Global Physical Activity Questionnaire Research Articles

Costs associated with insufficient physical activity in Germany: cross-sectional results from the baseline examination of the German national cohort (NAKO).

Insufficient physical activity (PA) is a leading risk factor for non-communicable diseases posing a significant economic burden to healthcare systems and societies. The study aimed to examine the differences in healthcare and indirect costs between sufficient and insufficient PA and the cost differences between PA intensity groups. The cross-sectional analysis was based on data from 157,648 participants in the baseline examination of the German National Cohort (NAKO) study. Healthcare and indirect costs were calculated based on self-reported information on health-related resource use and productivity losses. PA in the domains leisure, transport, and work was assessed by the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and categorized into sufficient/insufficient and intensity levels (very low/low/medium/high) based on PA recommendations of the World Health Organization. Two-part models adjusted for relevant covariates were used to estimate mean costs for PA groups. Insufficiently active people had higher average annual healthcare costs (Δ €188, 95% CI [64, 311]) and healthcare plus indirect costs (Δ €482, 95% CI [262, 702]) compared to sufficiently active people. The difference was especially evident in the population aged 60 + years and when considering only leisure PA. An inverse association was observed between leisure PA and costs, whereas a direct association was found between PA at work and costs. Adjusting for the number of comorbidities reduced the differences between activity groups, but the trend persisted. The association between PA and costs differed in direction between PA domains. Future research may provide further insight into the temporal relationship between PA and costs.

How Do Awareness, Perceptions, and Expectations of an Urban Greenway Influence Residents’ Visits and Recreational Physical Activity? Evidence From the Connswater Community Greenway, Belfast, Northern Ireland

How Do Awareness, Perceptions, and Expectations of an Urban Greenway Influence Residents’ Visits and Recreational Physical Activity? Evidence From the Connswater Community Greenway, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Abstract PO3-11-07: Dose-response association between post-diagnosis exercise and clinical outcomes among survivors of breast cancer (BC)

Abstract Background: Higher levels of pre and post-diagnosis physical exercise lead to reduced risk of death among survivors of BC. However, the effect of exercise on recurrence remains unclear. Furthermore, previous studies assumed a linear relationship between exercise and clinical outcomes, used discrete classifications of exercise and did not report results according to BC subtype. The aim of this study was to investigate the dose–response relationship of exercise and clinical outcomes among survivors of BC and by BC subtypes. Methods: We included pts diagnosed with stage I-III BC from the CANTO cohort (NCT01993498). CANTO collects longitudinal data, including self-reported exercise exposure using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ-16), at diagnosis (dx), 1 (T1), 2 (T2) and 4 (T3) years after dx. Exercise exposure in travel and leisure time was calculated according to GPAQ16 guidelines to derive a total MET-hours per week (MET-h/w) at dx and T1 and absolute change in exercise was computed between these timepoints. Outcome of interest was distant relapse-free interval (DRFI) according to STEEP criteria. Restricted cubic splines from unadjusted Cox models assessed the dose-response relationship between exercise and DRFI in the overall cohort and by BC subtype. Kaplan-Meier estimator, log-rank test and multivariate Cox models assessed the prognostic role of exercise. Results: In the overall cohort with available data on exercise at dx (N=10,359) mean (SD) age and BMI were 56.3 (11.2) years and 25.9 (5.4) kg/m2, 38.7% of pts were premenopausal, 52.9% received chemotherapy and 81.9% hormonal therapy, 57.1% were meeting WHO exercise recommendations at dx. At a median (IQR) follow-up of 5.5 (3.9-6.5) years, 541 DRFI events were observed. In the overall cohort, the spline showed a significant non-linear relationship between exercise at dx and DRFI: exposure greater than ≈5 MET-h/w was associated with an inverse linear risk reduction up to ≈25 MET-h/w. A similar relationship was observed in the HR+/HER2- and HR-/HER2- cohorts. On this basis, exercise was categorized as ‘no exercise’ (0 MET-h/w) and ‘exercise’ (≥ 5 MET-h/w). Pts reporting exercise ≥ 5 MET-h/w had longer DRFI compared to those reporting no exercise in the overall (log-rank p< 0.0001), HR+/HER2- (log-rank p< 0.0113) and HR-/HER2- (log-rank p< 0.0001) cohorts. In multivariate analyses, reporting exercise ≥ 5 MET-h/w was associated with a significant lower risk of DRFI events in the overall (HR 0.75, 95%CI 0.62-0.90) and HR-/HER2- cohorts (HR 0.54, 95%CI 0.37-0.80). Absolute change in exercise exposure from dx to T1 was available in 8,516 pts: 34.2% increased exercise (≥ 5 MET-h/w), 25.9% decreased exercise (≤ -5 MET-h/w) and 39.8% maintained exercise ( > –5 and < +5 MET-h/w). The spline showed a non-significant relationship between change in exercise and risk of DRFI events and change in exercise was not significantly associated with risk of DRFI events in multivariate analyses. Conclusions: In this large, prospective cohort of survivors of BC, higher exercise at diagnosis was associated with reduced risk of DRFI events. The relationship between exercise dose and clinical outcomes appears non-linear and to differ based on subtype. Change in exercise after breast cancer diagnosis does not appear to impact on clinical outcomes. Future studies should aim at validating these findings in independent cohorts. XX XX Citation Format: Davide Soldato, Ines Vaz Luis, Julie Havas, Antonio Di Meglio, Neil Iyengar, Barbara Pistilli, Paul Cottu, Florence Lerebours, Charles Coutant, Aurélie Bertaut, Olivier Trédan, Laurence Vanlemmens, Christelle Jouannaud, Ioana Hrab, Sibille Everhard, Anne-Laure Martin, Fabrice André, Lee Jones. Dose-response association between post-diagnosis exercise and clinical outcomes among survivors of breast cancer (BC) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO3-11-07.

Healthy Habits, Physical Activity, Stress, and Food Consumption Trends in Chilean Adults with Irritable Bowel Syndrome during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased stress levels in the population due to radical lifestyle changes caused by containment measures. Studies suggest that high levels of stress may be related to the development of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This study aims to explain how quarantine habits and lifestyles acted as risk factors for the frequency of this syndrome during the COVID-19 pandemic. An observational study was conducted with 34 Chilean participants (average age 24.5 ± 3.85 years), of whom 21 (62%) were female. Surveys on consumption trends and lifestyles created by the authors were administered. Additionally, we used the global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ) and the depression anxiety stress scales (DASS-21) to assess psychological stress and the Rome IV criteria to assess IBS. Significant differences were found between individuals with better healthy habits compared to those with poor healthy habits. The former showed lower sedentary activity (32%, p = 0.005), only 27% were fast eaters (vs. 44%, p = 0.001), had shorter nap intervals (14% vs. 28%, p = 0.03), and higher vegetable consumption (p = 0.02). There were 20 cases (59%) of IBS, with a strong association with the female sex (p = 0.004), where females were 15 times more likely to develop it compared to males (p = 0.008). Additionally, when alcohol consumption was added to females, there was a higher likelihood of developing this syndrome (p = 0.009), as individuals who consumed alcohol were 12 times more likely to develop it compared to those who did not (p = 0.02). Among other factors, it was observed that 57% of those with the syndrome consumed drinks more often (p = 0.02) but consumed fewer nuts (p = 0.009). In conclusion, IBS has a multifactorial etiology, and correcting individual habits such as alcohol consumption could potentially prevent or delay its development. Therefore, it is important to maintain healthy lifestyles, regardless of non-modifiable factors such as gender, in order to better cope with this syndrome.

Effectiveness of implementing evidence-based approaches to promote physical activity in a Midwestern micropolitan area using a quasi-experimental hybrid type I study design.

Much evidence-based physical activity (PA) interventions have been tested and implemented in urban contexts. However, studies that adapt, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions in micropolitan rural contexts are needed. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Active Ottumwa intervention to promote PA in a micropolitan community. Between 2013 - 2019, we implemented Active Ottumwa in a micropolitan setting, and subsequently implemented and evaluated its effectiveness using a Hybrid Type I design. In this paper, we describe the intervention's effectiveness in promoting PA. We collected PA data over 24months from a cohort of community residents using accelerometers and PA data from two cross-sectional community surveys administered in 2013 and 2018, using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. From the cohort, we found significant change in PA over 24months (P = 0.03) corresponding to a 45-min daily decrease in sedentary activity, a daily increase of 35-min in light PA and 9min in moderate-to-vigorous PA. There was a statistically significant (P = 0.01) increasing trend at the population-level in the moderate-to-vigorous composition of 7min between the two cross-sectional assessments (95% CI: 0.1%-1.34%). The study demonstrates that the adapted evidence-based PA interventions in a micropolitan context is effective.

Paternal peri-conceptional physical activity and the risk of congenital heart disease in offspring: A case-control study.

Genetic and environmental factors have been shown to contribute to the development of congenital heart disease (CHD). To date, the focus of scientific articles has primarily centered on genetics and maternal environmental factors, with comparatively less attention given to paternal risk factors. This study aims to investigate the potential association between paternal pre-conceptional physical activity levels (PA), along with paternal peri-conceptional smoking and alcohol consumption, and the risk of CHD in offspring. An observational case-control study was conducted in Lebanon, with 279 participants, aiming to investigate potential risk factors for CHD. We included children with confirmed CHD, born between 2012 and 2022. Controls born in the same timeframe were selected randomly from the general population using online questionnaire forms. Mean age of children included was 6 years old (0-10). The pre-conceptional PA was assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire validated in Arabic. In addition, paternal smoking, alcohol consumption, and maternal risk factors were collected. The study included 128 CHD cases (45.9%) and their parents, as well as 151 healthy infants (54.1%) and their parents. There were no statistically significant variations in the alcohol consumption noted between the fathers in the case and control groups (p=0.18). The paternal involvement in recreational-related PA during the peri-conception period was associated with a reduced risk of the CHD development in offspring by 46.9% (OR=0.531, 95% CI: 0.301-0.936, p=0.029). Additionally, increasing paternal total sitting time by 1 h above the average, which was approximately 260 min (4h), increased the risk of CHD in offspring by 0.4% (p=0.001). Moreover, paternal smoking exhibited an apparent association with a 56% increased risk of offspring developing CHD, notwithstanding that the confidence intervals included the null (OR=1.56, 95% CI: 0.86-2.8, p=0.136). This observational study is the first to report a potential association between paternal PA, and CHD in offspring. This study aligns with previous reports, advocating for the paternal engagement in PA and the adoption of healthy lifestyle habits, especially during the critical stages of conception. Such practices are strongly recommended to enhance fertility and promote optimal health for offspring. However, due to the subjectivity in reporting PA and lack of molecular proof, additional prospective and molecular studies are required to validate these findings.

The role of dietary intake of live microbes in the association between leisure-time physical activity and depressive symptoms: a population-based study.

Current research has shown promising associations between factors such as diet, total physical activity, and mental health outcomes, acknowledging the intricate interplay between these variables. However, the role of dietary intake of live microbes, coupled with leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), in their relationship to depressive symptoms necessitates further exploration. The present study examined a cohort of 25 747 individuals who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between the years 2007 and 2018. Patient's Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was employed, whereby individuals scoring≥10 were classified as exhibiting symptoms of depression. LTPA status was reported by the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and calculated by metabolic equivalent-minutes/week. Foods consumed by participants were evaluated by live microbes per gram, which were categorized into three groups: low, medium, and high. After controlling for all covariates, findings indicated that LTPA was negatively associated with depressive symptoms (OR (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.983 (0.976, 0.990), p<0.001). Participating in more LTPA was positively correlated with consuming all three levels of dietary live microbes (low, β (95% CI): 0.086 (0.063, 0.109); medium, β (95% CI): 0.009 (0.007, 0.012); high, β (95% CI): 0.002 (0.001, 0.002)). Moreover, taking more foods with medium live microbes was associated with lower depressive likelihood (OR (95% CI): 0.931(0.882, 0.982), p=0.010). Intake of medium and high levels of live microbes mediated the association between LTPA and depressive symptoms by 4.15% and 0.83%, respectively. Dietary intake of foods containing medium and high levels of live microbes may be a mediator of LTPA's negative association with depressive symptoms.

Association of Occupational and Leisure-Time Physical Activity With Allostatic Load

IntroductionLeisure-time physical activity (LTPA) decreases allostatic load (AL), a measure of burden of chronic stress. However, the role of occupational PA (OPA) is unknown. This study examined associations of OPA and LTPA with AL among workers in the United States (US). MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 6944 US workers aged 20–64 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007–2018). PA was assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. AL was calculated using biomarkers of cardiovascular health, metabolic function and immune response. Associations of OPA and LTPA were examined with AL using negative binomial regressions. Analyses were conducted between August 2022 and March 2023. ResultsVigorous LTPA inversely associated with AL among all workers (count ratio = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.62–0.76) and in each sex- and age- stratified group (i.e., females aged 20–44 years, females aged 45–64 years, males aged 20–44 years, and males aged 45–64 years), as well as in each race/ethnicity- stratified group (i.e., Whites, Blacks, Hispanics). Vigorous OPA positively associated with AL only among females aged 20–44 years [1.38 (1.10–1.73)]. Inverse associations of vigorous LTPA with AL were similar in young females with high [0.61 (0.50–0.75)] or low [0.66 (0.60–0.74)] vigorous OPA. ConclusionsIncreasing vigorous LTPA is associated with a lower AL for all workers, while increasing vigorous OPA is associated with a higher AL only in young females. Promoting vigorous LTPA reduces AL among young females with either low or high vigorous OPA.

IJCM_375A: Levels of physical activity and its barriers among students in a medical college in Dakshina Kannada district

Background: Physical activity is associated with many health benefits like maintaining weight and decreased risk factors for Non-communicable Diseases. Physical inactivity is seen as prevalent among students who have a higher workload especially students in the medical field. Lack of physical activity in students could be one of the reasons for low performance in academics as well as other day-to-day activities Objective: Among the students of a medical college in Dakshina Kannada district in April 2023: to assess levels of physical activity and to determine the barriers to physical activity. Methodology: A cross sectional study recruiting 256 medical students chosen equally from each admission year (4 years) by Stratified Random Sampling with gender. Study duration was 6 months. Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) was used to obtain data. Data collected were entered in Microsoft Excel and reported as frequency and proportions. METs (Metabolic Equivalents) were calculated that are used to express the intensity of physical activities. Results: Most participants were in the age group of 18-24. Less than 4 out of 5 students exhibited lower recommended WHO physical activity. Conclusion: Despite a majority falling within the 18-24 age range and diverse parental education backgrounds, a significant proportion fails to meet WHO recommendations. Identified barriers emphasize need for targeted interventions. The study highlights how critical it is to address these problems in order to encourage medical students to lead more active lives.

Association Between Physical Activity and the Prevalence of Kidney Stones in American Adults: Results From a Multiyear National Survey

ObjectiveTo investigate the association between physical activity and the prevalence of kidney stones. MethodsA cross-section study was conducted using data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2018. Physical activity was evaluated based on the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to elucidate the association between physical activity (patterns, intensity, duration and frequency of moderate and vigorous physical activity) and the prevalence of kidney stones after adjusting for potential confounders. Stratified and interaction analyses were conducted to detect potential effect modifiers. In addition, physical activity was assessed using metabolic equivalent and physical volume, and followed the regression above. Water intake was obtained from the day 2 dietary recall and was included in the sensitivity analysis. ResultsA total of 34,390 participants were included in the analysis. The multivariable logistic regression revealed that individuals who engaged in moderate physical activity for 30-60 minutes per day had a significant inverse association with the prevalence of kidney stones in the fully-adjusted model (OR=0.804, 95%CI 0.700 to 0.923), while no more significant finding was observed for other physical activity parameters. Interaction and stratified analyses indicated no covariate modifying the association. The results above were robust in the sensitivity analysis. ConclusionThe duration of moderate physical activity (30-60 mins/day) is inversely associated with the prevalence of kidney stones, while no more significant association was observed between other physical activity parameters (including patterns, intensity, duration and frequency of vigorous physical activity, frequency of moderate physical activity) and kidney stones. Data availabilityData available in a publicly accessible repository that does not issue DOIs. Publicly available datasets were analyzed in this study. These data can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/index.htm.

The relationship between quality of sleep and physical activity with level of symptom severity post-COVID-19 among HIV/AIDS patients.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to many implications for patients after recovering from the disease, including HIV patients. The long symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue, and sleep deprivation are common complaints for patients post-COVID-19. In this study, we investigate the correlation between sleep quality and physical activity and severity post-COVID-19 among patients at the hospital in Jakarta. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 120 post-COVID patients recruited from a public hospital in Jakarta. All participants were aged over 20 years old, diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, and infected by COVID-19 within the last month. Eligibility included primary insomnia for at least 3 months and acute pain and high fever. Outcomes included sleep quality (the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), physical activity (the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ), and severity post-COVID-19 (severe post-COVID). Univariate analysis measured demographics, such as age, gender, etc. RESULTS: Among all study participants, 75.8% of patients had poor sleep quality and 60% of respondents 60% moderate physical activity. We found that sleep quality was not significantly associated with severe COVID-19 symptoms (p = 0.409). Physical activity was significantly associated with severe COVID-19 symptoms (p = 0.007). In the multivariate analysis, only physical activity (p = 0.011) and oxygen saturation (p = 0.000) were found to be independently related to the severity of the post-COVID-19 symptoms. Physical activity was associated with the severity of the COVID-19 symptoms (p = 0.007). However, sleep quality was not associated with the severity of COVID-19 (p = 0.409). Physical activity may be one of the factors that prevent further severe COVID-19 symptoms. Therefore, physical activity should be considered as an effective factor to reduce the impact of COVID-19 and should be included in health care and prevention strategies.

IJCM_392A: Assessment of the level of Physical activity among school and college going adolescents in the urban field practice area of Guntur Medical College

Background: Inadequate Physical Activity is a common feature running through most public health problems across the world. Physical activity declines during the lifespan, especially during adolescence. Identifying patterns of physical activity behaviour in adolescent population will help to improve interventions for youth to become and stay active into adulthood. Objective: 1. To assess the level of physical activity among school and college going adolescents in the urban field practice area of Guntur Medical College. 2. To identify the factors influencing the level of physical activity. Methodology: This cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among 300 adolescents (aged 10 to 19 years) attending government schools or junior colleges. One school and one college from the field practice area were selected by simple random sampling whereas students from each class were selected by stratified random sampling. A pre-tested, pre-designed semi-structured questionnaire adapted from the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) and the Physical Activity Questionnaire- Adolescent (PAQ-A) was used for collecting data on physical activity. Results: 30.3% of the adolescents were practicing low physical activity. Level of physical activity was significantly associated with gender, academic grade, father’s schooling, availability of facilities in the neighbourhood, and availability of facilities at home. Among adolescents who are practicing low physical activity, 76.1% reported lack of time as the barrier. Conclusion: A substantial proportion of the adolescents are practicing low physical activity varying across different factors viz., gender, academic grade, availability of facilities in neighborhood or at home.

A study on the relationship between recreational physical activity and audiovisual difficulty for older adults

Audiovisual difficulty are especially common in older adults. Audiovisual difficulty seriously affect the quality of life of older adults in their later years. It is a top priority to find out the related factors, and to intervene and prevent them. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between recreational physical activities and audiovisual difficulty in older adults. We hope that older adults can reduce the risk of hearing and visual difficulty through scientific physical activity. A total of 4,886 people were sampled from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2013 to 2018. Recreational physical activity was assessed through the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ); Hearing and visual difficulty were assessed using the Disability Questionnaire (DLQ). Chi-square test was used for categorical variables and rank sum test was used for measurement variables. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant (bilateral test). After univariate analysis, binary Logistic regression analysis was performed with recreational physical activity as the independent variable, statistically significant demographic variable as the covariate, and hearing and visual difficulty as the dependent variable, respectively. (1) After excluding all confounding variables, recreational physical activity was significantly associated with hearing difficulty (P < 0.001), odds ratio (OR) 0.657 (95% CI 0.5899–0.733); (2) Recreational physical activity was significantly associated with visual difficulty (P < 0.001), OR 0.731 (95% CI 0.630–0.849). (1) Recreational physical activity is the protective factor of hearing difficulty in older adults; (2) Recreational physical activity is a protective factor for visual difficulty in older adults.

Muscle Oxygen Extraction during Vascular Occlusion Test in Physically Very Active versus Inactive Healthy Men: A Comparative Study.

An increase in the delivery and use of oxygen to the musculature in physically active subjects are determinants of improving health-related aerobic capacity. Additional health benefits, such as an increase in the muscle mass and a decrease in fat mass, principally in the legs, could be achieved with weekly global physical activity levels of more than 300 min. The objective was to compare the muscle vascular and metabolic profiles of physically very active and inactive subjects. Twenty healthy men participated in the study; ten were assigned to the physically very active group (25.5 ± 4.2 years; 72.7 ± 8.1 kg; 173.7 ± 7.6 cm) and ten to the physically inactive group (30.0 ± 7.4 years; 74.9 ± 11.8 kg; 173.0 ± 6.4 cm). The level of physical activity was determined by the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). A resting vascular occlusion test (5 min of an ischemic phase and 3 min of a reperfusion phase) was used, whereas a near-field infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) device was used to evaluate the muscle oxygenation in the right vastus lateralis of the quadriceps muscle. The area under the curve of the deoxyhemoglobin (HHb) during the ischemic phase and above the curve of the tissue saturation index (TSI) during the reperfusion phase were obtained to determine muscle metabolic and vascular responses, respectively. Physically very active group showed a higher absolute HHb (3331.9 ± 995.7 vs. 6182.7 ± 1632.5 mmol/s) and lower TSI (7615.0 ± 1111.9 vs. 5420.0 ± 781.4 %/s) and relative to body weight (46.3 ± 14.6 vs. 84.4 ± 27.1 mmol/s/kg and 106.0 ± 20.6 vs. 73.6 ± 13.8 %/s/kg, respectively), muscle mass (369.9 ± 122.2 vs. 707.5 ± 225.8 mmol/kg and 829.7 ± 163.4 vs. 611.9 ± 154.2 %/s/kg) and fat mass (1760.8 ± 522.9 vs. 2981.0 ± 1239.9 mmol/s/kg and 4160.0 ± 1257.3 vs. ±2638.4 ± 994.3 %/s/kg, respectively) than physically inactive subjects. A negative correlation was observed between HHb levels and TSI (r = -0.6; p < 0.05). Physically very active men (>300 min/week) present better muscle oxidative metabolism and perfusion and perform significantly more physical activity than physically inactive subjects. Extra benefits for vascular health and muscle oxidative metabolism are achieved when a subject becomes physically very active, as recommended by the World Health Organization. In addition, a higher level of physical activity determined by GPAQ is related to better vascular function and oxidative metabolism of the main locomotor musculature, i.e., the quadriceps.

Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical Activity and Screen Time of School Children: A Cross-sectional Study from Chandigarh

Background: The nationwide lockdown imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted daily routines, especially for children. Being at home and attending virtual classes unintentionally precipitated an increase in both academic and nonacademic screen time and probably led to decreased physical activity in children. However, there is lack of evidence related to the physical activity and screen time of school-age children during the COVID-19 pandemic. So this study aimed to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown on physical activity and screen time of children. Methods: An online survey was used to recruit parents of school-age children through convenience sampling. Parents were asked to compare their child’s physical activity and screen time in the previous week with those in the pre-lockdown and lockdown periods. The global physical activity questionnaire was used to assess physical activity, and a screen time questionnaire was developed and validated. Data collection was done from September 2020 to December 2020. Results: Data of 104 children were collected from parents’ reports. The average age of parents was 39.1 + 4.8 years for mothers and 40.8 + 6.9 years for fathers. Results revealed a decrease in physical activity from 564.95 min/week before the lockdown to 146.05 min/week during the lockdown, with the absolute decrease of 448.9 min/week. Total screen time increased from 2.42 h/day before the lockdown to 7.41 h/day during the lockdown. Conclusion: Necessary steps to mitigate the effect of COVID-19 pandemic unintentionally affected children in terms of decreased physical activity and increased screen time.

Factors associated with sedentary behavior among community-dwelling breast cancer survivors aged 50 years or older

Although increased sedentary behavior is associated with poor health outcomes among breast cancer survivors, the factors associated with high sedentary time in community-dwelling breast cancer survivors are unknown. This study aimed to identify factors associated with sedentary behavior in Korean community-dwelling breast cancer survivors aged ≥ 50 years. We included 205 breast cancer survivors from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Total daily sedentary time was evaluated using questions from the Korean version of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. We used complex-sample multivariable-adjusted logistic regression analyses to analyze the associations between sociodemographic factors, medical factors, and health-related quality of life and high sedentary time (≥ 420 min/day). Among the Korean community-dwelling breast cancer survivors, 48.2% had a high daily sedentary time. Insufficient aerobic exercise (OR 2.29; 95% CI 1.12–4.69), diabetes (OR 3.37; 95% CI 1.22–9.33), and unemployed status (OR 2.29; 95% CI 1.05–5.02) were independently associated with high sedentary time after the adjustment for multiple sociodemographic and medical confounders. Participants with a low sedentary time (< 420 min/day) showed a significantly higher mean European Quality of Life 5-Dimensions (EQ-5D) index than those with a high sedentary time after adjusting for multiple confounders (0.89 ± 0.03 vs. 0.82 ± 0.04; P = 0.001). Among the EQ-5D dimensions, problems in mobility (OR 3.37; 95% CI 1.42–7.98) and pain/discomfort (OR 2.64; 95% CI 1.24–5.63) dimensions showed positive associations with high sedentary time. Middle- or older-aged breast cancer survivors with insufficient aerobic exercise, diabetes, unemployed status, and impaired quality of life are more likely to have a high sedentary time. Reducing sedentary behavior in this population requires a tailored approach that considers diverse sociodemographic, medical, and quality-of-life factors.

Health Patterns across Adulthood: An Age-Based Investigation of the Nutritional Status, Homocysteine, and CoQ10 of Bank Staff.

This study aimed to evaluate age-specific variations in the blood levels of micronutrients, homocysteine, and CoQ10, along with physical activity (PA) patterns, among 123 Austrian adult bankers in operational and frontline roles (mean age: 43 years; 50% female). Blood analysis was conducted to assess micronutrients and the serum concentrations of homocysteine and CoQ10. The micronutrient values in whole blood were compared to sex-specific reference ranges and categorized as below, within, or above them. The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire was utilized to assess PA patterns. Participants were classified as young adults (18-34 years), middle-aged adults (35-49 years), and older adults (50-64 years). Significant age-based differences were found in participants' mean homocysteine levels (p = 0.039) and homocysteine categories (p = 0.034), indicating an increasing prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia with age. No significant difference between age categories was observed for sex, BMI, diet types, PA levels, sedentary behavior, and CoQ10 (p > 0.05). There was no significant age-based difference in the blood concentrations of most minerals and vitamins (p > 0.05), except for magnesium among females (p = 0.008) and copper among males (p = 0.042). The findings offer initial evidence of the age-related differences in the health status of adult bankers, providing insights for customized approaches to occupational health that support the importance of metabolic health and overall well-being across adulthood.

Association between long-term sedentary behavior and depressive symptoms in U.S. adults

The study aimed to investigate the association between long-term sedentary behavior (LTSB) and depressive symptoms within a representative sample of the U.S. adult population. Data from NHANES 2017–2018 were used, encompassing information on demographics, depressive symptoms, physical activity (PA), and LTSB. Depressive symptoms were identified using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), with “depressive symptoms” defined as a PHQ-9 score of ≥ 5, and “moderate to severe depressive symptoms (MSDS)” defined as a PHQ-9 score of ≥ 10. PA and LTSB were assessed through the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, where LTSB was interpreted as sedentary time ≥ 600 min. Restricted Cubic Spline (RCS) curves were utilized to observe potential nonlinear relationships. Binary Logistic regressions were conducted to analyze the associations. A total of 4728 participants (mean age 51.00 ± 17.49 years, 2310 males and 2418 females) were included in the study. Among these individuals, 1194 (25.25%) displayed depressive symptoms, with 417 (8.82%) exhibiting MSDS. RCS curves displayed increased risk of depressive symptoms with prolonged sedentary duration. Logistic regression models indicated significant associations between LTSB and depressive symptoms (OR 1.398, 95% CI 1.098–1.780), and LTSB and MSDS (OR 1.567, 95% CI 1.125–2.183), after adjusting for covariates. These findings suggest that LTSB may act as a potential risk factor for both depressive symptoms and MSDS in the studied population.

Acceptability, Feasibility, and Effectiveness of a Worksite Intervention to Lower Cardiometabolic Risk in South Africa: Protocol.

As an important way to translate cardiovascular disease prevention efforts, worksite intervention programs can be used to effectively facilitate healthy food choices, health education, and social support among employees, in a targeted approach to improve health outcomes and physical activity levels of employees. In this study, the effectiveness of a canteen and a behavioral intervention on cardiometabolic risk among prediabetic and prehypertensive employees at two multinational worksites in South Africa will be measured. This two-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be structured to provide a six-week intervention at two multinational companies spread across eight worksites and will include a canteen and behavioral arm (CB) and a canteen only (CO) arm. Participants who are either prediabetic or prehypertensive will complete the baseline assessments, which will include anthropometry, a demographic and lifestyle survey, the global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ) and the 24 h food recall. Participants will be randomized into the CO and the canteen and CB intervention groups. The CO group will receive six weeks of canteen intervention [changes to enable a healthy food environment], while the CB group will receive six weeks of canteen intervention along with a behavioral intervention. The behavioral intervention will include an intense six-week lifestyle program aligned to the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). This study will assess the added benefit of environmental-level changes aimed at lowering cardiometabolic risk in a low-middle-income country (LMIC) and has the potential for scale-up to other worksites in South Africa and globally.

Gender Disparities in Health Biomarkers, Lifestyle Patterns, and Nutritional Status among Bank Staff: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background and Objectives: Despite the importance of nutritional status and a healthy lifestyle in shaping overall well-being, little is known about examining gender-specific differences and trends in health, lifestyle, and nutritional status. The present study aimed to evaluate blood levels of micronutrients, homocysteine, and CoQ10, as well as physical activity (PA) levels and sedentary behavior, among a cohort of Austrian bank staff, with a particular focus on identifying gender differences as well as gender-specific nutritional deficiencies compared to the reference ranges. Materials and Methods: Following a cross-sectional study design, 123 Austrian bank staff (mean age: 43 years; 51% females) participated in this study. Blood samples were collected to evaluate participants' micronutrient status and serum levels of homocysteine and CoQ10. Whole-blood values of macronutrients were compared to gender-specific reference ranges and categorized into three groups: below, within, or over the range. The WHO's Global Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess PA levels and sedentary behaviors. Results: No significant difference between males and females was found for diet types, PA levels, sedentary time, homocysteine levels, or CoQ10 values (p > 0.05). A high PA level was reported by 64% of males and 58% of females. 71% of females and 56% of males were found to have a vitamin D deficiency. 63-98% of females and 72-97% of males showed normal blood levels for the remaining micronutrients, including potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, selenium, manganese, molybdenum, B6, B9, and B12. Conclusions: The findings highlight the necessity of implementing tailored strategies to foster healthy lifestyle behaviors, thereby enhancing the overall state of health, particularly in the context of occupational health.