Sedentary Pursuits Research Articles

Sitting time in different contexts in Austrian adolescents and association with weight status

<abstract> <p>The detrimental effects of high amounts of sedentary time on various health outcomes have been well documented. Particularly among youth, there are many sedentary pursuits that compete with active leisure time choices, which contribute to a high prevalence of insufficiently active children and adolescents. Therefore, the present study examined the time spent in various sedentary behaviors and the association with body weight in Austrian adolescents. Sedentary time was assessed with the “Heidelberg Questionnaire to Record the Sitting Behavior of Children and Adolescents” for 1225 (49.8% male) middle- and high-school students between 11 and 17 years of age. Their body weights and heights were measured with participants wearing gym clothes. The weight categories were established based on body mass index (BMI) percentiles using the German reference system. The average daily sedentary time across the entire sample was 12.0 ± 1.6 h, and 45% of the sedentary behaviors during the entire week were attributed to schoolwork. Normal weight participants reported a lower amount of sitting time compared to their overweight and obese peers, where they spent more time with physical activity and sleeping. Specifically, a higher body weight was associated with more time spent with recreational sedentary behaviors, while differences across the weight categories were limited for work-related sitting. Given the detrimental health effects of high amounts of sedentary behaviors, additional efforts are needed to promote physical activity in adolescents, particularly for those with an excess body weight. As almost half of the sedentary behaviors were attributed to work, schools could be a particularly viable setting for interventions that target an active lifestyle.</p> </abstract>

Correlates of sedentary behaviors in Austrian children and adolescents

<abstract> <p>A large proportion of children and adolescents spend their leisure time with predominantly sedentary pursuits and do not reach the WHO physical activity recommendations. As there remains limited research on specific sedentary behaviors in Austrian children and adolescents, we investigated time spent sitting and the utilization of various media during school days and the weekend in 6- to 15-year-old schoolchildren. Data for this cross-sectional study were collected in Spring 2022 with a standardized questionnaire that was based on the “Heidelberger Questionnaire for the Assessment of Sitting Behavior in Children and Adolescents”. Questions examined the frequency and duration of different sedentary behaviors separately for weekdays and weekends. A total of 2061 students were included in the analyses. Various factors, including school grade, sex, or recreational behavior, were implemented in a multifactorial ANOVA accounting for 1st order interactions. The mean sitting time of children and adolescents of all eight school grades was 10.4 ± 1.7 hours, with 56.7% associated with school. A significant increase in sitting time was observed from 1st grade (10.0 ± 1.3 h) to 8th grade (12.3 ± 1.2 h; p < 0.01), while sleep duration decreased with increasing age (p < 0.01). Media use was 1.2 ± 0.7 h in 1st grade and increased to 3.2 ± 1.2 h by 8th grade (p < 0.01). Physical activity decreased from 4.5 ± 1.4 h to 3.6 ± 1.0 h during the same period. While the increase in sitting time on weekdays was at the expense of sleep duration, the increase in sitting time on weekend days was at the expense of time spent in physical activity. In summary, there was a substantial increase in sedentary time from 1st to 8th grade, with school-related sedentary time accounting for the largest proportion, followed by a large increase in time spent with electronic media with increasing age. In addition, high sedentary time may come at the expense of sufficient sleep time, which further emphasizes the need to address sedentary behavior and sleep as important health correlates.</p> </abstract>

Physical Activity, Sedentary Pursuits, and their Determinants in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Physical Activity, Sedentary Pursuits, and their Determinants in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

WAS PHYSICAL EDUCATION AS BAD AS PEOPLE REMEMBER IT? A QUALITATIVE THEMATIC REVIEW

Observations of middle aged to retired clients in Personal Training practices in London UK, surfaced two themes; exercise-averse individuals with sedentary leisure and work pursuits reported poor experiences of physical education in secondary (high) school, whereas more active clients reported positive reflections. This instigated a systematic examination of contemporaneous documents and literature, which sought to explain the context of this reality. Five major themes emerged: The politico-educational environment from the 1960’s to the 1970’s, the parallel experience of maths anxiety, teaching practice, navigating failure and economic implications. Evidence suggests why the behaviour of a generation has been impacted; a post-war hierarchical social order undergoing profound change, poor pedagogic practices in which the less able found themselves suffering everything from corporal punishment to physical embarrassment and response models to failure predict clients’ later behaviours. The research findings substantiate the claims of clients’ memories of negative experiences with physical education at secondary school. The research concludes that the socio-economic costs associated with such past failures in PE are estimated to exceed £6 billion over the life of a contemporary five-year UK government and have clear social and economic implications for other developed democracies.

Students' physical well-being in physical education distance learning

Background and Study Aim. Students’ physical well-being is highly affected throughout the quarantine period. The effects of it towards the performance in Physical Education is examined due to the sudden shift of educational setting. More specifically, it sought to determine the impact of physical activity performed during the quarantine period based on the FITT (Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type) principle of exercise on the physical well-being of the students as well as the relationship of the two variables.
 Materials and Methods. The study was participated by 1,648 students at Cebu Normal University who, used an online survey, answered a 34-items questionnaire with dichotomous questions. Pearson Product Moment Correlation was utilized.
 Results. The study yielded 5 major results. The students' smoking habits have no impact on their engagement to physical activity when applying the FITT principle to distant learning. The students' dietary habits do not influence their engagement in physical activity related to distant learning when the FITT principle is used. When the FITT principle is utilized, students' BMI has nothing to do with their engagement in physical activity associated with distant learning. Students who engaged in physical activity spent less time engaging in these sedentary pursuits. University students were more likely to follow a normal eating routine, and aware more likely not to engage in unhealthy behaviors like smoking cigarettes, and were more active in other physical activities like doing household chores during the quarantine period.
 Conclusions. The study found out that physical well-being has a considerable negative impact on undergraduates' physical education achievement. Thus, the FITT principle has no impact on any participation in physical activities during distance learning.

Parental Perception of the Social and Physical Environment Contributes to Gender Inequalities in Children's Screen Time.

This cross-sectional study aimed to explore how parental perceptions of the social and physical environment of the neighborhood was associated with 3- to 10-year-old children's use of traditional and modern screen devices. Participants were recruited under the scope of the project ObesInCrisis, conducted in 2016-2017 in the cities of Porto, Coimbra, and Lisbon (Portugal). Data from 6347 children aged 3-10 years were analyzed (3169 boys [49.9%]). A parental questionnaire was used to collect data on children's screen time (dependent variable) and parents' perceived social and physical environment (from the Environmental Module of the International Physical Activity Prevalence Study questionnaire; independent variable), parental education, and urbanization (used as covariates). Neighborhood features were more correlated with girls' screen time, than with boys', particularly among younger children. Also, more social than physical characteristics of the neighborhood were positively associated with children's use of television and mobile devices (ie,tablet and smartphone). Community-based approaches should improve the social environment and implement supervised after-school programs to encourage and support children to be outdoors and spend less time in sedentary pursuits.

Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Patterns Prior to and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Understanding patterns in the types of activities older adults engage in during physical activity and sedentary time could help shape intervention designs. Few studies have adequately described the physical activity and sedentary pursuits older adults undertake, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. To answer these questions, this symposium uses data from three recent studies: Adult Changes in Thought (ACT),an epidemiologic study with self-reported and device-based measures of physical activity and sedentary time including time spent in various domains of activity; Objective Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Disease Health in Older Women (OPACH), an epidemiologic study with device and self-report measures of sedentary behavior; and an ongoing clinical trial, the Healthy Aging Resources to Thrive (HART) study with device and self-reported data on sitting time and patterns as well as physical activity. The first session in this symposium will present a description of the rates of meeting the aerobic, strength, and balance recommendations among older adults in the ACT study. Next, we will have a presentation describing sedentary activities in older adults by age, sex and device-based sitting patterns in the ACT study. In the third presentation we will use OPACH data to examine patterns and context of sedentary in relation to aging-related outcomes. Finally, we will describe changes in physical activity and sedentary time in the HART trial in the cohort enrolled prior to the COVID-19 pandemic vs. those enrolled during the pandemic. Our Discussant will provide new insights on the roles of sedentary behavior and physical activity in aging and health.

The Cortex in Context: Investigating the Influence of Activity and Space on Psychological Well-Being

Physical and mental health trends in developed countries are waning concurrently with increases in sedentary leisure pursuits and time spent in built environments. Research demonstrates that outdoor physical activity can prevent physical and mental ailments, and that excessive passive leisure (i.e. gaming and social media) can induce negative public health effects. This study explores the mechanisms of active and passive leisure influence through real-time tracking of mental states while incurring a standard “dose” of social media and walking. Results indicate that social media induces anxiety and mental focus, while walking enhances relaxation and meditative state. Geographic information systems (GIS) reveal that natural elements along various urban walking routes are associated with higher inward attention, and that unimpeded greenways may be more mentally restorative than built environments. Implications are discussed within the context of leisure education, urban planning, and public health.

Sedentary Patterns and Systemic Inflammation: Sex-Specific Links in Older Adults.

The study aimed to examine sex-specific associations between objectively measured sedentary patterns and pro- and anti-inflammatory biomarkers in older adults when considering the moderating impact of physical activity (PA). Accelerometer-based monitoring of sedentary patterns and PA was conducted in a population of older men (n = 83; age: 67.4 ± 1.5; height: 178.7 ± 6.6 cm; weight: 80.9 ± 10.6 kg) and women (n = 146; age: 67.4 ± 1.6; height: 164.2 ± 6.1 cm; weight: 64.6 ± 10.1 kg) aged 65–70. Blood samples were collected for the assessment of the inflammatory biomarkers C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-10, IL-18, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression models. Total and bouts of ≥10 min of sedentary time were inversely associated with the anti-inflammatory marker IL-10 in older men (accumulated sedentary time: β = −0.116; bouts: β = −0.099; all p < 0.05). Associations were independent of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and total PA volume. In women, total and bouts of ≥10 min of sedentary time were detrimentally associated with the pro-inflammatory marker fibrinogen (accumulated sedentary time: β = −0.130; bouts: β = −0.085; all p < 0.05). Associations remained between accumulated sedentary time and fibrinogen when adjusting for MVPA and total PA volume. This study highlights sex-specific routes by which sedentary patterns impact on pro- and anti-inflammatory biomarkers in older adults. The findings support efforts to promote accumulation of time spent in PA at the expense of time in sedentary pursuits on low-grade inflammation in older men and women.

Sedentary behaviours and their relationship with body composition of athletes

ABSTRACT During the recovery period, athletes present high sedentary behaviour (SB). In non-athletes, there is a direct relationship between SB and obesity. However, little is known about this relationship in athletes. We hypothesized that different types of SB entail different associations with body composition outcomes. We examined the associations between different types of SB and body composition outcomes in 135 athletes (70 males) aged 21.3 ± 3.9 years old. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was performed to assess fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM) and trunk fat mass (TFM). A validated SB questionnaire (PACE) was used to estimate total SB and specific sedentary pursuits on an average day. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed, adjusting for age, sex, weekly training time, years of sport practice, and sport type. A positive association was found for total SB and total screen time with %TFM (β = 0.220, p = 0.038 and β = 0.319, p = 0.040, respectively), while an inverse association was found for %FFM (β = −0.214, p = 0.042 and β = −0.310, p = 0.026). A higher total screen time was related with a higher %FM (β = 0.283, p = 0.035). With a much stronger effect size, cell phone screen time was positively related with %FM (β = 1.447, p = 0.001). There is still debate whether high levels of physical activity can fully counteract the harms of SB. These findings suggest that SB, particularly cell phone screen time, can compromise athletes’ body composition, regardless of weekly training time. Sport federations and coaches may improve athletes’ body composition by targeting specific sedentary pursuits, i.e. total screen time and cell phone screen time, during athletes’ recovery time. Highlights Even in athletes, SB can compromise total and regional body composition regardless of high training time. Screen time, specifically cell phone screen time seems to be the sedentary pursuit to target in athletes. Sport federations and coaches must control SB during athletes' recovery time.

Objective and Subjective Physical Activity Levels in Austrian Middle School Students

Background: Insufficient physical activity is considered a major threat to future public health as many children and adolescents do not engage in the recommended amount of physical activity (PA), despite the well-documented health benefits. The evaluation of ongoing efforts as well as future intervention strategies, however, requires an accurate assessment of PA. Aim: The present study, therefore, examined differences between objectively and subjectively determined PA in 36 Austrian adolescents (52.8% male; 13.5 ± 0.5 years of age). Methods: Time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and time spent sedentary was assessed with a wrist-worn accelerometer (GENEActive) that was worn for 7 consecutive days. Self-reported sleep duration was subtracted from total sedentary time in order to obtain sedentary time during waking hours. Participants also completed the short version of the International PA questionnaire (IPAQ) at the end of the objective measurement, which assesses time spent in MVPA and sitting time during the previous week. Results: Objective and subjective data showed that adolescents spent the majority of their time sitting or in sedentary pursuits. Self-reported MVPA was more than double the amount of the objectively determined time spent in MVPA (p p Conclusions: These results highlight the difficulty to accurately determine PA via questionnaire, which may be attributed to irregular PA patterns in youth. Accordingly, subjective measurements may need to be combined with objective methods in order to enhance the accuracy of PA assessments. The low levels of objectively determined PA, particularly in girls, further emphasize the need for continued efforts to ensure an adequate amount of PA in youth.

Associations of sedentary behavior in leisure and occupational contexts with symptoms of depression and anxiety

Sedentary behaviors (SB) can be associated with poorer mental health, but it remains unclear whether contexts for these behaviors may be important. We assessed relationships of SB in leisure-time and occupational contexts with frequent symptoms of depression and anxiety. Data originate from the Swedish Health Profile Assessment (HPA) database, a health assessment offered to employees working for companies or organizations connected to healthcare services. Analyses are based on data from 2017 onwards (N = 23,644; 57% male, mean age = 42 years). Two self-report questions assessed proportions of time spent in SB in leisure contexts and in the occupational setting. Logistic regressions examined relationships of SB in each context with the self-reporting of frequent symptoms of depression/anxiety. A separate model for the leisure plus occupational SB was also generated. Fully-adjusted models included exercise frequency. Compared to those reporting that they were ‘almost never’ sedentary in leisure-time contexts, a detrimental dose-response with frequent depression/anxiety symptoms was observed with increasing proportions of sedentary time: 50% of the time (OR = 1.44; 1.23–1.70), 75% (OR = 2.95; 2.45–3.54), almost always (OR = 3.85; 2.84–5.22). For occupational SB, the only associations were among those who reported being sedentary almost always, compared to almost never (OR = 1.47; 1.25–1.73). Associations of ‘overall’ SB with depression/anxiety symptoms mirrored the dose-response relationship for leisure-time SB. Exercise frequency attenuated the association for leisure-time SB only, but it remained statistically significant. Adults who spend ≥50% of their leisure-time in sedentary pursuits experience more frequent symptoms of depression and anxiety, compared to those who are less sedentary in that context.

The association between elderly people\u2019s sedentary behaviors and their health-related quality of life: focusing on comparing the young-old and the old-old

BackgroundResearch on the effects of sedentary behavior on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of the elderly is limited. The present study aimed to determine the association between sedentary behavior and the HRQoL of the young-old (aged 65–74 years) people and old-old (aged ≥75 years) people.MethodsThis study used the raw data of the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 2016. The study subjects were 1,415 people aged over 65 years. The association between HRQoL and average daily sitting time was analyzed using the point biserial correlation coefficient. The effect of sedentary behavior on HRQoL was analyzed by logistic regression analysis.ResultsOverall, elderly people aged ≥65 years spent 7.9 h in sedentary pursuits: the young-old spent 7.7 h and the old-old spent 9.0 h. Longer sitting time was found to be associated with lower HROoL while shorter sitting time was associated with higher HROoL, with the relationship stronger among the old-old than among the young-old. This means that the effects of either having longer time sitting per day and low quality of life or shorter time sitting per day and high quality of life are more pronounced in the old-old in comparison to the young-old.ConclusionsSedentary behavior is significantly associated with people’s HRQoL. Interventions towards improving the HRQoL by reducing sedentary behavior based on the respective characteristics of young-old and old-old people are needed.

Perceptions of Visualizing Physical Activity as a 3D-Printed Object: Formative Study.

BackgroundThe UK government recommends that children engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for at least 60 min every day. Despite associated physiological and psychosocial benefits of physical activity, many youth fail to meet these guidelines partly due to sedentary screen-based pursuits displacing active behaviors. However, technological advances such as 3D printing have enabled innovative methods of visualizing and conceptualizing physical activity as a tangible output.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to elicit children’s, adolescents’, parents’, and teachers’ perceptions and understanding of 3D physical activity objects to inform the design of future 3D models of physical activity.MethodsA total of 28 primary school children (aged 8.4 [SD 0.3] years; 15 boys) and 42 secondary school adolescents (aged 14.4 [SD 0.3] years; 22 boys) participated in semistructured focus groups, with individual interviews conducted with 8 teachers (2 male) and 7 parents (2 male). Questions addressed understanding of the physical activity guidelines, 3D model design, and both motivation for and potential engagement with a 3D physical activity model intervention. Pupils were asked to use Play-Doh to create and describe a model that could represent their physical activity levels (PAL). Data were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed, and key emergent themes were represented using pen profiles.ResultsPupils understood the concept of visualizing physical activity as a 3D object, although adolescents were able to better analyze and critique differences between low and high PAL. Both youths and adults preferred a 3D model representing a week of physical activity data when compared with other temporal representations. Furthermore, all participants highlighted that 3D models could act as a motivational tool to enhance youths’ physical activity. From the Play-Doh designs, 2 key themes were identified by pupils, with preferences indicated for models of abstract representations of physical activity or bar charts depicting physical activity, respectively.ConclusionsThese novel findings highlight the potential utility of 3D objects of physical activity as a mechanism to enhance children’s and adolescents’ understanding of, and motivation to increase, their PAL. This study suggests that 3D printing may offer a unique strategy for promoting physical activity in these groups.

The home electronic media environment and parental safety concerns: relationships with outdoor time after school and over the weekend among 9\u201311\xa0year old children

BackgroundTime spent outdoors is associated with higher physical activity levels among children, yet it may be threatened by parental safety concerns and the attraction of indoor sedentary pursuits. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between these factors and outdoor time during children’s discretionary periods (i.e., after school and over the weekend).MethodsData from 462 children aged 9–11 years old were analysed using generalised linear mixed models. The odds of spending > 1 h outdoors after school, and > 2 h outdoors on a weekend were computed, according to demographic variables, screen-based behaviours, media access, and parental safety concerns. Interactions with sex and socioeconomic status (SES) were explored.ResultsBoys, low SES participants, and children who played on their computer for < 2 h on a school day had higher odds of spending > 1 h outside after school than girls, high SES children and those playing on a computer for ≥2 h, respectively. Counterintuitive results were found for access to media devices and crime-related safety concerns as both of these were positively associated with time spent outdoors after school. A significant interaction for traffic-related concerns*sex was found; higher road safety concerns were associated with lower odds of outdoor time after school in boys only. Age was associated with weekend outdoor time, which interacted with sex and SES; older children were more likely to spend > 2 h outside on weekends but this was only significant among girls and high SES participants.ConclusionsOur results suggest that specific groups of children are less likely to spend their free time outside, and it would seem that only prolonged recreational computer use has a negative association with children’s outdoor time after school. Further research is needed to explore potential underlying mechanisms, and parental safety concerns in more detail.

Physical activity, but not sedentary time, influences bone strength in late adolescence.

To examine the influence of physical activity (PA) and sedentary time on bone strength, structure, and density in older adolescents. We used peripheral quantitative computed tomography to estimate bone strength at the distal tibia (8% site; bone strength index, BSI) and tibial midshaft (50% site; polar strength strain index, SSIp) in adolescent boys (n = 86; 15.3 ± 0.4years) and girls (n = 106; 15.3 ± 0.4years). Using accelerometers (GT1M, Actigraph), we measured moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPAAccel), vigorous PA (VPAAccel), and sedentary time in addition to self-reported MVPA (MVPAPAQ-A) and impact PA (ImpactPAPAQ-A). We examined relations between PA and sedentary time and bone outcomes, adjusting for ethnicity, maturity, tibial length, and total body lean mass. At the distal tibia, MVPAAccel and VPAAccel positively predicted BSI (explained 6-7% of the variance, p < 0.05). After adjusting for lean mass, only VPAAccel explained residual variance in BSI. At the tibial midshaft, MVPAAccel, but not VPAAccel, positively predicted SSIp (explained 3% of the variance, p = 0.01). Lean mass attenuated this association. MVPAPAQ-A and ImpactPAPAQ-A also positively predicted BSI and SSIp (explained 2-4% of the variance, p < 0.05), but only ImpactPAPAQ-A explained residual variance in BSI after accounting for lean mass. Sedentary time did not independently predict bone strength at either site. Greater tibial bone strength in active adolescents is mediated, in part, by lean mass. Despite spending most of their day in sedentary pursuits, adolescents' bone strength was not negatively influenced by sedentary time.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVELS, OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY AMONG SCHOOL GOING ADOLESCENTS AND THEIR ASSOCIATIONS WITH LIFESTYLE HABITS

Background : Despite well documented and widely acknowledged health benefits of physical activity (PA), no study has examined the PA levels among the Jammu & Kashmir youth. The decreasing levels of PA and increasing prevalence rates of overweight and obesity among adolescents is a major public health concern. Objectives: The purpose of the study was to assess the activity levels, prevalence rates of overweight and obesity and to investigate the association between leisure-time activities and dietary habits among adolescents. Methods: A school- based cross-sectional study was conducted among 405 adolescents (14-18 years) from 16 randomly selected schools of Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir. Height, weight, physical activity and other lifestyle habits were determined from self-report. Gender- specific prevalence rates of overweight and obesity were calculated based on Indian Paediatrics Association (IAP) standards. Logistic regression was used to identify association between lifestyle habits and measures of overweight and obesity. Results: Of the total adolescents, 28.1% met the recommended levels of PA of 60 minutes daily , with boys meeting more than girls (41.5% vs 19.5%, p < 0.001). Prevalence rates of overweight and obesity was 11.4% and 2.7%, respectively. Logistic regression unadjusted for gender, age and location of participants shows that the odds of being overweight/obese was more among adolescents who are more involved in sedentary pursuits and consumes higher amounts of junk food and carbonated soft drinks. Conclusion: Low PA levels and substantial prevalence rates of overweight and obesity among the participants were observed. The results also suggest that sedentary behaviours, physical inactivity and erratic food habits are strongly associated with the obesity epidemic. Article visualizations:

Community Belonging and Sedentary Behaviour Among Métis Canadians: A Gendered Analysis

Study Purpose: Framed by intersectionality theory, this study examined how gender and sense of community belonging interact to influence sedentary behaviour during leisure among Métis adults in Canada. Methods: Data were obtained from 1,169 Métis adults who completed the Canadian Community Health Survey in 2012. Weighted linear regression models examined associations between sedentary behaviour and community belonging stratified by gender, adjusting for confounders. Results: Male gender, younger age, physical activity, and increased socioeconomic status were associated with less sedentary behaviour among Métis adults. Métis men with a very strong sense of community belonging spent 3.6 fewer hours per week engaged in sedentary pursuits during leisure than Métis men who reported a very weak sense of community belonging. Conversely, Métis women with a very strong sense of community belonging spent 1 additional hour per week engaged in sedentary pursuits during leisure than Métis women who reported a very weak sense of community belonging. These associations remained significant after adjustment for sociodemographic covariates and perceived mental health and overall health, suggesting other factors were influencing these differences. Conclusions: A strong sense of community belonging among Métis men may reduce sedentary behaviour during leisure by as much as 30 minutes per day, which may be clinically significant. Increased community belonging among Métis women was associated with increased sedentary behaviour. These findings suggest that interactions between community belonging and gender should be considered when developing interventions to reduce leisure sedentary behaviour among Métis adults in Canada.

Sedentary Patterns, Physical Activity, and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Association to Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes Patients.

Background: Sedentary behavior has been considered an independent risk factor for type-2 diabetes (T2D), with a negative impact on several physiological outcomes, whereas breaks in sedentary time (BST) have been proposed as a viable solution to mitigate some of these effects. However, little is known about the independent associations of sedentary pursuits, physical activity, and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) variables with glycemic control. We investigated the independent associations of total sedentary time, BST, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and CRF with glycemic outcomes in patients with T2D.Methods: Total sedentary time, BST, and MVPA were assessed in 66 participants (29 women) with T2D, using accelerometry. Glucose and insulin were measured during a mixed meal tolerance test, with the respective calculations of HOMA-IR and Matsuda index. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was also analyzed. CRF was measured in a maximal treadmill test with breath-by-breath gases analysis. Multiple regressions were used for data analysis.Results: Regardless of CRF, total sedentary time was positively associated with HbA1c (β = 0.25, p = 0.044). Adjusting for MVPA, total sedentary time was related to fasting glucose (β = 0.32, p = 0.037). No associations between total sedentary time and the remaining glycemic outcomes, after adjusting for MVPA. BST had favorable associations with HOMA-IR (β = −0.28, p = 0.047) and fasting glucose (β = −0.25, p = 0.046), when adjusted for MVPA, and with HOMA-IR (β = −0.25, p = 0.036), Matsuda index (β = 0.26, p = 0.036), and fasting glucose (β = −0.22, p = 0.038), following adjustment for CRF. When adjusting for total sedentary time, only CRF yielded favorable associations with HOMA-IR (β = −0.29, p = 0.039), fasting glucose (β = −0.32, p = 0.012), and glucose at 120-min (β = −0.26, p = 0.035), and no associations were found for MVPA with none of the metabolic outcomes.Conclusion: The results from this study suggest that sedentary time and patterns are relevant for the glycemic control in patients with T2D. Still, MVPA and CRF counteracted most of the associations for total sedentary time but not for the BST. MVPA was not associated with metabolic outcomes, and CRF lost some of the associations with glycemic indicators when adjusted for total sedentary time. Future interventions aiming to control/improve T2D must consider reducing and breaking up sedentary time as a viable strategy to improve glycemic control.

Exploring the Differences Between Staff and Girls’ Perceptions of Girls’ Motivation, Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness at an Afterschool Program

Girls are less active than boys and in need of physical activity (PA) interventions. The time directly following school may be a prime opportunity to increase PA, specifically in girls. Afterschool programs and the staff who serve as role models play a critical role in promoting girls’ PA. However, staff do not always provide the support necessary to encourage girls to be active. Studies are needed to explore afterschool program staff’s perceptions of girls’ motivation, as well as their provision of support for autonomy, competence, and relationships with girls (relatedness) to understand how to best promote PA. The purpose of this study was to explore staff and girls’ perceptions of girls’ motivation for PA. The secondary purpose was to explore staff and girls’ perceptions of autonomy, competence, and relatedness support for PA. Interviews with staff (n = 45) and focus groups with girls (n = 88) occurred in 10 afterschool program sites. Half of staff compared with a majority of girls thought girls’ motivation was intrinsic and self-determined (e.g., participated for enjoyment). Three-fourths of staff reported attempting to gain girls’ input and a majority of girls felt they had autonomy to choose or input on the PA provided. Half of staff compared with a quarter of girls thought girls’ competence was negatively impacted by other children. Finally, staff and girls reported spending time together in sedentary pursuits. Efforts are needed to ensure staff: understand girls’ PA motivation, create an autonomy supportive environment, and engage girls in active pursuits.