Iranian Journal of

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Background: This study aimed to compare the effects of high-intensity interval games and high intensity interval training on body composition indicators, aerobic capacity and lipid profiles of obese and overweight girls aged 10 to 12 years.
Methods: In this semi-experimental research, 30 girls (average height 149.26 ± 5.32 m, weight 67.41 ± 7.65 kg, and body mass index 30.14 ± 2.3 kg/m2) with overweight and obesity participated and were randomly divided into the groups of high intensity interval training (10), high intensity interval game (10) and the control (10). Training programs for eight weeks(3d/w), (90-85% of maximum heart rate) and 3-minute recovery (65-75% of maximum heart rate) with 4 times Repetition was done, which was done in the form of running in high intensity interval training and in the form of playing in high intensity interval game. Blood samples were taken to measure the serum levels of lipid profiles (48 hours before and after the intervention period).
Results: The two training groups compared to the control group, increased aerobic capacity and High-density lipoprotein (HDL) and body fat percentage, Triglyceride (TG), Total Cholesterol (TC) and Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (P< 0.010) showed a significant decrease and between the two training groups in TG, LDL and HDL (P< 0.01) was a significant difference, with a greater increase in HDL and a greater decrease in TG and LDL was accompanied in the high intensity game group.
Conclusion: High intensity interval games can be suggested as a more suitable solution to improve the lipid profile of obese and overweight girls.

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Background: Inflammatory protein C3 and IL-1β are significantly involved in the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, examining the importance of aerobic exercise timing (light vs. dark phase) can provide a better understanding of how exercise timing affects inflammatory markers associated with neurological diseases in older adult women with T2D. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of aerobic exercise timing on C3 and IL-1β levels in older adults’ women with T2D.
Methods: In this semi-experimental study, 45 women with T2D with an average age of 60 ± 5.07 years were divided into training groups (light and dark phase) and control (15 people in each group). Aerobic exercise was performed for 12 weeks at a moderate intensity (60-70% of heart rate reserve). Protein levels (C3 and IL-1β) were measured before and after the intervention using the ELISA method. Data were analyzed using SPSS27 software and ANOVA with a significance level of 0.05.
Results: Complement C3 was significantly lower in the dark phase exercise group compared to the control group (P= 0.0083). Additionally, the results showed that dark phase aerobic exercise significantly decreased C3 (P= 0.0028) and IL-1β (P= 0.0045) levels compared to baseline.
Conclusion: Aerobic exercise performed during the dark phase effectively reduced inflammatory protein levels of C3 and IL-1β in older adult women with T2D, suggesting it could be considered as a crucial strategy in managing this disease.

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Background: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between stigma associated with type 2 diabetes and subjective well-being measures (life satisfaction and positive/negative affect) mediated by emotional stress and illness perception in people with type 2 diabetes.
Methods: The present research was descriptive based on correlation models. The statistical population included patients with type 2 diabetes who referred to the diabetes clinic of Ayatollah Taleghani hospital in Kermanshah, 207 adults were selected using the convenient sampling method and data were collected using questionnaires Type 2 Diabetes Stigma Assessment Scale (DSAS-2) (Browne et al., 2016), life satisfaction (Diener, 1985), Positive/Negative Affect Schedule (Watson et al., 1988), Illness Perception (Broadbent et al., 2006) then analyzed with SPSS and Amos software.
Results: The results showed that there was a significant relationship between stigma, life satisfaction, and positive/negative affect (P < 0.01). Stigma was also able to predict life satisfaction indirectly and negatively through emotional distress, and negative affect indirectly and positively through emotional distress and illness perception.
Conclusion: The results indicate the need for interventions to reduce the stigma associated with type 2 diabetes and improve the mental well-being of people with this disease.

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Background: Type 2 diabetes is a prevalent metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance and impaired glucose absorption. The COVID-19 pandemic and associated quarantines led to significant lifestyle changes, including reduced physical activity among diabetic individuals. This study investigates the patterns of physical activity and perceptions among diabetic individuals in post-COVID Iran.
Methods: An online questionnaire was created using the "Pors Online" platform and shared via social media. Among 435 participants from 35 Iranian cities, 400 responses (200 diabetics and 200 healthy individuals) were deemed complete and valid for analysis. The data were analyzed using an independent t-test, with a significance level set at P< 0.05.
Results: The results showed that the physical activity level of diabetic individuals was significantly lower than that of non-diabetic individuals P< 0.05. Additionally, their preferred types of physical activities differed; both groups showed the most interest in walking and the least interest in traditional games. The primary motivation for exercise among diabetic individuals was disease prevention, but financial barriers had the greatest impact on reducing their physical activity P< 0.05. Their main sources of information about physical activity were magazines and books.
Conclusion: Improving access to sports facilities and tailored equipment for diabetics, coupled with awareness campaigns on the benefits of exercise, is essential. Developing customized sports programs suited to the health conditions of diabetics can enhance their participation and overall well-being.

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Background: The increasing trend of diabetes patients requires lifestyle interventions to improve the self-management ability of these patients, and achieving this requires the use of valid tools in this field. This study aimed to determine the psychometric properties of the Comprehensive Diabetes Self-Management Scale (CDSMS) in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Methods: The present study was methodological research that was conducted in 2023. At the beginning of the work, the CDSMS questionnaire was translated into Persian using the standard translation-back translation method. Then, face validity, content validity, convergent validity, internal consistency, and instrument stability were determined. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha calculation, Kappa index, Pearson correlation coefficient, and intra-cluster correlation coefficient in SPSS software version 24.
Results: Based on the results, all the items of the instrument were retained. The total content validity index score of the Persian version of this questionnaire was 0.987. Also, the Kuder-Richardson and Kappa indices were 0.704 and 0.730, respectively. The level of agreement at two measurement times, two weeks apart, ranged from 0.503 to 0.990. The intra-cluster correlation index was also observed to be in the range of 0.625 to 0.952 and was significant (P < 0.001). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the instrument was also 0.83.
Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that the Persian version of the CDSMS questionnaire with 14 items has good validity and reliability and can be used to evaluate the self-management status of patients with type 2 diabetes in Iran.

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Background: Type 2 diabetes is a major public-health threat of the present century, imposing substantial clinical and economic burdens on health systems. Accurate forecasting of disease incidence can support resource allocation and the design of targeted interventions.
Methods: In this study, we developed a hybrid model that integrates Cellular Learning Automata (CLA) with a Susceptible–Infected–Recovered (SIR) framework to predict the 20-year spread of type 2 diabetes using real patient data from Kerman province. The dataset comprised demographic and laboratory features of patients with diabetes collected during the Persian calendar years 2005– 2013. After preprocessing and imputation of missing values, the proposed model was implemented in MATLAB.
Results: Results indicate that the CLA–SIR combination models the disease trajectory with high accuracy. Moreover, factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and body mass index were identified as key drivers influencing the activation states of model cells.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that intelligent hybrid approaches can be effective for health-data analysis and long-term prediction of chronic diseases.
 

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Background: Diabetes is a chronic disease where the body cannot use or store glucose properly. Diabetes occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce insulin, or the body cannot use the insulin produced. Nowadays, diabetes is a common disease worldwide, and providing automated methods for its diagnosis is critically important.
Methods: This paper introduces a novel method for diagnosing diabetes using artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. The proposed method is based on metaheuristic and classification algorithms. The simulated annealing (SA) metaheuristic algorithm was used for feature selection. Diabetes diagnosis was performed using the improved K-nearest neighbor (KNN) classification algorithm. In addition to the proposed method, the performance of two other methods, named MVMCNN and WKNN, was studied for diabetes diagnosis.
Results: The proposed method has been compared practically with the two other methods for diagnosing diabetes. The comparisons are based on the accuracy rate of disease diagnosis. In the experiments, the proposed method (SAKNN) demonstrated 95% accuracy, the MVMCNN method showed 93% accuracy, and the WKNN method demonstrated 90% accuracy. Thus, the proposed method outperformed the others. The proposed method also had acceptable performance in terms of time and several other criteria.
Conclusion: The proposed method for diagnosing diabetes, using metaheuristic and classification algorithms, provides higher accuracy compared to other methods. These results indicate that the proper use of AI techniques can offer effective solutions for the automatic diagnosis of diabetes and can be used as an auxiliary tool for doctors and researchers.
 

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Background: Aging is associated with Sarcopenia as well as oxidative stress (OS) caused by Ferroptosis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of aerobic exercise training (AT) on OS caused by ferroptosis in sarcopenia model mice.
Methods: Twenty-one C57BL/6 mice (16-24 wks. age) sarcopenia model with an average weight (25-35 g), and 21 healthy mice (6-7 weeks age) were randomly assigned to the following (1) healthy-young control (HYC; n= 7), (2) aerobic training-young (ATY; n= 7), (3) healthy-old control (HOC; n= 7), (4) old control-sarcopenia model (OCS; n= 7), (5) aerobic training-healthy-old (ATHO; n= 7), (6) healthy-old sarcopenia model (HOS= 7). The intervention group underwent AT for eight weeks, five sessions per week at an intensity of 60-80% of aerobic capacity (VO2max). The expression of the glutathione peroxidase (GPX-4) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) genes was measured using Real Time PCR. The Malondialdehyde (MDA) and Fe²⁺concentration in the gastrocnemius muscle was also measured.
Results: It was observed that the enzymes gene expression of SOD and GPX-4 in the (OSC) was significantly decreased compared to the (HOC) (P= 0.001, P= 0.002, respectively), and the MDA and Fe²⁺ was significantly increased (P= 0.001; P= 0.002, respectively). Also, the of SOD and GPX-4 gene expression of enzymes in the ATY, ATHO was significantly increased compared to the HYC, and HOS (P= 0.001; P= 0.002, respectively), and the concentration of MDA and Fe²⁺ was significantly decreased (P= 0.001; P= 0.002, respectively).
Conclusion: Finally, it can be said that aerobic training reduces oxidative stress caused by ferroptosis in Sarcopenia by increasing the enzymes GPX and SOD gene expression and reducing the concentration of MDA and Fe²⁺.
 

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Background: Recurrent diabetic ketoacidosis is one of the serious and life-threatening complications of diabetes that can lead to repeated hospitalizations and significant complications. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the prevalence, risk factors, and clinical outcomes of recurrent diabetic ketoacidosis in southeast Iran.
Methods: In this retrospective descriptive-cross-sectional study, the medical records of 560 patients with diabetic ketoacidosis during the years 2017-2020 at Afzalipour Hospital in Kerman were reviewed. Patients with at least two admissions due to diabetic ketoacidosis were included in the study. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected and analyzed using a checklist. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software version 25 with chi-square and independent t-tests at a significance level of 0.05.
Results: Of 560 patients, 40 patients (7.16%) had recurrent diabetic ketoacidosis. The mean age of patients was 28.36 ± 15.04 years, and 60% were women. 70% of patients had type 1 diabetes. The most common underlying causes included irregular consumption or discontinuation of insulin (72.5%) and presence of infection (55%). Substance abuse was reported in 25% of patients. The mean serum levels of urea, creatinine, and potassium were 55.23 ± 37.73 mg/dL, 0.98 ± 0.67 mg/dL, and 4.38 ± 0.64 mEq/L, respectively.
Conclusion: This study showed that patients with type 1 diabetes are at higher risk of recurrent diabetic ketoacidosis. Non-adherence to insulin therapy and infections were the most important identified risk factors. These findings emphasize the importance of patient education regarding regular insulin consumption and prevention of infections.
 

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Background: Blood fat is a global problem and one of the major threats to society's health. Hyperlipidemia is considered a multigenic disease, most of the genes related to it remain unknown. rs1205 is one of the polymorphisms of the C-Reactive Protein (CRP) gene that causes the change of the nucleotide C to T and is one of the risk factors for increasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of rs1205 polymorphism in CRP gene and its relationship with LDL level in Iranian population.
Methods: The total number of samples was 137, including 79 controls and 58 patients (LDL above 130 mg/dL). Then the samples were analyzed using the amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) method for the presence or absence of rs1205 polymorphism in the CRP gene. The PCR product was transferred on agarose gel. After observing the bands and checking their correctness, different alleles were examined.
Results: 56.2% of the samples had a body mass index (BMI) lower than 25 and 43.8% had a BMI higher than 25. The frequency percentage of genotypes showed that CT genotype is equal to 47.4%, CC genotype is equal to 36.5% and TT genotype is equal to 16.1%. 57.7% of the samples had LDL below 130 and 42.3% had LDL above 130.
Conclusion: A significant relationship wasn't observed between the rs1205 polymorphism and the serum LDL level of the studied population. Also, the difference in age and gender of the samples had no effect on this relationship. It is possible that the lack of difference in ethnicity is one of the possible reasons for the non-significance of the results of this study.
 

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Background: The impact of psychological factors on physical diseases has highlighted the need to recognize these factors in the process of preventive and therapeutic interventions. In this regard, the aim of the present study was to compare personality traits, resilience, and coping strategies in diabetic patients and healthy individuals.
Methods: A causal-comparative method was used in a sample of 75 diabetic patients and 75 healthy individuals, who were selected by convenience sampling. Data collection was carried out using resilience, five-factor personality, and coping strategies questionnaires. Independent t-test and multivariate analysis of variance in SPSS 62 software were used to examine the hypotheses.
Results: The mean scores of resilience and the personality traits of extraversion and conscientiousness were higher in healthy individuals, and the mean score of neuroticism was higher in diabetic individuals. No significant difference was observed in the personality traits of agreeableness and openness between these two groups. The findings showed that the average scores of healthy individuals in using problem-oriented strategies and the average scores of diabetic individuals in using emotion-oriented strategies were higher than the other group.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that psychological factors play a significant role in the emergence and intensification of problems in diabetic patients. Addressing these factors and incorporating appropriate psychological strategies may therefore contribute to more effective prevention and treatment of diabetes.
 

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Background: Type 2 diabetes is rapidly increasing, particularly in the Middle East where central obesity is a major contributor to disease burden. Identifying high-risk individuals requires indices that assess visceral adiposity more effectively than body mass index (BMI). This study compared nine anthropometric indices in relation to diabetes and determined their predictive capacity and optimal cut-off values.
Methods: This cross-sectional analysis included 10,103 adults aged 35–70 years from the FASA cohort. Diabetes was defined as fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL or antidiabetic medication use. Measurements included BMI, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), body roundness index (BRI), body adiposity index (BAI), a body shape index (ABSI), abdominal volume index (AVI), and weight-adjusted waist index (WWI). Associations were examined using logistic regression (crude and adjusted models). Discriminatory accuracy was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, area under the curve (AUC), and Youden's index. 
Results: Individuals with diabetes exhibited higher values across anthropometric indices (p< 0.05). In adjusted models, WC, WHR, WHtR, AVI, and WWI remained significant predictors (p< 0.05). WHR demonstrated the highest AUC (0.651, p< 0.001). Optimal cut-off values with high sensitivity and specificity included WHR= 0.91, WHtR= 0.53, and BRI= 4.1. 
Conclusion: Central obesity indices—particularly WHR, WHtR, and BRI—demonstrated superior discriminatory capacity for diabetes and support the use of simple waist-based indices for early screening.

 

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Background: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Mindfulness Training on social isolation, sense of coherence, and body appreciation in overweight girls.
Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test/post-test control group. The statistical population consisted of overweight girls aged 14 to 18 in the city of Sari during the 2024-2025 academic year. A sample of 32 participants was selected via purposive sampling and then randomly assigned to either an experimental or a control group. The experimental group received Compassion-Focused Mindfulness Training, delivered in eight structured sessions, while the control group received no intervention. The Compassion-Focused Mindfulness protocol was developed and administered based on the therapeutic framework proposed by Sadeghi et al. (2021), the instruments used in this study included: the Body Appreciation Questionnaire by Mendelson et al. (2001), the Sense of Coherence Scale by Antonovsky (1987), the Social Isolation Questionnaire by Madrasi Yazdi et al. (2017), the collected data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Univariate and multivariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA & MANCOVA) were performed using SPSS software, version 26.
Results: The results indicated that Compassion-Focused Mindfulness Training had a significant effect on self-worth, sense of coherence, and social isolation in overweight girls. Specifically, this training led to a reduction in social isolation and an improvement in self-worth and sense of coherence among the participants. (Wilks' Lambda = 0.151, F = 11.787, P< 0.001).
Conclusion: Compassion-Focused Mindfulness Training, by emphasizing the non-judgmental acceptance of experiences and fostering a meaning-centered approach, can play a vital role in enhancing psychological well-being, regulating emotions, and improving social interactions. Therefore, incorporating this effective intervention for vulnerable groups, particularly overweight girls, is crucial for designing supportive and therapeutic strategies and can significantly contribute to improving their quality of life.
 

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Background: Nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs) are among the most prevalent subtypes of pituitary adenomas, presenting no clinical hormone elevation. The lack of definitive biomarkers for prognosis and treatment, combined with a significant risk of recurrence, poses substantial challenges to management. This study aims to identify key genes and biological pathways involved in NFPAs tumorigenesis using a systems biology approach.
Methods: The dataset with accession number GSE26966 was analyzed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in NFPAs. Interactions between DEGs at the protein level were constructed using protein-protein interaction (PPI) data collected from the IntAct database. Cytoscape software, igraph, and MCL packages were used to construct the PPI network, analyze its topology, and cluster it.
Results: 1,135 differential genes were identified between NFPAs and normal pituitary samples based on |log2FC|>2 and FDR < 0.05. Of these, 323 were up-regulated and 812 were down-regulated. The constructed PPI network consisted of 6,960 nodes and 15,691 edges. According to network clustering, cell cycle regulation, chromatin organization and assembly regulation, transcription regulation, and actin cytoskeleton regulation were the most significant pathways. Using topological analysis, CDKN1A, BHLHE40, FHL2, H1-2, H2BC21, and FGFR3 were identified as central hub nodes in the PPI network. These genes were also involved in the biological pathways mentioned above.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that a systems biology approach, integrating gene transcriptome data with protein interaction data, can effectively identify pathways and biomarkers in NFPAs tumorigenesis.
 

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Background: Cystinosis is a rare lysosomal storage disorder with autosomal recessive inheritance caused by mutations in the CTNS gene, which leads to the accumulation of cystine crystals in lysosomes and gradual damage to various tissues and organs in the body. In this study, we investigated the variants in the CTNS gene of two cystinosis patients who were referred to Ali Asghar Children's Hospital. Additionally, we review previouse reports of pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in the CTNS gene in Iran and some Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt.
Methods: After collecting clinical and paraclinical data, sequencing of all exons of the CTNS gene along with its boundary regions was performed. To interpret the identified variants, bioinformatics tools based on the ACMG guideline were used.
Results: In the first patient, a novel variant c.1055A>G was found in the homozygous state, which, based on bioinformatics criteria, was classified as a "likely pathogenic" variant. In the second patient, a known homozygous of c.1015G>A was identified in the which has been previously reported as a pathogenic variant.
Conclusion: The results of this study introduce a new variant in the CTNS gene. Furthermore, by comparing reported variants in countries from the Middle East, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt, the c.681G>A variant was identified as the most common variant in Iran, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, while the c.829dup variant was the most common in Egypt. The findings highlight the importance of genetic testing for definitive diagnosis and the need for targeted screening strategies in populations with high rates of consanguineous marriage.
 

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Background: This study investigated the efficacy of the “Rehacom” cognitive rehabilitation software on five key cognitive domains—working memory, information processing speed, attention, inhibition, and executive functions—in patients diagnosed with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
Methods: A pre-test/post-test experimental design with a control group was employed. A sample of 30 diabetic patients was recruited via convenience sampling and randomly allocated to either the experimental group (receiving Rehacom software intervention for 12 sessions) or the control group. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Rehacom software itself and the Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale (BDEFS). Each session lasted 45 minutes.
Results: Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) revealed a significant overall effect of the intervention on the composite of dependent variables (Wilks’ Lambda= 0.184, F (5.24)= 7.978, P< 0.001). Subsequent Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) indicated that the intervention significantly enhanced “attention” (η²= 0.236, P= 0.016) and “executive functions” (η²= 0.621, P< 0.001). However, no significant impact was observed on working memory, information processing speed, or inhibition.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that the Rehacom software serves as an effective tool for improving attention and executive functions in diabetic patients. The notable effect sizes for these two domains underscore its clinical utility in cognitive rehabilitation programs for chronic patients. The absence of effects on other components may be attributable to factors such as the limited duration of the intervention, specific software exercises, or the underlying neurochemical and pathophysiological characteristics of diabetes, warranting further investigation with more robust designs.
 

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Background: Type 2 diabetes is a common chronic metabolic disease whose effective management requires attention to psychological and interpersonal factors. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the Perceived Spousal Sacrificial Behavior and self-efficacy with behavior management in patients with type2 diabetes.
Methods: This descriptive-correlational and cross-sectional study was conducted among married patients with type 2 diabetes who were referred to endocrinology and metabolism centers and primary health care units in Sari, Iran. Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, 97 participants were selected using purposive sampling. The research instruments included the Perceived Spousal Sacrifice Scale (Harper & Figuerres, 2008), the Diabetes Self-Efficacy Scale (Fappa et al 2016), and the Behavioral Management Scale (Toobert et al., 2000). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24 through descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis).
Results: Perception of the Perceived Spousal Sacrificial Behavior and self-efficacy showed a significant positive correlation with behavioral management among diabetic patients (p < 0.01). Together, these variables explained 30% of the variance in behavioral management, with Perceived Spousal Sacrificial Behavior making a greater contribution to prediction.
Conclusion: The findings highlight the significant role of Perceived Spousal Sacrificial Behavior and self-efficacy in improving behavioral management among patients with type 2 diabetes. Enhancing spousal support and strengthening patients’ self-efficacy through educational and psychological interventions may promote better self-care behaviors and disease control.

 

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Background: Biobanks are biological repositories that collect, process, store, and distribute human biological samples. Among them, tumor banks play a central role in biomedical research. The overall goal of a tumor bank is to collect cancerous and normal samples under standardized conditions for basic, clinical, or applied research.
Methods: Tumor samples from patients with endocrine neoplasms were collected from excess tissue samples not required for diagnostic purposes after surgery in the surgical department of Dr. Shariati Hospital, Tehran, Iran. In addition, relevant biological samples such as serum, plasma and DNA were collected in parallel. Prior to sampling, informed consent was obtained from the patients and a questionnaire was completed. After rapid freezing with isopentane, tissue samples were stored in a liquid nitrogen tank, while other biological materials, such as serum, were stored in a -80°C freezer.
Results: Tissue, plasma, serum, and DNA samples collected from patients with endocrine neoplasms were stored in separate barcoded storage boxes in the biobank and were made available to researchers.
Conclusion: The use of bioproducts in domestic research and international networks has strengthened research collaborations through supporting the collection and distribution of tissues, especially cancer tissues. This trend plays an important role in facilitating basic and applied research in various fields of cancer, including molecular biology, immunology, genetics and pharmacology, and will pave the way for scientific advances and therapeutic innovations.

 

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Background: Childhood obesity is linked to adult obesity and chronic diseases. Therefore, this study investigates the effects of High-intensity functional training (HIFT) and High-intensity interval training (HIIT) on physiological variables and functional capacity in overweight and obese, untrained adolescents.
Methods: Thirty overweight and obese adolescents were randomly assigned to three equal groups: control [14.30 ± 0.82 years, body mass index (BMI)= 30.23 ± 2.11], HIIT (14.10 ± 0.87 years, BMI= 29.17 ± 2.51), and HIFT (13.40 ± 0.82 years, BMI= 29.42 ± 2.56). Participants in the experimental groups followed an HIIT and HIFT training protocol for six weeks. Before and after the intervention, anthropometric indices and serum levels of leptin and omentin were measured. Data were analyzed using mixed ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc tests.
Results: HIFT significantly reduced body weight and BMI compared to the control group (P< 0.05), while HIIT showed no significant effect (P> 0.05). Serum leptin levels were significantly lower in both experimental groups compared to the control group (P< 0.01). Notably, only HIFT significantly increased omentin levels compared to the control group (P< 0.001). No significant effect was observed on the waist-to-hip ratio (P> 0.05).
Conclusion: The present study demonstrates that both HIFT and HIIT can lead to improvements in anthropometric indices and serum levels of omentin and leptin in overweight and obese adolescents. However, HIFT appears to be a more effective intervention.
 

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Background: The present study investigated the effects of curcumin supplementation along with a weight loss diet on the relative abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria in the gut of metabolically healthy obese men.
Methods: In the present double-blinded controlled clinical trial, sixty metabolically healthy obese men (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2) participated. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups receiving curcumin supplementation (500 mg, twice daily) or placebo. The duration of the intervention was eight weeks. The samples were matched for age and dietary intake before the study. Stool samples were collected at the beginning and end of the study and the relative abundance of bacteria was measured after DNA extraction.
Results: The relative abundance of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii in men undergoing placebo intervention decreased after 8 weeks (P= 0.04) and was significantly lower than that in the curcumin intervention group (P= 0.003). The mean changes in faecalibacterium prausnitzii increased in the curcumin while they decreased in the placebo group (P= 0.03). In addition, the mean changes in Roseburia intestinalis increased in the curcumin and decreased in the placebo group (P= 0.009).
Conclusion: Weight loss diet leads to a decrease in the relative abundance of butyrogenic bacteria in the gut of obese men, while curcumin supplementation can lead to an increase in the population of these bacteria, as one of the methods of treating obesity.