Research group Exercise physiology

A sedentary lifestyle is characterized by prolonged periods of uninterrupted sitting. There is increasing evidence that sitting time is strongly associated with an increased risk for cardio-metabolic diseases and mortality, independent from the volume of physical activity that is being performed. Hence, we aim to co-create and evaluate lifestyle behavior interventions that promote a physically active lifestyle.

We aim to develop tailored physical activity recommendations. A physically active lifestyle with regular exercise training is a powerful strategy to reduce the risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Current guidelines recommend adults to perform at least 150 minutes a week of physical activity, but are not tailored to the individual. We aim to identify:

• The minimal exercise dose which needed to induce any health benefits.
• The optimal exercise dose providing maximal health benefits.
• A potential upper threshold beyond which health benefits attenuate with increasing exercise volumes.
• Physical activity recommendations tailored to the individual (so sex-, age- and health-specific).

Performing exercise in hot and humid ambient conditions is known to induce hyperthermia, potentially leading to performance loss and/or the development of heat related illnesses. For this purpose we aim to:

• Identify personal and exercise related factors contributing to the development of exertional hyperthermia.
• Develop and validate novel measurement techniques to measure core body temperature non-invasively.
• Establish an athlete’s temperature profile to allow personalized interventions for reducing heat stress.
• Optimize cooling strategies prior to (pre-cooling) and during (per-cooling) exercise.
• Optimize acclimation and re-acclimation strategies.
• Collect data in field based settings during extreme exercise events. 

Emerging evidence suggests that lifelong high-volume high-intensity exercise training may not be as good for cardiovascular health as previously thought. We aim to unravel:

• The prevalence, predictors and clinical meaning of exercise-induced cardiac biomarker release.
• The underlying mechanisms and clinical relevance of accelerated coronary artery calcification among highly active amateur athletes.
• The impact of myocardial fibrosis on cardiac function and associated clinical outcomes.
• The prevalence of sudden death among athletes.
• The effects of an active lifestyle on longevity.

See the publication list on Web of Science.