Examinando por Autor "Ferrari, Gerson"

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    Ítem
    Dog companionship and cortisol levels in youth. A systematic review and meta-analysis
    (Elsevier, 2025) Peña-Jorquera, Humberto; Hernandez-Jaña, Sam; Sanchez-Martinez, Javier; Espinoza-Puelles, Juan Pablo; Martínez-Flores, Ricardo; Barreto-Schuch, Felipe; Yañez-Seplveda, Rodrigo; Delgado-Floody, Pedro; Ferrari, Gerson; Sadarangani, Kabir P.; Cancino, Jorge; Bento-Torres, Joao; Espinoza-Salinas, Alexis; Stamatakis, Emmanuel; Cristi-Montero, Carlos
    Objective: Traditional and non-traditional strategies have been employed to improve youth health. Dog-assisted interventions have been proposed as a novel strategy to regulate stress and its consequences across all age groups. This systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis assessed the influence of dog-assisted interventions on cortisol levels in youth and explored potential moderators. Sources: We conducted a comprehensive systematic search across multiple databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and ScienceDirect, up to June 17, 2024, to evaluate the impact of dog-assisted interventions on youth cortisol levels. Two reviewers independently extracted and verified data from eligible randomized clinical trials, with a third reviewer ensuring accuracy. Cochrane's RoB 2.0 tool was used to assess the risk of bias. Heterogeneity was analyzed using Q and I2 statistics. A random-effects model was employed to calculate effect sizes (ES) using R software. Summary of the findings: Significant cortisol reductions were found for interventions lasting >15 min (ES: 0.65; p = .038), with a non-significant trend towards reduced cortisol in non-medical settings (ES: 0.46; p = .070). No significant effects were observed for shorter interventions, different control groups, or age-specific analyses. Meta-regression analysis revealed significant differences, showing better outcomes with longer intervention times and fewer female participants. Conclusion: Dog-assisted interventions lasting >15 min seem to be a promising and non-traditional strategy for regulating cortisol levels in children and adolescents in stressful situations. This study outlines gaps in the research and future directions.
  • Miniatura
    Ítem
    Study protocol and rationale of "the UP project": evaluating the effectiveness of active breaks on health indicators in desk-based workers
    (Frontiers Media S.A., 2024) Cristi-Montero, Carlos; Martínez-Flores, Ricardo; Espinoza-Puelles, Juan Pablo; Favero-Ramirez, Laura; Zurita-Corvalan, Natalia; Castillo Cañete, Ignacio; Leppe, Jaime; Ferrari, Gerson; Sadarangani, Kabir P.; Cancino, Jorge; Hernandez-Jaña, Sam; Yuing Farias, Tuillang; Batista Lemes, Vanilson; Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Fernando; Brand, Caroline
    Background: Excessive sedentary time has been negatively associated with several health outcomes, and physical activity alone does not seem to fully counteract these consequences. This panorama emphasizes the essential of sedentary time interruption programs. “The Up Project” seeks to assess the effectiveness of two interventions, one incorporating active breaks led by a professional and the other utilizing a computer application (self-led), of both equivalent duration and intensity. These interventions will be compared with a control group to evaluate their impact on physical activity levels, sedentary time, stress perception, occupational pain, and cardiometabolic risk factors among office workers. Methods: This quasi-experimental study includes 60 desk-based workers from universities and educational institutes in Valparaiso, Chile, assigned to three groups: (a) booster breaks led by professionals, (b) computer prompts that are unled, and (c) a control group. The intervention protocol for both experimental groups will last 12 weeks (only weekdays). The following measurements will be performed at baseline and post-intervention: cardiometabolic risk based on body composition (fat mass, fat-free mass, and bone mass evaluated by DXA), waist circumference, blood pressure, resting heart rate, and handgrip strength. Physical activity and sedentary time will be self-reported and device-based assessed using accelerometry. Questionnaires will be used to determine the perception of stress and occupational pain. Discussion: Governments worldwide are addressing health issues associated with sedentary behavior, particularly concerning individuals highly exposed to it, such as desk-based workers. Despite implementing certain strategies, there remains a noticeable gap in comprehensive research comparing diverse protocols. For instance, studies that contrast the outcomes of interventions led by professionals with those prompted by computers are scarce. This ongoing project is expected to contribute to evidence-based interventions targeting reduced perceived stress levels and enhancing desk-based employees’ mental and physical well-being. The implications of these findings could have the capacity to lay the groundwork for future public health initiatives and government-funded programs.