Resistance training (RT) and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) supplementation have emerged as strategies to improve muscle function in older adults. Overweight/obese postmenopausal women (55–70 years) were randomly allocated to one of four experimental groups, receiving placebo (olive oil) or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich n-3 PUFA supplementation alone or in combination with a supervised RT-program for 16 weeks. At baseline and at end of the trial, body composition, anthropometrical measures, blood pressure and serum glucose and lipid biomarkers were analyzed. Oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) and strength tests were also performed. All groups exhibit a similar moderate reduction in body weight and fat mass, but the RT-groups maintained bone mineral content, increased upper limbs lean mass, decreased lower limbs fat mass, and increased muscle strength and quality compared to untrained-groups. The RT-program also improved glucose tolerance (lowering the OGTT incremental area under the curve). The DHA-rich supplementation lowered diastolic blood pressure and circulating triglycerides and increased muscle quality in lower limbs. In conclusion, 16-week RT-program improved segmented body composition, bone mineral content, and glucose tolerance, while the DHA-rich supplement had beneficial effects on cardiovascular health markers in overweight/obese postmenopausal women. No synergistic effects were observed for DHA supplementation and RT-program combination.

The purpose of this multi-sample study was to examine the psychometric characteristics, factor structure, and measurement invariance of the hard-copy and webbased versions of a measure of sport imagery ability, termed Sport Imagery Ability Measure (SIAM). In the first sample Spanish athletes (N = 274, 161 men, 113 women, M age = 21.91, SD = 6.67) completed a hard-copy version of the SIAM. A newly developed web-based version of the SIAM was cross validated in an independent group (N = 266, 147 men, 119 women, M age = 25.93, SD = 9.84). A small group of participants (n = 16) completed both versions. Exploratory structural equation modelling and confirmatory factor analysis of the data from the hard-copy version showed that a 3-factor (i.e., generation, feeling, and single senses) solution of the SIAM reached satisfactory fit indices. The 3-factor solution showed good fit to the data obtained through the web-based version of the SIAM. Multi group comparisons provided support for measurement invariance across gender and competitive level.Evidence of full invariance of factor loadings was obtained for both formats of administration indicating that the factor structure was held across groups, while partial invariance was seen for item intercepts indicating inequality in the intercepts of some indicators.

This study examines both the effect of a twice-weekly combined exercise—1 h session of strength and 1 h session of impact-aerobic—on body composition and dietary habits after one year of treatment with aromatase inhibitors (AI) in breast cancer survivors. Overall, forty-three postmenopausal women with a BMI ≤ 35 kg/m2, breast cancer survivors treated with AI, were randomized into two groups: a control group (CG) (n = 22) and a training group (IG) (n = 21). Body composition, i.e., abdominal, visceral, and subcutaneous adipose tissue) was measured by magnetic resonance. In addition, some questionnaires were used to gather dietary data and to measure adherence to the Mediterranean diet. After one year, women in the IG showed a significant improvement in body composition, indicated by decreases in subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue, and total fat tissue. Furthermore, the dietary habits were compatible with moderate adherence to the Mediterranean diet pattern and a low dietary intake of Ca, Zn, Folic Ac, and vitamins D, A, and E. A twice-weekly training program combining impact aerobic exercise and resistance exercise may be effective in improving the body composition for postmenopausal women who have breast cancer treated with AI, and the results suggest the need for nutritional counselling for this population.