Daily Activity Behavior Research Articles

Journeying to freedom: the spatial ecology of a reintroduced population of Orinoco crocodiles (Crocodylus intermedius) in Colombia

BackgroundThe Orinoco crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius) is the largest crocodile and the most threatened by extinction in the Neotropics due to overexploitation for the skin trade during the early–middle twentieth century. Knowledge of their ecology is poor in Colombia because long-term armed conflict has restricted fieldwork. In 2015, we reintroduced four captive-reared adult crocodiles, each equipped with a Sirtrack KiwiSat 202 satellite transmitter and monitored their movements from 2015 to 2018.ResultsSeasonal movements were as far 177 km in males and 115 km in females. Home ranges were as large as 55 km2 for males and 16 km2 for females for a single year and 178 km2 and 21 km2, respectively, for males and females over 2 years. Spatial ecological patterns changed drastically by season, with males increasing their home range and females reducing home range during the wet season. We confirmed that daily activity patterns defined as measure by number of locations across the day were not influenced by season.ConclusionsWe believe that seasonal changes in the size and shape of home ranges were associated with patrolling or exploratory behaviors after release, while daily activity behavior was independent of season, sex or size of the animal.

Compositional Data Analysis in Time-Use Epidemiology: What, Why, How.

In recent years, the focus of activity behavior research has shifted away from univariate paradigms (e.g., physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep) to a 24-h time-use paradigm that integrates all daily activity behaviors. Behaviors are analyzed relative to each other, rather than as individual entities. Compositional data analysis (CoDA) is increasingly used for the analysis of time-use data because it is intended for data that convey relative information. While CoDA has brought new understanding of how time use is associated with health, it has also raised challenges in how this methodology is applied, and how the findings are interpreted. In this paper we provide a brief overview of CoDA for time-use data, summarize current CoDA research in time-use epidemiology and discuss challenges and future directions. We use 24-h time-use diary data from Wave 6 of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (birth cohort, n = 3228, aged 10.9 ± 0.3 years) to demonstrate descriptive analyses of time-use compositions and how to explore the relationship between daily time use (sleep, sedentary behavior and physical activity) and a health outcome (in this example, adiposity). We illustrate how to comprehensively interpret the CoDA findings in a meaningful way.

Risk Factors and Behaviours of Schoolchildren with Myopia in Taiwan.

Importance: Because of the high prevalence of myopia in Taiwan, understanding the risk factors for its development and progression is important to public health. Background: This study investigated the risk factors for myopia and their influence on the progression of myopia in schoolchildren in Taiwan. Design: Patients’ clinical records were obtained retrospectively from ophthalmologists. Questionnaires were given to collect demographic information, family background, hours spent on daily activities, myopia progression, and treatment methods. Participants: From a regional medical hospital in northern Taiwan, 522 schoolchildren with myopia participated in the study. Written informed consent was obtained from participants of legal age or the parents or legal guardians of younger children. Methods: Multivariable regression analyses were performed. Myopia measured in cycloplegic spherical equivalent (SE) was analysed, controlling for patients’ family and demographic information as well as their daily activity behaviours. Main Outcome Results: Children with high myopic parents were more myopic. Earlier onset age of myopia was associated with a higher level of myopia and greater annual myopic progression. Children reporting longer time usage of electronic devices had greater progression of myopia. Boys tended to be more myopic than girls. Lower levels of myopia were associated with more outdoor activities, and better vision care knowledge in children and parents. Conclusions and Relevance: In addition to genetics, education and environment can influence the development of myopia. Health policies for schoolchildren should promote protective activities and vision care knowledge at a young age, to protect the eyesight of schoolchildren.

Validation of the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy for Greek children: Understanding assessment in response to culture and pedagogy

Physical literacy (PL) is recognized as a channel for promoting holistic learning experiences within physical education (PE). Compared to conceptual advancements made in regard to its development, PL assessment lacks empirical evidence. The purpose of this study was to culturally adapt the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy – 2 (CAPL-2) and assess its construct validity in Greek children aged 8–12 years. Participants were 576 children (boys = 268, girls = 308; mean age = 10.22 years, standard deviation = 1.27), from Greek geographical locations. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) compared the present sample data to a suggested theoretical model. Analysis of variance models and frequency tabulations were used to examine age and gender associations with CAPL-2 scores. CFA results established a good fit for the data and supported a model with four interrelated domains (χ2(67) = 122.751, p < 0.01; root mean square error of approximation = 0.038; comparative fit index = 0.906; and Tucker–Lewis index = 0.873). Boys’ and older children’s physical competence was higher. Girls and older children scored lower in daily physical activity (PA) behaviour. Knowledge scores depicted misunderstandings in participants’ answers, which can be attributed to enacted Greek PE practices. Motivation was high across age groups and both genders, demonstrating that PA participation is prioritized for Greek children. CAPL-2 interpretive category scores were associated with age and gender, indicating the need for further research concerning their cultural adjustment. The CAPL-2 can be used as a valid and comprehensive instrument for charting Greek children’s PL progress and making judgements in relation to situationally grounded PE perspectives.

Daily activities and feeding behavior of a troop of Macaca fascicularis in Telaga Warna, West Java, Indonesia

Long tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) has wide ecological plasticity to adapt and interact in various habitats. This ecological plasticity can be reflected on their daily activities and feeding behavior. This study aimed to analyze the daily activities and feeding behavior of Troop B of M. fascicularis in Telaga Warna. This troop is often seen to stay near by the big street and fed by human with provisioned food. We observed and recorded daily activity and feeding behavior of the troop. This study resulted that this troop spent most of their time on moving activity (35.85%), followed by feeding (25.41%) and resting (19.96%). We analyzed their daily activities both on weekdays and weekend plus holiday time to see the different frequencies of activity among those types of days. The macaques showed higher percentage on moving during the weekend (40.97%) compared with weekdays (30.74%). The high percentage of moving was related to their movement to find articifial food from people. The troop also showed high dependency to artificial food, by consuming provisioned food (68%). This study provide new data about a troop of macaques in Telaga Warna which can be used as a basic data for conservation management of long tailed macaque.

Physical activity and heart rate monitoring in Fontan patients - Should we recommend activities in higher intensities?

ObjectiveExercise capacity is impaired in Fontan palliated patients. The change in daily activity behaviour with an increase in sedentary lifestyle results in low physical activity levels. This might have a greater impact on patients with chronic heart disease in contrast to healthy controls. For a better understanding, we compared data from cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) with heart rates and physical activity in daily life.Methods21 Fontan patients and 20 age, sex and BMI matched controls underwent CPET and 5 days of daily life activity tracking with a triaxial accelerometer (wGT3x-BT, Actigraph) including heart rate monitoring with an optical heart rate sensor.Results27% of our Fontan teenagers and 71% of the Fontan adults reached the specific WHO recommendations for moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during everyday life (EDL), without differences to controls. There was a strong correlation between MVPA and for all Fontan patients (p = 0.0035, Pearson r = 0.788). Daily MVPA correlated to peak oxygen uptake and lactate production. Up to workloads of 2 W/kg and in daily life heart rates in Fontan patients were similar to controls.ConclusionsDaily MVPA is alarmingly low without any differences between Fontan patients and controls. Heart rate behaviour was similar and does not seem to be a limiting factor for physical activity in daily life. Higher intensity activities should be implemented regularly in EDL for Fontan patients. Proof is needed as to whether sports in moderate or possibly even in vigorous activity (e.g. high-intensity interval training) improve exercise capacity the most.

P354 Objectively measured time spent sitting, standing upright, and stepping is associated with disease severity and faecal calprotectin in patients with ulcerative colitis

Abstract Background Sitting, lying down, standing upright, and stepping is predominant behaviours occurring throughout the 24-day, yet have not been explored in ulcerative colitis (UC). The purpose of this study was to explore whether objectively measured time spent sitting, lying down, standing upright, and stepping was associated with endoscopic and biomarker-based disease severity in UC patients. Methods Patients were recruited from the Foothills Medical Center in Calgary, Alberta. Each patient wore an activPAL™ inclinometer (PAL Technologies Limited, Glasgow, UK) for 7 days (minimum 4 days, and on at least one weekend day). Disease severity was measured using Mayo endoscopic subscore and classified as either normal/mild or moderate/severe. Stool samples were collected and faecal calprotectin (FCP), a measure of gut inflammation, was measured. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP)], a marker of systemic inflammation, was collected. Univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to examine associations between activPALTM behavioural variables, Mayo endoscopic subscore, FCP (< or >250 mg/g) and CRP (< or >5 mg/l). All models were controlled for age, gender, body mass index, and antibiotic use. Results 21 patients (9 female, 12 male) consented to participate. Patients on average were 36 years of age (SD=8.9) and had a body mass index of 25.7 (2.4). For Mayo endoscopic subscore, 10 patients were normal/mild while 11 patients were moderate/severe. Mean FCP was 2288.6 (5453.9) and mean CRP was 4.9 (10.5). Per day, patients averaged 8443 (2731) steps, 497.6 (149.9) min sitting, 233.4 (72.9) min standing upright, and 536.3 (110.9) min lying down. Mayo endoscopic subscore was negatively associated with total number of steps (D=−3,331 steps, 95% CI: 5,450 to −1,212, p < .01), trended toward decreased upright standing time (D = −108 min/day, 95% CI: −208.2 to −7.7, p = 0.09), and positively with total sitting time (D = 121.2 min/day, 95% CI: −23.5 to 266, p = 0.09). FCP was negatively associated with standing time (D = −102.4 min/day, 95% CI: −206.3 to 1.6, p = .05), trended toward decreased total number of steps (D=−1,956 steps, 95% CI: −4,482 to 569, p = .12), and was not associated with total sitting time (D = 63.8 min/day, 95% CI: −87.8 to 215.4, p = .38). CRP was not associated with any of the activPALTM variables. Time spent lying down was not associated with any UC outcomes. Conclusion There was an association between objective measures of daily activity behaviours including total steps, standing time, sitting time and UC biomarkers of disease activity. Future studies should continue to examine daily activity behaviours and UC health outcomes in larger sample sizes.

Comparisons of Subjective and Objective Measures of Free-Living Daily Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in College Students

To compare physical activity and sedentary behavior between four commonly used subjective and objective measures: the 7-day Physical Activity Recall (7DPAR), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), pedometer, and accelerometer. A total of 130 college students completed four measures for the same 7 days. Body composition was measured using a bioelectric impedance analyzer. Wilcoxon signed rank tests and Spearman correlations were performed to compare estimates between activity measures. The Spearman correlations between different activity measures were further examined separately for the higher and the lower body fat groups. Compared with accelerometer-derived data, both the 7DPAR and the IPAQ overestimated light physical activity (P < 0.001) while underestimated sedentary behavior (P < 0.001). Across comparisons, the highest correlation was found between accelerometers and pedometers on steps/day (r = 0.72, P < 0.001). The 7DPAR and the IPAQ were correlated with each other for all physical activity variables and sedentary behavior (r = 0.37–0.45). There were low correlations (r = 0.20–0.47) between the 7DPAR, the IPAQ, and accelerometers in sedentary behavior, light physical activity, and vigorous physical activity. Higher correlations between different activity modalities were observed among individuals with lower body fat (r = 0.41–0.80) than among those with higher body fat (r = 0.31–0.65). The 7DPAR and the IPAQ yielded comparable estimation of moderate physical activity relative to accelerometers. There were significant differences in sedentary time across activity measures. Body compositions should be considered when comparing the estimates of activity levels between subjective and objective instruments.

Cachexia Disrupts Diurnal Regulation of Activity, Feeding, and Muscle Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 in Mice.

Cancer cachexia is characterized by severe skeletal muscle mass loss, which is driven by decreased muscle protein synthesis and increased protein degradation. Daily physical activity and feeding behaviors exhibit diurnal fluctuations in mice that can impact the systemic environment and skeletal muscle signaling. We investigated the effect of cancer cachexia on the diurnal regulation of feeding, physical activity, and skeletal muscle mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling in tumor-bearing mice. We also examined the impact of increased physical activity on diurnal behaviors and skeletal muscle mTROC1 signaling in the cancer environment. Physical activity and feeding behaviors were measured for four consecutive days before sacrifice in male C57BL/6 (B6; n = 24) and Apc (MIN; n = 22) mice at 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM under ad libitum condition. A subset of B6 (n = 16) and MIN (n = 19) mice were given wheel access for 2 wk before diurnal behavior measurements. Gastrocnemius muscle protein expression was examined. The MIN mice demonstrated altered diurnal fluctuations in feeding and activity compared with the B6. Interestingly, cachexia did not alter MIN total food intake, but dramatically reduced cage physical activity. As a measurement of mTORC1 activity, 4E-BP1 phosphorylation increased after the dark cycle in B6 and precachectic MIN mice, whereas rpS6 phosphorylation was only increased after the dark cycle in MIN mice. MIN 4E-BP1 phosphorylation at the end of the light cycle was significantly correlated with cachexia progression and reduced physical activity. Voluntary wheel running increased light cycle MIN 4E-BP1 phosphorylation and attenuated muscle mass loss. The cancer environment can alter diurnal feeding and physical activity behaviors in tumor-bearing mice, which are linked to the progression of cachexia and muscle wasting. Furthermore, suppressed physical activity during cachexia is associated with decreased skeletal muscle mTORC1 signaling.

Influence of Interventions on Daily Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior after Stroke: A Systematic Review.

Evidence suggests that frequent engagement in daily activities requiring physical activity may influence risk factors for recurrent stroke. The effects of nonpharmacological interventions on daily physical activity levels and sedentary behavior are unclear. To describe the effects of interventions on levels of daily physical activity and sedentary behavior among people with stroke. OVID/Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Database were searched using the following search terms: stroke, rehabilitation, intervention, sedentary, physical activity, lifestyle, self-management, and exercise. Data extraction and risk of bias assessment were conducted by two authors. Thirty-one interventions were identified that included exercise, behavior change techniques, and education components. These components were delivered alone and in varying combinations. At postintervention, between-group effects on change scores (Cohen's d = 0.17-0.75, P < .05) or between-group differences in odds of participating in daily physical activity (odds ratio [OR] = 2.07, P < .05) were detected in six studies, and within-group effects in nine studies (Cohen's d = 0.21-3.97, P < .05). At follow-up, between-group differences in odds of participating in daily physical activity were detected in one study (OR = 2.64, P < .05), and within-group effects in two studies (Cohen's d = 0.25, P < .05). No effects (P < .05) were detected in 17 studies. It may be possible to modify daily physical activity levels and sedentary behavior poststroke; however, there is insufficient evidence to suggest the superiority of a particular intervention approach. Future studies should explore the unique contributions of individual intervention components to guide development of parsimonious multicomponent interventions that are effective for promoting daily physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior among people with stroke. I.

Gambaran Sedentary Behaviour dan Indeks Massa Tubuh Mahasiswa Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas YARSI di Masa Pendidikan Tahun Pertama dan Kedua

The prevalence of obesity and overweight increase in this recent decades, and leading to a decrease in quality of life and various health problems. Some studies found that the sedentary behavior is correlated with obesity and overweight. However, sedentary behavior is as an indicator of high fat mass in several studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between sedentary behavior and body mass index to medical students of YARSI University in first and second year of their education. The research design used correlation study with the Cross Sectional approach, and a questionnaire instrument to determine sedentary behaviour of respondents in daily activities. Body mass index was classified into four categories. Data was analyzed using Pearson Chi Square tests. The results of this study showed significantly between sedentary behavior in daily activities and the body mass index

Cox regression survival analysis with compositional covariates: Application to modelling mortality risk from 24-h physical activity patterns.

Survival analysis is commonly conducted in medical and public health research to assess the association of an exposure or intervention with a hard end outcome such as mortality. The Cox (proportional hazards) regression model is probably the most popular statistical tool used in this context. However, when the exposure includes compositional covariables (that is, variables representing a relative makeup such as a nutritional or physical activity behaviour composition), some basic assumptions of the Cox regression model and associated significance tests are violated. Compositional variables involve an intrinsic interplay between one another which precludes results and conclusions based on considering them in isolation as is ordinarily done. In this work, we introduce a formulation of the Cox regression model in terms of log-ratio coordinates which suitably deals with the constraints of compositional covariates, facilitates the use of common statistical inference methods, and allows for scientifically meaningful interpretations. We illustrate its practical application to a public health problem: the estimation of the mortality hazard associated with the composition of daily activity behaviour (physical activity, sitting time and sleep) using data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Associations of weather conditions with adolescents' daily physical activity, sedentary time, and sleep duration.

Weather has been recognized as an environmental factor that affects daily activities. However, the effects of a humid subtropical climate on daily activity behavior are unclear. This study investigated the associations of weather conditions with physical activity (PA), sedentary time (ST), and sleep duration in a sample of 740 Hong Kong adolescents (mean age: 14.7 ± 1.6 years). The activPAL was used to assess the time spent during moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA), ST, and sleep. Weather data (e.g., temperature, relative humidity, rainfall amount, and sunlight duration) were obtained from the Hong Kong Observatory. Linear mixed models were constructed to examine the associations of weather conditions with the durations of MVPA, ST, and sleep on weekdays and weekend days, respectively. The analysis included valid data from 561 students (51.9% male). Among Hong Kong adolescents, a higher relative humidity was associated with reduced MVPA on weekdays and weekends, more ST on weekdays, and a longer sleep duration on weekends. A longer duration of sunlight induced less MVPA on weekends, but a longer sleep duration on weekdays. On weekends, higher temperatures correlated with increases in MVPA and ST but a decrease in sleep duration. Rainfall correlated inversely with sleep duration and positively with ST on weekdays. The associations of rainfall with MVPA exhibited opposite trends on weekdays and weekends. In summary, the relationships between weather conditions and daily activities exhibited day-type patterns. The findings suggest that environment-controlled indoor PA should be recommended during weather conditions of high relative humidity and higher temperatures.

Evaluation of Clinical Outcomes and Simultaneous Digital Tracking of Daily Physical Activity, Heart Rate, and Inhalation Behavior in Patients With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Treated With Inhaled Iloprost: Protocol for the Observational VENTASTEP Study.

BackgroundPulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)—a progressive, ultimately fatal disease—patients often experience dyspnea, which can limit their daily physical activities. Iloprost is an inhaled therapy for PAH that has shown efficacy in clinical trials. However, clinical trials in PAH have provided only limited data on daily physical activity. Digital monitoring of daily physical activity in PAH is therefore attracting growing interest. To fully understand a patient’s response to treatment, monitoring of treatment adherence is also required. The Breelib nebulizer for administration of iloprost saves inhalation data, thus allowing digital monitoring of adherence.ObjectiveThis study aims to perform parallel digital tracking of daily physical activity parameters, heart rate, and iloprost inhalation data in patients with PAH, before and after starting inhaled iloprost treatment. The primary objective is to investigate correlations between changes in digital measures of daily physical activity and traditional clinical measures. Secondary objectives are to assess iloprost inhalation behavior, the association between daily physical activity measures and time since last inhalation, changes in sleep quality and heart rate, the association of heart rate with daily physical activity measures and iloprost inhalation, and adverse events.MethodsVENTASTEP is a digital, prospective, observational, multicenter, single-arm cohort study of adults with PAH in Germany, starting inhaled iloprost treatment via the Breelib nebulizer, in addition to existing PAH therapy. The study comprises a baseline period without iloprost treatment (≤2 weeks) and an observation period with iloprost treatment (3 months±2 weeks). The Apple Watch Series 2 and iPhone 6s are used with a dedicated study app to continuously measure digital daily physical activity parameters and heart rate during the baseline and observation periods; the watch is also used with a 6-min walk distance (6MWD) app to measure digital 6MWD at baseline and the end-of-observation visit. Inhalation frequency, completeness, and duration are monitored digitally via the nebulizer and the BreeConnect app. Sleep quality is assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index at baseline and the end-of-observation visit. Changes in traditional outcome measures (6MWD, Borg dyspnea scale, EuroQol 5-dimensions questionnaire, functional class, and brain natriuretic peptide [BNP] or N-terminal proBNP) between baseline and the end-of-observation visit will be correlated with changes in digital daily physical activity parameters and digital 6MWD as the primary analysis.ResultsThe first participant was enrolled in February 2018 (estimated study completion by July 2019; planned sample size: 80 patients).ConclusionsThe VENTASTEP study will inform future research on the utility of digital parameters as outcome assessment tools for disease monitoring in PAH. The study will also provide insight into clinical outcomes, daily physical activity, and quality of life in patients adding inhaled iloprost, to existing PAH therapy.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03293407; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03293407 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6ywPGcn4I)International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/12144

A novel biomechanical approach for animal behaviour recognition using accelerometers

Abstract Data from animal‐borne inertial sensors are widely used to investigate several aspects of an animal's life, such as energy expenditure, daily activity patterns and behaviour. Accelerometer data used in conjunction with machine learning algorithms have been the tool of choice for characterising animal behaviour. Although machine learning models perform reasonably well, they may not rely on meaningful features, nor lend themselves to physical interpretation of the classification rules. This lack of interpretability and control over classification outcomes is of particular concern where different behaviours have different frequency of occurrence and duration, as in most natural systems, and calls for the development of alternative methods. Biomechanical approaches to human activity classification could overcome these shortcomings, yet their full potential remains untapped for animal studies. We propose a general framework for behaviour recognition using accelerometers, and develop a hybrid model where (a) biomechanical features characterise movement dynamics, and (b) a node‐based hierarchical classification scheme employs simple machine learning algorithms at each node to find feature‐value thresholds separating different behaviours. Using triaxial accelerometer data collected on 10 wild Kalahari meerkats, and annotated video recordings of each individual as groundtruth, this hybrid model was validated in three scenarios: (a) when each behaviour was equally represented (EQDIST), (b) when naturally imbalanced datasets were considered (STRAT) and (c) when data from new individuals were considered (LOIO). A linear‐kernel Support Vector Machine at each node of our classification scheme yielded an overall accuracy of &gt;95% for each scenario. Our hybrid approach had a 2.7% better average overall accuracy than top‐performing classical machine learning approaches. Further, we showed that not all models with high overall accuracy returned accurate behaviour‐specific performance, and good performance during EQDIST did not always generalise to STRAT and LOIO. Our hybrid model took advantage of robust machine learning algorithms for automatically estimating decision boundaries between behavioural classes. This not only achieved high classification performance but also permitted biomechanical interpretation of classification outcomes. The framework presented here provides the flexibility to adapt models to required levels of behavioural resolution, and has the potential to facilitate meaningful model sharing between studies.

Even a Previous Light-Active Physical Activity at Work Still Reduces Late Myocardial Infarction and Stroke in Retired Adults Aged>65 Years by 32%: The PROOF Cohort Study.

Background: Work may contribute significantly to daily physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB). Physical inactivity and SB at work might be two major risk factors for premature morbidity. Therefore, the aim of this research was to describe self-reported past PA and SB at work and during leisure time within the PROOF cohort subjects, and to determine consequences of PA and SB on late health of these now retired workers.Material and Methods: The PROOF cohort study was used to prospectively allow assessment of the predictive value of PA and SB at work and during leisure time among a healthy retired French population, with regard to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. PA (MET-h/week) and SB (h/d) were assessed using the Population Physical Activity Questionnaire (POPAQ) and the modified Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). Odds ratios (ORs with 95% CIs) for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events were associated with each level of PA at work: light (<3 METs), moderate (3–5.9 METs), vigorous (≥6 METs) and were compared to SB at work.Results: Out of the 1011 65-year-old subjects initially included, the 15-year follow-up has been currently completed for 688 (68%) subjects; 89 deaths (all-cause mortality, 9%) and 91 fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (9%), were reported. An active work (light, moderate, or vigorous intensity) was associated with a 21% reduced risk of cardiovascular (myocardial infarction) and cerebrovascular events (stroke) (OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.32–0.91, p < 0.02) compared to sedentary work. This relationship was already significant for light intensity work (32%; i.e., OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.31–0.87, p < 0.02).Conclusion: There is strong causal evidence linking PA and SB at work with late cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. All in all, the risk for onset of myocardial infarction and stroke was lower among those who had a previous active work compared to those with previous sedentary work. Even previous light active work produced substantial health benefits.Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT00759304.

The association between maternal-child physical activity levels at the transition to formal schooling: cross-sectional and prospective data from the Southampton Women\u2019s Survey

BackgroundPhysical activity decreases through childhood, adolescence and into adulthood: parents of young children are particularly inactive, potentially negatively impacting their children’s activity levels. This study aimed to determine the association between objectively measured maternal and 6-year-old children’s physical activity; explore how this association differed by demographic and temporal factors; and identify change during the transition to school (from age 4–6).MethodsData were from the UK Southampton Women’s Survey. Physical activity of 530 6-year-olds and their mothers was measured concurrently using accelerometry for ≤7 days. Cross-sectionally, two-level mixed-effects linear regression was used to model the association between maternal-child daily activity behaviour at age 6 [minutes sedentary (SED); in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA)]. Interactions with demographic factors and time of the week were tested; how the association differed across the day was also explored. Change in the association between maternal-child physical activity (from age 4–6) was assessed in a subset (n = 170) [outcomes: SED, MVPA and light physical activity (LPA)].ResultsMother-child daily activity levels were positively associated (SED: β = 0.23 [0.20, 0.26] minutes/day; MVPA: 0.53 [0.43, 0.64] minutes/day). The association was stronger at weekends (vs. weekdays) (interaction term: SED: βi = 0.07 [0.02, 0.12]; MVPA: 0.44 [0.24, 0.64]). For SED, the association was stronger for those children with older siblings (vs. none); for MVPA, a stronger association was observed for those who had both younger and older siblings (vs. none) and a weaker relationship existed in spring compared to winter. Longitudinally, the association between mother-child activity levels did not change for SED and LPA. At age 6 (vs. age 4) the association between mother-child MVPA was weaker across the whole day (βi: − 0.16 [− 0.31, − 0.01]), but remained similar at both ages between 3 and 11 pm.ConclusionsMore active mothers have more active 6-year-olds; this association was similar for boys and girls but differed by time of week, season and by age of siblings at home. Longitudinally, the association weakened for MVPA between 4 and 6 years, likely reflecting the differing activities children engage in during school hours and increased independence. Family-based physical activity remains an important element of children’s activity behaviour regardless of age. This could be exploited in interventions to increase physical activity within families.

A Night-time Anomaly Detection System of Hog Activities Based on Passive Infrared Detector

Abstract. The amount of daily activity can be used as important data for the analysis and evaluation of the health, diseases, and environmental conditions of hog farms, which in turn can affect fertility rate and productivity. In this article, a monitoring system based on a passive infrared detector (PID) is proposed to analyze daily hog activity and abnormal behaviors. The hardware includes a high-accuracy acquisition system, which uses a 24-bit ADS1256 chip as its A/D conversion and signal input channel, and a PID, which ensures that the signal can be obtained uninterruptedly day and night. Based on the LabVIEW software platform, a real-time data acquisition, display, and storage system was programmed in which the activity curve can be displayed, and the system parameters can be modified if necessary. A simulation experiment was performed in a test laboratory (7 × 17 m) with a larger size than a typical hog room (7 × 15 m), and the appropriate orientation of the sensor, the installed position, and the lens were selected. Data for 90 days (day and night) were collected in a hog room to establish the model of daily activity. To find the abnormal behaviors during the night, an improved K-means clustering was constructed. The results indicated that the improved K-means clustering method performed satisfactorily in clustering and anomaly detection. The developed system for daily activities monitoring and night-time anomaly detection could be a potential technique to assist research in hog behavior detection and animal welfare improvement. Keywords: Animal activity, Hog, Motion sensor, PID, Signal processing.

The Relationship between Cell Phone Use, Physical Activity, and Sedentary Behavior in United States Adults above College-age

Purpose: There is evidence of a positive relationship between cellular telephone use and sedentary behavior but not physical activity in college-aged individuals (18-29 years). These relationships have not been tested in individuals older than college age (≥ 30 years old). Testing these relationships in older individuals is warranted as cell phone use is inversely associated with age. Methods: A sample of adults aged 30-63 years (N = 69, 50.5 ± 8.2 years old) wore a physical activity monitor (accelerometer) for seven days and completed validated surveys assessing daily cell phone use, physical activity, and sedentary behavior. Results: Cell phone use ( = 125.2 ± 146.8 minutes per day) was inversely associated with age (r = - 0.3, p = 0.005). Cell use was not associated with objectively- or subjectively-measured physical activity or sedentary behavior (r ≤ 0.1, p ≥ 0.3). Tertile splits were performed to establish groups of low, moderate, and high cell phone users. There were no significant (F ≤ 2.0, p ≥ 0.12 for all) differences in physical activity or sedentary behavior between groups. Conclusion: Unlike what has been reported in college-aged individuals, cell use was not associated with sedentary behavior in adults older than college age.

Drivers of daily movement patterns affecting an endangered vulture flight activity

BackgroundThe development of satellite tracking technology enables the gathering of huge amounts of accurate data on animal movements over measured time intervals, to reveal essential information about species’ patterns of spatial use. This information is especially important in optimizing the design of conservation and management strategies for endangered species. In this study, we analysed the main drivers of daily patterns in the flight activity of the threatened Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus. We studied 19 Bearded Vultures tagged with solar-powered GPS transmitters from 2006 to 2016 in the Pyrenees (Spain). We assessed the relative influence of external factors (season and daylight time) and internal factors (sex, breeding season and territorial status) on their daily activity behaviour by computing mean hourly distance travelled, maximum displacement and cumulative distance travelled per hour.ResultsOur findings showed a clear difference in all the estimators between territorial and non-territorial (floating) members of the population, showing that non-territorial individuals spent much longer in flight and travelled larger distances per day. We detected an important influence of daylight time and season on the daily rhythms of Bearded Vultures; flight activity increased during the last three quarters of daylight and was greatest in the spring. Breeding period and sex had also an effect on the maximum displacement and cumulative distance travelled. Individuals flew more during the breeding period and females tended to exhibit greater cumulative and maximum distances per hour than males regardless of breeding season.ConclusionsPyrenean Bearded Vultures flight daily activity was strongly influenced by daylight time, season, and territorial status, while individual sex and breeding season showed a milder effect on the birds’ movement behaviour. This study gives a novel insight into how external factors act as main drivers of the daily flight activity pattern of a long-lived avian scavenger.