Health Physical Activity Guidelines Research Articles

Brazilians living with diabetes do not meet basic physical activity guidelines for health – a cross-sectional study

Introduction and aim. The purpose of this study was to describe the profile of physical activity (PA) of Brazilian adults living with diabetes mellitus living in large Brazilian urban centers, as well as to determine whether the practice aligns with the physical activity guidelines recommended for people with diabetes. Material and methods. Cross-sectional data were acquired from the 2020 Surveillance System for Risk and Protective Factors for Chronic Non-communicable Diseases, in which about 54,000 persons aged 18 and older in all Brazilian state capitals were contacted in a telephone survey. Participants reported on their engagement in recreational physical activity and active commuting to school and/or work in the three months preceding the interview, as well as the weekly frequency and duration of these activities. They also stated whether they were living with diabetes. A descriptive analysis was performed, and statistical significance was determined using Pearson’s chi-squared test. Results. In 2020, 7.9% of the population identified themselves living with diabetes. There was a greater frequency among older women and those with less education. Walking, water aerobics, and general gymnastics were the most common kinds of physical activity reported by people with diabetes. Moreover, over half of them (54.5%) were inactive, and 15% matched the physical activity criteria. The majority (90%) practiced PA for 30 minutes or more per day, while 87% of those who were active and exercised 1 to 2 times per week did not meet the requirements of the Ministry of Health. Conclusion. In 2020, 7.9% of the population identified themselves as having diabetes. There was a higher frequency among older women and those with less schooling. In the sample as a whole, approximately 70% of people living with diabetes were inactive (54.5%) or did not meet the minimum BP recommendations for people with diabetes. The duration of each session seemed to be in line with the recommendations, however, the lack of regularity caused by the low weekly frequency meant that the minimum recommended target could not be achieved. Efforts involving the continued monitoring of people living with diabetes and counseling in Primary Health Care to opt for a more physically active life, seem to be promising acts for a healthier life, pending a definitive resolution to the disease.

O.3.1-8 The western research hub for physical activity and health: answering the World Health Organization’s call to implement the global action plan on physical activity

Abstract Purpose Physical activity provides a multitude of health benefits yet only half of Canadians meet national physical activity guidelines for health. In response to the global epidemic of physical inactivity, the World Health Organization (WHO) created the Global Action Plan on Physical Activity (GAPPA) to help countries prioritize decreasing physical inactivity. In 2021, we formed the Western Research Hub for Physical Activity and Health (The Hub) to respond to this call to action from the WHO. Our purpose is to advocate for and implement meaningful, sustainable and culturally relevant physical activity opportunities within our community and beyond. Our team is comprised of 30 junior and senior university scholars and a Community Advisory Council of local organization representatives and patient partners who inform and co-design our work. Project description Through ongoing discussions with our members, we learned that while the GAPPA provides a clear roadmap, funding for such implementation projects is scarce and researchers, community organizations, and policymakers feel they do not have the necessary expertise to undertake implementation or scale-up projects. To address these gaps, we created The Hub’s Implementation Support Service. This service provides those working on GAPPA-related projects with support from our team in the form of: implementation resources (frameworks and toolkits); advice from implementation scientists; regular meetings to troubleshoot implementation barriers; networking support to connect with relevant partners; and financial support (seed grants worth $5000 CAD). Funding applications are reviewed and selected by a committee of researchers, community organizations, and patient partners. The Implementation Support Service will undergo a process and impact evaluation by understanding perceptions of those delivering and receiving the implementation service, as well as determining the short- and long-term effects of the implementation projects we support. Conclusions The Western Research Hub for Physical Activity and Health is the first and only collective of its kind aimed directly at addressing and implementing the WHO’s GAPPA framework by providing a centralized access point for implementation seed grants and services. By providing resources and facilitating access to physical activity, our Hub can support more individuals staying active for more of their lives, with implications for population-level health.

Physical Activity Intensity Measurement and Health: State of the Art and Future Directions for Scientific Research.

Physical activity guidelines for health recommend any type of unstructured physical activity for health promotion. Adults should perform at least 150-300 min per week of moderate intensity or 75-150 min per week of vigorous intensity activities, or an equivalent combination of the two intensities. However, the relationship between physical activity intensity and longevity remains a debated topic, with conflicting perspectives offered by epidemiologists, clinical exercise physiologists or anthropologists. This paper addresses the current known role of physical activity intensity (in particular vigorous versus moderate intensity) on mortality and the existing problems of measurement. Given the diversity of existing proposals to categorize physical activity intensity, we call for a common methodology. Device-based physical activity measurements (e.g., wrist accelerometers) have been proposed as a valid method to measure physical activity intensity. An appraisal of the results reported in the literature, however, highlights that wrist accelerometers have not yet demonstrated sufficient criterion validity when they are compared to indirect calorimetry. Novel biosensors and wrist accelerometers will help us understand how different metrics of physical activity relates to human health, however, all these technologies are not enough mature to provide personalized applications for healthcare or sports performance.

Cardiorespiratory Fitness and All-Cause Mortality in Women with Metabolic Syndrome.

Purpose: To examine the association between cardiorespiratory fitness (fitness) and all-cause mortality in women with metabolic syndrome (MetSyn). Methods: The sample included 1798 women with MetSyn (mean age 50.2 years) who received a comprehensive preventive baseline examination between 1978 and 2016, with mortality follow-up through December 31, 2017. MetSyn was identified using Adult Treatment Panel-III Guidelines. Fitness was determined by duration of a maximal treadmill exercise test and grouped as fit or unfit on the basis of the upper 80% and lower 20% of the age-standardized fitness distribution. Age- and smoking-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated in a proportional hazards regression model. Results: During a mean follow-up of 16.6 ± 8.7 years, 204 deaths occurred. Crude all-cause mortality rates were 6.8 and 6.9 deaths per 10,000 woman-years in fit and unfit groups, respectively. The adjusted HR (95% CI) for all-cause mortality in unfit versus fit women (referent) with MetSyn was 1.36 (95% CI 1.01-1.83). Conclusions: Higher levels of fitness significantly attenuate the risk of all-cause mortality in women with MetSyn. In accordance with the American Heart Association scientific statement, to more accurately determine mortality risk in this population, health care professionals should measure or estimate fitness and should strongly encourage women to meet current public health guidelines for physical activity with the goal of reaching higher fitness levels.

S06-3 Supporting our lifelong engagement: mothers and teens exercising (SOLE MATES); from formative research to feasibility testing

BackgroundHealth promotion efforts have largely failed to effectively support adolescent girls to meet public health guidelines for physical activity (PA). Engaging mothers in the promotion of PA for their daughters is an important strategy to facilitate behaviour change. This paper provides an overview of the development of the SOLE MATES programme - a novel mother-daughter intervention.MethodsThis programme of research follows the MRC guidance for development and evaluating complex interventions (Craig, 2008). Two reviews were conducted to synthesise the evidence base on (1) mother-daughter PA interventions and (2) adolescent girls' perceptions of PA participation. The behaviour change wheel (BCW) framework was then used to design the components of an intervention to improve adolescent girls' PA (Michie et al, 2011). Finally, a single-arm feasibility trial was conducted to examine recruitment, data collection, acceptability, resources and participant responses.ResultsOur evidence reviews showed that only a limited number of interventions designed exclusively to target mothers and daughters have been conducted. In addition, programmes for adolescent girls should focus on alternative activities aside from the competitive team-based sports often offered.The BCW design process resulted in a group-based face-to-face intervention, involving six intervention functions (education, persuasion, incentivisation, training, modelling, enablement) and 18 behaviour change techniques. The 6-week programme includes weekly educational and practical group sessions plus home tasks and the provision of participant resources. In addition to encouraging participants to walk regularly, the programme also aims to empower mothers to be role models for their daughters positive health behaviour.Participants in the feasibility study were mothers (n = 27) with daughters (n = 31) aged 12-16 years. Eligibility rates were 93.4%, and baseline activity levels were low. Programme content, measures and facilitators were acceptable. Daily steps increased in mothers (+2,875, p = 0.009) and daughters (+1,393, p = 0.007).ConclusionsWe demonstrate the value of formative research in the intervention development process. We show that it is feasible to increase the PA levels of teenage girls through an inter-generational multi-component PA programme. The SOLE MATES programme should now be examined for effectiveness using a RCT. If successful the scale-up and sustainability of the programme should be explored.

Examining the Gradient of All-Cause Mortality Risk in Women across the Cardiorespiratory Fitness Continuum.

Although cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is inversely associated with all-cause mortality in women, less is known regarding the gradient of mortality risk in women, particularly at the lower end of the CRF continuum. A total of 17,901 healthy women (mean age, 45.9 yr) completed a baseline clinical examination, including a maximal treadmill exercise test at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas, TX, between 1971 and 2016. Participants were placed into CRF quintiles based on age and treadmill time. After a mean follow-up period of 17.9 yr, 1198 all-cause deaths occurred. More favorable cardiometabolic risk factors, smoking status, and physical activity levels were observed across ordered CRF quintiles ( P < 0.001 for all). Adjusted all-cause mortality hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals were 1.71 (1.40-2.09), 1.55 (1.29-1.87), 1.25 (1.03-1.51), 1.16 (0.97-1.38), and 1.0 (referent), respectively, across CRF quintiles ( P trend ≤ 0.001). When utilizing CRF as a continuous variable in a spline analysis and using 4.5 METs as the referent, we estimate a 10% reduction in mortality risk per 1-MET increment in CRF ( P < 0.001) until a threshold of approximately 11 METs. Mortality risk was approximately 50% lower at the 11-MET threshold when compared with the referent. No further significant reduction in mortality risk was observed beyond the 11-MET threshold. In addition, age-adjusted hemodynamic variables including resting and maximal double product, heart rate reserve, double-product reserve, and 1-min recovery heart rate were more favorable across CRF quintiles ( P < 0.001 for all). Beginning at a referent value of 4.5 METs, a significant decreasing gradient of all-cause mortality exists across the CRF continuum, until a threshold of approximately 11 METs is reached. Although all women should be encouraged to work toward meeting public health guidelines for physical activity, it is especially important to target those at the low end of the CRF continuum.

A Call to Clarify the Intensity and Classification of Standing Behavior.

Public health guidelines for physical activity now include recommendations to break up prolonged sitting with light-intensity activities. Concurrently, interventions to increase standing have emerged, especially within the workplace in the form of sit–stand or standing workstations. Moreover, in short-duration studies, breaking up prolonged sitting with standing has been associated improved cardiometabolic outcomes. Publicly available estimates of the intensity of standing range from 1.5 to 2.3 metabolic equivalents (METs), neatly classifying standing as a light-intensity activity (>1.5 to <3.0 METs). Further delineation between ‘active’ and ‘passive’ standing has been proposed, with corresponding METs of >2.0 METs and ≤2.0 METs, respectively. However, this study reviews data suggesting that some standing (e.g., while performing deskwork) is substantially below the minimum light intensity activity threshold of 1.5 METs. These data bring into question whether standing should be universally classified as a light-intensity behavior. The objectives of this study are to (i) highlight discrepancies in classifying standing behavior in the human movement spectrum continuum, and (ii) to propose a realignment of the ‘active’ vs. ‘passive’ standing threshold to match the light intensity threshold to help provide a clearer research framework and subsequent public health messaging for the expected health benefits from standing.

The Girls Active Project: a school-based intervention to increase adolescent girls’ physical activity

Abstract Background National and international evidence indicate that adolescent's physical activity (PA) participation rates are low. In Ireland, 93% of adolescent girls (vs 86% boys) do not reach recommended PA guidelines for health. Literature indicates that socio-economic status is a predictor of PA participation. The aim of this study was to work with a socio-economically disadvantaged school in Dublin (Ireland) and, using the behaviour change wheel (BCW) framework, design the components of a school-based intervention to increase adolescent girls' PA levels. Methods A circular development process was undertaken to collectively design the intervention in accordance with the steps recommended by the BCW. One all-girl, socio-economically disadvantaged post-primary school was invited to take part. Public and Patient Involvement (PPI), alongside a cross-sectional, mixed-methods study design, was used to identify the barriers and facilitators to PA using both quantitative questionnaires, and three semi-structured focus groups. Results Girls (n = 287) felt they would be more active in school if they had 'more time to do it' and they 'developed a habit of doing it'. The qualitative data identified influence of their peers, beliefs about their capabilities, setting goals and lack of reinforcement as additional themes. Just 1.4% of students in this sample self-reported meeting the recommended PA guidelines. The BCW design process, informed by the data, PPI members and research team resulted in the selection of specific intervention functions and behaviour change techniques. Conclusions The PA levels of adolescent girls are far below recommended guidelines for optimum health. Helping schools to fulfil their PA promoting role should be a public health priority. The BCW provided a systematic framework for developing a PA school-based intervention. The feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the Girls Active Project will be examined. Key messages Physical activity levels of adolescent girls in Ireland are far below recommended guidelines for health. Using Public and Patient Involvement, and the Behaviour Change Wheel provided a well-founded framework with which to develop a school-based intervention to improve Physical Activity levels.

Prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of accelerometer measured physical activity levels of school-going children in Kampala city, Uganda.

The current international physical activity guidelines for health recommend children to engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) daily. Yet, accurate prevalence estimates of physical activity levels of children are unavailable in many African countries due to the dearth of accelerometer-measured physical activity data. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence and examine the socio-demographic correlates of accelerometer-measured physical activity among school-going children in Kampala city, Uganda. A cross-sectional study design was used to recruit a sample of 10-12 years old school-going children (n = 256) from 7 primary schools (3 public schools and 4 private schools) in Kampala city, Uganda. Sedentary time, light-intensity physical activity (LPA), moderate-intensity physical activity (MPA) and vigorous-intensity physical activity (VPA) were measured by accelerometers (ActiGraph GT3X+ [Pensacola, Florida, USA]) over a seven-day period. Socio-demographic factors were assessed by a parent/guardian questionnaire. Weight status was generated from objectively measured height and weight and computed as body mass index (BMI). Multi-level logistic regressions identified socio-demographic factors that were associated with meeting physical activity guidelines. Children's sedentary time was 9.8±2.1 hours/day and MVPA was 56±25.7 minutes/day. Only 36.3% of the children (38.9% boys, 34.3% girls) met the physical activity guidelines. Boys, thin/normal weight and public school children had significantly higher mean daily MVPA levels. Socio-demographic factors associated with odds of meeting physical activity guidelines were younger age (OR = 0.68; 95% CI = 0.55-0.84), thin/normal weight status (OR = 4.08; 95% CI = 1.42-11.76), and socioeconomic status (SES) indicators such as lower maternal level of education (OR = 2.43; 95% CI = 1.84-3.21) and no family car (OR = 0.31; 95% CI = 0.17-0.55). Children spent a substantial amount of time sedentary and in LPA and less time in MVPA. Few children met the physical activity guidelines. Lower weight status, lower maternal education level and no family car were associated with meeting physical activity guidelines. Effective interventions and policies to increase physical activity among school-going children in Kampala, are urgently needed.

0867 Gender Differences In The Relationship Between Exercise And Sleep In Young Adults

Abstract Introduction Exercise is widely prescribed as a behavioral treatment for sleep health, but generalizations about the benefits of exercise for sleep do not typically consider gender differences. The present study examined relationships between exercise frequency and self-reported sleep outcomes in undergraduate men and women. Methods Students were recruited from campus fitness facilities immediately after they finished a workout (N=829, 19.5±1.4 y, 38.5% Female) and completed demographic, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and exercise questionnaires. Department of Health and Human Services Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans were used to dichotomize students into those who met recommendations for weekly aerobic and strength training exercise and those who did not. Multiple regression was used to examine the relationships between exercise frequency and PSQI outcomes and analysis of variance was used to compare PSQI outcomes by gender and exercise guideline groups. Results Compared to women, men reported more days of exercise, fewer days of aerobic exercise, more days of strength training, better sleep efficiency and later bedtimes (ps&amp;lt;0.05). Among all participants, exercise frequency associated with an earlier bedtime, higher sleep efficiency, less daytime dysfunction and better sleep quality (ps&amp;lt;0.05). When divided by gender, exercise frequency associated with an earlier bedtime and better sleep quality in women (ps&amp;lt;0.05) but not men and associated with less daytime dysfunction in men (p=0.012) but not women. Approximately 47% of participants met exercise guidelines for both aerobic and strength training. Participants who met the guidelines exhibited an earlier bedtime (p=0.01) and higher sleep efficiency (p=0.08) than those who did not. There was also a significant interaction effect for sleep latency (p=0.042) such that meeting the guidelines associated with a shorter sleep latency in men (p=0.006) but not women. Conclusion These findings highlight the importance of taking an individual’s gender and specific sleep issue into account when implementing an exercise prescription to improve sleep. Support Rutgers University Aresty Foundation

Get A Move On: Using intelligent personal systems to promote behaviour change within the home setting – A process evaluation

AbstractApproximately one quarter of children living in Northern Ireland are overweight or obese. Intelligent personal systems (IPS) such as Amazon Echo and Google Home have become increasingly integrated into the home setting and therefore, may facilitate behaviour change via novel interactions or as an adjunct to conventional interventions. However, little is currently known about their potential role in this context; therefore, the aim of this feasibility study is to assess the effect of a home-based technology intervention (delivered using Amazon Echo) on physical activity (PA) and dietary habits in families attending the Safe Wellbeing Eating &amp; Exercise Together (SWEET) project, a community-based health promotion programme. Recruitment to the study is ongoing with the aim of recruiting up to 16 families. Families are randomly assigned to receive an IPS (n = 8) or assigned to control (n = 8) i.e. attend the SWEET project as usual, for 12 weeks. Individualised prompts and reminders, aligned with the content of the SWEET project, are regularly delivered to families via the IPS and normal interaction with the device is also encouraged. The primary outcome measure is PA, which will be objectively measured using an Actigraph accelerometer, and secondary outcome measures include body mass index (BMI) and family eating and activity habits. Process evaluation data from focus groups and device interaction will be used to determine the feasibility of using IPS to promote healthy behaviours within the home setting. To date, 11 families have been recruited (11 adults, 90.9% F; 16 children, 56.3% F), mean age 40.4 ± 5.5 years and BMI 34.9 ± 6.7 kg/m2 for adults and 8.9 ± 2.1 years and BMI z-score 2.61 ± 1.23 for children. Average moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) was dichotomised to determine the percentage of adults and children meeting the UK (2011) PA guidelines for health. In total, 62.5% of adults reached the recommended level of 150 minutes MVPA per week before the intervention (n = 8;191.50 ± 81.10 minutes), with 40% of children reaching the recommended level of 60 minutes MVPA each day of the week (n = 10; M = 52.83 ± 31.07 minutes). Follow-up measurements will be taken at the end of the intervention and acceptability and usability of such devices within the context of promoting healthy behaviours will be assessed. The findings from this feasibility study will demonstrate whether the use of IPS can increase PA in adults and children, as well as provide novel insights into the feasibility of using these devices to facilitate behaviour change.

70 Benefits and Potential Pitfalls of Exercise for Falls and Frailty

Abstract Group and home-based exercise programmes, delivered by trained professionals to those living in the community reduce rate of falls and risk of falling and are considered more cost effective than multifactorial or multi-component falls prevention strategies. However, the dose of highly challenging balance and progressive strength training needed to not only improve risk factors but also reduce falls means that most patients do not receive the required dose. The same can be said for interventions aimed at sarcopenia and frailty. What does this mean for their outcomes and would we do this with medications? The importance of exercise in the rehabilitation of a frailer older person for many outcomes should not be overlooked and the challenge now is to improve provision of effective interventions within practice, both in terms of linking falls prevention with bone health, increasing uptake and adherence to exercise interventions and in terms of exercise delivery. This lecture will present the evidence on falls prevention but highlight the difficulties in engaging frailer older people, who may be sarcopenic, have multiple co-morbidities and be fearful of activity in evidence based exercise. Unfortunately, frailer older people sit more and the growing evidence that sedentary behaviour has poor outcomes irrespective of activity, suggests this is a good place to start with frail fallers. Sit less, move more and progress to being strength and balance training to reduce fear of falling and progress on to meeting the physical activity guidelines for health.

Effectiveness of Lifestyle Health Promotion Interventions for Nurses: Protocol for a Systematic Review

Risky lifestyle behaviours amongst nurses have been well documented. Studies have shown non-adherence among nurses to national public health guidelines for physical activity, diet, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Obesity and overweight are prevalent in nurses. A study of Scottish nurses showed that 69% were overweight or obese, which was higher than rates for other healthcare professionals, unqualified care staff and those in non-health related occupations.

Relationships between Motor Competence, Physical Activity, and Obesity in British Preschool Aged Children.

Background: This cross-sectional study aimed to examine associations between motor competence, physical activity, and obesity in British children aged three to five years. Method: Motor competence (MC) was assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2. Physical activity (PA) was assessed using triaxial wrist-worn accelerometers. Children were assessed on compliance to current PA recommendations of ≥180 min of total PA (TPA) and ≥60 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) for health benefits. Associations were explored with Pearson’s product moments and weight-status, and sex-differences were explored with independent t-tests and chi-squared analysis. Results: A total of 166 children (55% males; 4.28 ± 0.74 years) completed MC and PA assessments. Associations were found between PA and MC (TPA and overall MC, TPA and object-control MC (OC), MVPA and overall MC, and MVPA and OC). This study suggests that good motor competence is an important correlate of children meeting physical activity guidelines for health.

Physical Activity Guidelines for Health and Prosperity in the United States

Physical Activity Guidelines for Health and Prosperity in the United States

Using Mixed Methods to Explore Older Residents' Physical Activity and Experiences of Community Active Aging Friendliness

Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality and as such, it is critical that physical activity guidelines for health consider equitable access to physical activity opportunities for all, including those aged 65 years and older. The purpose of this study was to examine the intersections of attributes of older people (e.g. income, gender, age, health, physical activity) and attributes of the places they live (e.g. rurality, public transit, sidewalks, parks, community centre) to explain older adults’ likelihood of participating in physical activities recommended for health. The study employed a sequential mixed-methods design. We examined the interplay of self-reported walking and exercise behaviours in a representative sample of independent, older adult (n=126; age 65 years and older) residents with physical activity features of their rural (n=3) and urban (n=3) communities. Computed logistic regressions models predicted survey respondents' reports of walking and exercise by community type. Quantitative findings were integrated with voiced experiences of community features as qualitative determinants of active aging provided by adult residents (n=237; ages 50 and older). Qualitative data were coded and analysed using constant comparison triangulation across data sources. Qualitative data consisted of mapped photographs of observable determinants, physical activity supports and barriers, and transcribed focus group narratives generated by local residents. Older adults living in more urban (vs. rural) communities reporting good health and higher income had greater odds of walking around their neighbourhood (p

The Relationship between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scores in Older Adults

Background: Relatively little is known regarding the association between objective measures of physical function such as cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and cognitive function tests in healthy older adults. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between CRF and cognitive function in adults aged 55 and older. Methods: Between 2008 and 2017, 4,931 men and women underwent a comprehensive preventive physical exam at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas, Texas. CRF was determined by duration of a maximal treadmill exercise test. Cognitive function was evaluated with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). In a multivariate model, adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for MoCA scores < 26 (i.e., cognitive impairment) were determined by using CRF as both a continuous and a categorical variable. Results: The mean age of the sample was 61.0 ± 6.0 years; mean maximal MET values were 10.0 ± 2.2. Mean MoCA scores were 26.9 ± 2.2; 23.4% of the sample had MoCA scores indicative of cognitive impairment. The odds ratio for cognitive impairment was 0.93 (0.88–0.97) per 1-MET increment in CRF. When examined as a categorical variable, and using the lowest CRF quintile as the referent, there was a significantly reduced likelihood for cognitive impairment across the remaining ordered CRF categories (p trend = 0.004). Conclusion: The association between CRF and MoCA score in older adults suggests that meeting or exceeding public health guidelines for physical activity is likely to increase CRF in low fit individuals, maintain CRF in those with a moderate to high level of CRF, and thereby help to maintain cognitive function in healthy older adults.

Physical Activity Guideline Attainment and Gender Influence Chronic Disease Risks Among African American College Students

Chronic disease risk and poor health behaviors, including physical inactivity, are increasing among college students. African American (AA) college students are a vulnerable population given the disproportionate manifestation of chronic disease in AA adults. AA women are particularly high risk given the higher prevalence of chronic diseases among women compared with men. PURPOSE: To examine differences in chronic disease risk among AA college students by attainment of physical activity (PA) guidelines and gender. METHODS: AA college students (N=63; 43 female, 20 male; aged 18.2 ± 1.3 yrs) were recruited for a study examining and intervening on cardiovascular disease risk. Physical assessments and blood marker investigation were collected. Participants also completed self-report surveys: International PA Questionnaire (IPAQ), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Students were categorized by meeting or not meeting PA guidelines (>150 min/wk). Descriptive statistics, frequencies, and independent samples t-tests were used to describe overall and stratified chronic disease risk profiles. RESULTS: Overall, students were overweight/obese (54%), had optimal blood profiles, did not attain the PA guidelines for health (54%), were moderately stressed (PSS: 15.1 ±6.5), had poor sleep quality (PSQI: 5.7 ± 3.1), and failed to meet sleep recommendations (6.5 ± 1.2 hrs/night). Females reported higher perceived stress than males (PSS score 16.7 ± 5.6 vs. 11.5 ± 7.2, p<.01); no other gender-specific differences in physical or blood biomarkers were detected. More males (85%) than females (28%) met PA guidelines. Females who met PA guidelines had significantly lower waist circumference (74.1 vs. 85.7 cm), BMI (23.1 vs. 28.6), and LDL cholesterol (65.1 vs. 74.3 mg/dL), and higher sleep quality (4.8 vs. 6.0) compared with females not meeting PA guidelines (all p <.05). There were no significant differences between males by PA guideline attainment. CONCLUSIONS:We identified linkages between PA guideline attainment and chronic disease risk in AA college students, which was more meaningful among females. Given the low PA rates among females, additional work is needed to understand strategies for increasing PA among female AA college students. Supported by NIMHD 1R15MD010194-01.

Mothers and teenage daughters walking to health: using the behaviour change wheel to develop an intervention to improve adolescent girls' physical activity

ObjectivesThe majority of adolescent girls fail to meet public health guidelines for physical activity. Engaging mothers in the promotion of physical activity for their daughters may be an important strategy to facilitate behaviour change. The aim of this study was to use the behaviour change wheel (BCW) framework to design the components of an intervention to improve adolescent girls' physical activity. Study designCross-sectional study to inform intervention development. MethodsThe BCW framework was used to (1) understand the behaviour, (2) identify intervention functions and (3) select content and implementation options. A circular development process was undertaken by the research team to collectively design the intervention in accordance with the steps recommended by the BCW. ResultsThe BCW design process resulted in the selection of six intervention functions (education, persuasion, incentivization, training, modelling, enablement) and 18 behaviour change techniques delivered via group-based, face-to-face mode. Behaviour change technique groupings include: goals and planning; feedback and monitoring; social support; shaping knowledge; natural consequences; comparison of behaviour; associations; comparison of outcomes; reward and threat; identity; and, self-belief. ConclusionsThe BCW process allowed an in-depth consideration of the target behaviours and provided a systematic framework for developing the intervention. The feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the programme will be examined.

Objectively Assessed Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour During Pregnancy in Portuguese Women: Differences Between Trimesters and Weekdays and Weekends

Background: Engaging in physical activity (PA) and reducing sedentary behaviour (SB) are important for health during pregnancy, yet relatively few studies have examined these variables using objective measures and across trimesters during pregnancy. Objective: To determine the amount of objectively assessed PA and SB engaged in whether there was any weekday to weekend day variation in PA and SB during the first and second trimester of pregnancy. Method: PA and SB were determined using accelerometry worn over 7 consecutive days during each trimester in 137 Portuguese females (mean age ± SD = 29.6 ± 5.7). Results: In regard to the proportion of participants meeting the ACSM guidelines for PA, 37.5% of the participants in the first trimester and 29.6% of participants in the second trimester met the cut off of 30min or more of any type of moderate intensity activity on most (5) days of the week. Moderate intensity PA was significantly lower in trimester 2 compared to trimester 1 (P = 0.003). Moderate intensity PA was also significantly lower during weekends compared to weekdays irrespective of trimester (P = 0.003). SB, light and vigorous intensity PA were relatively stable from trimester 1 to trimester 2 and between weekdays and weekends (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The present study suggests that the majority of women do not meet PA guidelines for health during pregnancy and that moderate intensity PA declines form trimester 1 to 2 and is lower at weekends.