ECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH47
INTRODUCTION: Sport and exercise science (SES) researchers often formulate hypotheses which contain few and vague dependent variables (DVs), but then test multiple, specific DVs with multiple statistical tests. This creates interpretive ambiguity for clinicians and coaches, and affords researchers excessive analytic flexibility. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to investigate the ratio of the number of statistical tests conducted to the number of DVs stated within the hypothesis (stat : hypo) within applied SES studies. Secondly, we aimed to investigate if studies with a low stat : hypo ratio would have more “clearer” primary hypothesis outcomes as decided by meta-scientists and SES researchers, compared to studies with a high stat : hypo ratio. METHODS: 269 applied SES studies from 13 quartile one SES journals met inclusion criteria. The following was coded per study, the number of: - DVs within the hypothesis - Statistical tests believed to be conducted - DVs tested within the results section Expert meta-scientists (n = 4) and SES researchers (n = 4) examined blinded samples of high-ratio and low-ratio studies, and coded the outcome of the primary hypothesis on the basis of only the results presented. The threshold for “high” and “low” ratio studies was set at the 25th and 75th percentiles respectively (using the stat: hypo). All values below are median [min, max]. RESULTS: The median number of DVs stated within the hypothesis was 3 [1,11]. The median number of statistical tests conducted was 64 [3, 1299]. The median stat : hypo was 26 [1, 488] : 1. The median number of DVs tested was 13 [1, 107]. The median var : hypo was 4.7 [0.5, 53.5] : 1. Clear hypothesis outcomes (“Accept” / “Reject”) as determined by meta-scientists and researchers were more frequent in low ratio studies (79.7%) compared to high ratio studies (61.6%). CONCLUSION: For every DV stated within the hypothesis statement SES researchers test 5 DVs producing 26 p-values. When studies had a lower ratio, there was a higher percentage of clearer outcomes as determined by meta-scientists and SES researchers. Vague hypotheses tested using multiple statistical tests doesn’t allow the reader to clearly map the hypothesis DVs to the statistical tests conducted and subsequently to the hypothesis claim. If we cannot understand the claims being made from research what is the purpose of our research? Therefore, SES researchers should instead aim to more commonly test simple hypotheses with clearly defined DVs and clearly mapped statistical tests. Until these practices become more common, practitioners should interpret applied SES findings with caution, as the conclusions may be difficult to pin to a specific outcome or decision-relevant metric. In practice, this means avoiding overconfidence in “positive” results that may reflect selective emphasis among many tested outcomes, and prioritising evidence where primary outcomes are clearly specified and adequately tested relative to their stated claim.
Read CV Barry GormanECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH47
Cardiorespiratory fitness is a key determinant of exercise tolerance during hiking activities and represents a relevant parameter to consider when selecting routes appropriate to individual capacity. In parallel, exercise tolerance, also understood as fatigability, seems to complete the evaluation of physiological profile of the hikers, emerging from the integration of cardiovascular strain and perceived effort experienced during exercise. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the association between cardiorespiratory fitness and fatigability during an outdoor hiking session with potential implications for individualized route selection and effort self-monitoring. Twenty-four physically active adults (age: 24.9 ± 0.6 years; BMI: 23.5 ± 2.6 kg/m2) participated in the study. Theoretical maximum heart rate (HRmax) was calculated for each participant, according to the equation 220 - age (years). Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by means of the Ruffier test following the standard protocol [1]. Participants then completed an outdoor hiking session, during which heart rate was continuously monitored, while Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) was collected every 10 minutes on a CR 0 – 10 scale. Fatigability was calculated as a psychophysiological index by multiplying the highest heart rate (bpm) reached during the session by the RPE value recorded at the end of the same 10-minute interval in which that heart rate occurred. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to assess the relationship between fatigability and the Ruffier index. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. During the outdoor session (length: ~3800 m; maximum slope: 19%; mean slope: 5.3%), participants exercised for approximately 40 minutes, reaching on average 67% of their theoretical HRmax (131.3 ± 19.4 bpm). The session was rated as low-to-moderate based on RPE values (2.2 ± 0.9 pts). A strong negative correlation (r = -0.84) was observed between fatigability (294.4 ± 163.2 AU) and Ruffier index (12.3 ± 0.9). The present findings indicate that cardiorespiratory fitness is strongly associated with fatigability during an outdoor hiking task. Individuals with lower Ruffier index values exhibited reduced psychophysiological stress, suggesting a more efficient integration between cardiovascular response and perceived effort during the task. These results support the use of simple field-based fitness assessments, such as the Ruffier test, as potential tools for predicting individual tolerance to prolonged outdoor activities. From a physical activity promotion perspective, combining a simple fitness test with perceived effort monitoring may support self-regulation of intensity and safer participation in outdoor activities. Moreover, the combined use of heart rate and RPE to quantify fatigability may represent a practical approach for monitoring effort and recovery in real-world hiking and endurance contexts. [1] Zanevskyy I. et al. (2017) J Test Eval 45:2193
Read CV Olga PapaleECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH47
INTRODUCTION: Modern lifestyles often prevent people from meeting WHO physical activity guidelines. Exergaming offers a convenient home exercise option. However, current methods for estimating energy expenditure (EE) and METs in exergames may be inaccurate, raising concerns about their effectiveness and safety. This study will use Ring Fit Adventure (RFA),which became a world hit as an example to calculate its energy expenditure, analyze its energy consumption characteristics and metabolic intensity, aiming to provide scientific reference for metabolic intensity assessment and energy expenditure estimation of exergames. METHODS: 24 healthy college students(16F) with regular exercise habits participated. Exclusion criteria included medical conditions, recent injuries, or use of substances affecting metabolism. Participants avoided exercise, alcohol, and caffeine for 24h before testing and fasted for 2h. The study used the "Ukiyo-ya" level in RFA. The participants were required to sit quietly and rest for 30 minutes after arriving at the lab,then they finished the preparatory steps,the game system automatically calculated and set the game intensity and then played the game. VO₂, heart rate, and blood lactate were measured at rest, during exercise, and throughout a 30-minute seated recovery. EPOC was determined as the period until VO₂ returned to baseline.Calculate aerobic energy consumption and EPOC using oxygen consumption at different stages,and determine anaerobic energy consumption using the blood lactate difference.Total EE(TEE)(kJ) = Aerobic EE (kJ) + Glycolytic EE (kJ) + Post-exercise EE (kJ)[1] RESULTS: 1. During the gaming experiment,aerobic EE accounted for 67.8±5.7% of TEE(193.5±78.2 kJ). EPOC contributed 27.1±5.7% (78.1±36.7 kJ), and glycolytic EE only 5.1±1.7%(14.9±7.5 kJ). Repeated-measures ANOVA showed significant differences among the three EE sources in both absolute amounts and relative proportions 2. The game system underestimated EE by 58.7±7.0% (estimated: 114.7±38.5 kJ; TEE: 286.5±113.1 kJ; P<0.001), but a significant linear correlation existed (R²=0.808, P<0.0001). 3. METs from TEE (7.2±1.4) were highest, exceeding those from VO₂(4.7±0.7), with the game system’s METs lowest(2.8±0.2). Differences among methods were significant (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: 1.Healthy college students can achieve moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels while playing the Ukiyo-ya stage in RFA. 2.The RFA game system underestimates the energy expenditure of healthy college students during gameplay. References: [1]SCOTT C B, LEIGHTON B H, AHEARN K J, et al. Aerobic, Anaerobic, and Excess Postexercise Oxygen Consumption Energy Expenditure of Muscular Endurance and Strength: 1-Set of Bench Press to Muscular Fatigue[J]. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2011, 25(4): 903-908.
Read CV Chen XinyanECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH47