@Article{Poulios2026,
journal="Biology of Sport",
issn="0860-021X",
volume="43",
number="1",
year="2026",
title="Energy expenditure and physical activity responses to football for 
health training in adults with metabolic syndrome: a randomized 
clinical trial",
abstract="This investigation determined the energy expenditure (EE), physical activity (PA), and physiological responses of football for health training (FFH). Twenty middle-aged males with metabolic syndrome (MetS) completed a 60-min FFH and a control trial using a randomized crossover design. The FFH load and EE were determined using a mobile gas analyzer, heart rate (HR) monitors, blood lactate measurements, a global positioning system, and accelerometry. Participants in FFH run a total distance of ~3.800 m (1,121 m at > 7 km/h, accelerations of 141 m, decelerations of 162 m) using a mean and maximal speed of 4.1 km/h and 20.6 km/h, respectively. FFH demonstrated a moderate-to-vigorous PA of > 41 min and a step count of ~4900. FFH increased (p < .001) the perceived exertion (55.8%, 13.6 ± 2.6), HR mean  (151.1 ± 15.2 beats/min, 83.1 ± 10.9 %HRmax), lactate (80.8%, 5.4 ± 0.9 mmol/L), V ̇ O 2  (88.6%, 1.9 ± 0.3 L/min, 79.9 ± 10.5% V ̇ O 2max , 6.7 ± 0.8 METs), breathing frequency (32.6 ± 3.0 breaths/min), and respiratory exchange ratio (0.98 ± 0.03) compared to the control trial. Total EE reached 524.2 ± 81.0 kcals (mitochondrial energy production: 476.8 kcals; anaerobic energy production: AS 5.4 ± 1.0 kcals; EPOC: 42.0 ± 11.8 kcals). The present results suggest that FFH meets the international PA and EE standards for adults with MetS, with participants taking part in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) for approximately 68% of each session, rendering it a suitable and efficient strategy to lower cardiometabolic risk.",
author="Poulios, Athanasios
and Tsiokanos, Lambros
and Draganidis, Dimitrios
and Papanikolaou, Konstantinos
and Tsimeas, Panagiotis
and Syrou, Niki
and Metsios, Georgios
and Chatzinikolaou, Athanasios
and Ermidis, Georgios
and Tsiokanos, Athanasios
and Pappas, Aggelos
and Mohr, Magni
and Krustrup, Peter
and Jamurtas, Athanasios Z.
and Fatouros, Ioannis",
pages="449--461",
doi="10.5114/biolsport.2026.154146",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2026.154146"
}