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The primary purposes of this study were to compare (a) physical activity participation, screen-time habits, obesity, and (b) reported reasons for lack of participation in sport, between a nationally representative sample of Irish children with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Participation in moderate to vigorous activity, light activity, and sports was significantly lower among the group with ASD. On examination of screen time variables, no significant differences were seen between groups. However, time spent watching TV was higher among children with ASD. Overweight or obese status was more prevalent among the group with ASD (34.4 vs. 24.7 %). The findings are discussed in relation to international statistics on youth physical activity, screen-time, and weight status, and recommendations are provided for future research., Author(s): Sean Healy[sup.1] [sup.5] , Justin A. Haegele[sup.2] , Michelle Grenier[sup.3] , Jeanette M. Garcia[sup.4] Author Affiliations: (1) Department of Kinesiology and Recreation Administration, Humboldt State University, CaliforniaUSA (2) Department [...]

Background: Living in greener areas of cities was linked to increased physical activity levels, improved mental well-being, and lowered harmful environmental exposures, all of which may affect human health. However, whether living in greener areas may be associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease incidence, progression, and premature mortality is unclear. OBJECTIVES: We conducted a cohort study to examine the associations between residential green spaces and the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and heart failure (HF), post-AMI and HF hospital readmissions, and mortality. METHODS: We simultaneously followed four large population-based cohorts in Ontario, Canada, including the entire adult population, adults free of AMI and HF, and survivors of AMI or HF from 2000 to 2014. We estimated residential exposure to green spaces using satellite-derived observations and ascertained health outcomes using validated disease registries. We estimated the associations using spatial random-effects Cox proportional hazards models. We conducted various sensitivity analyses, including further adjusting for property values and performing exploratory mediation analysis. Results: Each interquartile range increase in residential greenness was associated with a 7% [95% confidence interval (CI): 4%, 9%] decrease in incident AMI and a 6% (95% CI: 4%, 7%) decrease in incident HF. Residential greenness was linked to a ~10% decrease in cardiovascular mortality in both adults free of AMI and HF and the entire adult population. These associations remained consistent in sensitivity analyses and were accentuated among younger adults. Additionally, we estimated that the decreases in AMI and HF incidence associated with residential greenness explained ~53% of the protective association between residential greenness and cardiovascular mortality. Conversely, residential greenness was not associated with any delay in readmission or mortality among AMI and HF patients. Conclusions: Living in urban areas with more green spaces was associated with improved cardiovascular health in people free of AMI and HF but not among individuals who have already developed these conditions. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP6161, Introduction Globally, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major public health concern, affecting ~ 423 million people and resulting in 18 million deaths each year (WHO 2013a). Although CVD mortality has [...]

Background De novo lipogenesis (DNL) is the primary metabolic pathway synthesizing fatty acids from carbohydrates, protein, or alcohol. Our aim was to examine associations of in vivo levels of selected fatty acids (16:0, 16:1n7, 18:0, 18:1n9) in DNL with incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods and findings Seventeen cohorts from 12 countries (7 from Europe, 7 from the United States, 1 from Australia, 1 from Taiwan; baseline years = 1970-1973 to 2006-2010) conducted harmonized individual-level analyses of associations of DNL-related fatty acids with incident T2D. In total, we evaluated 65,225 participants (mean ages = 52.3-75.5 years; % women = 20.4%-62.3% in 12 cohorts recruiting both sexes) and 15,383 incident cases of T2D over the 9-year follow-up on average. Cohort-specific association of each of 16:0, 16:1n7, 18:0, and 18:1n9 with incident T2D was estimated, adjusted for demographic factors, socioeconomic characteristics, alcohol, smoking, physical activity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, menopausal status, and adiposity. Cohort-specific associations were meta-analyzed with an inverse-variance-weighted approach. Each of the 4 fatty acids positively related to incident T2D. Relative risks (RRs) per cohort-specific range between midpoints of the top and bottom quintiles of fatty acid concentrations were 1.53 (1.41-1.66; p < 0.001) for 16:0, 1.40 (1.33-1.48; p < 0.001) for 16:1n-7, 1.14 (1.05-1.22; p = 0.001) for 18:0, and 1.16 (1.07-1.25; p < 0.001) for 18:1n9. Heterogeneity was seen across cohorts (I.sup.2 = 51.1%-73.1% for each fatty acid) but not explained by lipid fractions and global geographical regions. Further adjusted for triglycerides (and 16:0 when appropriate) to evaluate associations independent of overall DNL, the associations remained significant for 16:0, 16:1n7, and 18:0 but were attenuated for 18:1n9 (RR = 1.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.94-1.13). These findings had limitations in potential reverse causation and residual confounding by imprecisely measured or unmeasured factors. Conclusions Concentrations of fatty acids in the DNL were positively associated with T2D incidence. Our findings support further work to investigate a possible role of DNL and individual fatty acids in the development of T2D., Author(s): Fumiaki Imamura 1,*, Amanda M. Fretts 2, Matti Marklund 3,4,5, Andres V. Ardisson Korat 6,7, Wei-Sin Yang 8, Maria Lankinen 9, Waqas Qureshi 10, Catherine Helmer 11, Tzu-An Chen [...]

The objective of this article is to provide rationale for recognizing and evaluating children who are obese with low physical fitness or deficiencies in gross motor skills, as having a disability and able to receive appropriate programming. Childhood obesity can be a disabling in itself, and it should be considered a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 as an Other Health Impairment. This discussion of the literature will cover a variety of topics, including childhood obesity, federal mandates, particularly IDEA, and assessment and eligibility criteria for placement as a disability. Finally, a service delivery model, entitled Childhood Obesity Prevention and Intervention, is proposed to include childhood obesity as a component of the Other Health Impairment category. Childhood obesity is a major problem in the United States affecting 17% of children and adolescents between 2 and 19 years of age (Ogden, Carroll, Kit, & Flegal, 2014). The most effective programs involve the collaboration between the child, parents, school personnel, medical experts, and community agencies. Special education services provide the means for such collaboration. While physical activity is a critical component in most obesity prevention and intervention programs, the role of evidenced-based physical education curriculum is often ignored as part of the collaborative approach. Adapted physical education services through the application of the Response-to-Intervention (RTI) model could be an answer to this issue. It is recommended that children who are obese with significant low physical fitness or gross motor skill levels, impacting academic and functional performance, be eligible for accommodations in schools and/or alternative physical education services. Keywords: disability, childhood obesity, physical education, adapted physical education, response to intervention, physical fitness, nutrition education, and behavior change, Introduction 'Obesity prevention and treatment must be understood as part of a shared responsibility of the state, parents, and other citizens to better protect 'developing' citizens' (Purcell, 2010) Childhood obesity [...]