Search

Background This systematic review aimed to synthesize recent evidence on interventions to increase moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) content of physical education (PE) in children age 8 to 11. Methods A search of 6 databases was conducted in December 2019. Controlled intervention studies were included so long as they used objective measures of MVPA. Methodological quality was assessed using the appropriate Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Checklist. Random effects meta-analysis was used where appropriate. Results Of the 5459 records, only 5 studies met all inclusion criteria, reporting on 1452 participants; 3 quasi-experimental studies and 2 RCTs. All 5 eligible studies reported favorable intervention effects. Meta-analysis was possible from 4/5 studies: the mean difference between intervention and control groups at follow-up was +14.3% of lesson time in MVPA (confidence interval [CI] 2.7 to 25.8). Conclusions Efforts to increase the MVPA content of elementary school PE are achievable. Two studies employed PE specialist teachers and 1 study used an expert instructor as their intervention, 2 studies worked with the class teachers using self-determination theory. All studies focused on health (MVPA) outcomes and included either "fitness infusions" or physically active games to engage students' in physical activities and increase their activity level.

Summary Background There is a paucity of data directly comparing the effects of aerobic versus resistance exercise within a single cohort. Objective The study aimed to investigate the effects of an acute bout of aerobic and resistance exercise on state anxiety and cognitive function. Equipment and methods Participants completed three laboratory visits randomized between aerobic exercise (cycling at a self-selected intensity), resistance exercise (three sets; 10 repetitions; six exercises), and a control condition (seated rest). State anxiety and cognitive function were assessed before and after each condition. Results Reductions in state anxiety that approached significance were seen immediately following aerobic exercise yet were non-significant in the resistance and control conditions. Cognitive function significantly improved following aerobic exercise yet this was not evident in the resistance or control conditions. Conclusion Acute aerobic exercise at a self-selected intensity may be an effective way of reducing state anxiety and improving cognitive function, when compared to seated rest or resistance training.

School-based health activities that involve parents are more likely to be effective for child health and well-being than activities without a parent component. However, such school-based interventions tend to recruit the most motivated parents, and limited evidence exists surrounding the involvement of hard-to-reach parents with low socioeconomic status (SES). Mothers remain responsible for the majority of family care; therefore, this study investigated mothers with low SES to establish the reasons and barriers to their involvement in school-based health activities and to propose strategies to increase their involvement in those activities. Interviews were conducted with mothers with low SES, who were typically not involved in school-based health activities ( n = 16). An inductive–deductive approach to hierarchical analysis revealed that there are several barriers resulting in mothers being less involved, particularly due to issues surrounding the schools’ Parent Councils and the exclusivity of school-based events. Efforts made by the school to promote health activities and involve parents in such activities were revealed, alongside recommendations to improve on these practices. The findings offer multiple ways in which future school-based health interventions can recruit and involve mothers with low SES.

Welbot is a nudge-based digital intervention that aims to reduce sedentary behaviour and improve physical and mental wellbeing at work. The purpose of this study was to pilot test the Welbot intervention. Forty-one (6M/35F) University staff (M age = 43-years) participated in this study, which was a single arm repeated measures trial conducted over three weeks of intervention. The primary outcome was sedentary behaviour (measured subjectively and objectively) and secondary outcomes included: mental wellbeing, procrastination, depression, anxiety and stress, and work engagement. A subset of participants (n = 6) wore an ActivPAL to objectively measure activity data, while another subset of participants (n = 6) completed a qualitative semi-structured interview to ascertain experiences of using Welbot. Following the intervention, a Friedman non-parametric test revealed that participants self-reported significantly less time sitting and more time standing and objectively recorded more steps at the week-1 follow-up. A series of paired t-tests exhibited that changes in all secondary outcomes were in the expected direction. However, only improvements in depression, anxiety, and stress were significant. After using Welbot, thematic analysis demonstrated that participants perceived they had a positive behaviour change, increased awareness of unhealthy behaviours at work, and provided suggestions for intervention improvement. Overall, findings provided indications of the potential positive impact Welbot may have on employees&rsquo, wellbeing, however, limitations are noted. Recommendations for intervention improvement including personalisation (e.g., individual preferences for nudges and the option to sync Welbot with online calendars) and further research into how users engage with Welbot are provided.

Background: Prolonged sedentary behaviour (SB) is associated with risk of chronic diseases. Digital interventions in SB require mixed method evaluations to understand potential for impact in real-world settings. In this study, the RE-AIM QuEST evaluation framework will be used to understand the potential of a digital health promotion application which targets reducing and breaking up SB across multiple workplace settings. Methods: Four companies and 80 employees were recruited to use a digital application. Questionnaires were used to measure SB, and additional health and work-related outcomes at baseline, one month, three month and six month follow-up. Qualitative data was collected through focus groups with employees and interviews with stakeholders. Questionnaire data was analysed using Wilcoxon Sign Rank tests and qualitative data was thematically analysed. Results: The digital application significantly increased standing time at one month for the total group and transitions per hour in one of the companies. Facilitators and barriers were identified across RE-AIM. Conclusions: Addressing the barriers which have been identified, while maintaining the positive attributes will be critical to producing an effective digital application which also has the potential for impact in the real world.

Background: Childhood obesity is a global public health issue. Interventions to prevent the onset of obesity in the early years are often implemented in preschool settings. The ToyBox intervention was delivered across Europe and targeted energy balance‐related behaviours in preschools and children's homes through teacher‐led activities and parental education materials and was adapted for use in Scotland. This study assessed the acceptability of the 18‐week adapted intervention to both parents and teachers. Methods: Mixed methods were employed to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. Preschool staff and children's parents/caregivers completed post‐intervention feedback surveys, from which acceptability scores were calculated and presented as proportions. Focus groups were conducted with preschool staff, whereas parents/caregivers participated in semi‐structured interviews. A thematic analysis was applied to qualitative data following the development of a coding framework. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using SPSS and NVivo 10, respectively. Results: Preschool staff rated the intervention as highly acceptable based on post‐intervention feedback surveys (80%; mean score 8.8/11). Lower acceptability scores were observed for parents/caregivers (49%; 3.9/8). Nine preschool practitioners participated in focus groups (n = 3). User‐friendliness of the intervention materials, integration of the intervention with the curriculum, and flexibility of the intervention were identified as facilitators to delivery. Barriers to delivery were time, insufficient space, and conflicting policies within preschools with regard to changing classroom layouts. Parental interviews (n = 4) revealed a lack of time to be a major barrier, which prevented parents from participating in home‐based activities. Parents perceived the materials to be simple to understand and visually appealing. Conclusions: This study identified a number of barriers and facilitators to the delivery and evaluation of the ToyBox Scotland preschool obesity prevention programme, which should be considered before any further scale‐up of the intervention.

Summary Moderate‐to‐vigorous‐intensity physical activity (MVPA) is important for childhood obesity prevention and treatment, yet declines with age. Timing and magnitude of the decline in MVPA in children and adolescents are unclear but important for informing effective obesity intervention development. This systematic review aimed to determine and compare the year‐to‐year changes in MVPA among children and adolescents. Longitudinal studies were identified by searching 10 relevant databases up to December 2018. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they reported accelerometer‐assessed MVPA (min day−1) separately for boys and girls and had follow‐up duration of at least 1 year. After screening 9,232 studies, 52 were included representing 22,091 aged 3 to 18 year olds (boys=8,857; girls=13,234). Pooled‐analysis of the relative change in MVPA per year showed a decline of −3.4% (95% CI, −5.9 to −0.9) in boys and −5.3% (95% CI, −7.6 to −3.1) in girls, across all age groups. There were notable declines in MVPA at age 9 for both boys (−7.8%, 95% CI, −11.2 to −4.4) and girls (−10.2%, 95% CI, −14.2 to −6.3). The relative decline in MVPA affects both sexes from an early age; however, it is greater among girls. Interventions to promote MVPA should start before adolescence.

Childhood obesity is a major public health issue, which is reflected in the high number of interventions which have been developed to target the behaviors which cause obesity in childhood such as a lack of physical activity, poor diet, and sedentary behavior. The ToyBox programme was originally developed and tested in mainland Europe, and has now been adapted for use in Scottish preschools. This case describes the systematic approach that was taken to adapt the ToyBox programme. The intervention mapping protocol was used to guide the adaptation process in the absence of guidelines for adapting existing interventions. A Co-creation approach was used to involve stakeholders in intervention adaptation procedures. Preschool practitioners participated in workshops, where proposed intervention components were discussed and agreed upon. Proposed intervention activities were trialed out in a volunteer preschool, and an experienced preschool practitioner assisted in the adaptation of classroom materials, intervention content, and methods of delivery in order align the intervention with Scottish preschool practice. The adaptations resulted in the ToyBox-Scotland intervention being significantly different from the original European programme, whereby two major components of the original intervention were removed, and substantial adaptations were made to the delivery and content of the remaining components. Involving stakeholders in the adaptation of an existing intervention is important to ensure the programme is suitable for those who will be delivering and receiving it. However, it is currently unclear as to how much adaptation should be undertaken, highlighting the need for the creation of evidence-based guidelines for intervention adapters.

Objective Healthy Habits, Happy Homes (4H) is a home-based, pre-school childhood obesity prevention intervention which demonstrated efficacy in North America which we translated to Scotland (4HS) by considering contextual factors and adapting study design. RE-AIM Framework was used to assess 1) extent to which development of 4HS intervention (including recruitment) was participatory and inclusive; 2) feasibility of translating a complex public health intervention from one setting to another; 3) extent to which translation was pragmatic and 4) fidelity of intervention to the principles of Motivational Interviewing (MI). Study design Feasibility testing, process evaluation and measurements of intervention fidelity were undertaken to evaluate the translation of 4H to an economically deprived area of Scotland (4HS). Methods 4HS study processes; participatory approach, recruitment methods, level of pragmatism were evaluated using the RE-AIM framework. Qualitative and quantitative measures identified key implementation features and functioning of 4HS intervention. Fidelity MI principles was determined through coding of audiotapes using Motivation Interviewing Treatment Integrity (MITI) code. Results Key facilitators for positive impact with families, included: inclusive recruitment methods, appropriate channels of communication and correspondence (Reach) with n ​= ​126 enquiries and n ​= ​26 (21%) families recruited. Positive links with local parents and community workers integral to the research process at n ​= ​9 meetings (Effectiveness). 61.5% of families lived in the most deprived data zone in Scotland, 23% were one parent families, thus awareness and consideration of local contextual factors (Adoption) and locally relevant materials were important. 4HS was feasible to deliver, pragmatic in nature and intervention demonstrated good fidelity to MI (Implementation). Conclusion Translation of 4H from North America to Scotland was successful. Future studies should consider implementation of 4HS approach within routine practice within the UK (practice based evidence) or through thoughtful evaluation in a future trial (evidence based practice).

Background: Interventions targeting a reduction in sedentary behaviour in office workers need to be scaled-up to have impact. In this study, the RE-AIM QuEST framework was used to evaluate the potential for further implementation and scale-up of a consultation based workplace intervention which targeted both the reduction, and breaking up of sitting time. Methods: To evaluate the Springfield College sedentary behaviour intervention across multiple RE-AIM QuEST indicators, intervention participant, non-participant (employees who did not participate) and key informant (consultation delivery team, members of the research team and stakeholders in workplace health promotion) data were collected using interviews, focus groups and questionnaires. Questionnaires were summarized using descriptive statistics and interviews and focus groups were transcribed verbatim, and thematically analysed. Results: Barriers to scale-up were: participant burden of activity monitoring, lack of management support, influence of policy, flexibility (scheduling/locations), time and cost. Facilitators to scale up were: visible leadership, social and cultural changes in the workplace, high acceptability, existing health and wellbeing programmes, culture and philosophy of the participating college. Conclusions: There is potential for scale-up, however adaptations will need to be made to address the barriers to scale-up. Future interventions in office workers should evaluate for scalability during the pilot phases of research.

Background High levels of childhood obesity have been observed globally over the last three decades. Preschools are promising settings to implement obesity prevention interventions in the early years. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of a cluster randomised controlled trial of the ToyBox-Scotland preschool obesity prevention intervention. Methods Six preschools in predominantly deprived areas of Glasgow, UK, were randomised to either the ToyBox intervention (n = 3) or usual curriculum control group (n = 3). The intervention ran for 18 weeks from March–June 2018, and consisted of practitioner-led physical activity and sedentary behaviour sessions in preschools, with an additional interactive home component. Primary outcome measures were intervention fidelity, recruitment rates, attrition rates, and compliance with trial procedures. Secondary outcomes were body mass index (BMI) z-score, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time via activPAL accelerometer, and parent-reported home eating, snacking, and water consumption. Results The preschool component of the intervention was implemented with high fidelity (64%), while the home component was implemented with low fidelity (41%). A cluster-level recruitment rate of 10% was achieved, and the individual-level recruitment rate was 18% (42/233 children, mean age 4.4 years; 17 girls). The attrition rate was 14%, and compliance rates varied considerably by the outcome. Compliance was highest for BMI (86%), while 19% of the sample returned valid accelerometer data for both baseline and follow-up and the parental questionnaire response rate was 23%. Both intervention and control groups showed small increases in BMI z-scores at follow-up of 0.02 and 0.06, respectively. Both groups had small decreases in physical activity and increases in sedentary time at follow-up. Conclusions Before progression to an effectiveness trial, additional procedures should be considered to improve recruitment rates, compliance with outcome measures, and implementation of the home-based component of the ToyBox-Scotland intervention. Trial registration ISRCTN12831555

This study aims to understand how children perceive their environment, exploring the affordances children perceive to influence their physical activity (PA) behaviour when outside. Participants included boys and girls aged 10–12 years (n = 15) living in Scotland. Children's visual and verbal representations of their perceived environment were analysed to assess environmental determinants of PA. The findings suggested that physical affordances that offer a sense of risk were important to children's play spaces. Social affordances influenced where the children went in their environment and the features they utilised as part of play behaviour; strangers were considered threatening depending on whether the activity was recognised.

Previous school-based interventions have produced positive effects upon measures of children's health and wellbeing but such interventions are often delivered by external experts which result in short-term effects. Thus, upskilling and expanding the resources available to classroom teachers could provide longer-term solutions. This paper presents a feasibility study of an online health resource (Healthy Schools Resource: HSR) developed to assist primary school teachers in the delivery of health-related education. Four schools (n = 2 intervention) participated in this study. Study feasibility was assessed by recruitment, retention and completion rates of several outcomes including height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure and several metabolic markers including HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose and dietary knowledge following a 10-12-week intervention period. The process evaluation involved fidelity checks of teachers' use of the HSR and post-intervention teacher interviews. A total of 614 consent forms were issued and 267 were returned (43%), of which, 201 confirmed consent for blood sampling (75%). Retention of children participating in the study was also high (96%). Of the 13 teachers who delivered the intervention to the children, four teachers were excluded from further analyses as they did not participate in the fidelity checks. Overall, teachers found the online resource facilitative of teaching health and wellbeing and several recommendations regarding the resource were provided to inform further evaluations. Recruitment and retention rates suggest that the teacher led intervention is feasible and acceptable to both teachers, parents and children. Initial findings provide promising evidence that given a greater sample size, a longer intervention exposure period and changes made to the resource, teachers' use of HSR could enhance measures of health and wellbeing in children.

IntroductionPrevention of childhood obesity is an important public health objective. Promoting healthful energy balance related behaviours (EBRBs) in the early years should be a key focus. In Scotland, one in five children are overweight or obese by age 5 years, with levels highest in deprived areas. This study protocol outlines the stages of a feasibility study to translate the highly promising North American Healthy Habits, Happy Homes (4H) a home based, preschool childhood obesity prevention intervention to Scotland (4H Scotland). First, elements of participatory and co-production approaches utilised to: (a) engage key stakeholders, (b) enable inclusive recruitment of participants and (c) adapt original study materials. Second, 4H Scotland intervention will be tested within a community experiencing health/social inequalities and high levels of deprivation in Dundee, Scotland.Methods and analysis4H Scotland aims to recruit up to 40 families. Anthropometry, objective and subjective measures of EBRBs will be collected at baseline and at 6 months. The intervention consists of monthly visits to family home, using motivational interviewing and SMS to support healthful EBRBs: sleep duration, physical activity (active play), screen time, family meals. The Control Group will receive standard healthy lifestyle information. Fidelity to intervention will be assessed using recordings of intervention visits. Feasibility and acceptability of study design components will be assessed through qualitative interviews and process evaluation of recruitment, retention rates; appropriateness, practicality of obtaining outcome measures; intervention duration, content, mode of delivery and associated costs. Adaptation through participatory and co-production will support development of 4H Scotland. Process evaluation offers two future directions; advancement towards a definitive, larger trial or routine practice.Ethics and disseminationThis study was granted ethical approval by the University of Strathclyde’s School of Psychological Sciences and Health Ethics Committee. Results will be disseminated through lay summaries workshops, peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.Trial registration numberISRCTN13385965; Pre-results.

This study examined whether teachers’ use of transformational teaching behaviors, as perceived by adolescent girls, in physical education would predict girls’ moderate to vigorous physical activity via mediated effects of physical activity self-presentation motives, physical activity identity, and physical education class engagement. Self-report data were acquired from 273 Scottish high school girls in Grades S1–S3 (the equivalent of Grades 7–9 in North America) at 2 time points separated by 1 week. Significant predictive pathways were found from transformational teaching to girls’ moderate to vigorous physical activity via mediated effects of acquisitive self-presentation motives and physical activity identity. This preliminary study provides a novel contribution to the research area by showing how previously unrelated psychosocial constructs work together to predict adolescent girls’ moderate to vigorous physical activity. Results are discussed in relation to existing literature and future research directions.

Supplemental material, HEB871329_suppl_mat for An Insight Into the Involvement of Mothers of Low Socioeconomic Status in Scottish Primary School Health Education Activities by Samantha Donnelly, Duncan S. Buchan, Ann-Marie Gibson, Gillian Mclellan and Rosie Arthur in Health Education & Behavior

Background: Prolonged sedentary behaviour is associated with poor health outcomes. Office workers often engage in excessive sedentary behaviour, however limited research reports on how this sedentary behaviour is accumulated. This study examines objectively measured patterns of prolonged sedentary behaviour in female office workers during weekdays and weekend days and across time of day. Methods: Full time female office workers from a Scottish University participated (N = 27 mean age 43.0 ± 11.5 yrs; BMI 25.8 ± 4.1 kg/m2). Participants wore an activPAL™ for 7 days and completed a diary of waking and working hours. Average week and weekend time sitting, standing and stepping was calculated and also expressed as a proportion of waking day. Average week and weekend daily step count and sit to stand transitions were calculated. Continuous bouts of sedentary behaviour were categorised as: 20–40, 40–60 and > 60 minutes and compared between week and weekend days and across time of day. Results: Average weekday sitting time and proportion was higher (P < 0.05) than weekend days [9.1 hrs (66%) vs 8.1 hrs (56%)]. Time and proportion spent standing was higher (P < 0.01) at weekends than weekdays [4.6 hrs (32%) vs 3.8 hrs (27%)]. Time spent stepping [weekday 1.8 hrs (12%) vs weekend 1.7 hrs (12%)] and total daily step count (weekday 8903 vs weekend day 8014) were not significanlty different (P > 0.05) on weekdays vs weekend days. The pattern of sedentary behaviour bouts was different between week and weekend days. Week days were dominated by a consistent pattern of shorter (20–40 mins) sedentary behaviour bouts. The longest continuous sedentary behaviour bouts occurred in the evening, particularly at weekends. Conclusions: In office workers the most prolonged sedentary behaviour occurred in the evening, particularly at weekends. Interventions need to target these highly saturated periods of sedentary behaviour.

IntroductionThere is an increasing need for the adoption of effective preschool obesity prevention interventions to combat the high levels of early-childhood obesity in the UK. This study will examine the feasibility and acceptability of the adapted version of the ToyBox intervention—a preschool obesity prevention programme—for use in Scotland (ToyBox-Scotland). This will inform the design of a full-scale cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT).Methods and analysisThe ToyBox-Scotland intervention will be evaluated using a feasibility cluster RCT, which involves children aged 3–5 years at six preschools in Glasgow, three randomly assigned to the intervention group and three to the usual-care control group. The original ToyBox intervention was adapted for the Scottish context using a coproduction approach. Within the 18-week intervention, physical activity and sedentary behaviour will be targeted in the preschool through environmental changes to the classroom, physical activity sessions and movement breaks. Parents will receive home activity packs every 3 weeks containing sticker incentives and interactive parent–child games that target sedentary behaviour, physical activity, eating/snacking and water consumption. As this is a feasibility study, parameters such as recruitment rates, attrition rates and SDs of outcome measures will be obtained which will inform a power calculation for a future RCT. Additional variables to be assessed include accelerometer-measured physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep, body mass index, home screen time, eating/snacking and water consumption. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and 14–17 weeks later. Intervention fidelity will be assessed using questionnaires and interviews with parents and practitioners, observation and session delivery records.Ethics and disseminationThis study was granted ethical approval by the University of Strathclyde’s School of Psychological Sciences and Health Ethics Committee. Results will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed journals, presentation at conferences and in lay summaries provided to participants.Trial registration numberISRCTN12831555.

Background: It is reported that 81% of adolescents are insufficiently active. Schools play a pivotal role in promoting physical activity (PA) and reducing sedentary behavior (SB). The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate classroom-based PA and SB interventions in adolescents. Methods: A search strategy was developed using the Population Intervention Comparison Outcome Study (PICOS) design framework. Articles were screened using strict inclusion criteria. Study quality was assessed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project quality assessment tool (http://www.ephpp.ca/tools.html). Outcome data for preintervention and postintervention were extracted, and effect sizes were calculated using Cohen’s d. Results: The strategy yielded 7574 potentially relevant articles. Nine studies were included for review. Study quality was rated as strong for 1 study, moderate for 5 studies, and weak for 3 studies. Five studies were included for meta-analyses, which suggested that the classroom-based interventions had a nonsignificant effect on PA (P = .55, d = 0.05) and a small, nonsignificant effect on SB (P = .16, d = −0.11). Conclusion: Only 9 relevant studies were found, and the effectiveness of the classroom-based PA and SB interventions varied. Based on limited empirical studies, there is not enough evidence to determine the most effective classroom-based methodology to increase PA and SB.

Purpose: Previous systematic reviews of interventions targeting sedentary behaviour (SB) in office workers have focused reporting on indicators of efficacy. In this review, the RE-AIM framework is utilised to report on additional indicators that have the potential to inform and improve further implementation and translation of interventions targeting sedentary office workers. The review aims to gain an understanding of the proportion of RE-AIM indicators that are reported in the literature to identify whether gaps in reporting exist, which indicators are under-reported and which existing methods may be useful in collecting data on under-reported indicators. Methods: An integrative, systematic review approach was used to facilitate the inclusion of both qualitative and quantitative articles. Articles were included if they involved adult of?ce workers, were conducted in an of?ce setting, and changes in sedentary behaviour had been measured as a primary outcome. Five electronic databases were searched yielding 7234 articles, with 75 articles (61 individual interventions) meeting the inclusion criteria. The Covidence program was used to aid the blinded, double screening process and analysis was conducted with a validated RE-AIM coding sheet across 28 indicators. Results/findings: Reach indicators were the most frequently reported of the RE-AIM dimensions, which were reported on average 59% of the time. Eficacy/effectiveness was the second most reported dimension at 49% reporting across all of the indicators. Implementation indicators were reported an average of 44% of the time, with indicators of adoption and maintenance reported as the lowest at 13% and 8%, respectively. Conclusions: The results of this review indicate that, within interventions targeting SB in office workers, there is an imbalance in the reporting across indicators of the RE-AIM framework. Evaluating all interventions across RE-AIM indicators may be an essential first step in the effective translation of interventions as we move towards understanding intervention effectiveness under real-world conditions. Additionally, minimal reporting of indicators of adoption and maintenance fuels arguments that a more pragmatic "practice-based" approach to intervention design may be warranted. In light of the significant gaps in reporting, the research team have created specific recommendations to facilitate improved future reporting of office-based SB interventions.

Objective. To examine the association between obesity and cognitive function in healthy premenopausal women. Methods. From a cohort of 220 women, 98 were randomly selected that provided complete data. Body composition was examined by dual-energy X-ray scan. All participants completed the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) to assess cognitive performance in three domains: attention, memory, and planning executive function. The Reaction Time (RTI) test was used to assess motor and mental response speeds; the Stockings of Cambridge (SOC) test was used to assess planning executive function. For memory assessment, the Delayed Match to Sample (DMS), Pattern Recognition Memory (PRM), and Spatial Span (SSP) tests were used to assess forced choice recognition memory, visual pattern recognition memory, and working memory capacity, respectively. Results. 36 (36.7%) were morbidly obese, 22 (22.4%) obese, and 23 (23.5%) overweight. Performance on RTI and SOC planning ability were not associated with body mass index (BMI). DMS mean time to correct response, when stimulus is visible or immediately hidden (0 ms delay), was higher by 785 ± 302 ms (milliseconds) (p=0.011) and 587 ± 259 ms (p=0.026) in morbidly obese women compared to normal weight women. Memory span length was significantly lower in overweight (5.5 ± 1.3, p=0.008) and obese women (5.6 ± 1.6, p=0.007) compared to normal weight (6.7 ± 0.9). DEXA-assessed body fat (%) showed similar associations as BMI, and latency to correct response on DMS and PRM was positively correlated with percentage of body fat, but not with VO2 max. Conclusion. In otherwise healthy premenopausal women, obesity did not impact accuracy on cognitive tasks related to attention, memory, or planning executive function, but morbid obesity was associated with higher latency to correct response on memory-specific tasks and lower memory span length.

Physical activity and health interventions involving both schools and parents have potential to be effective. However, little is known about the most effective methods to encourage parent involvement in such interventions. Therefore, this study was undertaken to obtain parent perceptions of current school-based physical activity and health practices, informing the design of future school-based interventions in Scotland involving parents. The findings from this study indicate that altering school practices and improving parent-school communication could be effective ways to increase parent involvement in school-based health and physical activity interventions.

The purpose of the study was to examine the health effects of 8 weeks of recreational badminton in \ud untrained women. Participants were matched for maximal oxygen uptake (V̇ O2max) and body fat \ud percentage and assigned to either a badminton (n = 14), running (n = 14) or control group (n = 8). \ud Assessments were conducted pre- and post-intervention with physiological, anthropometric, \ud motivation to exercise and physical self-esteem data collected. Post-intervention, V̇ O2max increased \ud (P < 0.05) by 16% and 14% in the badminton and running groups, respectively, and time to \ud exhaustion increased (P < 0.05) by 19% for both interventions. Maximal power output was \ud increased (P < 0.05) by 13% in the badminton group only. Blood pressure, resting heart rate and \ud heart rate during submaximal running were lower (P < 0.05) in both interventions. Perceptions of \ud physical conditioning increased (P < 0.05) in both interventions. There were increases (P < 0.05) in \ud enjoyment and ill health motives in the running group only, whilst affiliation motives were higher \ud (P < 0.05) for the badminton group only. Findings suggest that badminton should be considered a \ud strategy to improving the health and wellbeing of untrained females who are currently not meeting \ud physical activity guidelines

Acrobatic gymnastics is a unique sport due to the different mixes of gender, age and number of gymnasts working in each partnership, however psychological skills training within this domain is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an imagery training intervention on acrobatic performance, self-confidence and anxiety in acrobatic gymnastics. Participants (n=19) completed the Sport Imagery Questionnaire and the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory 2 prior to performing their competition routine. They were then randomly assigned to a 4 week imagery training intervention (n=11) or control group (n=8). Repeated measures ANOVAs were used to examine changes in acrobatic performance, levels of self-confidence and anxiety. The imagery intervention significantly increased acrobats’ self-confidence, however imagery did not significantly reduce anxiety or improve acrobatic performance. Future research should consider adopting a longer intervention period to elicit a reduction in anxiety levels and an enhancement of acrobatic performance.

Background: Limited research has explored the links between sedentary behaviour, mental health and quality of life. This study examines objectively measured sedentary behaviour and perceived mental health and quality of life across week days and weekends. Methods: 42 adults (19M, 23F; mean age 38yrs (range 18–67) & BMI 24.8kg/m2 (range 18.7–33.8) wore an activPAL monitor 24h/day for one week and completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and SF12 Health Survey. Average weekday and weekend day sitting time was computed. Differences between sitting (Group 1 = 10hrs/day) and components of the HADS and SF12 health survey were examined using an ANCOVA with a measure of physical activity (step count) included as a covariate. Results: Average sitting time on a weekday was 9hrs 29mins (range 5hrs 52mins to 12hrs 55mins) and 8hrs 59mins (range 4hrs, 07mins to 14hrs, 40mins) on a weekend day. There was a main effect (p0.05). No main effects were found for weekend sitting (p>0.05). Conclusions: Weekday sitting time below 8 hours/day is associated with better perceived mental health and quality of life.

During the transition from school to higher education, young adults experience a substantial amount of change where they progress from the highly controlled setting of school to the autonomous and self-motivated environment of university. Time spent at university is considered a critical period during which young adults establish a clear sense of identity, which can include forming positive health behaviours such as regular physical activity. The transition from school to university also involves a number of changes that can impact on the mental well-being of students including financial concerns, academic pressures and a lack of social support. The aim of this paper is to longitudinally examine the physical activity levels and mental well-being of Scottish students during their first year at university. Participants were 48 first year students (males, n = 24; females, n = 24) aged 18 - 19 years enrolled at two Scottish universities in the UK. At entry to university (semester 1) participants completed a validated self-report measure of physical activity and measures of anxiety and depression. Participants’ physical activity levels were assessed for seven days via accelerometry. Participants completed the same measures six months later (semester 2). Daily moderate physical activity levels decreased across the semesters yet perceptions of mental well-being remained stable. There was a significant increase in hip and waist circumferences across the semesters. First year of university is a critical period for establishing positive health behaviours and there is a need for universities to actively encourage physical activity as an integral part of university life.

The aim of this study was to systematically review accelerometer based longitudinal studies which have quantified year to year changes in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among the general paediatric population in the absence of any intervention.

This poster discusses parental perceptions and key determinants of sedentary behaviour in children aged 2-11 years old.

Background: Acrobatics is a discipline within gymnastics which lacks empirical research in relation to psychological skills training. Due to the different mixes of gender, age and number of gymnasts working in each partnership, the psychological pressure for acrobats could be higher than gymnasts who train and compete on their own. Research conducted in other aesthetic sports have proposed imagery training for elevating self-confidence and controlling anxiety levels yet there is no evidence on the use of imagery training in acrobatic gymnastics. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an imagery intervention on acrobatic performance, self-confidence and anxiety in acrobatic gymnastics.Methods: Twenty-one acrobatic gymnasts (mean age=13.7 years) completed a demographic questionnaire, the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 and the Sport Imagery Questionnaire prior to performing their competitive routine for baseline measures. Within their competitive partnerships, they were randomly-assigned to the control group (n=8) who continued with their physical training and the imagery training group(n=11) who completed 2 imagery scripts a week for 4 weeks. The same measures were taken post intervention.Results: Repeated measures ANOVAs were used to examine changes in acrobatic performance, levels of self-confidence and anxiety. The imagery intervention significantly increased acrobat’s self-confidence compared to the control (F₁ˏ₁₇= 14.18, p= .002), however; imagery did not significantly reduce cognitive anxiety (F₁ˏ₁₇= 1.96, p> .05, η²= .10) or somatic anxiety (F₁ˏ₁₇= .92, p> .05, η²= .35). The in-between group comparisons revealed no significant changes in acrobatic performance. There was a significant main effect of time in the intervention group for the targeted imagery functions- motivational general arousal imagery (F₁ˏ₁₇= 7.16, p= .02, η²= .30) and motivational general-mastery imagery (F₁ˏ₁₇=5.16, p= .04, η²= .23).Discussion: The current study was the first to explore the effects of an imagery training intervention in acrobatic gymnasts which sets a foundation for future research. Acrobatic gymnasts should adopt a 4 week imagery training programme in practice and competition in order to enhance their self-confidence, but not to reduce anxiety or improve performance scores. Further research is required to identify the effect of an increased duration imagery intervention in acrobatic gymnastics which follow a more intense and consistent programme.

To investigate the effects of an eight week Nordic Walking programme on health outcomes in sedentary yet healthy adults. Thirty-nine participants (mean age = 54.6 ± 9.3 years) were randomised to a Nordic (N=20) or standard walking group (N=19) and completed three 55-minute supervised walking sessions per week. Blood pressure, aerobic capacity, lipid profile and anthropometry were assessed and participants completed measures of health-related quality of life, self-esteem, depression and mood pre- and post intervention. There was a significant group interaction for diastolic blood pressure with a trend for lower values in the Nordic Walking group post intervention. There was a significant decrease in waist, hip and upper arm circumference and a significant increase in total distance and averaging exercising heart rate in both walking groups post intervention. There were no significant differences within or between groups for total cholesterol, high and low density lipoprotein however a significant intervention effect was observed for triglycerides. The findings point towards a non-significant improvement in health-related quality of life, selfesteem, depression and mood in both walking groups over time. In line with previous research, an eight-week walking intervention significantly improved aspects of physical and mental health in a sedentary population, although Nordic Walking did not enhance these health benefits compared to standard walking. Further research needs to focus on increasing intervention duration, ensuring mastery of correct technique and monitoring intensity during the intervention period.

In this article, we consider children’s perceptions of their social and physical outdoor environment in relation to their physical activity (PA) behaviour in Scotland, United Kingdom. Drawing from a pilot study, participants included three groups of children aged between ten and twelve of mixed gender (n=15). Visual and verbal representations of their perceived environment were analysed to assess environmental determinants of PA. Results found an absence of suitable play affordances, safety, parental restriction, and environmental aesthetics was a key factor to children spending time outdoors. Strengths and limitations of the study are discussed, as are implications for policy and practice.

We determine the effect of "ActiveChat" - an 8-week classroom-based physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) programme on adolescents' motivation and PA. Results of the feasibility study provides preliminary evidence suggesting that an 8-week teacher-led classroom-based PA and SB programme has the potential to maintain adolescents' motivation towards PA, and increase in-class levels of PA. This indicates that pedagogical methods could be adapted to incorporate more PA within secondary school classrooms.