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Background: Physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour have important health implications. Self-reported measures of PA and sitting time (ST) such as questionnaires are most commonly used in public health studies and surveillance, but their accuracy might be affected by cultural differences between countries. The aim of the present study was to examine the correlation between the self-administered Global PA Questionnaire - Japanese version (GPAQ-J) and accelerometer in Japanese adults. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted to examine the last 7 days PA by GPAQ-J, comparing with accelerometer data. A convenience sample of 181 women and 85 men were included. Results: Significant positive correlations using Spearman's rank correlation were observed between total moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) by GPAQ-J and both of accelerometer-measured total MVPA and 10-minute bouts of MVPA in both women and men, with a higher correlation in men (total MVPA: ρ = 0.375, 10-minute bouts of MVPA: ρ = 0.419). GPAQ-J transportation MVPA was significantly correlated with all types of variables for accelerometer-measured MVPA for men, particularly with ambulatory MVPA (ρ = 0.615). On the other hand, for women, a significant positive correlation was observed between GPAQ-J recreation MVPA and accelerometer-measured 10-minute bouts of MVPA. Average MVPA with GPAQ-J was between the accelerometer-measured total MVPA and the 10 min bouts of MVPA in both genders. A significant positive correlation was only observed between ST by accelerometer and the GPAQ-J question in men (ρ = 0.332), not women (ρ = 0.004). Conclusions: The GPAQ-J has weak or moderate validity for evaluating both total and 10-minute bouts of MVPA in Japanese women and men. ST by the GPAQ-J has moderate validity only in men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Workplace barriers to physical activity (PA) and sedentary work contribute to obesity. Workplace lifestyle interventions are needed to reduce sedentary behavior. OBJECTIVE: The study evaluates the effects of a self-monitoring PA protocol plus diet on general health of workers with obesity. METHODS: Thirty-nine workers affected by obesity were enrolled in this pilot intervention study. Monthly and daily PA diary, six-minute walking test (6MWT), Short Form-36 health survey (SF-36), and Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) results were evaluated prior (T0) and at the end of the study (T1). A personalized low-calorie diet based on the Mediterranean diet model was also implemented. Participants followed the protocol from one to three months depending on the date of recruitment. RESULTS: Significant improvements in SF36 and GPAQ scores were recorded, along with reductions in sedentary activity, weight, and BMI (p < 0.001). 6MWT significantly increased from 462.5 [412.5–500] m at T0 to 500 [462.5–550] m at T1 (p < 0.001). A multiple linear regression analysis to investigate the impact of selected covariates (PA, body weight reduction, and sedentary time) on the 6MWT was significant in men. CONCLUSIONS: PA self-monitoring protocols and diets are effective and sustainable for workplace interventions. PA should be part of daily medical practice and occupational physicians should encourage behavioral changes in workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We determined the prevalence and correlates of insufficient physical activity and high sedentary behavior among a nationally representative sample of 2,240 older adults (≥60 years) in Singapore. The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, administered through face-to-face interviews, assessed physical activity and sedentary behavior. Logistic regression identified the correlates of insufficient physical activity (<600 metabolic equivalent of task minutes/week) and high sedentary behavior (>7 hr/day). The prevalence of insufficient physical activity and high sedentary behavior was 33.7% and 17.3%, respectively. Those older, females, Malays, residing in smaller housing, living with child but no spouse, with functional limitations and sensory impairments (vision/hearing) were more likely to have insufficient physical activity whereas those with tertiary education had lower odds. High sedentary behavior was more likely among those older, with secondary education, preobesity/obesity, and with functional limitations. While policies should encourage all older adults to be physically active, at-risk subgroups identified in our study merit greater attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous available studies used to prepare the guidelines for preventing physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour are mostly compatible with high-income countries. The guidelines are scarce for low- and middle-income countries, including Bangladesh. Thus, the prevalence of current levels of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour needed to be determined to produce effective policies and an intervention strategy for Bangladeshi adults. This cross-sectional study selected adults using the multi-stage cluster sampling method. A representative sample of 8185 adults aged from 18 to 69 years participated. Physical inactivity levels and sedentary behaviour were assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. This study reports baseline information on the physical inactivity level and sedentary behaviour among adults in Bangladesh. Overall, the prevalence of physical inactivity was highest in recreation-related activity (90.5%), followed by vigorous activity (67.5%), transport-related activity (44.7%) and work-related activity (19.9%). Insufficient physical activity at work was significant for all sociodemographic indicators. Adults with significantly high school education, women and the employed were proportionally more prone to sedentary behaviour. Five out of ten adults (56%) did not meet the WHO recommended level of physical activity. Adequate public health measures should be addressed considering the different forms of physical inactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), also known as Dyspraxia, is characterized by movement difficulties in individuals without discernible neurological disorders or identifiable medical conditions. Previous studies from various countries have highlighted disparities in anthropometric, physical activity, and psychological characteristics between children diagnosed with DCD and their typically developing (TD) peers. These differences are influenced by sociocultural norms and geographical locations. However, little attention has been given to scrutinizing analogous differences in adult populations, particularly within Republic of Korea. This study aims to address this knowledge gap by employing a battery of questionnaires to assess anthropometric, physical activity, and psychological traits in a cohort of 377 Korean adults, encompassing those with DCD (n = 54) alongside TD counterparts (n = 323). It was hypothesized that Korean adults with DCD would exhibit higher body mass index and lower ratings in physical activity and psychological characteristics than TD, consistent with the previous studies performed in other countries on children. The results showed no statistically significant differences between the DCD and TD groups in anthropometric characteristics such as weight (kg), height (cm), and body mass index. The prevalence of walking and biking for daily commuting in daily routines within Korean society might have contributed to the mitigation of anthropometric among individuals with/without DCD. Statistically significant differences were found in physical activity levels at work and recreational settings, as shown in physical activity scores and duration. The DCD group also displayed lower scores across several psychological characteristics, including exercise adherence, intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, physical self-concept, exercise expectations, and intrinsic regulation. These findings underscore the necessity of incorporating sociocultural dynamics when investigating anthropometric, physical activity, and psychological characteristics in adults with DCD. Their perceived difficulties in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 01 frontiersin.org fine motor skills were also significantly poor than TD. Future research studies are warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms driving the observed patterns in this study, thus contributing to a more nuanced comprehension of how DCD manifests within specific sociocultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physical inactivity is the prime contributor to one -third of the world's adult population's noncommunicable diseases. Doctors, in spite of their knowledge regarding the benefits, often find it hard to stick to a proper exercise regime and follow their own advice. This could be due to habits they picked up during their college years. The present study aims to estimate the proportion of physical activity among MBBS students of a rural medical college in Kerala using WHO's GPAQ questionnaire (Global Physical Activity Questionnaire) and also to determine the factors associated with their physical activity pattern. Methodology: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted among undergraduate medical students of a private medical college in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, from December 2021 to April 2022. Physical activity patterns were assessed using the WHO's Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. An online questionnaire using Kobo Toolbox was developed and shared to record their physical activity patterns . Results: A total of 341 students participated in the study. The study showed that only 25% of students achieved above 600 METs (Metabolic equivalents) and had adequate physical activities. The mean duration of hours spent on sedentary activities on average per day by the study participants was 6.75 hours (SD 3.6). Among the 341 students, 78 (22.8%) reported that they were unable to do physical activities. The reasons for unable to do physical activities were study burden 48 (61%), engaging in other activities 35(44.8%), lack of motivation 22 (28.2%), lack of facilities 19 (24.5%), health issues 18 (23%) and environmental barriers 5 (6.5%),. Among the students with above average screen time, 71% of them were found to be physically inactive. and was found to be statistically significant. Conclusion: Medical institutions should have an adequate environment for physical activity. It is ideal to appoint a physical education trainer and allot mandatory time for physical activities for a few hours every week. Students must be encouraged to reduce time spent glued to their mobile screens. Hostels must have properly maintained and easily accessible exercise areas with adequate equipment. Health awareness programs and marathons must be promoted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This cross-sectional study assessed the prevalence of health complaints and physical activity levels among female university students; including determining the risk factors of health complaints during the pandemic. Material and Methods: Data were collected from 205 female university students, aged 18-29 years old via self-administered online questionnaires during a nationwide movement-restricted order. The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) and a modified health symptoms questionnaire were used to assess physical activity levels and health complaints. Results: The most prevalent daily health complaint was sleeping difficulties (8.3%). The total minutes of sedentary behaviour were positively associated with health complaints (r=0.131, p-value=0.031), while the total minutes of moderate recreation were negatively associated with health complaints (r=-0.166, p-value=0.009). Marital status (standardised beta coefficient, β=-0.167, p-value=0.030) and employment (β=-0.180, p-value=0.017) were risks of health complaints. Conclusion: Sedentariness; including sociodemographic factors during the pandemic was associated with health complaints. Appropriate counselling, finance and social supports and physical activity programmes are recommended at universities to prevent future health risks.

Introduction: Physical activity has several related factors, which are age, gender, educational level, and type of occupation. It is known that 1 in 4 adults in the world do not meet the minimum physical activity. Physical inactivity is one of the main factors causing non-communicable disease (NCD) as well as obesity, heart disease, and cancer. In Indonesia, 26.1% of the population is included in the category of less physical activity. Aims: to find out the physical activity profile of mining workers based on age, gender, educational level, and type of occupation. Methods: This study uses a descriptive design study with a cross-sectional approach that included 124 workers at PT. Borneo Indobara 2020. The measure was used in this research is the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). The total level of physical activity is divided into three categories in MET-minutes/week, which are high (≥ 3.000 MET), moderate (≥ 600 or < 3.000 MET), and low (< 600 MET). Result: The workers who have a higher percentage of low physical activity are workers of middle age, female, highly educated, and have a position as leader/officer which is 75% compared to each category. Conclusion: The majority of mining workers at PT. Borneo Indobara has low physical activity. This research can be used as feedback or consideration for evaluating and motivating mining workers at PT. Borneo Indobara and the wider community to increase physical activity.

Penelitian ini memiliki tujuan untuk mengetahui tingkat aktivtas fisik dan kebugaran jasmani pada peserta didik usia 14-16 tahun Penelitian deskriptif kuantitatif ini dilakukan menggunakan Metode survei bertujuan untuk mengumpulkan data. Global Physical Activity Questionneaire (GPAQ) dan Tes Kebugaran Pelajar Nusantara (TKPN). Sampel yang digunakan yaitu yang berjumlah 89 Siswa, metode analisis data menggunakan analisis deskriptif kuantitatif dan persentase. menggunakan fasilitas MS Excel. Dan diperoleh hasil bahwa tingkat aktivitas fisik pada peserta didik SMA PGRI 2 Palembang dikategorikan “tinggi”, dengan persentase sebesar 65,17%. Adapun hasil Tes tingkat kebugaran jasmani pada peserta didik SMA PGRI 2 Palembang dikategorikan “Baik”, dengan persentase 51,69%. Berdasarkan penelitian yang dilakukan dapat di simpulkan bahwa peserta didik di SMA PGRI 2 Palembang memiliki tingkat aktivitas fisik yang “tinggi” dan tingkat kebugaran jasmani yang “baik”, dikarenakan aktivitas dan kegiatan berolahraga yang dilakukan siswa pada kehidupan sehari-hari tergolong aktif dan intens.

Abstract Background Depression is a leading cause of disability and mortality, with estimated number of deaths exceeding 2.2 million worldwide. We examined depression in relation to anemia and physical activity, both of which have an impact on depression mechanisms. Methods This cross-sectional study used data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, including 18,622 participants. Depression was measured by The Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and physical activity was assessed by the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Anemia was defined by World Health Organization criteria for blood hemoglobin levels. Isotemporal substitution model for physical activity was used to assess the effect of replacing sedentary behavior to each intensity level of physical activity. Logistic regression was applied to estimate the association on depression. Results Replacing sedentary behavior with moderate or vigorous physical activity was associated with a lower risk of depression in the anemic (OR: 0.875, 95% CI: 0.782–0.978) and non-anemic groups (OR: 0.943, 95% CI: 0.919–0.967). Depression risk was significantly reduced by replacing walking with moderate to vigorous physical activity in both anemic (OR: 0.877, 95% CI: 0.784–0.982) and non-anemic groups (OR: 0.951, 95% CI: 0.927–0.976). Conclusions Moderate to vigorous physical activity had a protective association against depression in both anemic and non-anemic groups. Anemic patients are recommended to perform physical activity for any duration acceptable to them to prevent depression.

Background: Inadequate Physical Activity is a common feature running through most public health problems across the world. Physical activity declines during the lifespan, especially during adolescence. Identifying patterns of physical activity behaviour in adolescent population will help to improve interventions for youth to become and stay active into adulthood. Objective: 1. To assess the level of physical activity among school and college going adolescents in the urban field practice area of Guntur Medical College. 2. To identify the factors influencing the level of physical activity. Methodology: This cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among 300 adolescents (aged 10 to 19 years) attending government schools or junior colleges. One school and one college from the field practice area were selected by simple random sampling whereas students from each class were selected by stratified random sampling. A pre-tested, pre-designed semi-structured questionnaire adapted from the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) and the Physical Activity Questionnaire- Adolescent (PAQ-A) was used for collecting data on physical activity. Results: 30.3% of the adolescents were practicing low physical activity. Level of physical activity was significantly associated with gender, academic grade, father’s schooling, availability of facilities in the neighbourhood, and availability of facilities at home. Among adolescents who are practicing low physical activity, 76.1% reported lack of time as the barrier. Conclusion: A substantial proportion of the adolescents are practicing low physical activity varying across different factors viz., gender, academic grade, availability of facilities in neighborhood or at home.

Introduction: Diabetes is a major public health problem worldwide including India. Poor glycaemic control is a major risk factor for the development of diabetes-related complications. Hence, monitoring and achieving good glycaemic control is critical to reducing the risk of complications and improving outcomes in people with diabetes. This study conducted to determine the prevalence of poor glycaemic control and to identify the factors associated with poor glycaemic control. Methodology: This cross-sectional descriptive study conducted in an urban area among those patients having diabetes since more than five years. All participants were interviewed and tested for HbA1c. Cases with good glycaemic control (HbA1c 23(kg/m2) (p

Background: Depression is a leading cause of disability and mortality, with estimated number of deaths exceeding 2.2 million worldwide. We examined depression in relation to anemia and physical activity, both of which have an impact on depression mechanisms. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, including 18,622 participants. Depression was measured by The Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and physical activity was assessed by the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Anemia was defined by World Health Organization criteria for blood hemoglobin levels. Isotemporal substitution model for physical activity was used to assess the effect of replacing sedentary behavior to each intensity level of physical activity. Logistic regression was applied to estimate the association on depression. Results: Replacing sedentary behavior with moderate or vigorous physical activity was associated with a lower risk of depression in the anemic (OR: 0.875, 95% CI: 0.782–0.978) and non-anemic groups (OR: 0.943, 95% CI: 0.919–0.967). Depression risk was significantly reduced by replacing walking with moderate to vigorous physical activity in both anemic (OR: 0.877, 95% CI: 0.784–0.982) and non-anemic groups (OR: 0.951, 95% CI: 0.927–0.976). Conclusions: Moderate to vigorous physical activity had a protective association against depression in both anemic and non-anemic groups. Anemic patients are recommended to perform physical activity for any duration acceptable to them to prevent depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a need for a modified Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) to estimate physical activity levels more accurately in populations. We aimed to develop a modified GPAQ and examine its construct validity among adults in Kerala, India. We incorporated locality-specific, metabolic equivalent task (MET)-based activities into the original GPAQ and administered this modified GPAQ among randomly selected 451 individuals (age ≥ 20 years) residing in the Trivandrum district of Kerala. Construct validity of the modified GPAQ was assessed using generalized linear models by examining the association of total moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) MET-minutes per week with clinical measures. The mean age of participants was 45.4 (SD: 14.1) years, and 52.6% were female. Increasing total MVPA MET-minutes per week was associated with decreasing weight (β = −0.011 kg, 95% CI: −0.020, −0.002), waist circumference (β = −0.013 cm, 95% CI: −0.023, −0.004), and systolic blood pressure (β = −0.009 mmHg, 95% CI: −0.015, −0.002), independent of age, sex, education, occupation, current smoking, current alcohol use, and fruit and vegetable intake. The validity coefficients and associations between total MVPA MET-minutes per week and theoretical constructs of physical activity agreed with those predicted, providing evidence of construct validity for the modified GPAQ.

Background: Physical activity is associated with many health benefits like maintaining weight and decreased risk factors for Non-communicable Diseases. Physical inactivity is seen as prevalent among students who have a higher workload especially students in the medical field. Lack of physical activity in students could be one of the reasons for low performance in academics as well as other day-to-day activities Objective: Among the students of a medical college in Dakshina Kannada district in April 2023: to assess levels of physical activity and to determine the barriers to physical activity. Methodology: A cross sectional study recruiting 256 medical students chosen equally from each admission year (4 years) by Stratified Random Sampling with gender. Study duration was 6 months. Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) was used to obtain data. Data collected were entered in Microsoft Excel and reported as frequency and proportions. METs (Metabolic Equivalents) were calculated that are used to express the intensity of physical activities. Results: Most participants were in the age group of 18-24. Less than 4 out of 5 students exhibited lower recommended WHO physical activity. Conclusion: Despite a majority falling within the 18-24 age range and diverse parental education backgrounds, a significant proportion fails to meet WHO recommendations. Identified barriers emphasize need for targeted interventions. The study highlights how critical it is to address these problems in order to encourage medical students to lead more active lives.

Background: To assess the validity of the single question to determine sedentary behavior (SB) by using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) in older adults. Methods: The sample included 163 participants (96 women) aged 65–92 years. Self-reported SB was obtained from the GPAQ. Objectively measured SB was assessed using the Intelligent Device for Energy Expenditure and Activity. Participants wore the Intelligent Device for Energy Expenditure and Activity continuously during 2 consecutive days while following their daily routine. The relative validity was assessed using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient (ρ), and the agreement was examined using mean bias and 95% limit of agreement with the Intelligent Device for Energy Expenditure and Activity as reference. Results: The results showed small correlations (ρ =.291, P <.001) between the SB from the GPAQ and the objective measures, and ranged from ρ =.217 to ρ =.491 depending on the potential moderator. Similarly, the GPAQ underestimates the SB for approximately 2 hours per day in older adults (limit of agreement = −7.3 to 3.4 h/d). Conclusion: The GPAQ may not be the most suitable questionnaire for measuring SB in this population and should be used with caution because those studies that use this questionnaire in older adults may have an inaccurate measurement of SB levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. To study levels and types of physical activity, as well as its individual socio-demographic and seasonal determinants in the Russian population according to the Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Diseases and their Risk Factors in Regions of Russian Federation (ESSE-RF) study.Material and methods. Data from the ESSE-RF2 (2017) and ESSERF3 (2020-2022) was used. The sample included 28731 men and women aged 35-74 from 15 regions. The level of physical activity was assessed using the Global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ). The following socio-economic and demographic characteristics were taken as covariates: sex, age, place of residence (urban and rural), level of education, marital status, work characteristics, income level, season of the year. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 22 (IBM Corp. USA).Results. The study showed that 27,4% of the sample have insufficient physical activity. Among the low physical activity category, there are more women than men (28,12 vs 26,7%, p

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), also known as Dyspraxia, is characterized by movement difficulties in individuals without discernible neurological disorders or identifiable medical conditions. Previous studies from various countries have highlighted disparities in anthropometric, physical activity, and psychological characteristics between children diagnosed with DCD and their typically developing (TD) peers. These differences are influenced by sociocultural norms and geographical locations. However, little attention has been given to scrutinizing analogous differences in adult populations, particularly within Republic of Korea. This study aims to address this knowledge gap by employing a battery of questionnaires to assess anthropometric, physical activity, and psychological traits in a cohort of 377 Korean adults, encompassing those with DCD (n = 54) alongside TD counterparts (n = 323). It was hypothesized that Korean adults with DCD would exhibit higher body mass index and lower ratings in physical activity and psychological characteristics than TD, consistent with the previous studies performed in other countries on children. The results showed no statistically significant differences between the DCD and TD groups in anthropometric characteristics such as weight (kg), height (cm), and body mass index. The prevalence of walking and biking for daily commuting in daily routines within Korean society might have contributed to the mitigation of anthropometric among individuals with/without DCD. Statistically significant differences were found in physical activity levels at work and recreational settings, as shown in physical activity scores and duration. The DCD group also displayed lower scores across several psychological characteristics, including exercise adherence, intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, physical self-concept, exercise expectations, and intrinsic regulation. These findings underscore the necessity of incorporating sociocultural dynamics when investigating anthropometric, physical activity, and psychological characteristics in adults with DCD. Their perceived difficulties in fine motor skills were also significantly poor than TD. Future research studies are warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms driving the observed patterns in this study, thus contributing to a more nuanced comprehension of how DCD manifests within specific sociocultural contexts.

Abstract Background Physical activity (PA) plays an important role in optimizing health outcomes throughout pregnancy. In many low-income countries, including Nepal, data on the associations between PA and pregnancy outcomes are scarce, likely due to the lack of validated questionnaires for assessing PA in this population. Here we aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of an adapted version of Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) among a sample of pregnant women in Nepal. Methods A cohort of pregnant women (N=101; age 25.9±4.1 years) was recruited from a tertiary, peri-urban hospital in Nepal. An adapted Nepali version of GPAQ was administered to gather information about sedentary behavior (SB) as well as moderate and vigorous PA across work/domestic tasks, travel (walking/bicycling), and recreational activities, and was administered twice and a month apart in both the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. Responses on GPAQ were used to determine SB (min/day) and total moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA; min/week) across all domains. GPAQ was validated against PA data collected by a triaxial accelerometer (Axivity AX3; UK) worn by a subset of the subjects (n=21) for seven consecutive days in the 2nd trimester. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and Spearman’s rho were used to assess the reliability and validity of GPAQ. Results Almost all of the PA in the sample was attributed to moderate activity during work/domestic tasks or travel. On average, total MVPA was higher by 50 minutes/week in the 2nd trimester as compared to the 3rd trimester. Based on the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, almost all of the participants were classified as having a low or moderate level of PA. PA scores for all domains showed moderate to good reliability across both the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, with ICCs ranging from 0.45 (95%CI: (0.17, 0.64)) for travel PA at 2nd trimester to 0.69 (95%CI: (0.51, 0.80)) for travel PA at 3rd trimester. Reliability for total MVPA was higher in the 3rd trimester compared to 2nd trimester [ICCs 0.62 (0.40, 0.75) vs. 0.55 (0.32, 0.70)], whereas the opposite was true for SB [ICCs 0.48 (0.19, 0.67) vs. 0.64 (0.46, 0.76)]. There was moderate agreement between the GPAQ and accelerometer for total MVPA (rho = 0.42; p value 0.05). Conclusions The modified GPAQ appears to be a reliable and valid tool for assessing moderate PA, but not SB, among pregnant women in Nepal.

Purpose: Harmonization of assessment methods represents an ongoing challenge in physical activity research. Previous research has demonstrated the utility of calibration approaches to enhance agreement between measures of physical activity. The present study utilizes a calibration methodology to add behavioral context from the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ), an established report-based measure, to enhance interpretations of monitor-based data scored using the novel Monitor Independent Movement Summary (MIMS) methodology. Methods: Matching data from the GPAQ and MIMS were obtained from adults (20–80 yr of age) assessed in the 2011–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. After developing percentile curves for self-reported activity, a zero-inflated quantile regression model was developed to link MIMS to estimates of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) from the GPAQ. Results: Cross-validation of the model showed that it closely approximated the probability of reporting MVPA across age and activity-level segments, supporting the accuracy of the zero-inflated model component. Validation of the quantile regression component directly corresponded to the 25%, 50%, and 75% values for both men and women, further supporting the model fit. Conclusions: This study offers a method of improving activity surveillance by translating accelerometer signals into interpretable behavioral measures using nationally representative data. The model provides accurate estimates of minutes of MVPA at a population level but, because of the bias and error inherent in report-based measures of physical activity, is not suitable for converting or interpreting individual-level data. This study provides an important preliminary step in utilizing information from both device- and report-based methods to triangulate activity related outcomes; however additional measurement error modeling is needed to improve precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physical activity (PA) plays an important role in optimizing health outcomes throughout pregnancy. In many low-income countries, including Nepal, data on the associations between PA and pregnancy outcomes are scarce, likely due to the lack of validated questionnaires for assessing PA in this population. Here we aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of an adapted version of Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) among a sample of pregnant women in Nepal. Methods: A cohort of pregnant women (N=101; age 25.9±4.1 years) was recruited from a tertiary, peri-urban hospital in Nepal. An adapted Nepali version of GPAQ was administered to gather information about sedentary behavior (SB) as well as moderate and vigorous PA across work/domestic tasks, travel (walking/bicycling), and recreational activities, and was administered twice and a month apart in both the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. Responses on GPAQ were used to determine SB (min/day) and total moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA; min/week) across all domains. GPAQ was validated against PA data collected by a triaxial accelerometer (Axivity AX3; UK) worn by a subset of the subjects (n=21) for seven consecutive days in the 2nd trimester. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and Spearman's rho were used to assess the reliability and validity of GPAQ. Results: Almost all of the PA in the sample was attributed to moderate activity during work/domestic tasks or travel. On average, total MVPA was higher by 50 minutes/week in the 2nd trimester as compared to the 3rd trimester. Based on the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, almost all of the participants were classified as having a low or moderate level of PA. PA scores for all domains showed moderate to good reliability across both the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, with ICCs ranging from 0.45 (95%CI: (0.17, 0.64)) for travel PA at 2nd trimester to 0.69 (95%CI: (0.51, 0.80)) for travel PA at 3rd trimester. Reliability for total MVPA was higher in the 3rd trimester compared to 2nd trimester [ICCs 0.62 (0.40, 0.75) vs. 0.55 (0.32, 0.70)], whereas the opposite was true for SB [ICCs 0.48 (0.19, 0.67) vs. 0.64 (0.46, 0.76)]. There was moderate agreement between the GPAQ and accelerometer for total MVPA (rho = 0.42; p value <0.05) while the agreement between the two was poor for SB (rho= 0.28; p value >0.05). Conclusions: The modified GPAQ appears to be a reliable and valid tool for assessing moderate PA, but not SB, among pregnant women in Nepal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lack of physical activity (PA) was one of the most important cardiovascular risk factors causing higher morbidity and mortality rate worldwide. Thus, early health promotion activity like physical activity is needed for healthy life. As future physicians the health of the medical students is even more important as they personally ignore adopting healthy lifestyle. So, the study was conducted with an aim to estimate the level of physical activity and to find the factors associated with low physical activity among medical students. Methodology: An institute based cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 medical students in a medical college in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh. Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) by WHO was used to estimate the level of physical activity and Metabolic Equivalents (METs) were used to express the intensity of physical activities. The collected data was entered into Microsoft excel and analysed using SPSS version 21. Results: The mean age of the study population was 19.61 ± 1.94 years and 62% of the study subjects were female. Based on WHO recommendation of minimum 600 MET min/week in the present study 64.5% had adequate physical activity and 35.5% had low physical activity. Low physical activity was high in female students when compared to male students (41.1% vs 26.3%, p-value=0.034). There was low level of physical activity in first professional year (46%) when compared to other professional years. Conclusion: There was need of promoting physical activity among medical students. Medical colleges need to increase the proportion of students adopting and maintaining regular physical activity habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To describe overall physical activity prevalence measured by the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire as well as inequalities in leisure-time physical activity among Brazilian adults (15 y and older). Methods: Data from the Brazilian Survey on Medicine Access, Utilization, and Rational Use of Medicines were analyzed. The study was carried out between September 2013 and February 2014. Physical activity was measured through Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and classified according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization. Additional analysis determined the contribution of each physical activity domain to the total amount of physical activity. Inequalities in terms of sex, age, and socioeconomic position were explored. Results: About one-third of the participants (37.1%; 95% confidence interval, 35.5-38.8) were physically inactive. Work-based activities were responsible for 75.7% of the overall physical activity. The prevalence of participants achieving physical activity guidelines considering only leisure-time activities was 17.8% (95% confidence interval, 16.7-19.2). Females and older participants were less active than their counterparts for both overall and leisure-time physical activity; socioeconomic status was positively associated to leisure-time physical activity. Conclusions: Major overall physical activity is attributed to work-related physical activity. Leisure-time physical activity, a key domain for public health, presents important gender and socioeconomic inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective The study aimed to examine the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in the general population of the multi-ethnic nation of Singapore as part of the Knowledge, Practice and Attitudes towards Diabetes study, a cross-sectional and population-based survey. It also examined the relationship between physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Methods Physical activity and sedentary behaviour were assessed via the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ), while physical and mental HRQoL was assessed via the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12v2). Survey weights were employed to account for complex survey design. Multivariable logistic regression models were utilized to examine sociodemographic correlates of physical activity (insufficient vs. sufficient physical activity) and sedentary behaviour (

Background: Understanding the association between cognitive impairment and low physical activity is a useful way to proactively prevent MCI or delay the onset of dementia. This study aims to explore the association between MCI and physical activity (PA) levels in Chilean persons aged 60 and over. Methods: Data came from the 2016–17 Chilean National Health Survey data. MCI was evaluated with Mini-Mental State Examination and Pfeffer Functional Activities Questionnaire, excluding individuals with suspected dementia. The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess PA levels. The association between MCI and PA levels was examined using logistic regression analysis, including overall and sex stratified models. Results: A total of 1981 participants were analysed. The mean age was 70.7 years (SD: 7.77), and 63% were women. The MCI prevalence was 10%, increasing with age. The overall MCI model for low PA level showed an Odds Ratio (OR): 1.95 (95% Confidence Interval (95% CI): 1.18; 3.20, p = 0.009), meaning that a low PA level has a significant association with the risk of having MCI. The MCI model for PA levels in women was not statistically significant; however, the model for men showed an OR of 2.44 (95% CI: 1.17; 5.11, p = 0.018). Conclusions: A low PA level significantly increases the likelihood of developing MCI, and the risk was significantly higher among men. Therefore, promoting PA for older persons should be considered as a valuable prevention strategy among healthy older adults or those with initial symptoms of MCI.

In comparison with healthy subjects, patients practicing intense PA had increased rates of classical monocytes and decreased rates of non-classical monocytes (Figure 2D,F). Q4-1 contains the classical monocytes (CD14++CD16-), Q2-1 contains the intermediate monocytes (CD14++CD16+), and QI-1 contains the non-classical monocytes (CD14+CD16++). Comparison between PA Groups and with the Healthy Subject Group The monocyte subset distribution was 46.4 ± 16.9% for classical monocytes, 4.8 ± 2.6% for intermediate monocytes, and 50.5 ± 15.7% for non-classical monocytes in the patient population; no significant difference was seen with the healthy control group (38.7 ± 8; 6.0 ± 1.8, and 55.3 ± 8.4%, respectively, for each monocyte subset). Thus, the increase in classical and intermediate monocytes that we observed in patients practicing intense PA (vs. moderate intensity PA) may result in an exaggerated or prolonged pro-inflammatory response in patients with atherosclerosis. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract Background National, regional and global trends in prevalence of infertility indicate its public health importance, however it effects various life dimensions of individuals and couples as well. Lifestyle habits may counteract with these factors. The aim of the study was the multicausal analysis of psychosocial and lifestyle factors undergoing assisted reproductive therapy (ART) with special regard to pre-treatment habitual physical activity (PA). Methods In a cross-sectional, observational cohort study on ART patients (N = 60, age 34.6 ± 5.2 years, BMI 24.2 ± 4.9 kg/m2) with follow up on outcome measures a detailed description was given on PA patterns (ActriGraph GT3X, GPAQ-H) and on general and infertility related distress (BDI-13, FPI). Results Respondents reported normal mood state (BDI-13) but moderately high infertility-related distress (FPI) in Social- and very high distress in Sexual Concern. It was revealed that time spent with recreational PA (RPA) could counteract with infertility-related distress (Social Concern R = -0.378, p = 0.013; Relationship Concern R = -0.365, p = 0.019). In the presence of clinical pregnancy GPAQ-H RPA MET was significantly higher (p = 0.048), in the non-pregnant group cumulative values and work-related PA were higher. Correlations could be found between RPA time and the number of oocytes (R = 0.315, p = 0.045), matured oocytes (R = 0.339, p = 0.030) and embryos (R = 0.294, p = 0.062) by women who reached at least 150 min RPA (GPAQ-H). Multivariate linear regression revealed that the number of oocytes was positively influenced by the GPAQ-H recreation MET (R 2 = 0.367; F = 10.994, p = 0.004; B = 0.005, p = 0.004, B Constant = 4.604). Regarding the number of embryos (R 2 = 0.757, F = 17.692, p

Abstract Background Physical activity (PA) is an important factor among the determinants of health due to it’s protective factor and preventive role. Self-reported measures such as questionnaires are most commonly used in public health studies, but may over- or underestimate actual patterns of PA. Therefore, accelerometers are widely used to assess concurrent validity. The aim of the present study was to adapt and validate the self-administered GPAQ - Hungarian version (GPAQ-H) against accelerometer data and IPAQ-Hungarian long version (IPAQ-HL) in Hungarian healthy young adults. Methods A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted to examine the last 7 days PA by GPAQ-H, comparing with IPAQ-HL and Actigraph GT3X accelerometer to measure concurrent validity and reliability. A convenient sample of 300 young adults was recruited in January – July 2018 at the University of Pécs, in South-Hungary, 120 participants (age 21.53 ± 1.75 years, 46.66% male) were included in the validity and reliability study. Results Significant differences between the three instruments were found (p

Abstract Background It is well known that physical activity (PA) has health benefits. This study aimed to examine physical activity carried out by the senior (over 50) participants and its relation to their quality of life (QoL). Methods Surveillance of PA and QoL was measured by using questionnaires (GPAQ, WHOQoL-BREF) in this study. Descriptive data were presented as means and standard deviations (SD) for continuous variables and as percentages for categorical variables. Multivariate linear regression analysis was conducted. The significance level was set at p ≤ 0.05. Results Overall, 250 participants were recruited, the mean age of the study population (n = 243) was 70.2 (SD 7.1) years. The results clearly showed that the Hungarian participants aged over 50 years were more likely to do PA if they had university degree and lower age (p ≤ 0.001) and used more active transportation (p = 0.035) if they had low education. The results of WHOQoL-BREF showed that the Hungarian individuals have better QoL if they have university degree (p ≤ 0.001) and lower age (p ≤ 0.001). Using multivariate linear regression analysis to examine the effect of PA patterns on QoL adjusted for demographic variables (age, education, BMI, place of living), the result showed significant correlation between WHOQoL-BREF dimensions and GPAQ (p ≤ 0.001). Conclusion Higher amount of PA among aging population can result in better QoL in all dimensions.

Abstract Background Self-report in people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) shows that they lead less active lifestyles. Physical activity is important as it has been shown to improve quality of life, reduce co-morbidity and also slow down the progression of AMD. Self-reported measures of physical activity are prone to subjective biases and therefore less accurate in quantifying physical activity. This study compared self-reported and objective (accelerometer-based) physical activity levels and patterns in older adults with AMD. Methods Data were collected in 11 AMD subjects with binocular vision loss (aged 76 ± 7 years), 10 AMD subjects with good binocular vision (aged 76 ± 7 years), and 11 controls (aged 70 ± 4 years). Binocular vision was established using visual acuity score. Contrast sensitivity and visual fields were also measured. Self-reported sedentary behaviour and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Objective measurements were obtained with an Actigraph GT3X accelerometer being worn for seven consecutive days on the hip. The objective physical activity measures were sedentary behaviour, light physical activity, MVPA, and step count. Results Objectively measured MVPA was 33–34% higher for controls compared to both AMD groups (p 0.05). Comparing the objective with the self-report physical activity measure showed that all groups under-reported their sedentary behaviour and MVPA, but controls under-reported their MVPA more than both AMD groups (p

Objective: The study aimed to examine the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in the general population of the multi-ethnic nation of Singapore as part of the Knowledge, Practice and Attitudes towards Diabetes study, a cross-sectional and population-based survey. It also examined the relationship between physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL).Methods: Physical activity and sedentary behaviour were assessed via the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ), while physical and mental HRQoL was assessed via the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12v2). Survey weights were employed to account for complex survey design. Multivariable logistic regression models were utilized to examine sociodemographic correlates of physical activity (insufficient vs. sufficient physical activity) and sedentary behaviour (< 7 h/day vs ≥7 h/day). Descriptive statistics were calculated to examine the percentage of time spent in different domains of physical activity. Multivariable linear regressions were conducted to examine the association between physical activity and sedentary behaviour with physical and mental HRQoL.Results: Two thousand eight hundred sixty seven participants recruited from February 2019 to March 2020 (prior to COVID-19 lockdown and related restrictions in Singapore) were included in the analyses. 83.3% of respondents had sufficient physical activity. Age (65 years and above) and income (SGD 2000 to 3999) were associated with a higher likelihood of insufficient physical activity. In contrast, those of Malay ethnicity and having one chronic physical condition were associated with a lower likelihood of insufficient physical activity. 47.7% reported that they had sedentary behaviour of ≥7 h/day. Older age and a primary school education were related to a lower likelihood of sedentary behaviour, while being single, having higher income, obesity, and multimorbidity were associated with higher sedentary behaviour. Insufficient physical activity was significantly associated with lower physical HRQoL but was not significantly associated with mental HRQoL. Sedentary behaviour was not significantly associated with mental or physical HRQoL.Conclusion: About 17% of the population did not meet the minimum requirements for physical activity, while around half of the population spent a considerable time being sedentary. As insufficient physical activity was associated with poorer physical HRQoL, policymakers should promote moderate physical activity and encouraging the breaking up of prolonged sedentary periods within the middle- and high-income groups, especially at the workplace. Increased leisure-time exercise should be encouraged for those in the lower- income group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) are the two most widely used to measure physical activity (PA). Yet, their convergent validation with the maximum oxygen capacity (VO2Max) among Indonesian young adults is unknown. This study compared physical activity (PA) assessments using IPAQ and GPAQ and their correlations with the maximal oxygen capacity (VO2Max) in the young adult population. This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study on 63 Sports Science students (84.13% Male age ranged 18-22 years). PA was measured using both the GPAQ and IPAQ to calculate the total PA and PA in each domain (i.e. work-related, transport-related, and leisure). One additional domain which was household-related was assessed exclusively for the IPAQ based on the scoring guideline. The VO2Max was measured using a standard equation based on participants’ performance on a 1-mile run. Paired sample t-test was conducted to compare total PA based on GPAQ and IPAQ while the Wilcoxon sign rank test was conducted to compare GPAQ and IPAQ domains. Pearson or Spearman correlation test assessed the correlations among the VO2Max, total PA, and PA on each GPAQ’s and IPAQ domain. No significant difference in the total PA per week between IPAQ and GPAQ was found. Significant differences, however, were found in work and transport domains, but not in the leisure domains. A moderate correlation among GPAQ and IPAQ (r=0.56, p=0.01), a moderate correlation between GPAQ and VO2Max (r=0.41, p= 0.01) but a weak correlation between IPAQ dan VO2Max (r=0.25, p

Beta-thalassemia major (BTM) is difficult to treat chronic disease, causing physical and psychological burdens for the patient. Several studies have confirmed a decrease in physical activity and depression in thalassemia patients, but limited studies examine the relationship between these two conditions. This study aims to analyze the relationship between depression and physical activity in BTM patients in Bandung city. It was analytical observational research with a cross-sectional design. Data were collected during September–December 2018 by interviewing 65 patients selected by simple random sampling from 300 thalassemia patients registered at the Association of Parents with Thalassemia Indonesia/Perhimpunan Orangtua Penderita Thalassemia Indonesia (POPTI) Bandung city. The instruments used were the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) to measure physical activity and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to assess depressive symptoms. Data were analyzed by chi-square test using SPSS for Windows ver. 23.0. The results showed that most BTM patients in Bandung city were depressed (52%) and had low physical activity levels (65%). Furthermore, there was a statistically significant relationship between depression and physical activity in thalassemia patients in Bandung city (p=0.04, p

Introduction: Physical activity (PA) is proven to be an effective strategy to avert the life threatening cardiovascular diseases. There is need for developing feasible aids to improve compliance to PA. Hence, we conducted a study among medical college students a) to assess the prevalence of recommended PA level and b) to assess the effectiveness of installing a smartphone application (app) in improving PA.Methodology: A quasi-experimental study was conducted among medical college students in Puducherry, India. The baseline PA was assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) and anthropometric measurements such as height and weight were measured as per World Health Organization (WHO) standards. A smartphone app (Runtastic) was installed on the mobile phones of all study participants. At the end of 1 month, the end line PA and anthropometric measurements were captured using same scales.Results: Of the total 350 students who were included, the mean age of the participants was 18.9 (0.9) years and 58% of them were male. The proportion of participants with the WHO recommended level of PA increased from 81% at the baseline to 91% after 1 month of installation of the mobile app (p < 0.001). There was also a statistically significant increase in the leisure time PA [median (interquartile range - IQR) of metabolic equivalents (METS): 0 (0-1600) vs. 1260.0 (0-1920)]. Clinically significant change was not seen in body mass index (BMI) though the reduction was statistically significant [(mean (standard deviation - SD) of BMI: 22.54 (2.49) vs. after intervention 22.46 (2.47); p = 0.018].Conclusion: This quasi-experimental study conducted among medical college students reported significant improvement in total and leisure time PA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Physical activity (PA) can be a mechanism that develops emotions. Emotional intelligence (EI) is related to significant public health and psychological benefits. However, there is little information about the relationships between PA and EI dimensions: emotional attention, clarity, and repair. This study examined the possible relationships between these variables in undergraduate students from Madrid. As a secondary aim, sex differences in PA domains and EI dimensions were examined. Methods A total of 2960 (21.34 ± 4.34 years) undergraduate students from Madrid (Spain) fulfilled the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24) and Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). We used a MANOVA to compare EI and PA levels according to sex. Different linear regressions were conducted to calculate the PA and age prediction power based on EI. Results We found a significant association between EI dimensions and PA levels, although these relationships were small. Fully adjusted linear regression showed that sex and leisure-time PA (LTPA) were associated of emotional attention (r2 c = .025). Sex, age, and LTPA were associated of emotional repair (r2 c = .024). There were statistically significant differences in EI by sex (p ≤ .001; η2 p = .039), with higher scores in emotional attention for women (p ≤ .001) and emotional clarity (p ≤ .001) and repair (p ≤ .001) for men. PA levels differed according to sex (p ≤ .001; η2 p = .038). Men show higher scores in LTPA levels (p = .002) and occupational PA (p ≤ .001). Conclusions Undergraduate students with higher levels of LTPA showed a better score on EI, specifically in emotional attention and emotional repair. However, these associations and the predictive power of LTPA regarding emotional attention and emotional repair were weak. Men engaged in more LTPA and occupational PA and had higher emotional clarity and emotional repair than women. However, women had higher emotional attention.

Abstract Background Globally, in 2016, 23.3% of adult populations were physically inactive, and it accounts for 9% of the global premature mortality. However, evidence on the level of physical activity was limited in resource-poor settings. This study, therefore, assessed the adult’s level of physical activity and its correlates among the urban population in Dire Dawa, eastern Ethiopia. Methods A total of 872 randomly selected adults of age 25–64 years in Dire Dawa city, eastern Ethiopia, are included in this analysis. The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) is used to measure physical activity. Individuals are considered physically active when they achieved metabolic equivalent tasks (MET) minutes of 600 or more per week, and otherwise inactive. A binary logistic regression is used to identify the correlates of physical activity. Results 54.9% (95% confidence interval (CI) 51.6 to 58.2) of adults were physically active, with a higher proportion of men being physically active than women, 63.9% (95% CI 58.1 to 69.3) versus 50.6% (95% CI 46.5 to 54.6). Among the adults who reported doing physical activity, the highest domain-specific contribution to the total physical activity was from activities at workplaces, and leisure-time activities contributed the least. The proportion of adults who engaged in a high-level physical activity was 37.0% (95% CI 33.9 to 40.3). Male adults were 1.45 times (aOR (adjusted odds ratio) =1.45; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.99) more likely to achieve the recommended level of physical activity. In contrary, unemployed adults (aOR = 0.51; 95% CI 0.35 to 0.75) were less likely to perform the recommended level of physical activity to accrue health benefits. Conclusion Interventions aimed at promoting physical activity should target unemployed and female adults. We recommend further study to explore the contextual factors that hinder physical activity in the study setting.

The increasingly appreciated role of physical activity in societies concerned about their health requires proper assessment. The main tools for measuring the level of physical activity comprise some relevant questionnaires, among which the best known in the foreign literature is Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). However, this questionnaire is not yet available in the Polish language version. The following article presents one such attempt that has taken into account the Polish conditions and lifestyle following the guidelines of the GPAQ Guide, which meets the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO). The source text was translated into Polish and then a reverse translation was made involving four steps.

Atherosclerosis is associated with low-grade inflammation involving circulating monocytes. It has been shown that the levels of intermediate pro-inflammatory monocytes are associated with cardiovascular mortality and risk of ischemic stroke. It also has been shown that physical activity (PA) decreases inflammation markers, incidence of strokes, and mortality. In this cross-sectional study, we tested the effect of PA on circulating monocytes phenotype rate. A total of 29 patients with a carotid stenosis > 50% were recruited. Levels of physical activity (MET.min/week) were measured by the GPAQ questionnaire, arterial samples of blood were collected to analyze monocyte phenotype (classical, intermediate and non-classical) assessed by flow cytometry, and venous blood samples were used to dose antioxidant activity and oxidative damage. Antioxidant capacity was reduced and oxidative damage increased in patients. There was a significant decrease in the percentage of classical and intermediate monocytes in moderately active patients as compared with non-active and highly active patients. Inversely, the rate of non-classical monocytes increased in moderately active patients. Intense PA appears to blunt the beneficial effects of moderate PA. Our study also suggests that PA could be beneficial in such patients by reducing the rate of intermediate monocytes known to predict the risk of ischemic stroke and by increasing the non-classical monocytes involved in lesions’ healing. Nevertheless, a longitudinal study would be necessary to confirm this hypothesis.

Background: National, regional and global trends in prevalence of infertility indicate its public health importance, however it effects various life dimensions of individuals and couples as well. Lifestyle habits may counteract with these factors. The aim of the study was the multicausal analysis of psychosocial and lifestyle factors undergoing assisted reproductive therapy (ART) with special regard to pre-treatment habitual physical activity (PA).Methods: In a cross-sectional, observational cohort study on ART patients (N = 60, age 34.6 ± 5.2 years, BMI 24.2 ± 4.9 kg/m2) with follow up on outcome measures a detailed description was given on PA patterns (ActriGraph GT3X, GPAQ-H) and on general and infertility related distress (BDI-13, FPI).Results: Respondents reported normal mood state (BDI-13) but moderately high infertility-related distress (FPI) in Social- and very high distress in Sexual Concern. It was revealed that time spent with recreational PA (RPA) could counteract with infertility-related distress (Social Concern R = -0.378, p = 0.013; Relationship Concern R = -0.365, p = 0.019). In the presence of clinical pregnancy GPAQ-H RPA MET was significantly higher (p = 0.048), in the non-pregnant group cumulative values and work-related PA were higher. Correlations could be found between RPA time and the number of oocytes (R = 0.315, p = 0.045), matured oocytes (R = 0.339, p = 0.030) and embryos (R = 0.294, p = 0.062) by women who reached at least 150 min RPA (GPAQ-H). Multivariate linear regression revealed that the number of oocytes was positively influenced by the GPAQ-H recreation MET (R2 = 0.367; F = 10.994, p = 0.004; B = 0.005, p = 0.004, B Constant = 4.604). Regarding the number of embryos (R2 = 0.757, F = 17.692, p < 0.001, B Constant = 1.342) positive relationship was found with GPAQ-H RPA MET (B = 0.004, p < 0.001) and negative with BMI (B = -0.167, p = 0.038). It was disclosed (R2 = 0.958, F = 408.479, p < 0.001) that higher Very Vigorous Activity (ActiGraph) was accompanied with higher hCG (B = 63.703, p ≤ 0.001). However, time spent with moderate PA (GPAQ-H) (B = 0.002, SE = 0.001, Wald = 3.944, p = 0.047, OR = 1.002) was significantly associated with live births.Conclusions: Amount of PA alone did not have a positive effect on outcome of ART. Type and intensity seemed to be more significant. Existing differences in response to infertility due to recreational PA suggest the importance of the development of a specific intervention. The robust overestimation of PA in self-reports highlights the need to improve physical literacy of women undergoing ART. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are risk factors for developing non-communicable diseases. This study analyzed current levels of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors among the adult population of Armenia. Data were collected through a national STEPS survey of non-communicable diseases risk factors on a nationally-representative sample of 2,380 participants aged 18–69 years in Armenia in 2016. The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess physical activity levels. Two out of ten people (21.6%) in Armenia did not meet the minimum levels of physical activity recommended by WHO to protect health. 13.2% of population spent over 8 h per day sitting, 47.2% were inactive at work and 32.4% did not do any transport-related physical activity. Only 13.8% of participants were physically active during leisure time. Specific groups with relatively high levels of physical inactivity were older adults, residents of Yerevan, people with lower levels of education, the unemployed and people who were retired. Sedentary behavior was more common among men, students, people who were retired, unemployed, residents of Yerevan, and adults aged under 30 and over 45 years.

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Background: Self-report in people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) shows that they lead less active lifestyles. Physical activity is important as it has been shown to improve quality of life, reduce co-morbidity and also slow down the progression of AMD. Self-reported measures of physical activity are prone to subjective biases and therefore less accurate in quantifying physical activity. This study compared self-reported and objective (accelerometer-based) physical activity levels and patterns in older adults with AMD.Methods: Data were collected in 11 AMD subjects with binocular vision loss (aged 76 ± 7 years), 10 AMD subjects with good binocular vision (aged 76 ± 7 years), and 11 controls (aged 70 ± 4 years). Binocular vision was established using visual acuity score. Contrast sensitivity and visual fields were also measured. Self-reported sedentary behaviour and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Objective measurements were obtained with an Actigraph GT3X accelerometer being worn for seven consecutive days on the hip. The objective physical activity measures were sedentary behaviour, light physical activity, MVPA, and step count.Results: Objectively measured MVPA was 33-34% higher for controls compared to both AMD groups (p < 0.05). There were no group differences for any of the other objectively measured physical activity variables and self-reported physical activity variables were also not significantly different (all p > 0.05). Comparing the objective with the self-report physical activity measure showed that all groups under-reported their sedentary behaviour and MVPA, but controls under-reported their MVPA more than both AMD groups (p < 0.05). Weak to moderate correlations were observed between the severity of vision loss and objective physical activity measures (all - 0.413 ≥ r ≤ 0.443), while correlations for self-reported physical activity measures were less strong (all - 0.303 ≥ r ≤ 0.114).Conclusions: People with AMD, irrespective of whether they were vision impaired, were better able to estimate the time spent in MVPA compared to controls. However, objectively measured MVPA, was higher in controls than AMD subjects. Although clinicians may use self-report to monitor the compliance of AMD subjects with any prescribed exercise programs, they should be aware that a valid comparison with healthy controls can only be made when MVPA is objectively measured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: WHO's Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) has not yet been adapted in the Punjabi language. This study was aimed to adapt the GPAQ into the Punjabi language in Gurumukhi script and to make it useful for physical activity surveillance on Punjabi population. Methods: We translated the GPAQ-English into Punjabi language (Gurumukhi script) using the forward-backward translation technique. A total of 81 adult participants including staff and students having good command over Punjabi and English languages were conveniently recruited from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India. The validity of the adapted version was tested against the original English version of GPAQ by applying Spearman's rho. Test-retest reliability was tested by employing ICC coefficients. Results: GPAQ-P demonstrated good validity for total PA (rs = 0.877), work domain (rs = 0.815), transport domain (rs = 0.876), and moderate intensity PA (rs= 0.860); moderate validity for recreation domain (rs = 0.643) and sitting time (rs = 0.629); and low for vigorous intensity PA (rs = 0.466). Moderate to excellent reliability was detected between two administration of GPAQ-P, excellent intraclass coefficients for total PA (ICC = 0.918), work domain (ICC = 0.943), transport domain (ICC = 0.968), recreation domain (ICC = 0.952), and moderate intensity (ICC = 0.956); good ICC for vigorous intensity (ICC = 0.845) and moderate ICC for sitting time (ICC = 0.704). Conclusions: Punjabi adaptation of GPAQ in Gurumukhi script has good validity and reliability and it can be used for physical activity surveillance in Punjabi knowing population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physical inactivity is a modifiable risk factor for obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and certain types of cancer. This study aimed to investigate the patterns and demographic correlates of physical activity in Iran. Methods: The data collected through the third national surveillance of risk factors of noncommunicable diseases (SuRFNCD-2007) on 4120 adults were studied. Physical activity was assessed by the global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ) in domains of work, commuting and recreation. Participants were categorized into low, moderate and high activity categories. Total physical activity (TPA) was calculated using metabolic equivalents (MET). Results: 40% of Iranian adults (31.6% of men and 48.6% of women) belonged to the low physical activity category. The median value of TPA was 206 (342 in men and 129 in women) MET-minutes/day. Physical activity at work, commuting and recreation contributed to 71%, 20% and 9% of TPA, respectively. Approximately 15% of Iranian adults (4.7 million people) do not have any physical activity in any of the 3 studied domains. Conclusions: Physical inactivity is common in Iran, particularly in females and in the older age groups. Preventing a rapid growth of conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases requires health programs with more focus on physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The increasing prevalence of chronic lifestyle diseases in developing countries warrants reliable and valid surveillance of physical activity levels in the population. This study assesses the test-retest repeatability and criterion validity of the WHO-recommended Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) in Vietnamese adults during the dry and wet seasons. Methods: In 2007 a representative sample of 169 adults (25-64 years) was recruited to determine the GPAQ reliability and validity. GPAQ assesses time and intensity of physical activities spent during a usual week. To assess short and long term reliability, participants completed the GPAQ twice during the dry season 2 weeks apart and again 2 months later during the wet season. For validation purposes, participants wore an accelerometer during the 7 days before the first and last GPAQ assessments. Results: The total GPAQ score showed repeatability correlations of 0.69 after 2 weeks and of 0.55 after 2 months. Total GPAQ score and accelerometer data showed validity correlations of 0.34 and 0.20 in the dry and wet season, respectively. There was a difference in physical activity patterns between the dry and wet seasons. Conclusions: GPAQ is suitable for surveillance of physical activity among adults in Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical activity is one of the factors which determines one’s health and fitness, including the professors of Padjadjaran University, as it might support their academic performances. Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) may describe physical activity. The purpose of this study was to describe physical activity profile of the professors of Padjadjaran University based on GPAQ. Physical activity profile which was classified as gender, age group, recommendation fulfillment, and intensity variables by present-ing quantity (n) and percentage (%) was obtained from 141 professors who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The result of this des-criptive-quantitative study showed that 109 of the respondents were male, and 32 were female. According to WHO age group cate-gories, 35 respondents were middle aged, 78 were elderly, and 28 were late elderly. Fifty-eight respondents (41.1%) did not fulfill minimal recommendation for physical activity, 114 respondents (80.8%) underwent moderate activity and 29 respondents (20.6%) underwent vigorous activity. Therefore, it can be concluded that professors of Padjadjaran University, which were mostly middle-aged men, did not fulfill minimal recommendation for physical activities, although many of them underwent moderate activities in their daily routines.

Abstract Background Feasible and cost-effective as well as population specific instruments for monitoring physical activity (PA) levels are needed for the management and prevention of non-communicable diseases. The WHO-endorsed Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) has been widely used in developing countries, but the evidence base for its validity, particularly for rural populations, is still limited. The aim of the study was to validate GPAQ among rural and urban residents in Bangladesh. Methods A total of 162 healthy participants of both genders aged 18–60 years were recruited from Satia village (n = 97) and Dhaka City (n = 65). Participants were invited to take part in the study and were asked to wear an accelerometer (GT3X) for 7 days, after which they were invited to answer the GPAQ in a face to face interview. Results Valid accelerometer data (i.e., ≥10 h of wear times over ≥3 days) were received from 155 participants (rural = 94, urban = 61). The mean age was 35 (SD = ±9) years, 55% were females and 19% of the participants had no schooling, which was higher in the rural area (21% vs 17%). The mean ± SD steps/day was 9998 ± 3936 (8658 ± 2788 and 12,063 ± 4534 for rural and urban respectively, p = 0.0001) and the mean ± SD daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was 58 ± 30 min (51 ± 26 for rural and 69 ± 34 for the urban, p = 0.001) for accelerometer. In case of GPAQ, rural residents reported significantly higher moderate work related PA (MET-minutes/week: 600 vs. 360 p = 0.02). Spearman correlation coefficients between GPAQ total MVPA MET-min/day and accelerometer MVPA min/day, counts per minute (CPM) or steps counts/day were acceptable for urban residents (rho: 0.46, 0.55 and 0.63, respectively; p

Background: Regular moderate physical activity is a very cost-effective way of improving and maintaining people’s health and well-being. Modern way of living has largely eliminated physical activity from our lives as one of the fundamental stimuli. Present study was conducted among undergraduate medical students to assess the physical activity pattern, prevalence of obesity/overweight and relationship of these with socio-demographic characteristics. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) to assess physical activity pattern among 150 students. Metabolic Equivalents (MET) were used to express the intensity of physical activity. Individuals were considered in high risk group with low/ insufficiently activity if energy expenditure was