Low-intensity Activity Research Articles

Epidemiological Study of Physical Activity, Negative Moods, and Their Correlations among College Students.

Objective: Negative moods in college students have caused frequent extreme behaviors. This study analyzed the current status and correlation between physical activity and negative moods in college students. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used in the present research. Data on college students’ physical activity and negative moods were collected using the Sports Questionnaire Star software. The questionnaires were administered to college students in five colleges and universities in Henan and Jiangsu Provinces, China, and a total of 3711 correctly completed questionnaires were returned. Data on sociological and demographic information, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF), and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) were collected. The research was conducted in December 2021. Results: The low-intensity physical activity rate among college students was 55.56%, while depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms were detected in 35.14%, 65.29%, and 10.99%of the college students, respectively. Depression (K = 35.58, p < 0.001) and anxiety (K = 15.56, p < 0.001) rates were significantly different among the different physical activity intensity groups. The proportion of students who perform high-intensity physical activities was lower than those who perform low- and moderate-intensity physical activities. Conclusion: Low physical activity and high anxiety are evident among college students, and prolonged moderate-to-low-intensity physical activity (including static behavior) induces depression and anxiety. In the future, further studies can be conducted on improving the physical activity intensity of college students, improving the mental health monitoring and intervention systems of college students, and exploring the dose–effect relationship between physical activity and negative moods.

Objectively Measured Physical Activity Is Lower in Individuals with Normal Weight Obesity in the United States.

The role of physical activity in normal weight obesity (NWO), which is associated with increased cardiometabolic risk, is not clear. This study aimed to determine body composition phenotype-specific differences in objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time in adults in the United States. A total of 2055 adults with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 18.5 m2 were studied using 2003–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Physical activity and percent body fat (BF%) were measured using accelerometer and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, respectively. A BF% > 23.1% and >33.3% for men and women, respectively, was considered excess. A BMI of 18.5–24.9 kg/m2 with excess BF% was defined as NWO, while those with normal BF%, as normal weight lean (NWL). A BMI of ≥25 kg/m2 with excess BF% was considered overweight/obesity (OB). Compared to NWL, moderate to vigorous physical activity was significantly lower by 8.3 min (95% confidence interval/CI = −15.20, −1.40) and 10.18 min (95% CI = −14.83, −5.54) per day in NWO and OB, respectively. Low-intensity physical activity was also significantly lower by 17.71 min (95% CI = −30.61, −4.81) per day in NWO compared to NWL. However, sedentary time was not different. Objectively measured physical activity is significantly lower in NWO compared to NWL, while sedentary time is not.

Bidirectional associations between physical activity and sleep in older adults: a multilevel analysis using polysomnography

Although recent studies have examined the bidirectional associations between physical activity and sleep parameters, few have focused on older adults utilizing objective assessments, such as polysomnography. This micro-longitudinal observational study included 92 Japanese older adults (aged 65–86 years) who underwent objective evaluations of sleep quality using polysomnography and completed subjective sleep-related questionnaires. Activity levels were assessed using an accelerometer. Polysomnography, subjective sleep-related questionnaires, and accelerometer were administered for 7 consecutive days. Multilevel models (participant-, day-level) were used to examine the temporal associations of objective and subjective sleep parameters with sedentary behavior and physical activity. In the day-level analysis, higher levels of sedentary behavior during daytime were associated with longer rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, shorter REM latency, lower levels of non-REM sleep (stage N3), and reduced delta power during daytime. Higher levels of low-intensity physical activity during daytime were associated with lower levels of REM sleep, longer REM latency, and increased stage N3 sleep in the day-level analysis. Higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were associated with increased REM latency. Longer subjective sleep time was associated with increased next-day moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Thus, low-intensity physical activity may provide objective benefits related to deep sleep parameters in older adults.

Does Resistance Training Plus Low-intensity Physical Activity Affect Body Composition Or Strength In Older Adults?

Does Resistance Training Plus Low-intensity Physical Activity Affect Body Composition Or Strength In Older Adults?

The Relationship Between Different Dimensions Of Physical Activity, metabolic Equivalents And Cognitive Levels In Patients With Hearing Impairment: A Cross-sectional Study

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between different dimensions of physical activity (time, frequency and intensity), metabolic equivalents (MET) and cognitive levels in patients with hearing impairment.Methods: The 1111 middle-aged and elderly patients with hearing impairment included in this study were from the China health and retirement longitudinal study (CHARLS) conducted in 2018. Physical activity was classified into vigorous PA (VPA), moderate PA (MPA), and light PA (LPA) according to intensity, and descriptive analyses were performed in terms of different dimensions as well as metabolic equivalents. After adjusting for age, sex, BMI, education, marriage, smoking, drinking, and hearing aid wear by multiple linear regression models, the relationships between the different dimensions of physical activity, metabolic equivalents and cognitive levels were analyzed. Results: Among the different dimensions of physical activity, patients with LPA volume 150-299 min/w had higher cognitive scores (β = 4.778,95% CI: 1.555 to 8.002) compared to inactivity, whereas patients with VPA volume ≥ 300 min/w had lower cognitive scores (β = -2.186,95% CI: -3.644 to -0.728).Cognitive scores were higher in patients with LPA 3-5 d/w (β = 5.357,95% CI: 2.688 to 8.025); whereas patients with VPA 6-7 d/w had lower cognitive scores (β = -2.762,95% CI: -4.416 to -1.109).Cognitive scores were higher for patients with LPA duration 30-119 min/d (β = 2.249,95%CI: 0.471 to 4.028); In contrast, patients with VPA duration 30-119 min/d had lower cognitive scores (β = -2.927,95% CI: -5.835 to -0.019). There were no significant differences in cognitive levels between patients with any volume/ frequency/ duration of MPA. When analyzed in terms of metabolic equivalents, patients with metabolic equivalents of 0-600, 1200-1799 and 6000-8999 had higher cognitive levels compared to inactivity, and patients with metabolic equivalents of 6000-8999 having the highest cognitive scores (β = 3.881,95% CI: 1.266 to 6.496).Conclusion:In patients with hearing impairment,prolonged high-intensity exercise may be associated with lower cognitive levels, but low-intensity physical activity was associated with higher cognitive levels.

Design of Portable Wireless Fall Monitoring and Warning System

Aiming at preventing the old man falling down in the field of study, this article studies the status quo, focusing on sitting down research and analyze the behavior characteristic, this paper proposes a portable wireless fall monitoring and alarm system scheme design and manufacture, the conventional time-domain motion data multilevel threshold detection algorithm combined with combined with frequency domain characteristics of machine learning classification has realized the real-time identification of fall behavior. The time domain data used rectangular window filter to preserve the critical time series of behavior occurrence, fully considering the time characteristics of data changes, and completed the detection of lying posture and falling and the exclusion of daily low-intensity activities of the elderly. In the frequency domain, Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) was applied to the combined acceleration data of sitting posture fall and moderate intensity activity, and the Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier model was established by using frequency domain features. Complete the recognition and detection of sitting posture fall, and complement the detection of lying posture fall. After the decision of falling is made, the information of falling will be sent to the guardian of the elderly in time through wireless communication module, and the on-site alarm will be made at the same time, so that the elderly can get help from others in time when there are people nearby.

생활체육 동호인들의 신체활동 중 에너지소비량 추정을 위한 웨어러블 기기의 타당도 검증

The purpose of this study was to verify the validity of wearable devices for estimating energy consumption during physical activity for sports club members in their 20s. In this study, absolute error and relative error were calculated to verify the error in the estimation of energy consumption between measurement tools, and repeated measured ANOVA analysis of variance was performed to verify the difference in the estimation of energy consumption. If there was a statistically significant difference in the repeated measured ANOVA analysis of variance, the dependent t test was performed to verify the difference in the mean value. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to verify the relative relationship of energy consumption estimates between measurement tools, and Bland-Altman plot was applied to confirm the error size between the measurement tool and the reference tool. As a result of the study, it was found that SenseWear Pro3(SWP) overestimates energy consumption during low-intensity physical activity and underestimates energy consumption during moderate-intensity and high-intensity physical activity. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the energy expenditure estimates of SWP and the energy expenditure estimates of the reference tool during moderate-intensity physical activity. Also, as a result of Pearson

Physical activity assessment and vascular function in adults with cystic fibrosis and their non-CF peers

ABSTRACT An understanding of physical activity (PA) and related health benefits remains limited in adults with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Raw acceleration data metrics may improve the quality of assessment and further this understanding. The study aimed to compare PA between people with CF (pwCF) and non-CF peers and examine associations between PA, vascular function and health outcome measures. PA was assessed in 62 participants (31 pwCF) using ActiGraph accelerometers. Vascular function (a marker of cardiovascular disease risk) was assessed using flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) in sub-groups of pwCF (n = 12) and matched controls. Average Euclidean norm minus one (ENMO) (total PA) was significantly lower (p = 0.005) in pwCF (35.09 ± 10.60 mg), than their non-CF peers (44.62 ± 13.78 mg). PwCF had PA profiles (intensity gradient) indicative of more time in lower intensity activity (−2.62 ± 0.20, −2.37 ± 0.23). Vigorous activity was positively associated with lung function (rs = 0.359) and Quality of Life (r = 0.412). There were no significant differences (p = 0.313) in FMD% between pwCF (5.29 ± 2.76%) and non-CF peers (4.34 ± 1.58%) and no associations with PA. PwCF engaged in less moderate-to-vigorous PA and demonstrated a steeper PA profile than their non-CF peers.

Quality of Life and Mental Health Benefits of Public Participation in Forest Conservation Activities in Urban Areas.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of forest conservation activities on the physical and psychological wellbeing of participants. The experiment was conducted in a forest near an urban area and involved 61 participants (average age: 22.5 ± 1.8). The participants selected one of three activities (pruning, stacking cut branches, and removing vines) in the forest conservation program. The effects of these activities on the musculoskeletal system were assessed using the Ovako Working Posture Assessment System (OWAS); the physical intensity of the activities was evaluated using heart rate data. The psychological evaluation measurement indexes used the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale, World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment instrument, and the Perceived Restorativeness Scale. As a result of the OWAS assessment, forest conservation activities were found to be action categories 1 and 2, which were less burdensome to the musculoskeletal system. All forestry activities were found to be light levels of physical intensity. Psychological evaluation of the participants revealed that positive emotions such as self-esteem, quality of life, and perceived restorativeness increased significantly, whereas negative emotions decreased significantly. This forest conservation program, that involved low-intensity activities which were less burdensome to the musculoskeletal system, had positive physical and psychological effects on the local residents who participated.

Sedentary behavior and cardiovascular disease risk: An evolutionary perspective.

A ubiquitous aspect of contemporary societies is sedentary behavior (SB), defined as low intensity activities in a seated, reclined, or supine posture. Leading public health agencies, including the World Health Organization, have recognized the strong association between SB and poor health outcomes, particularly cardiovascular disease. However, while public health agencies have begun to advocate for “reductions” in SB, the current US guidelines are typically vague and non-specific. There is good reasoning behind this non-committal advocacy—there is limited mechanistic and clinical evidence to support policy development. To guide SB policy development, it is important to first consider the origins and evolution of SB, including the following: 1) is SB really a novel/contemporary behavior? i.e., how has this behavior evolved? 2) how did our ancestors sit and in what contexts? 3) how does SB interact with 24-hour activity behaviors, including physical activity and sleep? 4) what other historical and contemporary facets of life interact with SB? and 5) in what context do these behaviors occur and how might they provide different evolutionarily novel stressors? This perspective article will synthesize the available evidence that addresses these questions and stimulate discussion pertaining to the lessons that we can learn from an historical and evolutionary perspective. Last, it will outline the gaps in current SB interruption literature that are hindering development of feasible SB reduction policy.

Impact of COVID-19 on Physical Activity and Lifestyles in Post-Confinement Sports Science Undergraduates.

The aim of this study was to assess whether the infection by SARS-CoV-2 has significantly influenced physical activity, diet, alcohol, and drug consumption habits, as well as the quality of life of students of the bachelor’s degree in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences. For this purpose, an online survey was conducted, which included socio-demographic questions related to the COVID-19 disease. Physical activity was analyzed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), adherence to the Mediterranean diet using the PREDIMED questionnaire, alcohol consumption using the AUDIT questionnaire, and drug consumption using the DAST-10 questionnaire. Health-related quality of life was analyzed with the SF-12 questionnaire. Our results reveal that those who engaged in either vigorous physical activity or, on the contrary, very low-intensity physical activity, were affected by the SARS-CoV-2 disease, which reduced the average weekly time they spent on their type of activity. However, those who previously performed moderate activities have managed to stay on the same fitness level despite having suffered from SARS-CoV-2 disease (p = 0.433). In conclusion, general health is affected by suffering from the COVID-19 disease, inadequate eating habits, substance use, and the performance of vigorous or very low-intensity of physical activity.

Changes of SOC Content in China’s Shendong Coal Mining Area during 1990–2020 Investigated Using Remote Sensing Techniques

Coal mining, an important human activity, disturbs soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation and decomposition, eventually affecting terrestrial carbon cycling and the sustainability of human society. However, changes of SOC content and their relation with influential factors in coal mining areas remained unclear. In the study, predictive models of SOC content were developed based on field sampling and Landsat images for different land-use types (grassland, forest, farmland, and bare land) of the largest coal mining area in China (i.e., Shendong). The established models were employed to estimate SOC content across the Shendong mining area during 1990–2020, followed by an investigation into the impacts of climate change and human disturbance on SOC content by a Geo-detector. Results showed that the models produced satisfactory results (R2 &gt; 0.69, p &lt; 0.05), demonstrating that SOC content over a large coal mining area can be effectively assessed using remote sensing techniques. Results revealed that average SOC content in the study area rose from 5.67 gC·kg−1 in 1990 to 9.23 gC·kg−1 in 2010 and then declined to 5.31 gC·Kg−1 in 2020. This could be attributed to the interaction between the disturbance of soil caused by coal mining and the improvement of eco-environment by land reclamation. Spatially, the SOC content of farmland was the highest, followed by grassland, and that of bare land was the lowest. SOC accumulation was inhibited by coal mining activities, with the effect of high-intensity mining being lower than that of moderate- and low-intensity mining activities. Land use was found to be the strongest individual influencing factor for SOC content changes, while the interaction between vegetation coverage and precipitation exerted the most significant influence on the variability of SOC content. Furthermore, the influence of mining intensity combined with precipitation was 10 times higher than that of mining intensity alone.

The effects of extreme high indoor temperature on EEG during a low intensity activity

Climate warming has led to extreme high indoor temperatures above 39 °C in hot and humid areas during the summer, which poses a great risk to work safety. Cognitive impairment is considered to be one of the main causes of work safety accidents under high temperatures. However, there is still no sufficient physiological basis for the damage of high temperature to cognitive performance. EEG is a potential physiological indicator that reflects cognitive performance. Nevertheless, no relevant research on the effects of extreme high indoor temperatures exceeding 35 °C on EEG has been found. In this study, a climate chamber simulation experiment was conducted, and the neutral temperature was set at 26 °C and the extreme high indoor temperature at 39 °C. In the experiment, the subjects completed 6 cognitive tests in the sitting position, and the EEG signals of 14 channels were continuously collected during 25–60 min of the experiment. Based on the analysis of the power of the EEG signals, the effects of extreme high indoor temperature on EEG are investigated in this study. The results showed that, on the one hand, the EEG relative power of δ-band of whole brain increased significantly at 39 °C, while the EEG relative power of β-band of whole brain decreased significantly during certain experimental periods. On the other hand, the accuracy of Overlapping test also decreased significantly at 39 °C. This indicates that the change of δ-band and β-band of EEG signals provides a theoretical basis for the damage of extreme high temperature to cognitive performance from viewpoint of physiology.

To Be Active or to Stop? A Cross-Sectional Retrospective Study Exploring Provider Advice and Patient Fears Surrounding Physical Activity in Pregnancies Complicated by Fetal Growth Restriction.

Exercise guidance for women with pregnancies complicated by fetal growth restriction (FGR) is vague, despite the fact that physical activity during pregnancy improves placental development, placental blood flow, and encourages healthy fetal growth. The goal of this study is to test the hypothesis that women with pregnancies complicated by FGR are fearful of physical activity and are being given unclear or limited advice from healthcare providers. Participants (N = 78) (women who delivered an infant diagnosed with FGR within the past 5 years) took an electronic survey including demographic information, pregnancy information, provider advice recall, and other health-related information relevant to growth-restricted pregnancies. Quantitative and qualitative (post-positivism paradigm) methods were employed to analyze the data. When asked specifically about how the FGR diagnosis impacted their activity levels, nearly 50% of participants said the diagnosis led them to decrease their activity levels. Participants reported that healthcare providers who do discuss activity with pregnant patients with FGR suggest low-intensity activities or ceasing activity, although the majority of providers did not discuss activity at all. More fears surrounding physical activity were reported post-FGR diagnosis, including worrying about fetal growth and development and causing fetal harm when engaging in physical activity.

Correlation between maximal aerobic power and longitudinal vital signals during high-intensity activities of daily living

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP);Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) Background Higher activity levels are linked with better cardiovascular health. Maximum aerobic power (measured by the maximal oxygen uptake, VO2max) obtained during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is an index of cardiovascular health and represents the maximum ability of the aerobic system to supply energy. Moreover, it is known that high-intensity activities of daily living (hiADL) are associated with higher VO2max, and were three times more beneficial than low-intensity activities, such as light walking. However, little is known about the physiological responses during these hiADL that are associated with better health outcomes. So far, only the levels and intensities of the physical activities have been investigated, but the physiological responses at these activities remain unclear. Purpose Verify the associations between VO2max and longitudinal vital signals from wearables during hiADL. Methods 43 volunteers (32 males, 39.91±15.87 years; 75.41±13.12 kg; 173.67±9.04 cm) with different levels of VO2max (31.08±8.73 ml/kg/min) wore a wearable device (smart t-shirt, Hexoskin) with embedded cardiac, respiratory, and movement sensors to collect unobtrusive data for 7 days (9.31±1.36 hours per day). These sensors continuously measure heart rate (HR), breathing rate (BR), minute ventilation (VE), tidal volume (Vt), hip acceleration (ACC), and walking cadence (Cad). The hiADL were classified based on the Cad response where values higher than 124 steps per minute were labelled as hiADL. At hiADL, the average response for all variables was calculated. Finally, the Pearson or Spearman correlations were computed considering a statistical significance level of 5%. Results hiADL corresponded to just 1% of the physical activities (or 35.11±43.30 minutes per week). The average response of the vital signals at hiADL were: HR (118.2±20.36 bpm), BR (30.7±8.0 rpm), VE (52.21±35.54l), Vt (1.63±0.71 l/min), Acc (0.87±0.6g), and Cad (143.69±10.13). The correlations were statistically (p&amp;lt;0.05) high and positive between VO2max and BR, VE, Vt, and Cad; also, moderate, and positive between VO2max and HR and with the percentage of the time spent at hiADL, as described in figure 1. Conclusion The VO2max (or cardiovascular health) is related to the time spent in hiADL and with the hemodynamic and respiratory response magnitudes at these high-intensity activities.

Frequent Low-Dose Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in Adolescence Disrupts Microglia Homeostasis and Disables Responses to Microbial Infection and Social Stress in Young Adulthood

BackgroundDuring adolescence, microglia are actively involved in neocortical maturation while concomitantly undergoing profound phenotypic changes. Because the teenage years are also a time of experimentation with cannabis, we evaluated whether adolescent exposure to the drug’s psychotropic constituent, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), might persistently alter microglia function. MethodsWe administered THC (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) once daily to male and female mice from postnatal day (PND) 30 to PND44 and examined the transcriptome of purified microglia in adult animals (PND70 and PND120) under baseline conditions or following either of two interventions known to recruit microglia: lipopolysaccharide injection and repeated social defeat. We used high-dimensional mass cytometry by time-of-flight to map brain immune cell populations after lipopolysaccharide challenge. ResultsAdolescent THC exposure produced in mice of both sexes a state of microglial dyshomeostasis that persisted until young adulthood (PND70) but receded with further aging (PND120). Key features of this state included broad alterations in genes involved in microglia homeostasis and innate immunity along with marked impairments in the responses to lipopolysaccharide- and repeated social defeat–induced psychosocial stress. The endocannabinoid system was also dysfunctional. The effects of THC were prevented by coadministration of either a global CB1 receptor inverse agonist or a peripheral CB1 neutral antagonist and were not replicated when THC was administered in young adulthood (PND70–84). ConclusionsDaily low-intensity CB1 receptor activation by THC during adolescence may disable critical functions served by microglia until young adulthood with potentially wide-ranging consequences for brain and mental health.

Investigating situation awareness via visual exploration in high-intensity multi-agent activity using wearable technology

Introduction: In team-based high-performance environments, such as combat and team sports, bouts of high- and low-intensity activity are interspersed, with bouts of high-intensity activity being central to key goal related and attacking events. Hence, an adequate distribution of energy expenditure is imperative to complete performance tasks effectively. This requires agents to possess strong situational awareness and to make important choices about what actions to prioritise1. Our research in team sport highlights that the decisions agents make are closely associated with the affordances that surround them2 and the visual exploratory actions (also termed scanning) that are required to establish awareness of these affordances3.

Sex differences in factors associated with prediabetes in Korean adults.

ObjectivesIdentifying the factors associated with prediabetes is necessary for the early detection and management of high-risk individuals with prediabetes. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors associated with prediabetes according to sex in Korean adults.MethodsUsing the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2015 to 2019, a total of 13,595 adults (5,565 males and 8,030 females) aged ≥20 years were included in the data analysis. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with prediabetes according to sex in Korean adults.ResultsIn both males and females, age and a family history of type 2 diabetes were associated with prediabetes. In males, current and past smoking habits were associated with increased prediabetes. In addition, low-intensity physical activity and prolonged sedentary behavior were associated with a higher prevalence of prediabetes. Females with a lower education level (less than middle school graduation) showed a higher risk of prediabetes.ConclusionSex-specific prevention strategies for prediabetes should be developed. In addition, older individuals and those with a family history of type 2 diabetes should be screened for prediabetes.

Behavioral and social risk factors for metabolically unhealthy obesity: data form a 12-year prospective study in the Russian population

Aim. To study the contribution of behavioral and social risk factors to the development of metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) according to a prospective study in the Russian population.Material and methods. From the HAPPIE project, 3197 people aged 45-69 years with a body mass index ≥30 kg/m2 were selected, who had all the necessary parameters for obesity phenotype determination. The prospective analysis included the first (2003-2005) and third screenings (2015-2017). A subsample was formed (n=1275; 276 men — 22%, 999 women — 78%). The mean follow-up period was 12,4 years. IDF criteria (2005) were taken for analysis.Results. Men with a metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) phenotype most often have a secondary and higher education, while women with MHO — vocational and secondary education. In women, secondary education was most often noted. Among persons with obesity, both men and women are more often not single, while having MUO as follows: 56,8% and 34,2%, respectively. Men and women have a low-intensity activity, regardless of the obesity phenotype. The prevalence of smoking in the present time does not differ in the MHO and MUO groups. Metabolically healthy women consume more alcohol than those with MUO. In men with sedentary lifestyle and fasting hyperglycemia, the risk of MUO over a 12-year follow-up period was significantly higher. In women, the risk of conversion from MHO to MUO is increased when blood pressure (BP) is ≥130/85 mmHg.Conclusion. In the Russian population, the risk of MUO in men increases with a level of physical activity &lt;3 h/week and a blood glucose level ≥6,1 mmol/l; in women, only BP ≥130/85 mm Hg contributes to the development of MUO.

The influence of clinic care on perceptions and knowledge of non-communicable diseases and physical activity from a low-resourced community: a mixed-method study

BackgroundHealth promotion for the management of risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is an integral part of standard care in South Africa. Most persons presenting with NCDs utilise public primary health care centres for disease management. This mixed-methods study aimed at expanding current understanding of the the influence of standard clinic care (usual care) on perceptions and knowledge of risk factors for NCDs and physical activity (PA) among persons from a low-resourced community. Qualitatively the perceptions of women from a low-resourced community about risk factors for NCDs and PA were explored throughout 24-weeks of standard clinic care. Parallel quantitative data was collected to describe changes in risk factors for NCDs and trends in self-reported knowledge about risk factors of NCDs and PA.MethodA convergent-parallel mixed-methods research design was used. The study was carried out in a public primary health care setting, in the North West Province, South Africa. From a convenience sample of 100 participants, 77 African women aged between 34 and 79 years were recruited for the study. Data were collected at three time-points including baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks of a standard clinic care health-promotion programme. The qualitative data was collected during focus group discussions, and the quantitative data included questionnaires on knowledge of physical activity and risk factors for NCDs as well as anthropometric and biological measurements. Qualitative and quantitative data were analysed independently for each phase and then consolidated for interpretation. All data was collected in the same setting.ResultsParticipants' initial understanding and perceptions of NCD risk factors were poor. Qualitative findings showed that participants knew little about the specific physical activity they could engage in and the role of PA in NCD management. Participants preferred low-intensity activities. Heart-disease knowledge improved significantly at 12 weeks intervention compared to baseline MD = -3.655, p < 0.001. There were improvements in PA knowledge at 12 weeks from baseline MD = -0.625 p = 0.02. There were significant weight (MD = 1.420, p = 0.002) and waist circumference reductions (MD = 0.621, p = 0.02) from baseline to 24 weeks.ConclusionStandard clinic care improved knowledge of physical activity and risk factors for NCDs, but perceptions of risk factors for NCDs and PA were unchanged. This study offers insight into the perceptions held by women from a low-resource setting and how future interventions to manage and prevent NCDs should be structured.Trial registrationPACTR201609001771813.