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Background and purpose: Given the problem of obesity, physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyles among college students in the US, this study presents demographic, psychosocial, personal and environmental predictors of physical activity (PA) on an individual college campus with a high percentage of non-traditional students. Methods: The National College Health Assessment (NCHA) survey was completed by college students at a large Northwestern university [N = 949; Male = 292 (31.1%); female = 647 (68.9%); mean age = 26.5 (SD = 9.0) years] during Fall 2011. Results: Sixty-eight percent of participants did not meet both moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and strength exercise (SE) recommendations. Good perceived health status and on-campus housing status were associated with a higher probability of meeting the MVPA and SE recommendations (p <.05), with the former also predictive of SE. High Interest in PA, high PA knowledge, low stress, male gender and young age explained additional variance in meeting the SE recommendation (p <.05). Conclusion: Most students did not participate in the recommended level of MVPA and SE. On this campus, efforts directed to increasing PA knowledge might facilitate an increase in SE. Efforts to promote exercise as a stress reliever may also increase SE participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People in Hong Kong love football. Thus the 2014 World Cup is an opportunity to encourage Hong Kong adolescents to take part in football or other physical activities. However, physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyles are well documented among Hong Kong adolescents. In promoting our next generation's physical activity and health, parents, schools, communities, and governments have important roles to play. This article shares some successful experiences from other countries and research findings in this subject area. One successful example can be found in interventions that embraced the elements of individuals' development, social support, and environmental changes. If Hong Kong could learn from these successful experiences and tailor related policies through a concerted effort, we believe our new generation will acquire an active and healthy lifestyle when they grow up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recently, considerable attention has been focused on dietary and medicinal phytochemicals that inhibit, reverse, or retard diseases caused by oxidative and inflammatory processes. Green tea polyphenols have both antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. Objective: We examined the effects of green tea polyphenols in carbon tetrachloride- treated mice, a model of liver injury in which oxidant stress and cytokine production are intimately linked. We tested the effect of a pure form of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the major polyphenol in green tea, in mice treated with carbon tetrachloride. Design: Eight-week-old ICR mice were administered 20 μL/CCl4 kg dissolved in olive oil. Two different doses of EGCG, 50 and 75 mg/kg, were tested. Control mice were treated with saline and olive oil. We analyzed liver histopathology, lipid peroxidation, and messenger RNA and protein concentrations of inducible nitric oxide synthase. Additionally, nitric oxide- generated radicals were assessed by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, and protein concentrations were measured by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. Results: Carbon tetrachloride administration caused an intense degree of liver necrosis associated with increases in lipid peroxidation, inducible nitric oxide synthase messenger RNA and protein, nitrotyrosine, and nitric oxide radicals. EGCG administration led to a dose-dependent decrease in all of the histologic and biochemical variables of liver injury observed in the carbon tetrachloride-treated mice. Conclusions: Green tea polyphenols reduce the severity of liver injury in association with lower concentrations of lipid peroxidation and proinflammatory nitric oxide- generated mediators. Green tea polyphenols can be a useful supplement in the treatment of liver disease and should be considered for liver conditions in which proinflammatory and oxidant stress responses are dominant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background People with physical disabilities (PWPD) have limited opportunities to participate in sport activities. Sitting light volleyball (SLVB) is an adapted sport that combines light volleyball and paralympic sitting volleyball. This study examined the effectiveness of an SLVB intervention program to improve the physical and psychological health outcomes of PWPD in Hong Kong, China. Methods Thirty-two PWPD [13 women; SLVB group, n = 18; control group (CG), n = 14] with an average age of 48.89 years (SD = 14.42 years) participated in a 16-week intervention consisting of basic SLVB skills, and they also received instructions on the required posture, team tactics, and SLVB rules. Physical (i.e., muscular strength, muscular endurance, body composition, flexibility, and aerobic endurance) and psychological (i.e., physical activity enjoyment and quality of life) health outcomes were measured before and after the intervention. Results Individuals in the SLVB group exhibited statistically significant improvements in cardiovascular endurance [F(1,29) = 4.23, p = .049], body composition [F(1,23) = 6.67, p = .017], and physical activity enjoyment [F(1,29) = 16.94, p = .001] compared with adults in the CG. Conclusions Participating in SLVB has physical and psychological benefits for adults with physical disabilities in this study. Registration number of trial registry: The trial is registered at chictr.org.cn, number ChiCTR2000032971 on 17/05/2020.

Abstract Background This study was a part of 16-week sitting light volleyball (SLVB) intervention program which examined the effects of the intervention on the physical and psychological attributes of adults with physical impairments (PWPI) in Hong Kong. Gaining a deeper understanding of the perceptions and experiences of PWPI in the SLVB intervention is critical to the development of SLVB as a physical activity and a sport. The aims of this study were (a) to assess participants’ experiences of the intervention and (b) to examine the suitability and feasibility of SLVB intervention for PWPI. Methods Twenty participants (mean age = 53.52 years, standard deviation 9.02 years; 60% female; 25% with at least a college degree) participated in semi-structured interviews. Results Content analysis revealed features of their experiences at the individual or intrapersonal level (physical and psychological health, enjoyment, novelty, competence, autonomy), interpersonal level (socialization and teamwork, social support), organizational and community levels (perceived sport venue environment, venue accessibility, safety, dissemination of information), and policy level (resources allocation by the government). The participants also commented on the suitability and feasibility of the SLVB intervention for PWPI, its content and coaching, the modified rules, the duration of sessions, scheduling, and the number of participants and coaches. Conclusions This study identified several themes relevant to the promotion of PWPI engagement with SLVB and demonstrated that adopting a multilevel approach to the intervention resulted in positive outcomes for participants. Playing SLVB is suitable and feasible for PWPI. The findings contribute to the understanding of the experiences PWPI had of the SLVB intervention, which is critical to the further development of SLVB as a physical activity and a sport.

Microcredit is usually used to support employment, poverty reduction, women empowerment, etc. It is rare to have studies on using microcredit to help residents in informal housing to improve their residential mobility. This study is a novel attempt to explore the roles of microcredit in informal housing in the future by taking Hong Kong as a case study. This study aims to investigate whether microcredit affects the relocation decisions of low-income tenants in informal housing markets by using a quasi-experimental approach. A microcredit scheme for this purpose was first proposed, pitched for funding, and then implemented by a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Hong Kong to provide interest-free loans for households living in sub-divided units (SDUs) to pay for rental deposits. Interviews were conducted with SDU households. The results show that the microcredit scheme is conducive to the relocation decisions of low-income households, especially in emergency cases. This study shows the key role of microcredit in empowering low-income households in their relocation decisions, and it can make a difference to the future informal housing markets in the world.

Esports is a rapidly growing industry worldwide, and it is making significant inroads in Hong Kong as well. However, owing to debates regarding the distinction between Esports and video gaming and the potential negative effects of engaging in Esports, its development in Hong Kong is still in its infancy. Therefore, this qualitative study investigated the perceptions and attitudes of teenagers and young adults toward Esports development and engagement, using the theory of planned behavior. Twenty-five teenagers and young adults (male = 24, female =1) participated in this study, with their ages ranging from 15 to 29 years. Our results revealed the views of Hong Kong teenagers and young adults on the beneficial and deleterious outcomes (goal setting and achievement, physical health, socialization and teamwork, psychological benefits, academics and time distribution, physical strain, negative social image, and perception toward sport participation), subjective norms (parents, peers, teachers, and modeling effect), and barriers and facilitators (balance between academics and Esports, capability, career prospects and future reality, psychological benefits, and peer encouragement and support) of participating in Esports. Additionally, the results of this qualitative study may contribute toward a deeper understanding of Hong Kong Esports players to develop a theory of planned behavior construct for capturing the beliefs and perceptions of Hong Kong teenagers toward Esports.