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Novel genetic risk factors cause heart failures in India, says CCMB

by Vaishali Sharma
written by Vaishali Sharma

India has one of the highest rates of cardiovascular disease and related fatalities in the world. Heart failure is widespread in disorders such as severe cardiomyopathy, which is one of various cardiovascular diseases. Because this illness alters the essential structure of the heart muscle, the heart is unable to pump blood normally, resulting in cardiac arrest and death.

The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) has discovered that this disorder is caused by unique genetic alterations.

A team of CCMB scientists, led by K Thangaraj, have found novel genetic mutations in the beta myosin heavy chain gene (β-MYH7) gene are responsible for causing dilated cardiomyopathy among Indians.

This gene is one of the major genes that are found to be causing cardiac diseases globally.

“However, not many genetic studies were carried out in Indian cardiomyopathy patients. Hence, we sequenced β-MYH7 gene of 137 dilated cardiomyopathy patients along with 167 ethnically matched healthy controls to identify the mutation(s), if any, that are associated with dilated cardiomyopathy in Indian patients,” K Thangaraj, senior author of this study and presently Director, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), said.

These findings have been published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology last week.

“Our study revealed 27 variations, of which 7 mutations were novel, and were detected exclusively in Indian dilated cardiomyopathy patients,” he said.

“We for first time demonstrated how these mutations uniquely disrupt a critical network of non-bonding interactions at the molecular level, and may contribute to the development of disease phenotype,” Deepa Selvi Rani, the lead author of this study, said.

“This study can help in developing gene editing methods that may rescue cardiac contractility of failing hearts among Indians with the novel mutations,” Vinay Kumar Nandicoori, Director of CCMB, said in a statement.

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Gynecology News

Postpartum hemorrhage highly preventable, manageable condition; latest guidelines to be followed for prevention

by Vaishali Sharma
written by Vaishali Sharma

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality across India. The majority of women, who experience PPH complications have no identifiable clinical or historical risk factors. It has been observed that the condition gets aggravated by pre-existing anemia, when the loss of a smaller volume of blood may result in adverse clinical sequelae.

Dr. Malvika Sabharwal, Chief- Department of Gynaecology & Obstetrics, Jeewan Mala & Apollo Spectra Hospitals said that PPH is a largely preventable and manageable condition. Anticipation, preparedness, taking prophylactic measures, and vigilance for PPH are the cornerstones of PPH prevention. Anticipation involves knowing the risk factors which can cause PPH. The preparedness involves PPH trolley in labour room, which should have everything required for management of bleeding patient. Training of labour room staff for estimation of blood loss and PPH Drill is pivotal. Active management of third stage of labour (AMTSL) is essential and includes Uterotonics at anterior shoulder delivery or immediately after the delivery of baby, preferably within one minute after birth, Delayed cord clamping and controlled cord traction (CCT) to deliver the placenta and Uterine massage after delivery of placenta to keep the uterus contracted. The patient should be observed for blood loss by visual inspection and vital monitoring over the next hour, with assessment of uterine tone and size at least every 15 minutes. Early breastfeeding should be done as it promotes endogenous oxytocin release,” said Dr Malvika.

Bharat Serums and Vaccines Limited (BSV), which is a leader in women healthcare products and solutions,  has also unveiled a new women’s health product “Carbetocin”. It’s an injectable drug which is currently recommended for prevention of Postpartum hemorrhage.

According to a report from WHO, it suggests that 25 percent of maternal deaths are due to PPH. In India, PPH, which is exacerbated by widespread anaemia among pregnant women, accounts for 38 percent of maternal deaths.  As per the Sample Registration System (SRS) report by Registrar General of India(RGI), Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) of India has reduced from 130 per 100,000 live births in SRS 2014-16 to 122 in SRS 2015-17 and to 113 per 100,000 live births in SRS 2016-18.

The condition of PPH occurs when there is a blood loss of 500 ml or more within 24 hours after delivery. PPH could be severe when the blood loss is of 1000 ml or more within the same time frame. In practice, blood loss after delivery is seldom measured and it is not clear whether measuring blood loss improves the care and outcome for the women. In addition, some women may require interventions to manage PPH with less blood loss than others if they are anemic.

“Uterine atony is the most common cause of PPH and consequently the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. A combination of quality antenatal care, skilled care at birth by active management of third stage of labour, the availability of high-quality emergency obstetric care (with trained medical personnel and adequate infrastructure) and improved access to these services are essential to save many maternal lives,” she added.

Citing some of the potential risk factors for postpartum hemorrhage, Dr Malvika added, “Lack of awareness among community, continued preference for home deliveries, lack of skilled birth attendants, transportation facilities, health care providers not having the appropriate skill mix, and equipment and supplies for provision of emergency obstetric care,are all responsible for maternal mortality and morbidity due to PPH.”

 

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eye
Experts speakOphthalmology News

Eye Health in Work-from-Home Era: Does Too Much Screen Time Hurt Your Vision

by Dr Tushar Grover
written by Dr Tushar Grover

By: Dr. Tushar Grover, Medical Director, Vision Eye Centre, New Delhi

Undoubtedly, there has been an unprecedented jump in the screen time that we have all engaged in ever since the pandemic has broken out. In an era of lockdowns and homestays, howsoever intermittent and episodic, not only have we remained confined indoors for longer durations, the way we function as a society has undergone a sea change. Whether it is for educational purposes, or for entertainment and leisure or for work, a full-fledged digital lifestyle has increasingly come to define us. Indeed, as part of this lifestyle change, work-from-home has become a more permanent feature of our everyday routine.

Work-from-home has an eye health cost

But do we realize that the increased adoption of work-from-home routine has a cost element involved in terms of our eye health. As we spend more and more time on digital screens including laptops, mobile phones, tablets, e-readers and even television, our eyes have an disproportionately increased exposure time to these screens fraught with considerable adverse consequences.

Characterized by a range of symptoms 

The increased screen time and the resultant eye problems can be gauged through a range of symptoms. These could be in the form of eye strain, or headaches, or blurred vision or double vision, or dry eyes or even neck and shoulder pain. Sometimes, it can even lead to disturbance in sleep patterns and difficulties in concentration apart from mental health conditions.

Computer Vision Syndrome, the big eye problem

Because of excessive screen time, we can face a number of problems in our eyes with Computer Vision Syndrome or Digital Eye Strain being one prominent example. We need to realize that the nature of demand on our eyes changes as compared to when we regularly read a printed page or write in the physical mode. Apart from the movement of our eyes, the focusing and refocusing on a computer or other digital screens requires additional efforts on the part of the eye muscles and the vision system. If we consider the glare, the contrast and the flicker of the screen, it becomes even more strenuous and uncomfortable for our eyes attempting to work on the screens. Also, while we are engrossed with our screens, we tend to blink less which leads to dry eyes with related consequences. People touching forty particularly have to exert more since their natural lenses become less flexible.

Those wearing eyewear also have problems

While people with unaddressed or under-addressed vision issues will have more problems for obvious reasons, those wearing some eyewear such as eyeglasses and lenses also need to be equally careful. Screen use, particularly at home is often associated with improper posture and improper home lighting. The viewer is often forced to bend his head, not just aggravating discomfort to eyes but also causing back and neck pain.

What should one do?

Of course, reducing or ‘right-sizing’ the screen time is the first step that one has to consider. Second, placing the computer or other screen in sufficiently lit space must become a priority. Third, adequate distance preferably at an arm’s length and at appropriate viewing angle between the individual and the screen must be maintained. Fourth, glasses and lenses filtering blue rays and with UV protection should be taken recourse to. And fifth and very importantly, one must observe the 20-20-20 rule meaning that every 20 minutes, a person using screen should look about 20 feet away for at least twenty seconds. This would give the eyes much-needed rest on a regular basis.

Therefore, while work-from-home and the consequent increased screen time has many advantages, there are downsides too with respect to our eye health. A study reports that nearly 23% of Indian population had suffered some level of weakening eyesight during the pandemic-driven increased homestays. As such, while we can’t do away with our screens completely, we must exercise caution. Moderation is the keyword here.

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Pediatrics News

Experts explain how Omicron is behaving in infants

by Vaishali Sharma
written by Vaishali Sharma

According to a prominent doctor at Max Smart Super Specialty Hospital in Saket, Omicron is behaving very mildly and only rarely affects newborn newborns. For the past several weeks, India has seen an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.

Taking cognisance of this information, Chief Advisor, Paediatrics and Infectious Diseases, Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, Dr. Arvind Taneja told ANI today, “This virus is behaving very mildly and rarely affecting newborn babies to the extent that, even mothers who have given birth during this period are not affected. The babies are not born with any defects or abnormalities.”

“This virus is affecting children mildly. Mildly here means that they are getting a mild running nose, cough. In a few cases, high fever was reported but that does translate to the Omicron effect. If any person in the family is detected positive for COVID-19, they should home-quarantine themselves. That is the only precaution to take at the moment to curtail the spread of the virus,” he said.

Taneja said, “I believe that once the virus comes into the home, it spreads like wildfire. The third wave has already hit Delhi and major metropolises like Mumbai. Within a few weeks in January, the Omicron driven third wave will come like a Tsunami and will also disappear like a Tsunami.”

The doctor also lauded the Prime Minister’s decision to roll out precautionary dose of COVID-19 vaccine for people aged above 60 years and vaccines for teens between 15-18 years of age. He said, “It is better to immunise this age group to reduce transmissibility. Senior citizens fall under the category of high-risk groups. Every healthcare, frontline worker, senior citizen and teens between 15-18 years of age should be fully vaccinated.”

The COVID-19 vaccination program for children aged between 15 and 18 years has been started on January 3, 2022.

India achieved a milestone in its COVID-19 vaccination drive as the cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country surpassed the 150 crore mark on Friday.

India is currently witnessing a surge in COVID-19 cases and reported 1,79,723 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the daily positivity rate in the country to 13.29 per cent, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Monday.

 

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Dietetics News

Exercise is beneficial but, high-altitude workouts may increase risk of low blood sugar in diabetics

by Pragati Singh
written by Pragati Singh

Who has time to waste on pointless and occasionally harmful activities? Yes, research has proven that being physically active may help you live a healthier and happier life at any age, but you must exercise caution if you have an underlying ailment. Regular exercise lowers the risk of developing a range of long-term (chronic) disorders, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and a number of cancers. However, some types of exercise, particularly high-altitude workouts, might make matters worse for diabetic individuals.

Hiking, Skiing Could Increase Low Blood Sugar Risk In Diabetics

According to a recent study, people with diabetes may need to check their blood sugar more closely when participating in high-altitude sports like hiking or skiing. The findings were reported in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism of the American Society of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Exercise is frequently recommended by doctors for people suffering from diabetes because it offers numerous benefits. It can help with cardiovascular health, insulin sensitivity, and overall quality of life. Exercise, on the other hand, can trigger hypoglycaemia (a dangerously low blood sugar) in diabetics during and after a workout. If a person’s blood sugar falls dangerously low, they may experience seizures, become unconscious, or die.

Cory Dugan, A.F.H.E.A., B.Sc. (Hons), of the University of Western Australia in Crawley, Australia said, “these findings suggest that exercise performed shortly after exposure to high altitude may increase the risk of exercise-mediated hypoglycaemia. We ask that future guidelines consider these findings to increase the safety of people with type 1 diabetes when travelling from low to high altitude areas like the mountains without any acclimatization.”

The Study

The researchers tested the blood sugar levels of seven persons with type 1 diabetes before, during, and after two indoor cycling sessions that simulated sea level and high-altitude circumstances. Blood sugar levels were much lower after 1 hour of exercise at 4200 metres (about half the height of Mount Everest) and throughout recovery. These data imply that high-altitude exercise may increase the risk of hypoglycaemia in type 1 diabetic patients.

Other Potential Downsides To High Altitude Training

While altitude training may improve your athletic performance, it also has significant drawbacks. Altitude sickness might occur if you workout too hard too soon after arriving at altitude. If you increase elevation too quickly, this can also happen. The following are some of the signs and symptoms of altitude sickness:

  • headache
  • tiredness
  • nausea
  • inability to eat
  • vomiting

Altitude disease can cause high altitude cerebral oedema (brain swelling) or high altitude pulmonary oedema in extreme situations (lung swelling).

Follow these actions to lower your risk of altitude sickness:

  • Reduce your workout intensity when you get to a high altitude place
  • Slowly and steadily ascend
  • Stay hydrated because hard breathing causes you to lose more water
  • Before beginning any type of altitude training, see your doctor, especially if you have diabetes or heart or lung disease
  • Before training, consult a dietician to address any iron deficiencies. Low quantities of haemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells, can cause problems
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Nutrition News

Study finds nutrient’s role in childhood blood cancer

by Vaishali Sharma
written by Vaishali Sharma

According to a new study, the amino acid valine, a chemical building element of many animal proteins, is involved in malignant growth in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

The research has been published in the ‘Nature Journal’.

Led by researchers at NYU Langone Health, its Department of Pathology, and the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, the study showed that genes involved in using up valine in cells were more active in cancerous T cells than in normal T cells.

Blocking these valine-linked genes not only led to decreased valine in leukaemia blood T cells but also stalled these tumour cells from growing in the lab. Only 2 per cent of cancerous T cells remained alive.

Further, experiments suggested that changes (mutations) in the DNA code of the gene NOTCH1, the most commonly seen in patients who develop leukaemia, encouraged cancer growth in part by increasing valine levels.

The research involved experiments in human leukaemia cells grown in the lab and also transplanted into mice that then develop this cancer, which has its origins in white blood cells in the bone marrow.

Further experiments showed that feeding the leukemic mice low-valine diets for three weeks interrupted tumour growth. The diet also reduced circulating blood cancer cells by at least half and in some cases to undetectable levels. By contrast, the re-introduction of valine to the diets led to cancer progression.

“Our study confirms that T cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is absolutely dependent on a supply of valine and that valine deficiency can stall this cancer’s progression,” said study co-lead investigator Palaniraja Thandapani, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and its Perlmutter Cancer Center.

The research team has planned next year to test whether diets low in valine-rich foods, such as meat, fish, and beans, are an effective treatment in people with cancer. Low-valine diets are readily available, Thandapani said, as they are already being used to treat acid imbalances in the body tied to genetic disorders that affect gut metabolism.

Senior study investigator Iannis Aifantis, PhD, said that the trial design would likely combine diet therapy with venetoclax, a drug already approved for use in the United States for most other types of leukaemia.

The drug combination is important, he said, because such dietary restrictions are not likely sustainable in the long term. This is due to the known potential for muscle wasting and brain damage from prolonged valine deficiency.

“Our clinical approach would involve using low-valine diets to shrink the number of T cells with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia to a level so low that drugs could then effectively stall cancer progression,” said Aifantis, the Hermann M. Biggs Professor and chair of the Department of Pathology at NYU Grossman and Perlmutter.

Aifantis said many basic cell building blocks, including proteins, nucleotides, and fatty acids, are needed for cancer to grow and spread. At least half a dozen other amino acids, especially high levels of lysine, have been implicated in cancers, but their precise roles remain unknown. He cautioned that dietary strategies alone for treating cancer have been tried for decades with little scientific evidence of any benefit. He said more research is needed, including the team’s planned clinical trial, before any treatment guidelines can be recommended.

The American Cancer Society estimated that more than 1,500 Americans, mostly children, die each year from T cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Another 5,000 will be newly diagnosed. This type of cancer accounts for roughly one-quarter of all leukaemias.

Funding support for the study was provided by National Institutes of Health grants P30CA016087, P01 CA229086 and R01 CA228135; the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society; New York State Department of Health’s Study finds nutrient’s role in childhood blood cancerNYSTEM program; and the American Association for Cancer Research Incyte Corporation Leukemia Research Fellowship.

Besides Thandapani, Aifantis and Tsirigos, other NYU Langone researchers involved in the study co-lead investigators Andreas Kloetgen; Matthew Witkowski; and Christina Glytsou; and study co-investigators Anna Lee; Eric Wang, Jingjing Wang; Sarah LeBoeuf; Kleopatra Avrampou; and Thales Papagiannakopoulos.

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Neurology News

Incidence of Autism on the rise post-pandemic according to experts!

by Vaishali Sharma
written by Vaishali Sharma

Hear ‘N’ Say Clinic – a specialized centre for people with Hearing, speech and language disorders; hosted a unique workshop, Let’s Talk, for parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), kids suffering from ASD and Medical Professionals dealing with the special kids, from across the state.

Autism Is a disorder associated with sensory processing leading to difficulties in organising and responding to information received from the sensory organs. These kids are often misunderstood by the society and face immense challenges impacting their physical and mental wellbeing and growth.There are indications of rise in ASD cases in the last one year with most therapists seeing more cases than normal. Pandemic impacted ASD children the most, the change in their daily routine and that of their families, in addition to minimal social exposure led to greater stress amongst them. These kids require regular therapy sessions to improve their abilities, especially during the crucial ages of 2 to 6 years, when maximum brain development takes place in the infant. But pandemic put a break on these sessions, the children were deprived of the therapy and lost unrecoverable precious years.

 

 

 

The ‘Let’s Talk’ workshop was packed with interesting knowledge sharing sessions and activities to help cope with these special kids and mould them into near normal individuals. There were four activities for kids and two hands on training for parents to demonstrate behavioural issues and ways to handle them.Therapists pretended like children with Autism spectrum disorder and parents were asked to react on how they handle the situation. Parents were advised and guided on conducive practices to address the issues and were able to see live the encouraging response from the kids.

 

 

 

Let’s Talk was a much awaited opportunity for parents and professionals alike to share insights, practices, outcomes, mock sessions, all of which helped to unlearn and learn the best practices which made ASD kids feel comfortable and can enable them to develop their sensory organs. This session seemed essential, as there is a sea change in the post-pandemic scenario related to ASD kids and their behaviour, the brainstorming of all stakeholders helped to asses, tweak, develop protocols afresh and hopefully these make a difference to the ASD children, says Dr. Garima Vegivada, Clinical Director- Speech Language Pathology, Hear ‘N’ Say Clinic, Secunderabad.

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Covid News and UpdatesSexual health

Covid infection could reduce sperm quality over MONTHS: study

by Pragati Singh
written by Pragati Singh

Despite the need for peer review, the researchers claimed that semen is “not infectious” with COVID-19 and so cannot be spread through sexual contact.

However, the study states that: “Couples with a desire for pregnancy should be warned that sperm quality after COVID infection can be suboptimal.

“The estimated recovery time is three months, but further follow-up studies are underway to confirm this and to determine if permanent damage occurred in a minority of men.”

Among 51 men tested between one and two months after recovery, 37 percent had reduced sperm motility, and 29 percent had low sperm counts. Fortunately, the effect seems reversible.

Among 34 men who provided semen samples at least two months after recovery, sperm motility was impaired in 28 percent, and sperm counts were low in 6 percent.

The severity of COVID-19 infection was not correlated with sperm characteristics.

The researchers said they “found no differences” in the sperm quality of those who were hospitalised with the virus and those who stayed at home with milder symptoms.

Reductions in sperm motility were evident in 60 percent.

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Dietetics News

Lifestyle intervention benefits those with high-risk prediabetes: study

by Pragati Singh
written by Pragati Singh

Intensive lifestyle intervention helps persons with prediabetes delay or perhaps avoid type 2 diabetes, according to a new research. The study’s findings were published in the journal ‘Diabetes.’

Individuals with prediabetes who were at the highest risk benefited the most from extensive lifestyle changes. The German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) performed the study at eight of the center’s locations across Germany.

Many persons with prediabetes can lower their blood glucose levels and prevent getting type 2 diabetes by increasing their physical activity and eating a healthier diet. However, a traditional lifestyle intervention does not help everyone (LI). According to recent research, there are distinct subtypes of prediabetes with varied risk profiles.

Researchers at the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) have therefore investigated in a multicenter randomised controlled trial whether people with prediabetes and a high-risk benefit from an intensification of the intervention and how people with low risk are affected by a conventional LI compared to no lifestyle changes.

The LI lasted 12 months in each case and the follow-up period was a further two years. A total of 1,105 individuals with prediabetes were investigated at various study sites in Germany and assigned to a high-risk or low-risk phenotype based on insulin secretion, insulin sensitivity, and liver fat content. 82 per cent of participants completed the study.

People at high risk — these individuals produce too little insulin or suffer from the fatty liver with insulin resistance — were randomly assigned to receive conventional LI according to the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) or a more intensive intervention with double the amount of required exercise.

The results showed that more exercise, i.e. more intensive LI, helps people at high risk improve their blood glucose and cardiometabolic levels and reduce the liver fat content to within the normal range. Conventional LI is less effective.

Low-risk participants completed a conventional LI or took part in a control group that received only a one-time brief consultation.

“After three years, glucose tolerance was more likely to normalise in participants with conventional LI than in those in the control group,” said Professor Hans-Ulrich Haring of the German Center for Diabetes Research and the last author of the study.

There were hardly any differences in insulin sensitivity and secretion, liver fat content and cardiometabolic risk.

“Our study results show that an individualised LI based on the risk phenotype is beneficial for diabetes prevention,” said study leader Professor Andreas Fritsche from the Institute of Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases of Helmholtz Munich at the University of Tubingen (IDM) and the Department of Diabetology, Endocrinology and Nephrology (Director: Professor Andreas Birkenfeld, MD) at Tubingen University Hospital, summarising the results. “For successful prevention, we need to identify high-risk patients in the future and focus on providing them with an intensified lifestyle intervention.”

 

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Dietetics News

Moving more often has long-term weight loss in older adults: Research

by Pragati Singh
written by Pragati Singh

“This research is relevant for clinicians and other healthcare providers interested in supporting long-term weight loss in older adults, as well as for older adults who are personally interested in weight loss and avoiding weight gain,” said Jason Fanning, PhD, assistant professor in Wake Forest University’s Department of Health and Exercise Science in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The study’s corresponding author is Fanning.

Through local ads, males and females from Forsyth County, North Carolina, and the neighbouring regions were recruited for the research. Between 2016 and January 2019, six rounds of recruitment were place, with the last follow-up taking place in September 2020. The first four waves of participants completed procedures before to the commencement of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, while the latter two waves took part under the COVID-19 quarantine orders. Participants who completed study procedures prior to the COVID-19 are included in the analysis.

A total of 183 men and women aged 65 to 85 years who were classified as having obesity based on a body mass index of 30 to 45 kg/m2 were selected. The average participant was 70 years old, primarily female, highly educated and with hypertension and arthritis as being the most self-reported, prevalent comorbidities. These traits did not statistically differ between study groups.

Participants were randomized to receive a group-based, dietary weight loss program paired with one of three physical activity recommendations: aerobic exercise and SitLess, which tasked participants with moving frequently throughout the day; aerobic exercise alone; or SitLess alone. All participants received a Fitbit Alta activity monitor at least two weeks prior to the start of the intervention, and the device was paired with a mobile health application that was tailored to each intervention arm (mHealth app; the EMPOWER Companion App). The app facilitated contact between group members and research staff between intervention visits and was designed to facilitate self-monitoring of activity behaviours by providing group-specific, visual feedback of Fitbit activity data. Study assessments were collected by blinded research staff at baseline, after the intensive phase of intervention (six months) and at the end of the maintenance phase (18 months).

Group meeting attendance was 80 per cent in weight loss and SitLess, 84 per cent in weight loss and aerobic exercise, and 78 per cent in weight loss, aerobic exercise and SitLess. Regarding structured exercise appointments, those in weight loss and aerobic exercise attended 79 per cent of exercise sessions on average, whereas weight loss, aerobic exercise and SitLess attended 65 per cent. Average weekly application usage during the intensive phase (weeks 1-24) and the full study period (weeks 1-72) revealed that weight loss, SitLess and aerobic exercise group had the most app usage compared to the weight loss and aerobic exercise group which had the least amount of app usage. Those who received the SitLess intervention tended to view their app more frequently, which was expected, as these individuals were coached to view their activity patterns several times daily.

Counter to expectations, researchers found the weight loss, aerobic exercise and SitLess condition did not lose more weight or contributed to better weight maintenance relative to weight loss and SitLess or weight loss and aerobic exercise. Instead, only the weight loss and aerobic exercise condition demonstrated significantly more regain relative to weight loss and SitLess.

“This is encouraging evidence that “moving more, more often” is beneficial for inclusion in weight loss and weight maintenance efforts for older adults. This form of treatment option may be perceived as more accessible and feasible for people pursuing sustained weight loss since it does not require structured exercise sessions and should be explored in future research. Simplification of guidance regarding exercise to “move more, more often” to sustain weight loss is promising for clinical practice and public health efforts moving forward,” said Alexandra Lee, PhD, a post-doctoral scholar in the Department of Kinesiology at The Pennsylvania State University. Lee was not associated with the research.

Other authors of the study include W.J. Rejeski, Department of Health and Exercise Science, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC; I. Leng and J.F. Lovato, Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Wake Forest University; and C. Barnett, M.F. Lyles and B.J. Nicklas, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University.
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