSD prevalence in taxi drivers from Spain and Chile. Methods: In this cross‐sectional study, 170 taxi drivers (mean age 51.9 ± 10.7 years; 87.1% male) completed sociodemographic and Nordic questionnaires on MSDs (7‐day recall), and the IPAQ‐S for PA. A subsample of 36 wore a wrist‐worn accelerometer for seven days to quantify sedentary time and PA amount and intensities. Results: Overall, 68.8% of drivers reported pain in at least one body region in the past 7 days, most commonly the neck (36.5%) and lower back (32.9%). IPAQ‐S overestimated moderate‐to‐vigorous PA (145.7 ± 140.2 vs. 42.4 ± 31.2 min/day, p < 0.01) compared with accelerometry, with moderate correlation ( r = 0.47). Sedentary time averaged 715.5 ± 146.9 min/day by accelerometry, with negligible correlation to IPAQ‐S ( r = −0.01). Female drivers had higher odds of neck, upper back, and lower back pain, while higher BMI was associated with knee pain. No significant associations were found between PA levels and MSD prevalence. Conclusions: Taxi drivers exhibit high MSD prevalence, extreme sedentary exposure, and marked overestimation of PA in self‐reports. Neither self‐reported nor accelerometer‐measured physical activity was significantly associated with 7‐day MSD prevalence. Targeted interventions should combine ergonomic improvements, active breaks, and accurate monitoring tools to reduce occupational health risks.

Obesity and cancer are two of the most significant global public health concerns worldwide. Exercise in preventing and managing these diseases has become a prominent area of research, and BSc sport and exercise science (SES) graduates are among the professionals involved in designing exercise programs for these populations. The aims of the present study were (1) to quantify the number of teaching hours focused on exercise in patients with cancer or overweight/obesity and (2) to collect perceptions of SES teachers of whether these hours are enough to prescribe exercise to these populations adequately. An online survey was sent to 97 university teachers from 58 different institutions in Spain offering the sport and exercise sciences degree. The survey included questions designed to ascertain the number of hours lectured on the topics of exercise and cancer or overweight/obesity. Additionally, it aimed to gather teachers’ perceptions of how prepared students were to work with these populations. Seventy-six teachers (representing a 78% response rate) from 52 different centers (representing 88% of the centers) completed the survey. The teachers reported an average of 8.7 class hours dedicated to exercise and cancer and 17.1 class hours dedicated to exercise in patients with overweight/obesity. Teachers expressed low satisfaction with the number of class hours allocated to cancer education (2.2 points out of 5) and a neutral response regarding the allocation of hours to overweight/obesity (3.1 points out of 5). The findings of the current study suggest that Spanish SES students may be receiving a limited amount of instruction in the area of exercise prescription for patients with cancer and overweight/obesity. Although the curriculum is explicitly dedicated to training SES students, teachers believe that additional training in specific exercise prescription for people with cancer would enhance SES qualifications.

Purpose: Mental health is a global public health challenge, with mental disorders being a major cause of morbidity. Particularly, taxi drivers face unique challenges related to long working hours, economic instability, and hazardous working conditions. To summarise the existing scientific literature on mental disorders in taxi drivers and identify associated variables. Methods: PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases were examined from inception to April 2024 following the PRISMA guidelines. Two authors independently selected original studies. We included observational studies published in English or Spanish or Portuguese, which assessed the mental health of taxi drivers. The Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHBLI) was used to assess the quality of the articles. Results: From an initial pool of 618 studies, eleven met the inclusion criteria and were included in the present systematic review. The findings indicate a considerable prevalence of mental health issues among taxi drivers in comparison to the general population. The prevalence of depression ranged from 14.3 to 60.5% and were driven by a number of factors, including perceived mental strain, lack of respect from operators, a stressful personal life, insufficient sleep, poor working conditions, work-family conflict and low work engagement. Anxiety was reported by 24.1–47% of drivers, with a lack of sufficient sleep being identified as a primary contributing factor. The prevalence of stress ranged from 19 to 55%, with key contributing factors including discrimination, smoking, limited language proficiency, sleep disorders and younger age. Furthermore, 33% of drivers displayed elevated levels of psychological distress, frequently linked to traumatic experiences and occupational hazards. Conclusions: Rates of depression, anxiety, stress and psychological distress are higher in taxi drivers than in general population, therefore prevention strategies should target this group. Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO registration no. CRD42023360073.

Este informe técnico es un documento crucial que se enmarca dentro de los trabajos de la Cátedra de Montaña de la Universidad de Zaragoza. En él se aborda una problemática de salud crítica —que también se alinea con los objetivos principales de la cátedra— que busca fomentar el desarrollo social, cultural y económico de la provincia de Huesca a través de la investigación y la formación en temas relacionados con la montaña. La muerte súbita es un fenómeno que, aunque infrecuente, tiene un impacto devastador tanto en el ámbito deportivo como en la comunidad en general. En los deportes de montaña, y especialmente en las carreras por montaña, las personas que lo practican están expuestas a condiciones extremas que pueden desencadenar eventos de muerte súbita. Especialmente y dadas las características de exigencia física de las carreras por montaña —habitualmente competitivas—, podrían hacer de esta disciplina una de las más propensas en el espectro de disciplinas que se practican en entornos naturales. Creemos en la relevancia de este informe porque proporciona un análisis detallado sobre las causas e incidencia de la muerte súbita en estos deportes, ofreciendo así una base científica y técnica para entender mejor el problema. Una parte importante del documento incluye una serie de recomendaciones de buenas prácticas que son esenciales para la prevención de estos eventos. Estas recomendaciones están diseñadas para ser prácticas y aplicables, contribuyendo así a la seguridad y bienestar de las personas deportistas. Al mejorar la seguridad en los deportes de montaña se promueve la práctica de estas actividades, lo cual tiene un impacto positivo en la salud pública y en el desarrollo del turismo de montaña, un sector clave para la economía de la provincia de Huesca. Garatachea-Vallejo, Nuria; Gómez-Bruton, Alejandro; Lozano-Berges, Gabriel; Muñiz-Pardos, Borja; Vicente-Rodríguez, Germán

Marín Berges, Marta; Gómez Bruton, Alejandro; Iguacel Azorín, Isabel

Recent studies suggest that only 27.6% of cancer survivors meet PA guidelines. This could partially be attributed to the limited knowledge reported by healthcare professionals (HCP) regarding the appropriate timing, methodology, and suitability of referring cancer survivors to exercise programs or professionals. In this commentary, we aim to acknowledge the challenges that HCP may face in prescribing exercise and propose potential solutions to facilitate their efforts in this regard.

Background: Morbid obesity is a complex chronic condition characterized by a body mass index of 40 kg/m² or higher. The incidence of the condition is on the rise in developed countries, and bariatric surgery has been proposed as a potential solution to address this trend. Nonetheless, bariatric surgery may also result in adverse effects, including a reduction in bone mineral density (BMD) and muscle mass, as well as an increased risk of fractures. The present study aims to elucidate the effects of bariatric surgery and whole-body vibration (WBV) training on body composition, microbiota, physical fitness, quality of life, and cardiometabolic markers. Methods: Twenty-eight participants (14 females), aged 18 to 50 years, will undergo sleeve gastrectomy surgery. They will be randomly allocated into a control group or a WBV training group. The WBV group will train three times per week with increasing intensities and duration ranging from 30 to 45 min over the 4-month training period. Measurements of body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and peripheral quantitative computed tomography), physical fitness (muscular strength, agility, cardiorespiratory fitness, and balance), gait biomechanics, cardiometabolic markers, gut microbiota, quality of life, and physical activity levels will be collected at four different time points: (1) prior to the surgery, (2) 45 days post-surgery, (3) 6 months post-surgery, and (4) 18 months post-surgery. Discussion: Both groups are expected to experience improvements in most of the aforementioned variables. Nonetheless, we expect the WBV group to show larger improvements proving that the training is effective and safe. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT05695599. Registered on January 25, 2023.