Amount Of Moderate Physical Activity Research Articles

The Relationship between Body Composition and Physical Activity Level in Students of Medical Faculties.

Maintaining an active lifestyle is crucial for good health. Markers of health risk include tissue components. This study aimed to indicate which body composition elements create the strongest correlations with physical activity performed in young students of medical faculties. The study group consisted of 75 students (33 men and 42 women) from Wroclaw Medical University. Each student underwent accelerometer and anthropometric measurements and body composition analysis. Both men and women had similar physical activity levels. The study found that the amount of vigorous physical activity correlated significantly with the basal metabolic rate (BMR), fat, water and muscle content, fat-free mass (FFM), bone mass, extracellular to intracellular water ratio (ECW/ICW), and phase angle (PA), with r~ ± (0.2-0.4). The amount of moderate physical activity correlated with body mass, body mass index (BMI), BMR, FFM, and bone mass, with r~0.3-0.5. There are dimorphic differences in the strength of correlations between physical activity and elements of body composition. A greater amount of moderate and vigorous physical activity is associated with greater FFM and bone mass in men, which causes BMI to increase as well (in this case, higher BMI is not a sign of being overweight). For women, the beneficial effect of higher amounts of vigorous physical activity on reducing fat content and increasing muscle mass is more pronounced. In both men and women, an improvement in hydration is evident with increased vigorous physical activity volume.

Testing an Intervention to Improve Posthospital Outcomes in Persons Living With Dementia and Their Family Care Partners.

Hospitalized persons living with dementia are at risk for functional decline, behavioral symptoms of distress, and delirium, all persisting in the postacute period. In turn, family care partners (FCPs) experience increased anxiety and lack of preparedness for caregiving, compounding existing strain and burden. Family-centered Function-focused Care (Fam-FFC) purposefully engages FCPs in assessment, decision-making, care delivery, and evaluation of function-focused care during and after hospitalization (within 48 hours of discharge, weekly telephone calls for a total of 7 additional weeks, then monthly for 4 months). The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of Fam-FFC. A cluster randomized controlled trial included 455 dyads of persons living with dementia and FCPs in 6 medical units in 3 hospitals. Patient outcomes included return to baseline physical function, behavioral symptoms of distress, depressive symptoms, and delirium severity. Family care partner measures included preparedness for caregiving, anxiety, strain, and burden. Multilevel level modeling demonstrated that the likelihood of returning to baseline function across time for Fam-FFC participants was twice that of the control group by the end of 6 months (OR = 2.4, p = .01, 95% CI 1.2-4.7). Family-centered Function-focused Care was also associated with fewer symptoms of distress (b = -1.1, SE = 0.56, p = .05) but no differences in the amount of moderate physical activity, depressive symptoms, and delirium severity. Preparedness for caregiving increased significantly only from 2 to 6 months (b = 0.89, SE = 0.45, d = 0.21, overall p = .02) in the intervention group, with no group differences in anxiety, strain, and burden. Family-centered Function-focused Care may help prevent some of the postacute functional decline and behavioral symptoms in hospitalized persons living with dementia. Further research is needed to promote sustained improvements in these symptoms with more attention to the postacute needs of the care partner.

The Effects of 6-Month Aqua Aerobics Training on Cardiometabolic Parameters in Perimenopausal Women-A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Menopause is a time when women experience a number of physiological and anatomical changes resulting from a decline in ovarian function. It can be concluded that cardiovascular disease increases in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, irrespective of age-related changes. Engaging in the amount of moderate physical activity recommended by the World Health Organization helps reduce the risk of death and adverse health events. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of a 6-month aqua aerobics programme on cardiometabolic (anthropometric and biochemical) parameters in perimenopausal women. In this study, 30 women (control group-16, study group-14) participated in the 6-month aqua aerobics training programme. The mean age of women was 47.67 ± 6.79 year and BMI 26.33 ± 3.64 kg/m2. At the beginning and at the end of the study, anthropometric and blood samples analysis were performed. In the blood, lipid profile, morphotic elements were determined. Body composition, waist-hip ratio (WHR), visceral adiposity index (VAI), blood pressure (BP) were measured. The aqua aerobics programme resulted in a significant decrease in the WHR (p < 0.05; ES: 2.143), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (p < 0.05; ES: 1.005), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PRL) (p < 0.05; ES: 0.460) and an increase in haemoglobin (HGB) concentration (p < 0.05; ES: 0.643). The type of physical activity described in the present study is a great way for perimenopausal women to take care of their overall well-being. The reduction in selected cardiometabolic parameters is important from the point of view of the protection of women's health.

Analysis of the mediating effects of self-efficacy and self-control between physical activity and Internet addiction among Chinese college students.

It explores the roles of self-efficacy and self-control in physical activity and Internet addiction. And it further provides a theoretical basis for the treatment and improvement of Internet addiction among college students. This study employs the whole group sampling method. The questionnaire was conducted on 855 college students from five universities in three provinces using the Physical Activity Level Scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Self-Control Scale, and the Chinese Internet Addiction Scale (IAS). The analyses yielded three main findings. (1) A large amount of physical activity was helpful in reducing the symptoms of Internet addiction and the problematic status of each dimension among college students. (2) A large or moderate amount of physical activity was helpful in enhancing college students’ self-efficacy. Besides, a large amount of physical activity was likely to enhance college students’ self-control. (3) The condition of physical activity not only directly has the negative correlation with college students’ Internet addiction but also influences college students’ Internet addiction through two indirect ways: the mediating role of self-control and the chain mediating role of self-efficacy and self-control. These conclusions provide a deeper understanding of the protective factors of Internet addiction among Chinese college students.

Health and well-being benefits of e-bike commuting for inactive, overweight people living in regional Australia.

Pedal-assisted electric-bikes (e-bikes) are bicycles fitted with electric motors. Motorised functions on e-bikes only operate when the user pedals, allowing riders a moderate amount of physical activity. This study aimed to explore the mental and physical health and well-being impacts related to ebike usage for inactive overweight or obese individuals living in regional Australia. Twenty inactive, overweight/obese people who seldom cycled were provided with an ebike over a 12-week period. Individual semi-structured interviews conducted at the end of the trial generated data about participants' experiences of using ebikes. Inductive thematic analysis of interview data using Thomas (2006) data analysis framework and NVivo 12 software was undertaken. Data analysis revealed that e-cycling improved participants' mental and physical well-being and that they felt happier when riding an e-bike. Riding an e-bike can improve mental and physical health, happiness and overall sense of well-being. Greater uptake of e-bikes would have positive health implications for the wider community. Results from this study can be used to inform active transport policy. SO WHAT?: Our study demonstrated that encouraging active transport in the form of e-cycling can improve the overall health and well-being of overweight and obese Australians. More specifically, e-cycling demonstrated a positive impact on mental health well-being.

The UP150: A Multifactorial Environmental Intervention to Promote Employee Physical and Mental Well-Being.

Physical activity (PA) is a major health factor and studies suggest workplaces could promote PA by modifying office design, motivational strategies and technology. The present study aims to evaluate the efficiency of UP150, a multifactorial workplace intervention for the improvement and maintenance of the level of physical fitness (PF) and wellbeing. Forty-five employees were randomly divided into the experimental (EG) and control (CG) groups. The PF was assessed pre-post intervention using the cubo fitness test (CFT), the amount of PA was evaluated using the IPAQ questionnaire and accelerometers while the workload was assessed using the NASA-TLX questionnaire and psycho-physical health by using the SF-12 questionnaire. The EG worked in UP150 offices while the CG worked in their usual offices for 8 weeks. The EG and CG came back 4 weeks after the intervention for CFT retention. The EG improved CFT motor efficiency and the amount of moderate PA, while it reduced mental load. The EG retained reached motor efficiency levels 4 weeks after the intervention. No differences were found in IPAQ. The UP150 demonstrated to be a proactive environment and to be efficient in the promotion of PA, improving PF and mental health while decreasing mental load.

Longitudinal association of physical activity during pregnancy with maternal and infant outcomes: Findings from the Australian longitudinal study of women's health.

Physical activity has known benefits during pregnancy; however, the optimum volume of physical activity through the different stages of pregnancy is not well known. The aims of this study were to investigate the associations of physical activity volume in pregnant women in each trimester of pregnancy with maternal and infant outcomes. The study involved 1657 pregnant women from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, who completed surveys from 2006 to 2012 (aged 28-39 years). Women reported being in either the first, second or third trimester of pregnancy. Women were grouped into four groups according to their self-reported physical activity during pregnancy: (1) Nil (0-<33.3 MET.min/week), (2) Low (33.3-<500 MET.min/week), (3) Moderate (500-<1000 MET.min/week) and (4) High (⩾1000 MET.min/week). Women who reported their physical activity during pregnancy completed a survey within three years after the birth, relating to outcomes associated with pregnancy and childbirth (gestational diabetes, hypertension, and antenatal depression and anxiety) and infant outcomes (birthweight and prematurity). There was no association of physical activity in any trimester with infant birthweight, prematurity, gestational diabetes, hypertension or antenatal depression. Antenatal anxiety was less prevalent in women who reported low (1.7%) or moderate (1.1%) physical activity than in those who reported no activity (4.7%; p = 0.01). Different amounts of physical activity during pregnancy were not associated with the measured adverse health outcomes. However, low and moderate amounts of physical activity were associated with reduced incidence of antenatal anxiety.

Relationship between physical activity time and intramuscular adipose tissue content of the thigh muscle groups of younger and older men

We investigated the effect of physical activity on muscle tissue size and intramuscular adipose tissue (IntraMAT) content in the thigh muscle groups of younger and older men. Twenty younger and 20 older men participated in this study. The muscle tissue cross-sectional area (CSA) and the IntraMAT content in the quadriceps femoris (QF), hamstrings (HM), hip adductors (AD), and mid-thigh total were measured using magnetic resonance imaging. The physical activity time was measured using a triaxial accelerometer, and four levels of physical activity were determined depending on the metabolic equivalent of task (METs), including sedentary (≤ 1.5 METs), light intensity (≤ 2.9 METs), moderate intensity (3.0–5.9 METs), and vigorous intensity (≥ 6.0 METs). No significant correlation was observed between the physical activity parameters and muscle tissue CSA in both groups. The IntraMAT content of the three muscle groups (QF, AD, and HM) and the total thigh was inversely correlated with the time of moderate-intensity physical activity (rs = − 0.625 to − 0.489, P < 0.05, for all comparisons) in the young group, but not in the older group. These results indicate that IntraMAT accumulation was associated with the amount of moderate-physical activity in younger men.

Residents' Physical Activities in Home Isolation and Its Relationship with Health Values and Well-Being: A Cross-Sectional Survey during the COVID-19 Social Quarantine.

The objective of the present study was to examine the associations between residents’ physical activity, health values, and well-being during isolation. On the basis of the physical activity rating scale, health values scale, subjective well-being scale, and the satisfaction with life scale, we collected 505 valid questionnaires online from 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in China. A series of multiple linear regression models were established to study the relationship between variables, and the bootstrap confidence interval was selected to test the mediating effect. The results showed that during the period of isolation, physical activity directly (b = 0.463, p < 0.001) or indirectly (b = 0.358, p < 0.001) had a positive impact on residents’ well-being through the mediating effect of health values. There was a positive correlation between physical activity and health values (b = 0.710, p < 0.001), while health values had a direct positive association on well-being (b = 0.504, p < 0.001). In addition, a moderate amount of physical activity was found to be more associated with the well-being of residents during home isolation compared to small and large amounts of physical activity. This study shows the importance of residents’ physical activities in home isolation. Moderate exercise at home and regular physical activity are beneficial to our physical and mental health, especially in terms of improving overall well-being.

COVID-19 nationwide lockdown and physical activity profiles among North-western Italian population using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)

BackgroundThe role of physical activity in enhancing health is well recognized. However, in the more industrialized countries, physical activity rates are declining, and the emerging COVID-19 pandemic may amplify this scenario. Thus, this study aimed to report the Italian population’s physical activity profile living in the North-western regions during the national lockdown.MethodsPhysical activity was assessed using the official Italian short form of IPAQ, intended for Social Networking Services (SNS). Participation was voluntary, and people could fill the questionnaire simply by clicking on a specific link.ResultsThe final sample size was 612 Italians, male and female, equally distributed (49.1% male and 50.9% female). Data showed a percentage of 15.4% of inactive subjects (MET < 700), 61.8% of moderate-active (MET 700–2500), and 22.9% of active people (MET > 2500). Women were more inactive than men (p < 0.01; 57.4% vs 42.6%). Furthermore, participants were classified into four classes of age: 18–29; 30–44; 45–59; and 60–79. Class 18–29 was prevalent (p < 0.01, 68.3%) and showed higher levels of physical activity (p < 0.05).ConclusionsItalians living in North-western regions maintained a moderate amount of physical activity during the quarantine. This behavior should be encouraged, particularly among women that usually appear to be less active than men.

Outcomes of a Community-Wide Health Intervention in a Low-Income, Primarily Hispanic Community: The Go! Austin/Vamos! Austin (GAVA) Initiative.

To describe outcomes of a 4-year physical activity (PA) and nutrition intervention (2013-2017) in Dove Springs, a low-income urban community in Texas. Go! Austin/Vamos! Austin is a place-based intervention targeting the built and social environments of PA and nutrition. Baseline and follow-up measures related to PA and nutrition were obtained from 357 parent-child dyads (final n = 236) in the intervention community and a control community. A three-level dose of exposure measure was created to indicate the amount of exposure to intervention activities across the 4 years. Pre-post changes in key outcomes by level of exposure and contrasts across "high exposure" and "no exposure" categories were obtained using repeated-measures regression, adjusting for important confounders. "High exposure" adult participants showed consistently more favorable changes than "no exposure" participants across a variety of indicators, including positive perceptions and utilization of community PA resources, amount of moderate PA, utilization of retail outlets offering fresh produce, and measures of healthy eating. Few improvements were seen in child-level outcomes. Community interventions can successfully improve health-promoting behaviors provided they ensure sufficient dose of exposure.

Physical Activity Level and Perception of Exercise in Cystic Fibrosis

More patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are living longer, and lifestyle-related behavior is becoming increasingly important for improving morbidity and mortality. Declining levels of exercise leads to low cardiorespiratory fitness, which is a strong, independent predictor of mortality in patients with CF. As a result, exercise training has become a commonly accepted form of treatment for patients with CF. The purpose of this study was to determine physical activity levels and perception of exercise in adult patients with CF. Adult patients from an in-patient CF unit were recruited to participate. A structured interview and self-report questionnaires were used to collect information on levels of physical activity and exercise perception including preferences, readiness, and barriers. Forty-six adult patients with CF consented to participate in the interview and completed self-report questionnaires. Subjects self-reported that the majority (84%) of their time was spent performing physical activity at a moderate level, with mean ± SD of 11.8 ± 12.2 h per week of moderate physical activity. Vigorous physical activity was described as hard and very hard physical activity, with a mean ± SD of 1.8 ± 4.6 h (13%) and 0.4 ± 1.6 h (3%), respectively. Most of the adult subjects with CF preferred walking, and 65% of them felt that exercise was very important. Lack of energy, lack of good health, lack of self-discipline, and lack of time were noted as the most frequent barriers to exercise. In this study, adult subjects with CF self-reported performing an adequate amount of moderate physical activity, although only a small proportion of time was spent at a vigorous level of physical activity. Clinicians providing rehabilitation have an opportunity to improve adherence to prescribed exercise by understanding the impact that physiological and psychological factors have on patients with CF. Further, motivating patients with CF to engage in more vigorous physical activity may provide a stimulus that improves clinical outcomes and potentially survival.

Effect of Fast Tempo Vocal and Instrumental Music on Cardiovascular Parameters, Perceived Exertion and Stress Rate During High Intensity Interval Training in Asymptomatic Subjects: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background and Purpose: ACSM defines physical activity as bodily movement that is produced by contraction of skeletal muscle. Music is said to be a sensory modality that can have effect on exercise. purpose of study was to study outcome of music with faster tempo and instrumental type, on cardiovascular, RPE, mood, stress and enjoyment thus improving observance to HIIT in asymptomatic subjects. Methods: By random sampling method 40 subjects, male and female (20-30 years) with minimum to moderate amount of physical activity were selected and a two week trial with treadmill was done. Participants were be divided into 2 groups for HIIT: group A with fast vocal music and group B with instrumental music. Mood and stress was assessed pre and post using Abbreviated Profile Of Mood State (POMS) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) respectively, RPE was taken over time using Borg scale respectively, enjoyment was assessed post HIIT using Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES ). Results: Statistical significance was found in heart rate in vocal group, mood and enjoyment in both groups with a p value of < 0.005 Conclusion: present study of 2 weeks concluded that vocal and instrumental music had significant effect on heart rate, stress, enjoyment, mood during high intensity interval training

Factors limiting physical activity after acute typeA aortic dissection.

SummaryBackgroundAcute type A aortic dissection (AAD) leads to high hospital mortality rates in the first 48 h after the onset of symptoms. Survivors, however, have good long-term perspectives and enhanced survival especially if regaining moderate amounts of physical activity.MethodsThis study analyzed 131 survivors (from 180 consecutive patients, aged 60 years (rande 30–84 years, 71% male) of acute AAD after a median time of 44 months (range 1–147 months). The hospital mortality was 13.5%. The group of physically active patients was compared with those with a sedentary life style. The qualitative and quantitative data on physical activity were correlated with data from an aortic registry.ResultsOverall 87% of patients reported 1 or more types of physical activities after hospital discharge. The most common types were walking (51%), biking (29%), hiking (15%) and gymnastics (14%). Patients with a sedentary life style underwent longer hypothermic circulatory arrest times (39 min, range 8–167 min vs. 47 min, range 27–79 min, p = 0.009), had a longer intensive care unit (ICU) stay (Pearsons r = −0.226 [between length of ICU stay and hours of physical activity after hospital discharge], p = 0.033) and suffered more frequently from postoperative paresis (33.3% vs. 3.8%, p < 0.001) compared with physically active patients. Binary logistic regression analysis showed female gender (p = 0.026) and higher body mass index (p = 0.019) to be independently associated with a reduced amount of physical activity.ConclusionsThis study demonstrate that the majority of survivors of acute aortic dissection type A regain a physically active life including the practice of a variety of sports. Factors predictive of a sedentary life style can be identified. Female patients deserve special attention.

Occupational Physical Activity in Young Adults and Stroke: Was It Due to My Job?

The association of physical activity and stroke among working young adults and vice versa has increasingly empathized in recent years. Lack of physical activity, along with many other modifiable risk factors, such as hypertension, obesity, atherosclerosis, and diabetes, contributes through vascular dysfunction to the development of adverse cerebrovascular events in the future and has always been a topic of interest in the fields of neurology and stroke rehabilitation. We wrote this review article to elaborate on this relationship in detail. This article suggests that the physical activity role in stroke development and the rehabilitation process has a diverse role, where individuals with low physically active occupations are prone to develop a stroke more readily in comparison with other workers who have a moderate amount of physical activity in their jobs; however, less mobility appeared to be harmful too soon after stroke. In addition, we elucidate the effects of physical activity on sympathetic activity and remodeling of vascular response. Alterations in the neuroendocrine system include several factors. This includes harmful changes caused by increasing levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine. These changes are seen with stress-induced cerebrovascular injury and are often elevated in post-stroke patients. In contrast, post-stroke patients engaged in physical activity may prevent these harmful neurotrophic factors by reducing the elevated levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine. However, we need more studies in the near future to further explore this association process. Therefore, we recommend more research to explore the relationship of occupation-related factors and adverse stroke outcomes.

Stress level of shopkeepers and its relationship with their physical activity and body mass index: A cross-sectional study in a marketplace of Kolkata, West Bengal

Background and Objectives: Shopkeepers due to their sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity are more likely to suffer from high level of stress which, in turn, may increase the risk of various chronic diseases among them. The study aims to assess the stress level and its associated factors among shopkeepers. Materials and Methods: The study was a cross-sectional community-based study conducted from May to July 2016, among 147 shopkeepers in a permanent marketplace of Kolkata with a structured schedule. Data were analyzed using appropriate statistical methods by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, SPSS (version 16). Results: The mean stress score of the study participants was 8.1 ± 2.3. Only 43.7% of them were doing a moderate physical activity (≥600 MET-min/week). There was moderate correlation between stress and physical activity (ρ = 0.374, P = 0.000). Other significant correlates of stress were age (t = 2.132, P = 0.035), tobacco consumption (ρ = 0.167, P = 0.043), body mass index (ρ = 0.299, P = 0.000), and hypertension (ρ = 0.165, P = 0.046). Conclusions: Stress level among the study population was high with only two-fifths of them doing a moderate amount of physical activity. Health education regarding the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, i.e., regular physical activity, weight reduction, and quitting addiction should be given to them regularly to reduce their stress level and reduction of their risk of developing various chronic diseases.

Influences of body mass index and physical activity on hypertension and stroke in Korean adult males: 10-year longitudinal study.

[Purpose]Routinely performed health screening results of 5,624,503 Korean men between ages 20 to 70 obtained from the National Health Insurance Service (2002-2013) were assessed for this study. Data of subjects who met the initial criteria were divided into three groups based on their BMI: normal weight (18.5 to <25.0 kg/m2), overweight (25.0 to <30.0 kg/m2), and obese (≥30.0 kg/m2) groups. The results were further sub-divided by physical activity frequencies (days/week). The disease codes for hypertension and stroke were provided by the National Health Insurance Service for the adjusted relative risks (RR) assessment with the Cox proportional hazard model.[Methods]Routinely performed health screening results of 5,624,503 Korean men between ages 20 to 70 obtained from the National Health Insurance Service (2002-2013) were assessed for this study. Data of subjects who met the initial criteria were divided into three groups based on their BMI: normal weight (18.5 to <25.0 kg/m2), overweight (25.0 to <30.0 kg/m2), and obese (≥30.0 kg/ m2) groups. The results were further sub-divided by physical activity frequencies (days/ week). The disease codes for hypertension and stroke were provided by the National Health Insurance Service for the adjusted relative risks (RR) assessment with the Cox proportional hazard model. [Results]Significant RRs of hypertension and stroke were shown in the overweight moderately active group (3 – 4 days/week). In addition, significant RR of hypertension was shown in the normal weight moderately active group. No significance was seen in the obese group in all physical activity frequencies. [Conclusion]Regularly performed moderate amount of physical activity may be beneficial in reducing the risk for hypertension and stroke. However, the effects of excessive body weight may override the positive effects of physical activity on the occurrence of hypertension and stroke.

Sleep disturbances, mental toughness, and physical activity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) compared to healthy adolescents and young adults

BackgroundMultiple sclerosis (MS) is the commonest chronic autoimmune demyelinating and inflammatory disease of the CNS, afflicting both body and mind. Typical symptoms are fatigue, paraesthesia and depression, along with cognitive impairments. Whereas there is extant research on fatigue, depression, and cognitive impairment of patients with MS during the clinical course, no research focused on sleep, psychological functioning, and physical activity (PA) at the moment of the diagnose. The aims of the present study were therefore to assess possible state markers of mental toughness (MT) as a dimension of psychological functioning, sleep disturbances (SD), PA among patients at the moment of the diagnose, and to compare these data with those of healthy adolescents and healthy young adults.MethodsA total of 23 patients with recently diagnosed MS (M = 32.31 years), 23 healthy adolescents (M = 17.43 years), and 25 healthy young adults (M = 20.72 years) took part in the study. They completed questionnaires covering socio-demographic data, MT, SD, and PA.ResultsPatients with MS reported similar MT traits as adolescents, and an equal amount of moderate PA and SD as young adults. Further, patients reported a lower level of vigorous PA, compared to healthy adolescents and young adults.ConclusionsCompared to healthy adolescents and young adults, patients at the moment of the diagnose of MS reported similar MT traits, SD and moderate PA. The pattern of results suggests that at the moment of the diagnose MS is not predictable by poor MT, poor sleep, and decreased level of moderate PA.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Differential Association of Exercise Intensity With Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in Men and Women: Evidence from a Meta-Analysis.

Despite widespread interest and extensive research, the association between different levels of physical activity (PA) and risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) is still not clearly defined. Therefore, we systematically evaluated and summarized the evidences regarding association of different intensity of PA with the risk of AF in this meta-analysis. An extensive literature search was performed on databases for studies showing association of exercise with AF risk. Twenty-two studies were identified that included 656,750 subjects. Meta-analytic estimates were derived using random-effects models and pooled odds ratio estimates were obtained. Potential sources of heterogeneity were examined in sensitivity analyses, and publication biases were estimated. Pooled analysis of 7 studies with 93,995 participants reported high risk of incident AF with sedentary lifestyle (pooled OR 2.47 [95% CI 1.25-3.7], P = 0.005). In 3 trials, 149,048 women involved in moderate PA were 8.6% less likely to develop AF compared to women with sedentary life (OR 0.91 [95% CI 0.78-0.97], P = 0.002). Women performing intense exercise were found to have 28% lower risk of AF (OR 0.72 [95% CI 0.57-0.88], P < 0.001). The overall pooled estimate indicated a protective impact of moderate PA in men (pooled OR 0.8133 [95% CI 0.26-1.004], P = 0.06) whereas vigorous PA was associated with a significantly increased AF risk (pooled OR 3.30 [1.97-4.63], P = 0.0002). Sedentary lifestyle significantly increases and moderate amount of physical activity reduces the risk of AF in both men and women. However, intense exercise has a gender-specific association with AF risk.

Risk perception for diabetes in Appalachian women

ABSTRACTThe social and economic burden of diabetes is large and growing. Diabetes is a significant public health issue in the Appalachian region; women constitute approximately 50% of those diagnosed with diabetes. This cross-sectional study examined the relationship among sociodemographic, anthropometric, lifestyle, and psychosocial factors (cognitive and affective representations) and perceived risk of diabetes in non-diabetic, non-elderly (21–50 years) Appalachian women residing in West Virginia (N = 202). Participants were recruited through social media, flyers, and a newsletter from the West Virginia University Extension. The final survey was conducted from March 2015 to June 2015. Bivariate analyses were used to examine unadjusted relations among sociodemographic, anthropometric, lifestyle, and psychosocial factors and comparative perceived risk of diabetes. In a multivariable logistic regression model, we found that younger age, higher body mass index, non-White race, greater diabetes knowledge, personal control, and moderate amounts of physical activity were significantly, positively associated with higher diabetes risk perception (p < .05). Our results indicated that diabetes knowledge, personal control, and physical activity were related to diabetes risk perception among Appalachian women. Understanding perceived diabetes-related risk may aid in the development of effective intervention strategies to reduce the burden of diabetes among Appalachian and other populations. These cross-sectional findings need further evaluation in longitudinal studies.