Sufficient Physical Activity Research Articles

Examination of Factors Preventing High School Students from Participating in Physical Activities

In today's world, the importance of physical activity for daily life continues to increase. However, it cannot be said that the level of interest of our society in physical activity is sufficient. In the reports of organisations such as the Ministry of Health, Public Health Institution of Turkiye and Active Living Association, it has been reported that 3/4 of the population of Turkiye does not have sufficient physical activity level and the most sedentary group is the 15-19 age group. These serious rates were seen as an important justification for research on this subject. This aims to examine the differentiation status of the participants in terms of some demographic variables to determine the factors that prevented high school students from participating in physical activities. The research is a quantitative study and was carried out in a descriptive survey model. The sample of the research consisted of 376 participants from high school students who continue their education in schools under the Directorate of National Education in Kahramanmaras city centre in Turkiye. The data of the research were analysed by using the statistical software JAMOVI 2.3.16.0 package program. As a result of the research, it was found that the scores of the participants for the factors that prevented their participation in physical activities were at a moderate level. In the scale of factors that prevented high school students from participating in physical activities, statistically, significant differences were found in terms of gender, family monthly income, how many days a week they do sports, mother's interest in sports, father's interest in sports, PE teacher's attitude and friends' attitudes. As a result, in this study, high school students' concerns about the factors that prevent their participation in physical activities were determined in terms of different variables.

Association between physical activity and risk of COVID-19 infection or clinical outcomes of the patients with COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused serious consequences for global health and economy. The important question is whether the level of physical activity might influence the risk of COVID-19 incidence or clinical outcomes, including the severity or mortality of infected patients. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the association between sufficient physical activity and incidence, hospitalization, severity, recovery, and mortality of COVID-19. A systematic search of Web of Sciences, PubMed, and Scopus between December 2019 and November 2021 was conducted. Studies were screened based on the inclusion criteria, i.e. observational studies (case-control, prospective or retrospective longitudinal designs, and cross-sectional studies) which have determined the association of physical activity, exercise, sports participation, or sedentary behavior with COVID-19 incidence or outcomes, including mortality, severity, recovery and hospitalization in healthy population or population with any specific comorbidity. Based on eligibility criteria, 27 articles were finally included in the qualitative synthesis. The meta-analysis of five studies evaluating the association of physical activity and COVID-19 mortality showed a weighted OR of OR of 0.61 (CI 95%: 0.50-0.75) with heterogeneity (I2 = 45.8%, P < 0.001) and in seven studies regarding physical activity and COVID-19 hospitalization, weighted OR was 0.541 (CI 95%: 0.491-0.595) with heterogeneity (I2 = 81.7%, P < 0.001). Participating in sufficient physical activity might decrease COVID-19 related COVID-19-related hospitalization and mortality. Developing programs to increase physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic might be an appropriate health strategy.

Physical activity is associated with allostatic load: Evidence from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

We determined the associations between physical activity and allostatic load, and whether it is a modifiable factor related to allostatic load. We obtained data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database collected between 2017 and March 2020. The relationship between physical activity and allostatic load was examined using a logistic regression model. In the unadjusted model, physical activity level was associated with allostatic load index (odds ratio [OR] = 0.664, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.550, 0.802, P＜0.001), with this relationship being retained in the adjusted model (OR = 0.739, 95%CI: 0.603, 0.907; P = 0.004). Sedentary behaviour was also related to allostatic load index (OR = 1.236, 95%CI: 1.005, 1.520; P = 0.044). Our findings indicated that sufficient physical activity is associated with a lower allostatic load index, and sedentary behaviour is associated with a higher allostatic load index. Physical activity is a modifiable factor related to allostatic load.

The effects of green space and physical activity on muscle strength: a national cross-sectional survey with 128,759 Chinese adults.

Muscle strength is closely related to chronic noncommunicable diseases; specifically, a decline in handgrip strength (HS) is predominant globally. Exposure to green space-built environment components used for health intervention-reportedly decreases the risk of certain diseases and all-cause mortality. However, evidence in this area is limited. We aimed to explore the association between green space exposure and muscle strength and ascertain the combined effect of physical activity and green space exposure on muscle strength. Data from 128,759 participants (aged 20-79 years) were obtained using a complex stratified multistage probability cluster sampling design. The green space was assessed as normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data for a 500-m buffer zone based on the geolocation information of sampling sites. We used a questionnaire to investigate transportation, occupation, physical activity, leisure-time exercise behaviors, and sedentary time within a usual week of the preceding year. The outcome was low relative HS, defined as HS-to-body weight ratio, and the percentage of men and women with relative HS in the lower third. We defined adequate physical activity as 150 min of moderate-intensity or 75 min of vigorous physical activity per week and calculated the weighted proportion of participants with insufficient physical activity. Categorical variables of NDVI and physical activity were used as exposure variables and their interrelationship was evaluated in a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). We measured interaction on an additive or multiplicative scale using a GLMM to test the interaction between green space exposure and physical activity. All analyses were performed for the total sample and subgroups (urban and rural). The high NDVI group had a lower risk of low relative HS than the low NDVI group (OR [95% CI]: 0.92 [0.88-0.95]). The sufficient physical activity group had a lower risk of low relative HS than the insufficient physical activity group (OR [95% CI]: 0.85 [0.81-0.88]). There was an interactive effect on the additive scale (relative excess risk owing to interaction: 0.29, 95% CI 0.22-0.36, p < 0.001) between green space exposure and physical activity. High NDVI and adequate physical activity were protective factors against low relative HS in Chinese adults. Increasing green space exposure and physical activity together may have a greater potentiating effect on muscle strength improvement than these two protective factors individually. Green spaces should be incorporated into city design or built environments.

Association Between Physical Activity and Psychosocial Resilience Among Middle-Aged and Aging Men Living With or Without HIV in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study

Introduction Increased resilience has been consistently linked to improved mental and physical health outcomes. Because individuals with HIV have a longer life expectancy than ever before, it is imperative to identify mechanisms to promote resilience in this population. Physical activity has significant potential to strengthen resilience and improve overall well-being in individuals with HIV. The goal of this study was to investigate whether increased physical activity is positively associated with increased individual-level psychosocial resilience, and whether this association varied by HIV status. Methods Data for this analysis were obtained from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS), a longitudinal observational cohort study following men living with and without HIV in the United States. Specifically, cross-sectional data collected between October 2016 and March 2017 from 1118 MACS participants enrolled in the Understanding Patterns of Healthy Aging Among Men Who Have Sex With Men sub-study were used. Odds ratios were determined using logistic regression to examine the association of physical activity with psychosocial resilience (measured using the 14-item Resilience Scale). Results Among all MACS participants enrolled in the sub-study, both sufficient physical activity and health-enhancing physical activity were positively associated with high resiliency (odds ratio, 2.20 [95% CI, 1.36-3.56] and odds ratio, 3.72 [95% CI, 2.30-6.03], respectively). Among the participants with HIV, only health-enhancing physical activity was positively associated with high resiliency (odds ratio, 3.07 [95% CI, 1.54-6.14]). Conclusions At the level of individual patient care, physical activity has significant potential to improve health outcomes and strengthen resilience in individuals living with HIV.

Differences in Selective Attention and Inhibitory Control in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder and Healthy Controls Who Do Not Engage in Sufficient Physical Activity.

Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) are characterized by neurocognitive impairments and show deficits in various cognitive performance indicators, including executive function. We examined whether sustained attention and inhibitory control differ between patients with MDD and healthy controls, and whether differences exist between patients with mild, moderate, and severe depression. Clinical in-patients (N = 212) aged 18-65 years with a current diagnosis of MDD and 128 healthy controls were recruited. Depression severity was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory, and sustained attention and inhibitory control were assessed using the oddball and flanker tasks. The use of these tasks promises insights into executive function in depressive patients that are not biased by verbal skills. Group differences were tested via analyses of covariance. Patients with MDD showed slower reaction times in both the oddball and flanker task, independent of the executive demands of the trial types. Younger participants achieved shorter reaction times in both inhibitory control tasks. After correcting for age, education, smoking, BMI, and nationality, only differences in reaction times in the oddball task were statistically significant. In contrast, reaction times were not sensitive to the symptom severity of depression. Our results corroborate deficits in basic information processing and specific impairments in higher-order cognitive processes in MDD patients. As difficulties in executive function underlie problems in planning, initiating, and completing goal-directed activities, they may jeopardize in-patient treatment and contribute to the recurrent nature of depression.

Associations of long-term exposure to air pollution, physical activity with blood pressure and prevalence of hypertension: the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.

Long-term exposure to air pollution and physical activity (PA) are linked to blood pressure and hypertension. However, the joint effect of air pollution and PA on blood pressure and hypertension are still unknown in Chinese middle-aged and older adults. A total of 14,622 middle-aged and older adults from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study wave 3 were included in this study. Ambient air pollution [particulate matter with diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5), or ≤10 μm (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbonic oxide (CO)] were estimated using satellite-based spatiotemporal models. PA was investigated using International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Generalized linear models were used to examine the associations of air pollution, PA score with blood pressure [systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP)], and the prevalence of hypertension. Subgroup analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of air pollution on blood pressure and the prevalence of hypertension in different PA groups. The results showed that for each inter-quartile range (IQR) increase in PM2.5 (25.45 μg/m3), PM10 (40.56 μg/m3), SO2 (18.61 μg/m3), NO2 (11.16 μg/m3), CO (0.42 mg/m3) and PA score (161.3 MET/h-week), the adjusted odd ratio (OR) of hypertension was 1.207 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.137, 1.281), 1.189 (95%CI: 1.122, 1.260), 1.186 (95%CI: 1.112, 1.266), 1.186 (95%CI: 1.116, 1.260), 1.288 (95%CI: 1.223, 1.357), 0.948 (95%CI: 0.899, 0.999), respectively. Long-term exposure to PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, and CO was associated with increased SBP, DBP, and MAP levels. For example, each IQR increase in PM2.5 was associated with 1.20 mmHg (95%CI: 0.69, 1.72) change in SBP, 0.66 mmHg (95%CI: 0.36, 0.97) change in DBP, and 0.84 mmHg (95%CI: 0.49, 1.19) change in MAP levels, respectively. Each IQR increase in PA score was associated with -0.56 mmHg (95%CI: -1.03, -0.09) change in SBP, -0.32 mmHg (95%CI: -0.59, -0.05) change in DBP, and -0.33 mmHg (95%CI: -0.64, -0.02) change in MAP levels, respectively. Subgroup analysis found that the estimated effects in the sufficient PA group were lower than that in the insufficient PA group. Long-term exposure to air pollutants is associated with increased blood pressure and hypertension risk, while high-level PA is associated with decreased blood pressure and hypertension risk. Strengthening PA might attenuate the adverse effects of air pollution on blood pressure and hypertension risk.

The Effect of Home Quarantine and Social Isolation on Physical Activity Level, and Its Effects on Anxiety and Depression in University Students in COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a lack of physical activity (PA) due to long-term home isolation, on individuals' depression and anxiety levels and the relationship between these factors. Method: 327 young adult university students were included in this study. The short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to determine PA levels, the Beck Depression Inventory was used for depression levels, and the Beck Anxiety Inventory was used for anxiety levels of individuals. Results: It was determined that 60.2% of the students had an inadequate FA level, 67.7% of the students experienced mild to severe depression, and 25% of the students experienced moderate to severe anxiety. Also, it was observed that the frequency of depression was higher in participants with an insufficient PA level, and this difference was statistically significant (p&amp;lt;0.05). The number of participants with insufficient PA at all anxiety levels was higher than that of those with sufficient PA. Conclusion: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals' FA levels decreased significantly and this decrease was significantly associated with an increase in individuals' depression levels. During COVID-19 pandemic process, lifestyle changes occurred in individuals, a more sedentary life was started in young adults, and this situation has negative effects on psychological factors.

An Evaluation of Community Health Workers' Knowledge, Attitude and Personal Lifestyle Behaviour in Non-Communicable Disease Health Promotion and Their Association with Self-Efficacy and NCD-Risk Perception.

Community health workers, also known as health extension workers (HEWs), play an important role in health promotion. This study evaluates HEWs' knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy for non-communicable diseases (NCD) health promotion. HEWs (n = 203) completed a structured questionnaire on knowledge, attitude, behaviour, self-efficacy and NCD risk perception. Regression analysis was used to determine the association between self-efficacy and NCD risk perception with knowledge (high, medium, low), attitude (favourable/unfavourable) and physical activity (sufficient/insufficient). HEWs with higher self-efficacy were more likely to have high NCD knowledge (AOR: 2.21; 95% CI: 1.21. 4.07), favourable attitude towards NCD health promotion (AOR: 6.27; 95% CI: 3.11. 12.61) and were more physically active (AOR: 2.27; 95% CI: 1.08. 4.74) than those with lower self-efficacy. HEWs with higher NCD susceptibility (AOR: 1.89; 95% CI: 1.04. 3.47) and perceived severity (AOR: 2.69; 95% CI: 1.46, 4.93) had higher odds of NCD knowledge than their counterparts. Moreover, sufficient physical activity was influenced by HEWs' perceived NCD susceptibility and perceived benefits of lifestyle change. Therefore, HEWs need to adopt healthy lifestyle choices to become effective role models for the community. Our findings highlight the need to include a healthy lifestyle when training HEWs, which might increase self-efficacy for NCD health promotion.

Confirmation, Disconfirmation, and Communal Coping for Joint Physical Activity in Romantic Dyads

ABSTRACT Most people in the United States do not engage in sufficient physical activity (PA). However, certain communication behaviors from romantic partners can motivate PA. Research indicates that confirming communication and communal coping (CC) in romantic relationships can increase PA efforts, but less research has examined the role of explicitly disconfirming communication or relationships between confirmation, disconfirmation, and CC on PA outcomes. We examined models in which shared PA appraisals mediate relationships between (a) confirmation and (b) disconfirmation and joint PA behavior in heterosexual, romantic dyads. Sex differences in actor and partner effects were also considered. Partners (N = 144) in 72 dyads completed assessments of key constructs. Results indicated that shared PA appraisals were critical in the confirmation model, mediating relationships between perceptions of confirmation and reports of joint PA. Unexpectedly, both partners’ reports of partner disconfirmation were positively associated with their partners’ reports of joint PA. Only one statistically significant sex difference emerged. Theoretical and pragmatic implications are discussed.

The Association between Vegan Dietary Patterns and Physical Activity-A Cross-Sectional Online Survey.

A balanced diet and sufficient physical activity (PA) are known to have positive health effects. The relationship between a vegan diet and PA levels is understudied. This cross-sectional online survey aimed to analyze whether different vegan dietary patterns differ in PA. In total, 516 vegan participants were included (June to August 2022). Different dietary patterns were compiled through principal component analysis, while group differences were calculated using independent tests, or chi-squared tests as well as logistic regression analyses. The population had an average age of 28.0 (SD: 7.7) years and had been living vegan for 2.6 (95% CI: 2.5-3.0) years. Two dietary patterns, the "convenience" and the "health-conscious" group, were identified. People with a convenience dietary pattern had significantly higher odds of sitting more (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.04-1.18) and not achieving aerobic PA (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.18-2.79) or strength training recommendations (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.26-2.61) than people with a health-conscious dietary pattern. This study suggests the heterogeneity of vegan diets and that dietary patterns must be differentiated, as they also differ in the level of PA. Additional studies involving complete dietary assessment with a focus on ultraprocessed foods, blood metabolite analysis, and objective PA assessment are required.

Unhealthy nutrition among teenagers in the city of Bielsko-Biała

Introduction: Unhealthy nutrition results from inappropriate eating behaviours that lead to changes in body weight. Consuming excessive amounts of salt, sugar, carbonated drinks, alcohol combined with physical inactivity causes overweight or obesity. In order to prevent incorrect nutrition, it is necessary to prevent overnutrition and to promote health-promoting behaviours that should be targeted at specific groups of the society. Such initiatives may limit or even exclude the emergence of incorrect nutrition which contributes to an increase in the incidence of lifestyle diseases. Objective: The aim of the article is to present and discuss the forms of spending free time, participation in physical education classes, and dietary habits of third-year secondary school students in the city of Bielsko-Biała (Poland). Materials and methods: An original questionnaire entitled “My health – something I care about” was used for the study. The questionnaire included questions about the diet, forms of spending free time, and participation in physical education classes at school. Results: Based on the questionnaire findings, watching TV is the most common form of spending free time (37% boys and 32% girls). Only 7% of girls and 18% of boys chose participation in sports as a form of spending their free time. 28% of boys and as much as 39% of girls admitted that they did not participate in physical education classes at school. The type of drinks consumed by secondary school pupils was significantly dependent on their gender. Regarding the type of lunch, sweet buns are chosen by 31% of boys and 23% of girls. Fruit is declared as their preferred lunch snack by 28% of the surveyed girls and only 2% of boys. Conclusions and discussion: The study has shown that there are many abnormalities in the diet of adolescents. The widespread belief that a slim figure is an asset nowadays prompts many young people to use various weight loss diets or fasting which, if used excessively, can pose a threat to the developing body systems. Information gathered from the respondents also shows that they do not have sufficient physical activity. Secondary school pupils increasingly choose passive recreation because physical activity does not give them as much satisfaction as, for example, playing computer games.

The Effect of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior on Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among the Adult Population in the Rural Area of Perambalur: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background The global COVID-19 pandemic has been incredibly destructive, especially for mental health. The lockdown measures required people to stay in their homes. This lifestyle caused them to become sedentary, which could have an impact on both their physical and mental well-being. We used the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) to measure thephysical activity (PA) and mental health of adults in Perambalur, India, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods The researchers conducted a cross-sectional investigation among people ages15-60 years old from September 2021 to February 2022. In this study, we included 400 individuals through the method of convenient sampling. We conducted a population-based survey in which a semi-structured questionnaire was used to gather information on the age, gender, weight, height, physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire {IPAQ}), and mental health (General Health Questionnaire-12 {GHQ-12}) of the participants. We conducted an analysis of the data using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20 (IBM SPSS Statistics, Armonk, NY). Results Most of the participants (65.8%) were female, and 69.5% belonged to the age group of 20-24 years; their mean age was 23 years. Physical activity was scored using the IPAQ, and we divided the participants into three categories: 37%, insufficient; 58%, sufficient; and 5%, high activity. The GHQ-12 assessment revealed that around half of the participants (47.8%) had psychological distress. In a bivariate analysis, those in the 15-19 and 24-29 age groups reported more distress than those in the other age groups (p = 0.006). Those who engaged in sufficient physical activity (54.7%) reported more distress than those who engaged in high (25%) or insufficient activity (p = 0.002). Conclusion Nearly half of the participantsexperienced psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who were engaging in sufficient physical activity experienced higher levels of distress than those with high and insufficient activities.

The added value of supervised hydrotherapy sessions to a 12-week exercise program after breast cancer treatment: a three-arm pseudo-randomized pilot study

Sufficient physical activity after breast cancer treatment is crucial for improvement of a wide range of health-related outcomes and survival. The first aim of this pilot study was to explore whether adding supervised hydrotherapy sessions to a standard 12-week exercise program consisting of already two supervised sessions of land-based exercises has beneficial effects on physical and mental functioning and quality of life in breast cancer survivors. As a secondary aim, the added value of a third supervised training session with land-based exercises to the same standard exercise program was investigated. Breast cancer patients who finished primary cancer treatment were allocated to one of the three 12-week exercise programs, i.e. a standard exercise program with two supervised land-based exercise sessions per week (control group) or the same standard program with an additional weekly supervised hydrotherapy session (hydrotherapy-group) or land-based exercise session (land-based exercise group). The efficacy of the three programs was tested by comparing changes in physical and mental functioning and quality of life from pre- until post-intervention. Twenty-six (41%) patients were allocated to the control group, 21 (33%) to the hydrotherapy-group and 16 (26%) to the land-based exercise group. The results show no differences in any outcome between the three groups. Comparing the two exercise programs with three supervised sessions, results show a significantly larger improvement in the self-reported moderate (median (IQR) +1240 (412;3330) vs. +50(-1088;1125);p=0.020) and total physical activity level (+2982 (878;5457) vs. +370(-576;1718);p=0.008) in the hydrotherapy-group compared to the land-based exercise group. The opposite was found for the outcome ‘physical symptoms’, a subscale from the health-related quality of life questionnaire with a larger improvement in the land-based exercise group compared to the hydrotherapy-group (+3(0.6;4.8) vs. +0.6(-0.8;2.1); p=0.008). In conclusion, the results of this pilot study indicate that adding a third weekly supervised session to a 12-week exercise program consisting of already two weekly supervised sessions had no added value for the improvement of physical and mental functioning and quality of life after breast cancer treatment. If a third supervised session is organized, hydrotherapy may be a valuable exercise modality since moderate and total physical activity levels seem to improve more compared to an exercise program with three supervised land-based exercise sessions. For self-reported physical symptoms although, a land-based exercise program seems more beneficial. Because of the limited sample size and pilot study design all obtained findings need to be interpreted with caution.

Prevention of Hypertension Emergency Through Community Empowerment in the Working Area of Puskesmas Pacar Keling, Pucang Sewu, and Tambakrejo Surabaya

Hypertension is a chronic disease that has earned the title of the silent killer because its symptoms are often without complaint. Many people with hypertension are unaware of their disease for a long time, as the appearance or recognition of symptoms of the disease takes some time. Patients realize their disease after experiencing complications. The target is expected to have good knowledge and understanding of the care and prevention of hypertension patient emergencies, can apply in their daily lives as an effort to manage their disease in order to obtain optimal blood pressure, continue to carry out routine controls to the Puskesmas and take medicine regularly, consume appropriate food in the right amount and do regular and sufficient physical activity. Activities were carried out from June to August 2022, targeting 75 people and health cadres. The method used in the implementation of activities in the form of lectures and questions and answers about healthy living behavior to prevent emergencies in hypertensive patients, demonstrations of measuring blood pressure, BMI, determining salt requirements, regulating daily diet, and hypertension exercises. The media used are modules on healthy living behaviors to prevent emergencies and demonstrations of hypertension exercises. The results and outcomes of community service that have been carried out are almost all (86.7%) female participants, most (52.1%) are ≥61 years old, almost all (93.3%, 97.3%) are Muslim and Javanese, most (58.7%) in the family have no history of hypertension, most (64%) systole pressure ≥ 140 mmHg, most (56%) diastole pressure ≥ 90 mmHg and most (50.7%) cholesterol levels ≥ 200 mmHg. The results of this community service can be used as a motivation to increase community participation in making efforts to prevent and treat hypertension emergencies early in the Pucang Sewu, Pacar Keling, and Tambak Rejo Puskesmas areas, becoming a starting point for the realization of residents who are able to control blood pressure by regulating diet, obeying taking medication, and hypertension exercises and doing regular activities and materials to improve the performance of the Puskesmas while increasing the range of health services for the Puskesmas.&#x0D; INDEX TERMS Prevention, hypertension emergencies, community empowerment

Physical activity, obesity, and quality of life among rural Australian cancer survivors: a cross-sectional study

PurposeWe aimed to describe physical activity (PA), obesity, and quality of life (QoL) among rural Australian cancer survivors, assess whether total and item-specific QoL are associated with sufficient PA and obesity, and assess whether PA and obesity interact with respect to QoL.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study, convenience sampling was used to recruit adult cancer survivors via a chemotherapy day unit and allied health professionals at a rural hospital in Baw Baw Shire, Australia. Exclusion criteria were acute malnutrition and end-of-life care. PA and QoL were measured using Godin-Shephard and 7-item Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT-G7) questionnaires, respectively. Factors associated with total and item-specific QoL were assessed via linear and logistic regression, respectively.ResultsAmong 103 rural cancer survivors, the median age was 66 years, 35% were sufficiently physically active, and 41% presented with obesity. Mean/median total QoL scores were 17 on the FACT-G7 scale (0–28; higher scores indicate better QoL). Sufficient PA was associated with better QoL (widehat{upbeta }=2.29; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.26, 4.33) and more energy (odds ratio [OR] = 4.00, 95% CI = 1.48, 10.78) while obesity was associated with worse QoL (widehat{upbeta }=-2.09; 95% CI = -4.17, -0.01) and more pain (OR = 3.88, 95% CI = 1.29, 11.68). The PA-obesity interaction was non-significant (p-value = 0.83).ConclusionsThis is the first known study conducted among rural survivors of any cancer to find sufficient PA and obesity are associated with better and worse QoL, respectively. PA, weight management, and QoL—including energy and pain—should be considered when targeting and tailoring supportive care interventions for rural cancer survivors.

A cross-sectional study of Canadian children's valuation of literacies across social contexts.

Children, on average, do not engage in sufficient physical activity to reap the physical, mental, and social health benefits. Understanding the value that children place on movement across social contexts, and the relative ranking of this valuation, may help us to understand and intervene on activity levels. This exploratory study examined the valuation of reading/writing, math, and movement across three social contexts (school, home, with friends) among children 6-13 years of age (N = 7,845; 51.3% male). Subjective task values across contexts were assessed with the valuing literacies subscale of the PLAYself. One-way Kruskal-Wallis ANOVAs were performed to test for differences between contexts and between literacies, respectively. Sex differences and age-related variation were explored. Valuations of reading/writing (d = 1.16) and math (d = 1.33) decreased across context (school > family > friend), while the valuation of movement was relatively stable (d = 0.26). Valuations differed substantially with friends (p < 0.001, d = 1.03). Sex dependent effect sizes were minimal (d = 0.05-0.11). Movement is highly valued by children across social contexts; thus, programming across contexts should be prioritized to align with their valuation.

Examination of sleep in relation to dietary and lifestyle behaviors during Ramadan: A multi-national study using structural equation modeling among 24,500 adults amid COVID-19.

Of around 2 billion Muslims worldwide, approximately 1.5 billion observe Ramadan fasting (RF) month. Those that observe RF have diverse cultural, ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds and are distributed over a wide geographical area. Sleep is known to be significantly altered during the month of Ramadan, which has a profound impact on human health. Moreover, sleep is closely connected to dietary and lifestyle behaviors. This cross-sectional study collected data using a structured, self-administered electronic questionnaire that was translated into 13 languages and disseminated to Muslim populations across 27 countries. The questionnaire assessed dietary and lifestyle factors as independent variables, and three sleep parameters (quality, duration, and disturbance) as dependent variables. We performed structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine how dietary and lifestyle factors affected these sleep parameters. In total, 24,541 adults were enrolled in this study. SEM analysis revealed that during RF, optimum sleep duration (7-9 h) was significantly associated with sufficient physical activity (PA) and consuming plant-based proteins. In addition, smoking was significantly associated with greater sleep disturbance and lower sleep quality. Participants that consumed vegetables, fruits, dates, and plant-based proteins reported better sleep quality. Infrequent consumption of delivered food and infrequent screen time were also associated with better sleep quality. Conflicting results were found regarding the impact of dining at home versus dining out on the three sleep parameters. Increasing the intake of fruits, vegetables, and plant-based proteins are important factors that could help improve healthy sleep for those observing RF. In addition, regular PA and avoiding smoking may contribute to improving sleep during RF.

Relationships Among Smartphone Use, Physical Activity, and Quality of Life in Chinese College Students.

This study aimed to investigate the correlations between smartphone use, physical activity, and quality of life (QOL) among Chinese college students. We enrolled 6323 students who were chosen from three Chinese universities. All participants completed the World Health Organization QOL Scale-Brief, Smartphone Addiction Index, and Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form. Smartphone addiction was negatively related to QOL (β = -1.375), whereas physical activity was positively related to QOL (β = .059). The presence of both smartphone addiction and insufficient physical activity decreased QOL scores when compared with the group with sufficient physical activity and non-smartphone addiction (β = -36.505). Physical activity and smartphone use are potentially modifiable risk factors for poor QOL in college students. Thus, interventions to decrease smartphone use and promote physical activity could be beneficial for improving QOL in this population.

Effect of Nutrient Intake, Nutritional Status, Physical Activity and Sunlight Exposure on Bone Mineral Density in Women: A Systematic Review

Osteoporosis is a condition or disease that can cause bones to become brittle and break easily. The risk of osteoporosis in women is greater than in men, which is four times greater. Bone mineral density (BMD) or bone density is the total mineral present in bone. Measurement of BMD is important to show the degree of bone mineralization associated with osteoporosis. There are factors associated with reduced bone density. Thus, this systematic review aimed to analyze several factors related to BMD in women including nutrient intake, nutritional status, physical activity, and sunlight exposure. Studies in this systematic review were gathered by the (PRISMA) guidelines and identified through PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect databases from 2017 until 2022. A total of 17 articles passed the eligibility and were analyzed in this systematic review. Studies found the effect of nutrient intake, BMI, physical activity, and sunlight exposure on BMD in women from different age groups. So it is necessary to make eating habits with good nutritional intake and have a lifestyle that routinely carries out sufficient physical activity and gets sufficient sunlight to improve and maintain bone health until old age.