Welcome back to our regular feature where we sift through thousands of new, health-related papers, and pick a few to summarize in a practical, simple, and not anxiety-inducing way.
Our main questions on each paper:
- In simple language, what does it say?
- Does it have good evidence?
- Should what it says matter to normal people?
- What simple thing, if anything, could a normal person do to take advantage of this finding?
Okay, away we go. And, as always, we rate each paper for practicality and level of interest, but we are mostly focused on finding ways to simplify findings. And more than anything else, we want to avoid over-optimization, so if a paper is telling you down to the minute how much sunlight to get at dawn, or that you should only drink coffee during eclipses, we are outta there.
This edition's articles and papers:
- Technologically advanced running shoes reduce oxygen cost and cumulative tibial loading per kilometer in recreational female and male runners | Scientific Reports https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-62263-0
- Epidemiology of Muscle Injuries in Professional Football (Soccer) - Jan Ekstrand, Martin Hägglund, Markus Waldén, 2011 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0363546510395879?casa_token=1AlsK0kczD4AAAAA%3AD1640fQWy1A1A8-v3kj4wO2h2xezVzHecl3hnX9v97zsR63cdW5AX8zqFwwhJMZaeJxnMjqiIrOFYA
- Exercise versus caloric restriction for visceral fat loss - which is better? - BJSM blog https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2023/04/14/exercise-versus-caloric-restriction-for-visceral-fat-loss-which-is-better/
- The LT speed & HR estimate of the latest Garmin Fenix model | OAJSM https://www.dovepress.com/garmin-fnix-7-underestimates-performance-at-the-lactate-threshold-in-c-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-OAJSM
- Air and Noise Pollution Exposure in Early Life and Mental Health From Adolescence to Young Adulthood | Psychiatry and Behavioral Health | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2819070?utm_source=silverchair&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=article_alert-jamanetworkopen&utm_content=wklyforyou&utm_term=052924&adv=null
Now, here are our takes on the articles and papers:
Paper: Supershoes Improve Running Efficiency
Practicality (4/5): 🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️
Interest (3/5): 🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️
Summary
New “Supershoes” reduce oxygen usage and tibial stress in recreational runners compared to traditional running shoes, improving running efficiency and potentially lowering injury risk.
What is the paper's main claim?
- Supershoes help runners use less oxygen.
- Lower tibial loading could mean fewer injuries.
Are the methods and/or data it uses appropriate and convincing?
- The sample size is small (19 participants), which affects generalizability.
- Effect size seems meaningful but needs larger studies for confirmation.
What do we know now that we didn't know before, if anything?
- Supershoes provide (modest) metabolic advantages even for recreational runners, not just elites.
- Potential injury risk reduction due to lower tibial loading per kilometer.
What simple and practical thing could a normal person do knowing this?
- While new supershoes carry advantages, and may reduce some forms of injury risk, it is too soon to say much more, despite marketing claims and hyperbole.
Paper: Predicting "Old Man's Calf"
Practicality (3/5): 🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️
Interest (4/5): 🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️
Summary
The study explores how a person’s genetic makeup, history, and age predict their likelihood of sustaining muscle injuries in sports. In particular, it highlights the rising incidence of calf injuries with age.
What is the paper's main claim?
- Specific genetic markers can predict the likelihood of muscle injuries.
- Calf injuries are the ones most closely associated with increasing age.
Are the methods and/or data it uses appropriate and convincing?
- The sample size is modest, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
What do we know now that we didn't know before, if anything?
- This paper does provide some preliminary evidence linking genetic markers to muscle injury risk.
- It makes clear the relationship between age and calf injuries, sometimes called "old man's calf".
What simple and practical thing could a normal person do knowing this?
- If you are active you will one day get injured, but you can reduce the severity and improve your return to play time.
- Calf injuries, in particular, are problematic, and can become chronic without proper rehabilitation.
Paper: Exercise vs. Diet for Belly Fat
Practicality (5/5): 🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️
Interest (4/5): 🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️
Summary
Exercise has a higher dose-response relationship than dieting does at reducing harmful belly fat. Dieting is highly effective, but without a proportional increase when more calories are restricted.
What is the paper's main claim?
- Increases in exercise reduce harmful belly fat more effectively than dieting.
- The more you exercise, the more belly fat you lose, all else equal.
Are the methods and/or data it uses appropriate and convincing?
- The study reviewed 40 different studies with data from 2190 individuals, using accurate imaging methods to measure belly fat.
- There is clear evidence that exercise has a dose-response effect, but no similar trend for caloric restriction, suggesting robust data on the exercise impact.
What do we know now that we didn't know before, if anything?
- It's not just about losing weight overall; exercise specifically targets harmful belly fat better than diet does.
- Exercise keeps muscle mass intact, unlike dieting, which can lower metabolic rates and make long-term weight loss harder.
What simple and practical thing could a normal person do knowing this?
- Be highly wary about diet-only programs for body-fat reduction.
- Include significant resistance training in your program.
Paper: Smartwatch Metric Accuracy
Practicality (4/5): 🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️
Interest (4/5): 🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️
Summary
This study evaluates the accuracy of the Garmin Fenix 7 smartwatch in measuring running performance, particularly the lactate threshold, compared to a traditional field test. Results indicate the smartwatch underestimates both the pace and heart rate at the lactate threshold. While useful for general training purposes, the device's deviations could mislead competitive athletes.
What is the paper's main claim?
- The Garmin Fenix 7 underestimates performance levels at the lactate threshold compared to field tests, both in terms of pace and heart rate.
Are the methods and/or data it uses appropriate and convincing?
- The study used a modest sample size (26 participants with complete data) but had a high dropout rate (48%), making the results less robust.
What do we know now that we didn't know before, if anything?
- It confirms that advanced smartwatches like the Garmin Fenix 7 can estimate performance metrics and changes there.
- The estimates come with material variance, so they may not be appropriate for competitive athletes.
What simple and practical thing could a normal person do knowing this?
- Recreational athletes can still use the smartwatch for general training guidance but should be cautious about relying solely on it for precise training or performance predictions.
Paper: Pollution and Youth Mental Health
Practicality (3/5): 🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️ Interest (4/5): 🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️
Summary
Exposure to air and noise pollution during pregnancy and early life is linked with increased mental health issues in youth, such as psychotic experiences, depression, and anxiety. This large UK-based study found that pollution during key developmental periods can have lasting effects on mental health.
What is the paper's main claim?
- High exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in early life is tied to more psychotic experiences and depression.
- Higher noise pollution in childhood and adolescence is associated with increased anxiety.
Are the methods and/or data it uses appropriate and convincing?
- The study used data from a large cohort with over 9000 participants, making the sample robust.
- While the effect sizes were small (e.g., odds ratios around 1.10 to 1.22), the findings were statistically significant, meaning the pollution impact is slight but real.
What do we know now that we didn't know before, if anything?
- This study strengthens the understanding that early-life pollution exposure has a specific impact on youth mental health issues.
- It uniquely highlights how different pollutants at different life stages tie to specific mental health outcomes.
What simple and practical thing could a normal person do knowing this?
- Advocate for cleaner air, have air filters in the home and workplace, and be cautious about exercising outdoors when air quality is poor or declining.
Back next week with thoughtful and simplifying takes on papers getting attention. And if you see anything you want us to look at, let us know.
