Clinical trials

Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) encompass various conditions that affect the temporomandibular joint and associated tissues, often causing or being associated with other symptoms such as jaw pain, myofascial pain, neck pain, and headaches. TMDs are classified according to the DC/TMD instrument in which the joint and pain axes are evaluated. However, there is no evaluation of mandibular function, and TMDs can result in a decrease in jaw strength and resistance. This leads to an increase in the chewing fatigue. Reliable and time-effective diagnostic methods for evaluating masticatory function are crucial in the clinical setting because of the high prevalence of TMD. Chewing efficiency is essential for food preparation and nutrient absorption, and muscle fatigue is a common problem affecting chewing ability. Despite this, there is a lack of validated tests to evaluate chewing fatigue in patients with TMD, which makes its consideration unnoticed in clinical practice. The modified six-minute functional chewing test (F-6MMT) was proposed as a tool to evaluate chewing ability and fatigue in patients with TMD. This test is an adaptation of a previously designed test in which subjects with mitochondrial pathology were evaluated; however, the subjects were not instructed to perform functional chewing during the test. In this version, modifications are added so that the test is as functional as possible, allowing chewing to be evaluated in a standardized way, and cut-off points established between healthy subjects and subjects with TMD in terms of chewing capacity in general and fatigue in particular. This study will follow standardized reporting guidelines and recruit participants from diverse clinical settings.

Obesity, defined by the WHO as an abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that presents a risk to health, has reached pandemic levels, affecting approximately one-third of the world's population. This increase spans all ages, sexes, and socioeconomic levels, though it is more prevalent in older individuals and women. Obesity is caused by an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure, influenced by genetic, epigenetic, social, and environmental factors. Key drivers are changes in the global food system, increased sedentary behavior, and reduced physical activity. Complications include type II diabetes, myocardial infarction, various cancers, immune system problems, and increased mortality. Obesity also results in significant economic costs, with healthcare expenses 32% higher than for people of normal weight. Bariatric surgery is the most effective long-term treatment for severe obesity, helping reduce body weight significantly in the first years post-surgery and improving metabolic control. However, individuals often regain weight in the long term. Factors influencing this include genetics, gastrointestinal hormones, adherence to diet, and healthy behaviors like physical activity. Sedentary behavior and physical activity are crucial for maintaining weight loss post-surgery. Physical activity increases weight loss by 4% and improves outcomes when performed before surgery. However, lack of professional support, accessibility to sports facilities, and low socioeconomic status make it difficult to sustain these behaviors with simple advice alone. Despite this, hospital interventions often focus solely on diet, offering only advice on physical activity. Effective interventions require supervised programs of more than six months to achieve long-term behavior changes. The B-FIT (Bariatric surgery and FITness) project aims to create a new referral and intervention model for physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior in people with obesity before and after bariatric surgery. This model seeks to prevent post-surgery weight regain and promote healthy

The persistence of primitive reflexes in school-age children can affect neuromotor maturation. Some studies link the persistence of primitive reflexes with specific learning difficulties, low academic performance, neurodevelopmental disorders, and behavioral problems. There are studies that suggest introducing intervention programs to help integrate the activity of these reflexes. The objective of this study is to assess the effects of implementing a motor program on the neurologic maturation of second-grade children throughout an academic year in Catalonia. A prospective experimental longitudinal and randomized pre-post study will be conducted with two groups: Non Intervention group and intervention group, known as the INPP Movement Program Group (with daily application of the motor program), lasting for one academic year (from September '23 to June '24). Currently, a feasibility study will be conducted at a school in Valls, with a sample of 50 children, and data will be collected at the beginning and end of the academic year. The study will analyze primitive reflexes, motor skills related to balance and coordination, oculo-motor skills, and the risk of presenting dyslexia. Once the feasibility study is completed, the same study with appropriate modifications will be carried out in different schools across Catalonia during the academic year 2024 - 2025 (yet to be determined).

Mental health, understood as the individual or group well-being at an emotional, psychological, and/or social level, affects up to 35% of university students, of whom only 16.4% seek or receive help from healthcare professionals. Despite this prevalence and its impact on academic performance and the challenges faced by universities in terms of limited resources to address this situation, most research tends to focus on primary and/or secondary education stages. Consequently, there is limited research on the reasons why university students experience mental health problems and why they do not seek help. Physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviour could be protective factors for mental health in both children and adolescents. In this regard, according to data from the DESK-Uni at UVic-UCC, university students report engaging in low levels of physical activity, with female students reporting lower levels than male students. Additionally, adolescent girls report more mental health problems than boys. Therefore, there is a need for research and projects that consider the gender bias in health that exists in our society, including universities. This bias could explain why girls engage in less physical activity or claim to do so and why they experience more mental health problems. Thus, the purpose of the project is to improve or reduce gender inequalities within the university community and their impact on health behaviour (physical activity/sedentary behaviour) and mental health of both students and staff members. Overall, the project aims to decrease the risks of experiencing mental health problems in the university environment by enhancing identification and promoting health-related behaviours that act as protective factors (e.g., physical activity). This will be done by considering the intersectionality of inequality axes present in our society and reproduced within the university setting. To do it, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG; 3-4-5) will be taken in consideration.