Moderate And Vigorous Physical Activity Research Articles

Objectively measured sedentary behaviour and moderate and vigorous physical activity in different school subjects: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundEvidence shows the positive influence of moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and negative influence of sedentary time on health and academic achievement. Although schools can significantly contribute to overall physical activity, little is known about MVPA and sedentary behaviour in different school subjects in different grades.MethodsPhysical activity of 646 students from 18 schools (94 classes) and from three school stages (grades 1–9, aged 7–16) was measured with accelerometry for 5 school days. Time and proportion of MVPA and sedentary time, also average sedentary bout length was calculated for native language (Estonian), mathematics, science, foreign language, music and crafts lessons.ResultsA total of 6363 lessons were measured, with lesson duration of 45 min. The average lesson time MVPA remained below 2.2 min in all school stages and in all subjects. Students in grades 4–6 had greatest decline in the proportion of lesson time MVPA in science (β = −1.9, 95%CI −3.1– -0.6) and music (−1.2, −2.1– -0.4) and in grades 7–9 in music (−1.7, −3.1– -0.3) lessons compared to grades 1–3. In grades 1–3 students spent on average 76% of lesson time (34.0 ± 7.0 min) as sedentary, whereas in grades 7–9 the average proportion of sedentary time was 87% (38.9 ± 5.7 min). An average sedentary bout length increased from 13 min in grades 1–3 to 20 min in grades 7–9. An increase in sedentary bout length from grades 1–3 compared to grades 7–9 was present in most subjects, except crafts, with smallest increase in foreign language (6 min, 3.5–8.9) and greatest in music lessons (16.6 min, 11.9–21.3). Lessons with prolonged sedentary bouts formed a maximum 36% of all lessons in grades 1–3 and 73% in grades 7–9.ConclusionThe long sedentary time, bout length and low MVPA in most subjects were unfavourable in respect of both health and academic achievement. Significantly increasing sedentary time and sedentary bout length in older school stages highlights the need for interventions in all subjects and especially in older grades in order to combat the inactivity of children.

Accelerometer-measured physical activity is not associated with two-year weight change in African-origin adults from five diverse populations.

BackgroundIncreasing population-levels of physical activity (PA) is a controversial strategy for managing the obesity epidemic, given the conflicting evidence for weight loss from PA alone per se. We measured PA and weight change in a three-year prospective cohort study in young adults from five countries (Ghana, South Africa, Jamaica, Seychelles and USA).MethodsA total of 1,944 men and women had baseline data, and at least 1 follow-up examination including measures of anthropometry (weight/BMI), and objective PA (accelerometer, 7-day) following the three-year study period. PA was explored as 1-minute bouts of moderate and vigorous PA (MVPA) as well as daily sedentary time.ResultsAt baseline; Ghanaian and South African men had the lowest body weights (63.4 ± 9.5, 64.9 ± 11.8 kg, respectively) and men and women from the USA the highest (93.6 ± 25.9, 91.7 ± 23.4 kg, respectively). Prevalence of normal weight ranged from 85% in Ghanaian men to 29% in USA men and 52% in Ghanaian women to 15% in USA women. Over the two-year follow-up period, USA men and Jamaican women experienced the smallest yearly weight change rate (0.1 ± 3.3 kg/yr; −0.03 ± 3.0 kg/yr, respectively), compared to South African men and Ghanaian women greatest yearly change (0.6.0 ± 3.0 kg/yr; 1.22 ± 2.6 kg/yr, respectively). Mean yearly weight gain tended to be larger among normal weight participants at baseline than overweight/obese at baseline. Neither baseline MVPA nor sedentary time were associated with weight gain. Using multiple linear regression, only baseline weight, age and gender were significantly associated with weight gain.DiscussionFrom our study it is not evident that higher volumes of PA alone are protective against future weight gain, and by deduction our data suggest that other environmental factors such as the food environment may have a more critical role.

Physical Activity Levels, Frequency, and Type Among Adolescents with and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder.

We compared time spent in moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA), type, and frequency of participation in physical activities between adolescents with ASD (n = 35) and typically developing (TD) adolescents (n = 60). Accelerometers measured MVPA and participants were interviewed about engagement in physical activities. Adolescents with ASD spent less time in MVPA compared to TD adolescents (29min/day vs. 50min/day, p < 0.001) and fewer met the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (14 vs. 29%, p > 0.05). Among adolescents <16 years old, those with ASD participated in fewer activities than TD adolescents (5.3 vs. 7.1 activities, p < 0.03). Walking/hiking and active video gaming were among the top activities for both groups. Findings support the need for interventions that meet the needs of youth with ASD.

Patterns of physical activity and associated factors among teenagers from Barcelona (Spain) in 2012

ObjectiveTo estimate the prevalence of moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA), as defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and associated factors among teenagers from Barcelona in 2012. MethodsCross-sectional survey to assess risk factors in a representative sample of secondary school students (aged 13–16 years, International Standard Classification of Education [ISCED] 2, n=2,162; and 17–18 years, ISCED 3, n=1016) in Barcelona. We estimated MVPA prevalence overall, and for each independent variable and each gender. Poisson regression models with robust variance were fit to examine the factors associated with high-level MVPA, and obtained prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). ResultsOnly 13% of ISCED 2 and 10% of ISCED 3 students met the WHO physical activity recommendations. This percentage was lower among girls at both academic levels. MVPA was lower among ISCED 3 compared to ISCED 2 students, and among students with a lower socioeconomic status. Physical activity was associated with positive self-perception of the health status (e.g., positive self-perception of health status among ISCED 2 compared to ISCED 3 students: PR=1.31 [95%CI: 1.22–1.41] and 1.61 [95%CI: 1.44–1.81] for boys and girls, respectively]. ConclusionsThe percentage of teenagers who met WHO MVPA recommendations was low. Strategies are needed to increase MVPA levels, particularly in older girls, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

Inequality in Active Public Park: A Case Study of Benjakitti Park in Bangkok, Thailand

Public Park is considered as one of the important settings for physical activity, especially in urban area. Parks support physical activity through their accessibility; their provision to facilitate active pursuits; their capacity to provide opportunities to a wide range of users; and their semi-permanent nature. The study explores the characteristics of park use in Benjakitti Park, one of the most prominent district parks in Bangkok, Thailand. The study conducts a 7 days of SOPARC (System Observing Play and Recreation in Community) observation to understand the characteristics of park use and physical activities. The study also conducts a survey questionnaire of 206 park users to understand their perceptions and preferences. It is found that the park is an active park with an average of 2,663 visitors per day and 46.2% of users are engaged in moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA), light physical activity (43.1%) and sedentary behaviour (10.8%). The highest level of MVPA is found in adult users (72.4%), which mostly are office workers who visit the park after working hours for exercise. The study also finds that the high number of MVPA in the park creates negative externalities, such as the conflict between users and the exclusion of children and users who wants to enjoy less vigorous physical activity in the park. These externalities create inequality of park access and discourage groups of user who want to visit the park for different purposes other than physical activity and exercise. The study concludes that planning and designing active Public Park should provide equal opportunity for all urban residents to access and engage in any types of park activity.

Does body mass index modify the association between physical activity and screen time with cardiometabolic risk factors in adolescents? Findings from a country-wide survey.

Moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and screen time (ST) have been associated with cardiometabolic health in youth. However, previous studies are conflicting whether these associations are independent of each other and it is unknown if they are modified by adiposity. We aimed to examine the independent and joint associations between MVPA and ST with cardiometabolic risk across body mass index (BMI) categories. A total of 36 956 Brazilian adolescents (12-17 years) from the Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents were included. Information on time spent in MVPA and ST were assessed by self-reports. Blood pressure, Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and waist circumference were used to calculate a cardiometabolic risk score (sex-age-specific top-risk quintile for each biomarker). Ordered logistic regression was used to examine the associations. In final adjusted models, both higher MVPA (proportional odds ratio (POR)=0.80; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.67-0.95) and ST (POR=1.23; 95% CI: 1.10-1.37) were independently associated with cardiometabolic risk. After stratification by normal weight vs overweight/obese, the inverse independent association for MVPA remained unchanged, whereas ST was positively associated with cardiometabolic risk only in overweight/obese adolescents (POR=1.62; 95% CI: 1.18-2.22). Participants who met the recommendations for both MVPA and ST had lower odds for cardiometabolic risk, especially if they were overweight/obese (POR=0.46; 95% CI: 0.31-0.68). MVPA and ST are independently associated with cardiometabolic risk; the association with ST, however, appears modified by BMI. Normal-weight adolescents should be encouraged to increase MVPA, whereas a combination of increasing MVPA and decreasing ST is recommended in those who are overweight or obese.

Physical activity for older adults: Even a little is good!

The proportion of healthy years lost due to disease rapidly increased with age. It is well established that regular physical activity is an efficient strategy for successful aging. However, less than 50% are able to achieve the 150 min of moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per week. The prescription of physical activity for older adults needs to be clarified. A French cohort of 1011 subjects aged 65 and an international cohort of 122,417 subjects aged 60 (meta-analysis) were followed over a period of 12 and 10 years. Risk ratios of death were established into four doses based on weekly MET-minutes, defined as inactive (reference), low (1–499), medium (500–999) or high (≥ 1000). Based on the dose–response relationship between physical activity and mortality, these two studies demonstrated that a dose two times lower than current recommendations, brought further benefits in older adults (RR = 0.78 [95% CI: 0.71 to 0.87], P < 0.0001 for the low dose, RR = 0.72 [95% CI: 0.65 to 0.80], P < 0.0001 for the medium dose and RR = 0.65 [95% CI: 0.61 to 0.70], P < 0.0001 for the high dose). Fifteen min per day (or 75 min a week) of MVPA could be a reasonable target dose in older adults. If more may be better, “Even a little is already good”.

Is physical education an effective way to increase physical activity in children with lower cardiorespiratory fitness?

Several findings revealed the importance of accruing moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) to improve health. Physical education (PE) may play an important role on promoting children's MVPA. However, it remains unknown whether PE might be effective when increasing physical activity (PA) levels in children with lower cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess children's PA during PE and during days with and without PE with a special focus on CRF status. One hundred and fifty Spanish children and adolescents from 3rd to 12th grade were recruited. PA levels were assessed with GT3X accelerometers. Peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak ) was estimated using a portable breath by breath Metamax 3B. Participants were classified as healthy aerobic fitness (HAF) and unhealthy aerobic fitness (UHAF) according to standardized cut-off point criteria. During PE, students with HAF accrued more MVPA than those with UHAF (8.7 vs 5.7min/session; P≤0.001). MVPA was higher on PE days than days without for both UHAF (50.0 vs 42.7min/day; P≤0.05) and HAF students (56.9 vs 49.4min/day; P≤0.05). Although less active during PE, students with lower CRF accumulated more MVPA and total PA on PE days than days without PE. An increase in PE days might be a smart policy to raise the recommended PA levels, regardless of CRF status.

Objectively measured physical activity, sedentary time and subclinical vascular disease: Cross-sectional study in older British men

Low physical activity (PA) and high levels of sedentary time (ST) are associated with higher cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among older people. However, their independent contribution and importance of duration of PA and ST bouts remain unclear. We investigated associations between objectively measured PA, ST and non-invasive vascular measures, markers of CVD risk.Cross-sectional study of 1216 men from the British Regional Heart Study, mean age 78.5years, measured in 2010–2012. Carotid intima thickness (CIMT), distensibility coefficient (DC) and plaque presence were measured using ultrasound; pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and augmentation index (AIx) using a Vicorder. PA and ST were measured using hip-worn ActiGraph GT3X accelerometers.After adjusting for covariates, each additional 1000 steps per day was associated with a 0.038m/s lower cfPWV (95% CI=−0.076, 0.0003), 0.095 10−3 kPa−1 higher DC (95% CI=0.006, 0.185), 0.26% lower AIx (95% CI=−0.40, −0.12) and a 0.005mm lower CIMT (95% CI=−0.008, −0.001). Moderate and vigorous PA (MVPA) was associated with lower AIx and CIMT, light PA (LPA) with lower cfPWV and CIMT and ST with higher cfPWV, AIx and CIMT and lower DC. LPA and ST were highly correlated (r=−0.62). The independence of MVPA and ST or MVPA and LPA was inconsistent across vascular measures. Bout lengths for both PA and ST were not associated with vascular measures.In our cross-sectional study of older men, all PA regardless of intensity or bout duration was beneficially associated with vascular measures, as was lower ST. LPA was particularly relevant for cfPWV and CIMT.

Maternal Physical Activity During Pregnancy

PURPOSE: Maternal physical activity during pregnancy influences infant’s birth weight and body composition, but its association with bone health has been poorly evaluated. This study aims at documenting in a longitudinal study the effect of objectively measured physical activity during pregnancy on infant’s bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD). METHODS: 7-day accelerometry recordings (Actigraph GT3X+) were performed in low-risk pregnant women at 17 and 36 weeks of gestation. BMC and BMD were evaluated by DXA in mothers and infants within 2 weeks after birth. Sociodemographics, maternal lifestyle habits, pre-pregnancy physical activity, medical history and pregnancy outcomes were collected through interview and charts’ review. Mean counts per minute (CPM) and daily time spent at moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were calculated for each period from accelerometry data. The association between physical activity data and infant’s BMC and BMD was evaluated through multiple regression models, adjusting for infant sex and length, parity, maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational weight gain, multivitamin use, gestational age at delivery, infant’s age at DXA, maternal BMD and pre-pregnancy physical activity. RESULTS: : For this preliminary analysis, DXA assessment and accelerometry data for at least one visit were available for 108 pregnant women (age=29.7 ± 3.7 y; pre-pregnancy BMI=23.6 ± 4.7 kg/m2; 59.3% nulliparous) and their baby (birth weight=3451 ± 424 g; gestational age=39.7 ± 1.2 weeks; 45.4% boys). Daily time spent at MVPA at 17 weeks was negatively associated with infant’s BMC and BMD (β= -0.45 g and -0.0009 g/cm3 per 10 min of MVPA, p=0.033 and 0.026), after adjustment for confounders. Similarly, mean CPM at 17 weeks was significantly associated with infant’s BMC and BMD (β= -1.92 g and -0.004 g/cm3 per 100 CPM, p=0.010 and p=0.004). Mean CPM at 36 weeks was also associated with child’s BMC (β= -0.004 g/cm3 per 100 CPM, p=0.024). CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of maternal physical activity measured by accelerometry during pregnancy were associated with a decrease in infant’s BMC and BMD. The impact of maternal nutrition on this association remains to be investigated. Supported by the Fondation des Étoiles, Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Fonds de Recherche du Québec-Santé.

Abstract A76: Associations of sitting time and physical activity with obesity-related cancer risk in Mexican American adults

Abstract Introduction: The Mexican American Mano A Mano cohort in Houston, Texas is relatively young and cancer incidence is expected to rise as the cohort ages. Identifying risk factors associated with cancer risk is necessary to design culturally-tailored preventive measures. Sitting time, which is now regarded as independent from physical activity (PA), is one potential risk factor for obesity and cancer that has not been well-studied in the Mexican-American population for its associations with cancer risk. This is particularly important for this population as increasing numbers immigrate to the US and adopt habits of sitting more. Methods: Data on the Mano A Mano cohort, including socio-demographic data and risk factor characteristics, were collected by trained interviewers in participants' homes since 2001. Follow-up data included assessment and verification of cancer and other chronic diseases. Only cases that were verified by the participant's medical record or the Texas Cancer Registry were included in analyses. Baseline data on sitting hours per day and hours per week of moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were analyzed for their associations with incidence among the main obesity-related cancers in the cohort, including cancers of the breast, prostate, thyroid, colorectum, kidney, and endometrium. Further analyses examined cancer risk in those with the most PA and least sitting time compared to those with the least PA and most sitting time. Summary of data: Data included 22,998 Mexico-origin adult participants, with 77.6% female. Verified incident cancer was diagnosed in 263 participants, including 123 breast, 28 prostate, 22 thyroid, 36 colorectal, 29 kidney, and 25 endometrial cases. For the entire cohort, mean sitting time was 3.78 (SD 2.58) hours per day, and mean hours per week of MVPA was 2.3 (SD 5.2). Those with incident cancer reported more hours of sitting time per day (4.04 vs. 3.77, P = .092) and less MVPA hours per week (1.74 vs. 2.32, P = .08) when compared to the cancer-free cohort. When comparing those with the highest PA and least sedentary time to those with the least PA and most sitting time, the proportion of overall age-adjusted obesity-related cancer incidence was similar (0.9% to 1.3%, P = 0.10). However, when examining the sex-specific cancers and adjusting for age, significant differences existed for breast (0.9% vs 1.6%, P = .008), endometrial (0.1% vs 0.4%, P = 0.032), and prostate (0.2% vs 1.6%, P &amp;lt; 0.01). Conclusions: It appears that greater sitting time and lower amounts of MVPA may be associated with higher risk of sex-specific, obesity-related cancer incidence in Mexican American adults, and replication of these findings in larger samples of Mexican-Americans is needed. If confirmed, results suggest that sitting time and PA could be targeted in future interventions to reduce health disparities in Mexican American adults. Citation Format: Matthew Chrisman, Wong-Ho Chow, Hua Zhao. Associations of sitting time and physical activity with obesity-related cancer risk in Mexican American adults. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eighth AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 13-16, 2015; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2016;25(3 Suppl):Abstract nr A76.

Are Self-report Measures Able to Define Individuals as Physically Active or Inactive?

Assess the agreement between commonly used self-report methods compared with objectively measured physical activity (PA) in defining the prevalence of individuals compliant with PA recommendations. Time spent in moderate and vigorous PA (MVPA) was measured at two time points in 1713 healthy individuals from nine European countries using individually calibrated combined heart rate and movement sensing. Participants also completed the Recent Physical Activity Questionnaire (RPAQ), short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and short European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Physical Activity Questionnaire (EPIC-PAQ). Individuals were categorized as active (e.g., reporting ≥150 min of MVPA per week) or inactive, based on the information derived from the different measures. Sensitivity and specificity analyses and Kappa statistics were performed to evaluate the ability of the three PA questionnaires to correctly categorize individuals as active or inactive. Prevalence estimates of being sufficiently active varied significantly (P for all <0.001) between self-report measures (IPAQ 84.2% [95% confidence interval {CI}, 82.5-85.9], RPAQ 87.6% [95% CI, 85.9-89.1], EPIC-PAQ 39.9% [95% CI, 37.5-42.1] and objective measure 48.5% [95% CI, 41.6-50.9]. All self-report methods showed low or moderate sensitivity (IPAQ 20.0%, RPAQ 18.7%, and EPIC-PAQ 69.8%) to correctly classify inactive people and the agreement between objective and self-reported PA was low (ĸ = 0.07 [95% CI, 0.02-0.12], 0.12 [95% CI, 0.06-0.18], and 0.19 [95% CI, 0.13-0.24] for IPAQ, RPAQ, and EPIC-PAQ, respectively). The modest agreement between self-reported and objectively measured PA suggests that population levels of PA derived from self-report should be interpreted cautiously. Implementation of objective measures in large-scale cohort studies and surveillance systems is recommended.

Organized Sports and Unstructured Active Play as Physical Activity Sources in Children From Low-Income, Chicago Households.

This study tested associations of organized sports participation and unstructured active play with overall moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in low-income children and examined factors associated with participation frequency. Research staff visited 88 low-income Chicago households with children ages 6-13 years. MVPA was assessed through 7-day accelerometry. Researchers documented the home availability of physical activity equipment. Caregivers reported on child participation in organized sports and unstructured active play, family support for physical activity, perceived neighborhood safety, and access to neighborhood physical activity venues. Despite similar participation in organized sports and unstructured active play, boys accumulated more MVPA than girls. MVPA was predicted by an interaction between gender and unstructured active play. Boys accumulated 23-45 additional minutes of weekday MVPA and 53-62 additional minutes of weekend MVPA through unstructured active play, with no such associations in girls. Higher reported neighborhood safety and family support for physical activity were associated with engagement in unstructured active play for both genders, and with participation in organized sports for girls. Physical activity interventions for low-income, urban children should emphasize unstructured active play, particularly in boys. Fostering family support for physical activity and safe play environments may be critical intervention components.

Physical Activity Levels and Obesity Status of Oregon Rural Elementary School Children

Increasing physical activity during the school day has been proposed as one of the best options for accelerating progress in obesity prevention. In rural environments where access to before and after school programs, and active transportation efforts are limited by long bus commutes, the 6.5 hour school-day may present the only opportunity for many children to meet the 60-minute recommended daily minimum of moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA). PURPOSE: Our aim was to determine the relationship between school-day physical activity (PA) and body mass index (BMI) among rural elementary aged children. METHODS: We measured height, weight, and PA on 1535 children enrolled in six rural Oregon elementary schools in fall, 2013. PA accrued during the school week was measured over four consecutive days using Walk4Life pedometers. Single day averages were calculated for wear time, steps, total activity (TA; combined light, moderate, vigorous PA), and moderate to vigorous activity (MVPA; step count > 120/min) using four-day summary data. BMI percentiles and z-scores were calculated and regression models were run to examine the relationships between PA variables and BMI z-scores, adjusting for wear time, gender, and grade. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight (38.5%) and obesity (19.7%) was similar for boys (n=814) and girls (n=721). More MVPA was associated with lower BMI (p<0.001), independent of gender, wear time or grade. Mean MVPA time was 18.8 (8), versus 15.3 (6.8) minutes for healthy-weight and obese children respectively. Mean data suggest no children met the minimum daily PA recommendations while at school. CONCLUSIONS: Efforts to promote PA as a strategy for obesity prevention in rural elementary school settings should focus on increasing opportunities for MVPA. Research funded by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative of the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, grant # 2011-68001-30020

Subjective Estimation of Physical Activity Using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Varies by Fitness Level.

Subjective measures of moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) rely on relative intensity whereas objective measures capture absolute intensity; thus, fit individuals and unfit individuals may perceive the same activity differently. Adults (N = 211) wore the SenseWear Armband (SWA) for 10 consecutive days to objectively assess sedentary time and MVPA. On day 8, participants completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) to subjectively assess sitting time and MVPA. Fitness was assessed via a maximal treadmill test, and participants were classified as unfit if the result was in the bottom tertile of the study population by sex or fit if in the upper 2 tertiles. Overall, estimates of MVPA between the IPAQ and SWA were not significantly different (IPAQ minus SWA, 67.4 ± 919.1 MVPA min/wk, P = .29). However, unfit participants overestimated MVPA using the IPAQ by 37.3% (P = .02), but fit participants did not (P = .99). This between-group difference was due to overestimation, using the IPAQ, of moderate activity by 93.8 min/wk among the unfit individuals, but underestimation of moderate activity among the fit participants by 149.4 min/wk. Subjective measures of MVPA using the IPAQ varied by fitness category; unfit participants overestimated their MVPA and fit participants accurately estimated their MVPA.

Reliability and validity of a new physical activity questionnaire for India.

BackgroundMeasurement of physical activity in epidemiological studies requires tools which are reliable, valid and culturally relevant. We attempted to develop a physical activity questionnaire (PAQ) that would measure physical activity in various domains over a year and which would be valid for use in adults of different age groups with varying levels of activity in urban and rural settings in low and middle income countries like India. The present paper aims to assess the reliability and validity of this new PAQ- termed the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation- Physical Activity Questionnaire (MPAQ).MethodsThe MPAQ was administered by trained interviewers to 543 individuals of either gender aged 20 years and above from urban and rural areas in 10 states of India from May to August 2011, followed by a repeat administration within a month for assessing reliability. Relative validity was performed against the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). Construct validity was tested by plotting time spent in sitting and moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) against body-mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. Criterion validity was assessed using the triaxial accelerometer, in a separate subset of 103 individuals. Bland and Altman plots were used to assess the agreement between MPAQ and accelerometer.ResultsThe interclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for total energy expenditure and physical activity levels were 0.82 and 0.73 respectively, between baseline and 1st month. The ICC between GPAQ and the MPAQ was 0.40 overall. The construct validity of the MPAQ showed linear association between sitting and MVPA, and BMI and waist circumference independent of age and gender. The Spearman’s correlation coefficients for sedentary activity, MVPA and overall PA for MPAQ against the accelerometer were 0.48 (95%CI-0.32-0.62), 0.44 (0.27-0.59) and 0.46 (0.29-0.60) respectively. Bland and Altman plots showed good agreement between MPAQ and accelerometer for sedentary behavior and fair agreement for MVPA.ConclusionThe MPAQ is an acceptable, reproducible and valid instrument, which captures data from multiple activity domains over the period of a year from adults of both genders and varying ages in various walks of life residing in urban and rural India.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12966-015-0196-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Effects of reducing sedentary time on glucose metabolism in immigrant Pakistani men.

ABSTRACTPurposeThis study aimed to examine the association between changes in objectively measured overall physical activity (PA) and changes in fasting and postprandial plasma insulin, C-peptide, and glucose concentrations in type 2 diabetes-prone immigrant Pakistani men living in Norway and to examine whether this association is explained by changes in moderate and vigorous PA (MVPA) or changes in sedentary time.MethodsThe current study is a secondary cohort analysis on data collected from the Physical Activity and Minority Health study, a randomized controlled trial aimed at increasing the PA level, and not sedentary time per se, in a group of sedentary immigrant Pakistani men (n = 150). For the present analyses, the two groups were merged and a cohort analysis was performed. Overall PA (counts per minute) and its subcomponents, sedentary time and MVPA, were measured with accelerometry. Outcome variables were measured after a 2-h standardized glucose tolerance test.ResultsChange in overall PA was significantly associated with postprandial log-transformed plasma insulin (β = −0.002; 95% confidence interval (CI), −0.003 to 0.000; P = 0.008), C-peptide (β = −2.7; 95% CI, −4.9 to −0.5; P = 0.01), and glucose concentration (β = −0.006; 95% CI, −0.01 to −0.002; P = 0.002). Change in sedentary time was significantly and beneficially associated with changes in postprandial log-transformed plasma insulin (β = 0.002; 95% CI, 0.001–0.003; P = 0.001), C-peptide (β = 3.7; 95% CI, 1.5–6.0; P = 0.001), and glucose concentration (β = 0.006; 95% CI, 0.002–0.1; P = 0.002), independent of changes in MVPA, waist circumference, and other confounders.ConclusionsIncreasing overall PA by reducing sedentary time seems as important as increasing time spent at MVPA in relation to postprandial plasma insulin and glucose levels in diabetes-prone immigrant men.

Physical Activity and Adiposity Markers at Older Ages: Accelerometer Vs Questionnaire Data

ObjectivePhysical activity is critically important for successful aging, but its effect on adiposity markers at older ages is unclear as much of the evidence comes from self-reported data on physical activity. We assessed the associations of questionnaire-assessed and accelerometer-assessed physical activity with adiposity markers in older adults. Design/Setting/ParticipantsThis was a cross-sectional study on 3940 participants (age range 60-83 years) of the Whitehall II study who completed a 20-item physical activity questionnaire and wore a wrist-mounted accelerometer for 9 days in 2012 and 2013. MeasurementsTotal physical activity was estimated using metabolic equivalent hours/week for the questionnaire and mean acceleration for the accelerometer. Time spent in moderate-and-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was also assessed by questionnaire and accelerometer. Adiposity assessment included body mass index, waist circumference, and fat mass index. Fat mass index was calculated as fat mass/height² (kg/m²), with fat mass estimated using bioimpedance. ResultsGreater total physical activity was associated with lower adiposity for all adiposity markers in a dose-response manner. In men, the strength of this association was 2.4 to 2.8 times stronger with the accelerometer than with questionnaire data. In women, it was 1.9 to 2.3 times stronger. For MVPA, questionnaire data in men suggested no further benefit for adiposity markers past 1 hour/week of activity. This was not the case for accelerometer-assessed MVPA where, for example, compared with men undertaking <1 hour/week of accelerometer-assessed MVPA, waist circumference was 3.06 (95% confidence interval 2.06–4.06) cm lower in those performing MVPA 1–2.5 hours/week, 4.69 (3.47–5.91) cm lower in those undertaking 2.5–4 hours/week, and 7.11 (5.93–8.29) cm lower in those performing ≥4 hours/week. ConclusionsThe association of physical activity with adiposity markers in older adults was stronger when physical activity was assessed by accelerometer compared with questionnaire, suggesting that physical activity might be more important for adiposity than previously estimated.

Association of light exposure on physical activity and sedentary time in young people.

Background: To investigate whether light exposure was associated with objectively measured physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour in young people. Methods: Participants (n = 229, 46.7% female) were young people (mean 8.8 years [SD ± 2.2]) from the borough of Camden, UK. Daily sedentary time, moderate and vigorous PA (MVPA) and light exposure were measured using a tri-axial accelerometer with an ambient light sensor during the summer. Multiple linear regression models examined associations between average daily light exposure, sedentary time and time in MVPA. Models were repeated investigating weekdays and weekend days separately. Analyses were adjusted for pre-specified covariables, including age, sex, device wear time, ethnic group, school and body fat. Results: There were significant associations between average daily light exposure and time sedentary (β coefficient = −11.2, 95% CI, −19.0 to −3.4) and in MVPA (β coefficient = 3.5, 95% CI, 1.2 to 5.9). Light exposure was significantly associated with weekend sedentary time (β coefficient = −10.0, 95% CI, −17.6, −2.4), weekend MVPA (β coefficient = 3.7, 95% CI, 1.7, 5.7), weekday sedentary time (β coefficient = −15.0, 95% CI, −22.7 to −7.2), but not weekday MVPA (β coefficient = 2.0, 95% CI, −0.5 to 4.5). Conclusion: Average daily light exposure is positively associated with time in MVPA and negatively associated with sedentary time. Increasing daylight exposure may be a useful intervention strategy for promoting physical activity.

Validation of the Godin-Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire classification coding system using accelerometer assessment among breast cancer survivors.

The aim of this research was to provide convergent validity evidence for the use of the Godin-Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (GSLTPAQ) to classify breast cancer survivors into active and insufficiently active categories. Data were collected among a sample of breast cancer survivors (N = 199; mean age = 55 years) to examine the association between physical activity assessed with a GT3X triaxial accelerometer and the use of the GSLTPAQ's coding system recently proposed by Godin (2011). Participants self-reported moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) performed in a typical week on the GSLTPAQ and those with MVPA leisure score index ≥ 24 were classified as active. ANCOVA revealed that the adjusted mean [95% CI] number of recorded MVPA minutes was higher for respondents classified as active (145.54 [127.26; 163.83]) compared to respondents classified as insufficiently active (86.99 [74.04; 99.94]). The GSLTPAQ and accelerometer classified 33.8 and 27.2% of participants as active, respectively (agreement = 70.8%). Sensitivity and specificity values were 75.3 and 58.5%, respectively. The GSLTPAQ can be used to classify cancer survivors into active and insufficiently active categories in reference to cancer survivors' physical activity guidelines. However, it has greater capacity to correctly identify insufficiently active respondents. The use of the GSLTPAQ's classification coding in oncology research could improve the quality of physical activity recommendations and interventions handed out to cancer survivors.