Adequate Levels Of Physical Activity Research Articles

Exploring the Influence of Gut-Brain Axis Modulation on Cognitive Health: A Comprehensive Review of Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Symbiotics.

Recent research exploring the relationship between the gut and the brain suggests that the condition of the gut microbiota can influence cognitive health. A well-balanced gut microbiota may help reduce inflammation, which is linked to neurodegenerative conditions. Prebiotics, probiotics, and symbiotics are nutritional supplements and functional food components associated with gastrointestinal well-being. The bidirectional communication of the gut-brain axis is essential for maintaining homeostasis, with pre-, pro-, and symbiotics potentially affecting various cognitive functions such as attention, perception, and memory. Numerous studies have consistently shown that incorporating pre-, pro-, and symbiotics into a healthy diet can lead to improvements in cognitive functions and mood. Maintaining a healthy gut microbiota can support optimal cognitive function, which is crucial for disease prevention in our fast-paced, Westernized society. Our results indicate cognitive benefits in healthy older individuals with probiotic supplementation but not in healthy older individuals who have good and adequate levels of physical activity. Additionally, it appears that there are cognitive benefits in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease, while mixed results seem to arise in younger and healthier individuals. However, it is important to acknowledge that individual responses may vary, and the use of these dietary supplements should be tailored to each individual's unique health circumstances and needs.

Addressing Physical Inactivity in Aging, Rural Communities

ABSTRACT Background Many individuals do not engage in adequate levels of physical activity, despite its role in the prevention and treatment of various diseases. Physical activity would be especially beneficial for older adults in addressing age-related concerns such as disease, cognitive dysfunction, and fall risk, all of which are mitigated via increased activity. Rural counties exhibit an aging population with high rates of sedentary behavior, requiring innovative approaches to address physical inactivity in an appropriate and accessible manner. Methods The Aging Well Program, under Blue Cross North Carolina’s Institute for Health and Human Services, provides assessments for concerns seen in the rural western North Carolina aging populations, such as fall risk, physical inactivity, food insecurity, and cognitive health. Exercise consultations with a clinical exercise physiologist were developed to help address the concerns emerging from the findings of the assessments. Results The Aging Well program has served 134 older (mean age: 74 years) rural adults. The exercise consultations are ongoing and have demonstrated several beneficial outcomes, including referrals to appropriate health professionals, the initiation or advancement of exercise programs, and the education of concepts important in exercise prescription. Although consultations have shown positive results, there is a need to address the sustainability of the program. Conclusion There is an urgent need to address physical inactivity in older, rural populations. Multiple barriers exist and vary based on location, resources, and individuals dwelling within those counties. Creating programs that are accessible, feasible, and sustainable should be a high priority in these areas.

Exploring sex differences regarding the mediation of the relationship between depression and quality of life via moderate and vigorous physical activity in old age: A longitudinal study

PurposeDepression (DEP) is common in old age and is associated with poor quality of life (QoL) as well as a poor level of physical activity (PA). The objective of this study was to investigate the association between DEP, moderate physical activity (MPA), and vigorous physical activity (VPA) with QoL, as well as longitudinally examine in depth whether MPA and VPA mediate the relationship between DEP and QoL in men and women aged ≥50 years residing in 12 European countries. Materials and methodsLongitudinal mediation analysis, that included 20,647 individuals (8042 men) aged >50 years, who responded to the fourth (in 2011), fifth (in 2013), and sixth (in 2015) wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). The analyzed variables were DEP (EURO-D scale), QoL (CASP-12), and self-reported MPA and VPA in daily life. ResultsComparatively, women indicated a higher DEP score, lower perception of QoL, and levels of MPA and VPA. In both sexes, DEP and QoL indicated a negative association (p < 0.001), and MPA and VPA were positively associated with QoL (p < 0.001). Mediation analysis showed that DEP directly affected MPA and VPA 2 years later and QoL 4 years later. MPA and VPA partially mediated the longitudinal relationship between DEP and QoL over 4 years. Regarding sex, there were no differences between the longitudinal measurement paths. ConclusionPolicies should be created to encourage the older European population to reach adequate physical activity levels to improve QoL and combat depressive symptoms.

Impact of a multimorbidity-focused national general practice chronic disease programme on cardiovascular risks factors

Abstract Introduction Multimorbidity occurs in adults of all ages, but the number and complexity of comorbid conditions commonly increases with advancing age. Therefore cardiovascular disease (CVD) in older adults typically occurs in a context of multimorbidity. Current clinical practice and research mainly target single disease-specific care that does not embrace the complexities imposed by concurrent conditions. A national chronic disease programme focused on multimorbid patients was developed, with funding based on process rather than outcome measures. The conditions included were chronic coronary syndromes, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, transient ischaemic attacks, stroke, diabetes, COPD and asthma. This report focuses on the initial results of this programme. Methods The programme commenced in March 2020 and analysis occurred based on patients returned by January 2022. The programme involved general practice teams providing a maximum of two visits to eligible patients every 12 months. The visit structure was supported by adaptation of the electronic health record returns depending on the conditions involved. The programme was introduced on a phased basis so that only those over 65 years were included in this analysis. Among all programme participants who had three visits, data on risk factors such as smoking, alcohol, physical activity, weight, blood pressure (BP), and lipid control were collected. HbA1c was also collected in those with diabetes. Results 186,210 people were enrolled in the programme by January 2022. 13% of patients who were current smokers ceased smoking between first and third programme visits. In those who had inadequate physical activity levels at their first visit, almost 30% had achieved adequate physical activity levels by their third visit. Of those who had increased, high risk or harmful alcohol consumption patterns at visit one, 8.3% had become non-drinkers and 58.7% had normal drinking patterns by visit three. There was a population drop of a mean of 1mmHg in BP during the programme. Of those with elevated BP at visit one, 43.4% had a BP &amp;lt;140/90 mmHg at visit three. The mean LDL cholesterol of the cohort was 2.2 mmol/L. In those with diabetes and ischaemic heart disease, 49% had an LDL cholesterol &amp;lt;1.8mmol/l. By visit three, 23% of those with an LDL cholesterol initially above target subsequently had an LDL level &amp;lt;1.8 mmol/L. The mean HbA1c in people with diabetes was 53.5 mmol/mol. 40% of those with a HbA1c &amp;gt;64mmol/mol reduced this level between first and third visits. 81% of patients had received influenza vaccination. 75% of patients had received a pneumococcal vaccine. Conclusion Despite the COVID 19 pandemic a general practice based multimorbidity focused chronic disease management programme had significant impact on cardiovascular risk factors.

"Does Physical Exercise Promote Health Benefits for Diabetic Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic?": A Systematic Review.

Patients affected by COVID-19 are prone to facing disorders in multiple systems and organs, which can lead to deleterious diseases; in addition, people with pre-existing diseases may be more prone to the worst outcomes, and the most vulnerable are patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effects of physical activity and/or physical exercise prescribed to individuals with diabetes on the maintenance of plasma glucose and glycated hemoglobin during the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies were found by searching PubMed, SCOPUS, Embase, Web of Science, SciELO, LILACS, SportDiscus, Bireme/BVS and Google Scholar databases. The inclusion criteria were articles that addressed only patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes (T1D and T2D) who had evaluated the level of physical activity or physical exercise and described the effects on plasma glucose and/or glycated hemoglobin in cross-sectional, retrospective, and observational studies, meeting the main criteria established by GRADE. The PICO and GRADE strategies were used to select and assess the methodological quality of studies. Two reviewers searched and selected the articles in databases independently and blindly, during which oppositions and disagreements about the inclusion of articles were discussed and resolved by a third reviewer. Evidence corroborates that levels of physical activity were reduced due to the lockdown, leading to increased body weight and worse glycemic control. On the other hand, individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) (T1D and T2D) who maintained and/or increased levels of physical activity or physical exercise showed reduced plasma glucose and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. Adequate levels of physical exercise and physical activity are beneficial for glucose and HbA1c control in diabetic patients (type 1 or type 2). In addition, maintaining adequate levels of physical activity can contribute to reducing health problems when these patients are infected with COVID-19.

Promoting physical activity through supervised vs motivational behavior change interventions in breast cancer survivors on aromatase inhibitors (PAC-WOMAN): protocol for a 3-arm pragmatic randomized controlled trial

BackgroundAromatase inhibitors (AI) are frequently used to treat hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer, but they have multiple adverse effects (e.g., osteoporosis, arthralgia), resulting in premature therapy discontinuation/switch. Physical activity (PA) can attenuate these negative effects and improve quality of life (QoL). However, most cancer survivors fail to perform/sustain adequate PA levels, especially in the long-term. Theory-based interventions, using evidence-based behavior change techniques, aimed at promoting long-term behavior change in breast cancer survivors are effective, but remain scarce and fail to promote self-regulatory skills and better-quality motivations associated with sustained PA adoption. This paper describes the design of the PAC-WOMAN trial, which will test the long-term effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of two state of the art, group-based interventions encouraging sustained changes in PA, sedentary behavior, and QoL. Additional aims include examining the impact of both interventions on secondary outcomes (e.g., body composition, physical function), and key moderators/mediators of short and long-term changes in primary outcomes.MethodsA 3-arm pragmatic randomized controlled trial, involving a 4-month intervention and a 12-month follow-up, will be implemented, in a real exercise setting, to compare: 1) brief PA counseling/motivational intervention; 2) structured exercise program vs. waiting-list control group. Study recruitment goal is 122 hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer survivors (stage I-III), on AI therapy (post-primary treatment completion) ≥ 1 month, ECOG 0–1. Outcome measures will be obtained at baseline, 4 months (i.e., post-intervention), 10 and 16 months. Process evaluation, analyzing implementation determinants, will also be conducted.DiscussionPAC-WOMAN is expected to have a relevant impact on participants PA and QoL and provide insights for the improvement of interventions designed to promote sustained adherence to active lifestyle behaviors, facilitating its translation to community settings.Trial registrationApril 20, 2023 – NCT05860621.April 21, 2023 – https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/ZAQ9NApril 27, 2023 – UMIN000050945.

Sport activities for children and adolescents: the Position of the European Academy of Paediatrics and the European Confederation of Primary Care Paediatricians 2023-Part 1. Pre-participation physical evaluation in young athletes.

The European Academy of Paediatrics (EAP) and the European Confederation of Primary Care Paediatricians (ECPCP) emphasize the importance of promoting healthy lifestyles within the pediatric population. Many health professionals have questions concerning adequate levels of physical activity for both the healthy pediatric population and for those who may have specific complications. Unfortunately, the academic literature that provides recommendations for participation in sport activities within the pediatric population that have been published during the last decade in Europe is limited and is mainly dedicated to specific illnesses or advanced athletes and not toward the general population. The aim of part 1 of the EAP and ECPCP position statement is to assist healthcare professionals in implementing the best management strategies for a pre-participation evaluation (PPE) for participation in sports for individual children and adolescents. In the absence of a uniform protocol, it is necessary to respect physician autonomy for choosing and implementing the most appropriate and familiar PPE screening strategy and to discuss the decisions made with young athletes and their families. This first part of the Position Statement concerning Sport Activities for Children and Adolescents is dedicated to healthy young athletes.

System Identification and Hybrid Model Predictive Control in Personalized mHealth Interventions for Physical Activity.

The application of control systems principles in behavioral medicine includes developing interventions that can be individualized to promote healthy behaviors, such as sustained engagement in adequate levels of physical activity (PA). This paper presents the use of system identification and control engineering methods in the design of behavioral interventions through the novel formalism of a control-optimization trial (COT). The multiple stages of a COT, from experimental design in system identification through controller implementation, are illustrated using participant data from Just Walk, an intervention to promote walking behavior in sedentary adults. ARX models for individual participants are estimated using multiple estimation and validation data combinations, with the model leading to the best performance over a weighted norm being selected. This model serves as the internal model in a hybrid MPC controller formulated with three degree-of-freedom (3DoF) tuning that properly balances the requirements of physical activity interventions. Its performance in a realistic closed-loop setting is evaluated via simulation. These results serve as proof of concept for the COT approach, which is currently being evaluated with human participants in the clinical trial YourMove.

The association of children's motivation and physical activity levels with flipped learning during physical education lessons

Flipped learning is a pedagogical approach that directs instruction from a group to an individual learning space. This approach can stimulate students’ motivation, promote adequate physical activity levels, and reduce sedentary (SED) behaviour. Addressing the literature gap regarding the correlations among these factors in school physical education (PE), this study aimed to examine the association of students’ motivation, physical activity levels, and SED behaviour with flipped learning in a four-lesson learning unit. Framed by self-determination theory, a quasi-experimental design was adopted to measure and compare the moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), SED, and motivation levels of 111 primary school students aged between 10 and 11 years ( mean = 10.07, standard deviation = .26) in Hong Kong. Fifty-two of the participants were female, and 59 were male. They were randomly assigned to experimental ( n = 57) and control ( n = 54) groups, in which a flipped learning approach was adopted in the experimental group for two weeks. A questionnaire survey and accelerometers were used to measure participants’ motivation (autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, and amotivation) and their physical activity levels. The findings revealed significantly higher MVPA levels and lower SED levels in the experimental group. Autonomous motivation was found to have a positive correlation with MVPA levels and a negative correlation with SED levels, indicating a positive predictor of the two. The findings of this study reveal the potential of flipped learning to enhance students’ MVPA and reduce their SED behaviour during primary school PE lessons.

Abstract P446: Physical Inactivity and Chronic Conditions Are Associated With Lower Functioning in Older Adults With Osteoarthritis

Introduction: Population aged &gt;60 years compose the age group that grows the most disproportionately. Despite several positive individual and social aspects an increase in the prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases, including OA is observed. Hypothesis: Whether physical activity (PA) levels and number of chronic diseases are associated with handgrip strength (HGS), chair stand test (CST) results, and difficulties to dressing among older adults presenting with hip pain and diagnosed with hip osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: We analyzed Wave 5 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. We analyzed two age groups of individuals diagnosed with hip OA: 60-79 and 80-100 year groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic models were constructed considering the poor performance cut-offs in the strength, functioning, and mobility tests as the dependent variables, and physical inactivity, number of chronic diseases, body mass index (BMI), gender and education as the exposure variables. Results: We included 2.088 participants (mean age 73.1±8.5 years). The majority (89.3%) reportedly had two or more chronic diseases, the most prevalent being hypertension. The participants were mostly overweight or obese (69.8%); however, two of three (75%) participants reported moderate-to-vigorous daily activity. Low levels of moderate-to-vigorous PA were significantly and independently associated with muscle weakness, dysfunctioning, and poor mobility in both age groups (p&lt;0.05). Having five or more chronic diseases was significantly associated with disability in individuals with hip OA aged ≥60 years (p&lt;0.05). Conclusions: Low PA levels and chronic conditions are significantly associated with reduced functioning in individuals aged ≥60 years with symptomatic hip OA, especially in the 80-100 year subgroup. These findings are important for stakeholders to maintain adequate PA levels in older individuals despite their hip OA diagnoses.

Level of Physical Activity, Sleep Quality and Use of Personal Protective Equipment of Students at Wroclaw Medical University during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The study was conducted in October 2020 and March 2021 among Wroclaw Medical University students of different years and faculties. The objective of the study was to establish the relationship between some determinants, such as gender and the levels of physical activity, and the quality of sleep of medical students during the pandemic. Ultimately, 696 responses from October and 652 from March were included. To determine the level of physical activity, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used, and for sleep quality, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used. The findings pointed to a higher Total MET m/w (metabolic equivalent of task in minutes a week) in men compared to women in both study periods (2020: 1845.8 to 1542.5, p = 0.009; 2021: 2040.7 to 1826.6, p = 0.025). This was mainly due to a higher Vigorous Exercises MET m/w in men (2020: 837.3 to 635.8, p = 0.008; 2021: 773.3 to 490.3, p = 0.0006). Moreover, women had a lower quality of sleep resulting from problems in Habitual Sleep Efficiency, Sleep Disturbances, and Daytime Dysfunctions. An adequate level of physical activity and a good night's rest are the fundaments of health; therefore, it is necessary to determine the causes of their deficiencies in order that we can counteract them.

Caracterização do perfil alimentar e sociodemográfico de um grupo de mulheres vegetarianas colombianas em idade fértil no período 2021-2022

ABSTRACT Objective To determine the dietary and sociodemographic profile of vegetarian women of childbearing age (18 and 49 years) from the Valle de Aburrá Metropolitan Area in 2021-2022 Methods Through an online survey, 232 vegetarian and vegan women of childbearing age (18 to 49 years) from the Valle de Aburrá Metropolitan Area were surveyed regarding their sociodemographic characteristics, amount of time following this eating pattern and, type and reason for choosing vegetarianism, physical activity, use of nutritional supplements and frequency of consumption of certain food groups. Descriptive analyses, association of variables with the type of vegetarianism and multinomial regression models were performed. Results A total of 232 vegetarian women were surveyed: 60.8% were between 18 and 30 years of age and belonged mainly to the middle class. According to the type of diet, 68.1% used an ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet, 18.1% were vegan, 9.0% lacto-vegetarian and 4.8% ovo-vegetarian. Among the factors evaluated in their potential relationship with the different types of vegetarianism, it is highlighted that vitamin B12 supplementation presents a statistically significant association when using veganism as a comparison category. Conclusion According to the results, among young female adults the vegetarian eating style predominates, without significant differences as to the educational level, adequate levels of physical activity in most of the population; there was a higher prevalence of ovo-lacto-vegetarianism. Vitamin B12 supplementation was significantly higher in the vegan population, indicating that ovo-lacto and ovo-vegetarian populations may be at high risk of vitamin B12 deficiency.

Scan of physical activity policy actions in Europe: Lessons learned from populating the MOVING database.

Adequate levels of physical activity are important for population health. Policy databases can track, monitor, and compare the development and implementation of physical activity policy actions and are populated by different methods. The new MOVING database, developed through the Confronting Obesity: Co-creating Policy with Youth (CO-CREATE) project, collates governmental policy actions designed to increase physical activity and is populated by an in-depth scan of implemented national policy actions. This paper presents lessons learned from conducting the policy scan across 27 European countries. Policy actions were identified using a structured search protocol from preselected sources, assessed against pre-specified inclusion criteria and verified by an in-country expert. 625 eligible national implemented policy actions were identified. Challenges included policy actions falling out of scope, a lack of available information on policy actions, difficulty in identifying policy actions using specific search terms, and increased resource requirements for translation of policy actions into English. The scan indicated improvements, which informed protocol modifications. Identifying the challenges and opportunities around conducting a policy scan is necessary to understand and assess the reliability, validity, and utility of a policy database. The policy scan will help to deliver a comprehensive picture of physical activity policy actions across Europe.

The Association Between Midlife Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Hearing Loss in Late Life in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.

Hearing loss is highly prevalent in older ages and has several health consequences. Some cardiovascular risk factors are associated with worse hearing at older ages. Still, the role of midlife leisure-time physical activity (PA) as a risk factor for hearing loss is yet to be investigated. Among 3198 participants of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study, we investigated the associations of midlife and change from mid- to late-life PA (assessed via modified Baecke questionnaire) with hearing loss (audiometric battery [worse-ear pure-tone average, and speech-in-noise test]) at older ages. We used regression analyses, adjusted for demographics, medical conditions, and noise exposure, to estimate differences in hearing between those who met and did not meet PA recommendations at midlife and at late life. A total of 1386 (43.3%) participants met PA recommendations at midlife. These participants, compared to those who did not meet recommendations, had lower (better) pure-tone average by 1.51 (0.46, 2.55) decibels, identified 0.37 (0.01, 0.74) more words (better score) in the speech-in-noise test, and had a lower relative risk of having hearing loss at older ages (eg, relative risk ratio for severe hearing loss vs normal hearing=0.70 [0.52, 0.95]). Similarly, those who persistently met PA recommendations from mid- to late life had, compared with those who did not, a better hearing at older ages. Meeting PA public health recommendations in midlife and mid- to late life was associated with better hearing at older ages and reduced risk of hearing loss. Promoting adequate levels of PA may be an essential component of hearing care.

Основні методи фізичної реабілітації хворих на ревматоїдний артрит

Rheumatoid arthritis is a common disease characterized by a high level of disability and disability due to dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system. It is important to combine the basic therapy of rheumatoid arthritis and non-drug methods of recovery and physical rehabilitation of patients. The purpose of the study was to show the main methods of physical rehabilitation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Materials and method. Analysis and generalization of scientific literature were used in the study. Results and discussion. The formation of functional insufficiency of the joints in patients requires improving the functioning of the musculoskeletal system and the quality of life of patients through the use of physical rehabilitation methods. The main element of the rehabilitation complex for patients with rheumatoid arthritis is therapeutic physical culture, aimed at increasing the range of motion of the limbs, muscle strength, reducing pain and improving the general physical condition. One of the important methods of rehabilitation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis is orthosis, since the progression of the disease is inevitably associated with the development of joint deformations, especially in the feet. The goals of orthoses prescription are to protect and relieve joint stress, reduce pain and inflammation by creating controlled rest, correct anatomical axes, prevent or slow down the development of contractures, deviations and deformations. Physiotherapy methods in different periods of the disease provide anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Restorative treatment and physical rehabilitation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis involves a combination of various methods, among which the most effective are exercise therapy, orthotics, and physical therapy. Conclusion. Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by a significant limitation of the functions of the musculoskeletal system due to damage to the articular cartilage and bone, which requires, in addition to drug therapy, the use of methods to restore an adequate level of physical activity and physical rehabilitation. The most effective methods of complex rehabilitation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis are physical exercises of therapeutic physical culture, orthotics and physiotherapy methods that reduce the activity of the inflammatory process, progression of deformities, maintain the volume of daily household activities, the ability to self-service, professional work and improvement of quality of life

O4-4 Relation between physical activity level and environment perception among older adults

IntroductionRegular physical activity (PA) is associated to a decrease in morbidity and mortality and to a better quality of life. The environment has been shown as an important factor in the adoption of an active lifestyle, especially among the elderly, since it may be the difference between a dependent or independent living and a better health status. Thus, the purpose of this study was to analyze the relation between the PA level and the environment perception of the elderly from a city in southern Brazil.MethodsThree neighborhoods of the city of Santa Maria, RS - Brazil were drawn to be part of the investigation, with low, medium and high socioeconomic levels. The sample had 202 subjects. An adapted version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire for the Brazilian elderly (Mazo & Benedetti, 2010) was used to evaluate PA level and a Portuguese version of the Neighborhood Environmental Walkability Scale (Salvador et al, 2009) to evaluate environment perception. The statistical analyses were done by relative and absolute frequencies and logistic regression.ResultsThe prevalence of adequate PA levels was inferior to 30% in the three studied neighborhoods and the average of minutes spent with PA per week was 63.14 (±115.15). From the 41 variables considered in the environment perception, four had a p > 0.20 being selected for the multiple logistic regression model. The presences of fair and pedestrian crosswalks near home were the most influent factors on PA: the presence of fair increases 3.3 times the chance of the elderly being physically active and the crosswalks increase 2.7 times that chance.ConclusionA low prevalence of physically active elderly was observed in Santa Maria, which was also shown in other studies with similar samples. The variables that most positively influenced the older adults' PA levels were the presence of fair and pedestrian crosswalks, showing the importance of the creation and maintenance of environments that facilitate PA, as well as public policies that promote healthy and safe environments.

Associations between meeting 24-hour movement guidelines and quality of life among children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder

BackgroundThe Canadian 24-hour movement behavior (24-HMB) guidelines suggest that a limited amount of screen time use, an adequate level of physical activity (PA), and sufficient sleep duration are beneficial for ensuring and optimizing the health and quality of life (QoL) of children and adolescents. However, this topic has yet to be examined for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) specifically. The aim of this cross-sectional observational study was to examine the associations between meeting 24-HMB guidelines and several QoL-related indicators among a national sample of American children and adolescents with ASD. MethodsData were taken from the 2020 U.S. National Survey of Children's Health dataset. Participants (n = 956) aged 6–17 years and currently diagnosed with ASD were included. The exposure of interest was adherence to the 24-HMB guidelines. Outcomes were QoL indicators, including learning interest/curiosity, repeating grades, adaptive ability, victimization by bullying, and behavioral problems. Categorical variables were described with unweighted sample counts and weighted percentages. Age, sex, race, preterm birth status, medication, behavioral treatment, household poverty level, and the educational level of the primary caregivers were included as covariates. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were used to present the strength of association between adherence to 24-HMB guidelines and QoL-related indicators. ResultsOverall, 452 participants (45.34%) met 1 of the 3 recommendations, 216 (22.65%) met 2 recommendations, whereas only 39 participants (5.04%) met all 3 recommendations. Compared with meeting none of the recommendations, meeting both sleep duration and PA recommendations (OR = 3.92, 95%CI: 1.63–9.48, p < 0.001) or all 3 recommendations (OR = 2.11, 95%CI: 1.03–4.35, p = 0.04) was associated with higher odds of showing learning interest/curiosity. Meeting both screen time and PA recommendations (OR = 0.15, 95%CI: 0.04–0.61, p < 0.05) or both sleep duration and PA recommendations (OR = 0.24, 95%CI: 0.07–0.87, p < 0.05) was associated with lower odds of repeating any grades. With respect to adaptive ability, participants who met only the PA recommendation of the 24-HMB were less likely to have difficulties dressing or bathing (OR = 0.11, 95%CI: 0.02–0.66, p < 0.05) than those who did not. For participants who met all 3 recommendations (OR = 0.38, 95%CI: 0.15–0.99, p = 0.05), the odds of being victimized by bullying was lower. Participants who adhered to both sleep duration and PA recommendations were less likely to present with severe behavioral problems (OR = 0.17, 95%CI: 0.04–0.71, p < 0.05) than those who did not meet those guidelines. ConclusionSignificant associations were found between adhering to 24-HMB guidelines and selected QoL indicators. These findings highlight the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle as a key factor in promoting and preserving the QoL of children with ASD.

Association of disease outcomes with physical activity in multiple sclerosis: A cross-sectional study.

This study included 213 participants who completed walking and cognitive function tests and self-report measures of symptoms and physical activity. Multivariate analysis of variance and discriminant function analysis identified combinations of MS outcomes associated with physical activity. The sample had a mean age of 49.6 years (SD = 13.2), a 3:1 female:male ratio, and a Patient Determined Disease Steps median (interquartile range) score of 1.0 (3.0). Multivariate analysis of variance demonstrated that MS outcome clusters were significantly associated with physical activity, namely walking (i.e., Six-Minute Walk, Timed Up and Go, and MS Walking Scale), Pillai's trace V = .16, F(3, 180) = 11.43, η² = .16; cognition (i.e., Symbol Digits Modalities Test, California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition, Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised), Pillai's trace V = .04, F(3, 204) = 2.79, η² = .04; and symptoms (i.e., fatigue, anxiety, depression, and pain), Pillai's trace V = .16, F(4, 199) = 9.30, η² = .16. Discriminant function analysis indicated that a significant discriminant function of walking endurance and walking limitations, depression, fatigue, and processing speed was associated with physical activity subgroups. The findings identified walking endurance and limitations, processing speed, depression, and fatigue as primary correlates of physical activity differences in persons with MS. These results may inform researchers and health care providers to consider these factors in behavior change interventions and clinical practices for promoting adequate physical activity levels in MS. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

A Theory-Informed, Personalized mHealth Intervention for Adolescents (Mobile App for Physical Activity): Development and Pilot Study.

BackgroundEvidence suggests that physical activity (PA) during childhood and adolescence is crucial as it usually results in adequate PA levels in adulthood. Given the ubiquitous use of smartphones by adolescents, these devices may offer feasible means to reach young populations and deliver interventions aiming to increase PA participation and decrease sedentary time. To date, very few studies have reported smartphone-based interventions promoting PA for adolescents. In addition, most available fitness apps do not include the latest evidence-based content.ObjectiveThis paper described the systematic development of a behavior change, theory-informed Mobile App for Physical Activity intervention with personalized prompts for adolescents aged 16 to 18 years. The within-subject trial results provided the first evidence of the general effectiveness of the intervention based on the outcomes step count, sedentary time, and moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) minutes. The effectiveness of the intervention component personalized PA prompt was also assessed.MethodsA 4-week within-subject trial with 18 healthy adolescents aged 16 to 18 years was conducted (mean age 16.33, SD 0.57 years). After the baseline week, the participants used the Mobile App for Physical Activity intervention (Fitbit fitness tracker+app), which included a daily personalized PA prompt delivered via a pop-up notification. A paired 1-tailed t test was performed to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. Change-point analysis was performed to assess the effectiveness of a personalized PA prompt 30 and 60 minutes after prompt delivery.ResultsThe results showed that the intervention significantly reduced sedentary time in adolescents during the first week of the trial (t17=−1.79; P=.04; bootstrapped P=.02). This trend, although remaining positive, diminished over time. Our findings indicate that the intervention had no effect on metabolic equivalent of task–based MVPA minutes, although the descriptive increase may give reason for further investigation. Although the results suggested no overall change in heart rate–based MVPA minutes, the results from the change-point analyses suggest that the personalized PA prompts significantly increased heart rate per minute during the second week of the study (t16=1.84; P=.04; bootstrapped P=.04). There were no significant increases in participants’ overall step count; however, the personalized PA prompts resulted in a marginally significant increase in step counts per minute in the second week of the study (t17=1.35; P=.09; bootstrapped P=.05).ConclusionsThe results of the trial provide preliminary evidence of the benefit of the Mobile App for Physical Activity intervention for modest yet significant reductions in participants’ sedentary time and the beneficial role of personalized PA prompts. These results also provide further evidence of the benefits and relative efficacy of personalized activity suggestions for inclusion in smartphone-based PA interventions. This study provides an example of how to guide the development of smartphone-based mobile health PA interventions for adolescents.

Reallocating time to physical activity and sleep: associations with quality of life in cancer survivors.

PurposeQuality of life (QOL) is an important psychosocial outcome in cancer survivors (CS). Physical activity (PA), reducing sedentary time (ST), and sleep can help CS improve QOL; however, these behaviors are commonly studied in isolation, despite their interdependence during the 24-h day (i.e., time in one activity cannot increase without time decreasing in another activity). This study examined the effects of reallocating time between moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA), light PA, ST, and sleep on QOL in a mixed sample of CS.MethodsA cross-sectional sample of CS (N = 73) diagnosed with breast (29.7%), colorectal (33.8%), or other (36.5%) cancer. MVPA, light PA, and ST were measured using the activPAL™ accelerometer, and sleep duration using the Actiwatch™ accelerometer. Both were worn for 7 days, 24 h per day. QOL was self-reported using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) questionnaire. Isotemporal substitution models were used to reallocate 30 min between activities. Statistical significance was set at p < .05.ResultsParticipants accumulated, M = 24.0 ± 18.9 min/day of MVPA, 291.7 ± 100.4 min/day of light PA, 593.1 ± 108.3 min/day of ST, and 486.6 ± 57.6 min/night of sleep. Isotemporal substitution effects for reallocating time between MVPA, light PA, ST, and sleep were not significantly associated with QOL.ConclusionsFindings from this study suggest that among CS who are achieving adequate levels of PA and sleep, changes in 30 min of these activities may not impact QOL. Future studies should aim to recruit a larger, more representative sample and explore the role of bouted activity time.