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Objective: To understand how competence, self-efficacy, enjoyment and motivation relates to physical activity behavior during transition from school to university. Participants: Health science students (n = 558) studying first year biology at an Australian university. Methods: Cross-sectional correlational survey design using five self-report questionnaires to establish relationships between a physical activity index and motivational variables. Results: Self-reported physical activity index scores of satisfactory or above were achieved by 80% of students with scores significantly higher for males than females. Enjoyment, self-efficacy and competence were predictive of physical activity index scores across genders. Conclusions: The physical activity index is a useful measure of activity dimensions across a variety of physical activities. Health science students need to underpin health messages with personal practice in modeling a healthy lifestyle. Universities have a special responsibility for building and supporting physical activity for all students, but especially for future health professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Smartphones with embedded sensors, such as accelerometers, are promising tools for assessing physical activity (PA), provided they can produce valid and reliable indices. The authors aimed to summarize studies on the PA measurement properties of smartphone accelerometers compared with research-grade PA monitors or other objective methods across the intensity spectrum, and to report the effects of different smartphone placements on the accuracy of measurements. Methods: A systematic search was conducted on July 1, 2019 in PubMed, Embase, SPORTDiscus, and Scopus, followed by screening. Results: Nine studies were included, showing moderate-to-good agreements between PA indices derived from smartphone accelerometers and research-grade PA monitors and/or indirect calorimetry. Three studies investigated measurement properties across smartphone placements, with small differences. Large heterogeneity across studies hampered further comparisons. Conclusions: Despite moderate-to-good agreements between PA indices derived from smartphone accelerometers and research-grade PA monitors and/or indirect calorimetry, the validity of smartphone monitoring is currently challenged by poor intermonitor reliability between smartphone brands/versions, heterogeneity in protocols used for validation, the sparsity of studies, and the need to address the effects of smartphone placement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: There are a lot of works devoted to the study of the main regularities of the heart rate (HR) control in individuals depending on the body weight. Still, there are some uncleared and even controversial issues that significantly influence the notion of this process itself. Particularly, impaired HR variability in patients with the cardiometabolic syndrome is characterized by the weakening of the impact of both parasympathetic and sympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system. The works devoted to the heart rate variability features in young people associated with the body weight are scarce.AIM: To study the peculiarities of the heart rate variability in boys and girls with different body composition, motor and eating behavior.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional, open, single-arm, non-randomized study of the HR variability in adolescents with different body fat mass (BFM) was carried out on the basis of the Center for Healthy Nutrition of Altai State University. The HR variability, nutritional status and physical activity index (PHAI) were studied in the groups of individuals with different body fat mass.RESULTS: We examined 168 people (85 boys and 83 girls). The surveyed belonged to the adolescent age period (boys from 17 to 21 years old, girls from 16 to 20 years old). The boys and girls examined by us had a different amount of BFM %. The HR variability, nutritional status and physical activity index were studied in 44 people with the low BFM, 71 people with the average BFM, 53 people with the increased BFM. In both sexes, the group with the increased BFM features an increase in the absolute (HF, ms2 ) and relative (HF%) oscillation power of the heart rate high-frequency component. The average value of the physical activity index in the group with the reduced BFM equals 1.52 ± 0.037 in boys, and 1.44 ± 0.099 in girls. The average value of the physical activity index in the group with the average BFM is 1.44 ± 0.029 and 1.42 ± 0.095 in boys and in girls respectively. The average value of the physical activity index in the group with the increased BFM is 1.23 (Q25–75 1.20–1.70) in boys, and 1.26 ± 0.33 in girls. The representatives of the group with the increased BFM have a higher caloric value (CV) of the daily intake. In young men, a higher CV was achieved due to increased consumption of fats and carbohydrates. In the girls of the third group, a higher CV of the daily intake was gained due to proteins, fats, carbohydrates.CONCLUSION: The results of the HR variability showed that the motor and eating behavior affect the state of the cardiac function in both boys and girls. An increase in the body fat mass in the individuals with a maximum CV of the daily intake and a minimum level of motor activity is associated with the prevalence of the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system in the heart rate control.

Background: This study was carried out to assess physical activity level and identify associated factors among higher secondary school students in Banke district, Nepal. Methods: A school-based, cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 405 students studying in grades 11 and 12 in 7 higher secondary schools selected randomly. A self-administered questionnaire based on the International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to measure physical activity level. Results: Only 5% of students were found to be inactive, and domestic and transport-related activities were major contributors to total physical activity score. No significant difference existed for total physical activity and domain-specific and activity-specific scores across different age groups when males and females were tested separately. Being male (P = .046), lower economic status (P = .026), living at a distance of less than 30 minutes (P = .007), walking/cycling to school (P < .001), and studying in government school (P < .001) were associated with increased physical activity scores on multivariate logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: Routine activities such as transport and household chores contributed greatly to total physical activity among students. This study highlights the need for physical activity promotion interventions at school addressing the associated factors and a need for greater focus on leisure-time physical activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical Education (PE) can foster regular physical activity (PA) in children. However, children engage in insufficient moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) during PE. This study objectively investigated MVPA of children during a single, compared with double PE-period. In 294 children (7.1 ± 0.7 years) PA was objectively assessed. PE periods were determined and PA was individually calculated. Children spent 8.5 ± 7.3 minutes of each 45 minutes PE lesson in MVPA. Boys were significantly more active than girls (p ≤ .01). All children participated in 135 minutes PE/week, 32.7% were scheduled one double and one single PE-period. Children, with a double PE-period and one single lesson engaged in significantly less MVPA than children, who had three single periods of PE (6.7 ± 6.9 minutes/45 minutes vs. 9.4 ± 7.4 minutes/45 minutes, respectively; p ≤ .01) In conclusion, single periods of PE seem to be more effective in getting primary school children to engage in more MVPA than one double period per week. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although preschoolers' physical activity in center-based childcare has received considerable attention, less is known regarding this group's activity levels within home-based childcare. This review aimed to explore and synthesize the literature on preschoolers' physical and sedentary activity levels in home-based childcare. Outdoor playtime was also examined to contribute to the understanding of preschoolers' activity levels within this particular setting. Methods: Nine online databases were searched for peer-reviewed, English-language, primary studies that quantitatively measured physical and sedentary activity levels of preschoolers attending home-based childcare. Studies were excluded if they were nonprimary research, if they lacked a preschool-aged sample, if they did not quantitatively measure physical or sedentary activity, or if they took place in an ineligible environment. Results: Seven articles were included in this review; 3 had objective measures of activity levels, and 4 relied on nonobjective measures. Accelerometry data suggest that preschoolers' average sedentary, moderate-to-vigorous, and total physical activity levels in home-based childcare ranged from 39.5 to 49.6, 1.8 to 9.7, and 10.4 to 33.8 min/hr, respectively. Outdoor playtime appears to be inconsistent in home-based childcare. Conclusion: Physical activity among preschoolers attending home-based childcare appears to be relatively low and widely varied. Sedentary time has received less attention in home-based childcare settings. Future research examining activity levels in this unique environment is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) improves aerobic fitness in children, which is usually assessed by maximal oxygen consumption. However, other indices of aerobic fitness have been understudied. Objective: To compare net oxygen (VO2net), net energy consumption (Enet), net mechanical efficiency (MEnet), and lipid oxidation rate in active and inactive children across body weight statuses. Design: The sample included normal-weight, overweight, and obese children of whom 44 are active (≥30 min of MVPA/d) and 41 are inactive (<30 min of MVPA/d). VO2net, Enet, MEnet and lipid oxidation rate were determined during an incremental maximal cycling test. Results: Active obese participants had significantly lower values of VO2net and Enet and higher MEnet than inactive obese participants at all load stages. In addition, active obese participants showed a significantly higher lipid oxidation rate compared with inactive obese and active overweight and normal-weight participants. VO2net, Enet, and MEnet were similar across active children, regardless of body weight status. Conclusions: Thirty minutes or more of MVPA per day is associated with a potentiation of aerobic fitness indicators in obese prepubertal children. Moreover, the indices of aerobic fitness of inactive obese children are significantly different from those of active obese and nonobese ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of metabolic gas exchange and muscular output measures have enabled researchers to index activity intensity and energy expenditure for a myriad of exercises. However, there is no current research that investigates the physiological demands of riding electrically powered skateboards. The aim of this study was to measure the energetic cost and muscular trends of riding a novel electrically powered skateboard engineered to emulate snowboarding on dry-land. While riding the skateboard, eight participants (aged 21-37 years, 1 female) donned a portable breath-by-breath gas analyzer to measure energy expenditure (mean = 12.5, SD = 2 kcal/min), maximum heart rate (mean = 158, SD = 27 bpm), and metabolic equivalent (mean = 10.5, SD = 2 kcal/kg/h). By comparison, snowboarding has a metabolic equivalent (MET) of 8.0. Per the Compendium of Physical Activities guidelines, the predicted MET values for riding an electrically powered skateboard qualifies as vigorous-intensity activity. Four participants additionally wore a surface EMG embedded garment to record the percentage of maximum voluntary contraction (%MVC) of lower limb muscle groups. The inner quadriceps had the most pronounced mean peak muscle activation of 145%MVC during frontside and 164%MVC during frontside turns. EMG recordings showed 11.7%MVC higher utilization during backside turns compared to frontside turns while riding the electrically powered skateboard, which is similar to trends observed in alpine snowboarders. Therefore, electrically powered skateboards may be a promising technology for snowboarders and non-snowboarders alike to burn calories and increase physical activity yearround. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pedometers are most accurate at measuring steps, less accurate at estimating distance, and even less accurate at estimating kilocalorie expenditure. The purpose of this investigation was to create a Physical Activity Index (PAI) using pedometer step counts and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) to enhance the ability to estimate kilocalorie expenditure during walking exercise. Methods: Thirty-two females performed 3 counterbalanced walking bouts. During each bout, oxygen consumption, RPE, and step counts were measured. The PAI was calculated as the product of RPE and step count for each of the bouts. Results: Concurrent validation of the PAI was established using VO2 as the criterion variable. A multiple regression analysis revealed a strong, positive relation between PAI score and VO2 (r = .91). Data were then used to develop a statistical model to estimate kcal expenditure using the PAI score as the predictor variable. Conclusion: The PAI was found to be an accurate method of estimating kcal expenditure and is a simple, unobtrusive and inexpensive tool which may be used in public health settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Factors related to physical behaviour of children are important in understanding the characteristics of their physical activity. Apart from the factors of physical environment, social and demographic factors are also related to physical activity levels. Randomly selected 669 children (9.9±0.8 years; 48.8% boys) from randomly selected Slovenian elementary schools participated in this study. All data were obtained during a single measurement in May 2010. The standardized questionnaire The Quality of Life Survey was used to measure physical activity (PA) levels as well as social and demographic factors that could be associated with PA. The results indicated higher PA levels in boys than in girls (704±286 min/week vs. 617±268 min/week; p<.001). Analysis of variance confirmed higher PA levels in girls with parents of a higher socioeconomic status (SES) (p=.0018); in boys, there were no differences in PA levels according to SES (p=.580). In both the boys (p=.047) and girls (p=.021) PA levels were higher if their whole family were members of any sport club. However, family structure was not related to PA levels in either boys (p=.648) or girls (p=.132). In boys, bi-variate regression analysis showed a positive correlation with the mother's educational level (r=.090), the number of children in the family (r=.150), the child's attitude that active commute to school is attractive (r=.108) and with peers' active commute to school (r=.129), whereas a negative correlation was obtained with fear the child would become a victim of violence or harassment on the way to school (r=-.097). In girls, bi-variate regression analysis showed a positive correlation with mother's educational level (r=.094), the child's attitude that active commute to school is attractive (r=.092) and with peers' active commute to school (r=.221), whereas a negative correlation was established with fear the child would become a victim of violence or harassment on the way to school (r=-.061), or at recreational and sporting facilities (r=-.046). According to low bi-variate analysis correlations, we conclude that other factors, such as, for example, physical environment, might be strongly related to physical activity levels in children and need to be taken into account when preparing interventions for physical activity enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the combined effects of aerobic exercise training and traditional treatment on body mass index (BMI) and aerobic capacity compared to the traditional treatment alone in patients with binge-eating disorder (BED). Fourteen BED patients were divided into Intervention Group (IG, n = 6) and Control Group (CG, n = 8). All patients participated into the weekly multidisciplinary program. In addition, IG underwent an aerobic exercise-training period of 6 months. At baseline and after 6 months of intervention, both groups underwent measurements of BMI and six-minute walk test (6MWT). BMI reduced in both groups (47.2 ± 5.5  and 42.7 ± 5.1 kg/m2 in IG PRE and IG POST, respectively; p < 0.01; 46.6 ± 6.9 and 44.3 ± 6.1 kg/m2 in CG PRE and CG POST, respectively; p < 0.01), but IG obtained a greater reduction than CG. Indeed, a BMI reduction of −4.50 kg/m2 in IG occurred while in CG decreased by −2.30 kg/m2 (p < 0.05). The IG improved the 6MWT (435.9 ± 106.2 and 519.1 ± 151.5 m in IG PRE and IG POST, respectively; p < 0.01). In addition, the CG improved 6MWT (455.5 ± 114.9 and 502.5 ± 110.7 m in CG PRE and CG POST, respectively; p < 0.01) probably because of the influence of diet and changes in body composition, even though the difference did not achieve statistical significance. Changes induced by the combined intervention were significantly greater than traditional treatment alone, suggesting that the addition of physical exercise constitutes a novel potential therapeutic approach in eating disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Physical activity ( PA) levels are low in patients with lung cancer. Emerging evidence supports the use of interventions to increase PA in this population. We aimed to (1) identify and synthesize outcome measures which assess PA levels in patients with lung cancer and (2) to evaluate, synthesize and compare the psychometric properties of these measures. A systematic review of articles from searches was conducted of five electronic databases and personal records. Eligible studies were those which assessed PA using either performance-based or patient-reported measures. For aim 2, studies identified in aim 1 reporting on at least one psychometric property (validity, reliability, responsiveness or measurement error) were included. Two independent reviewers assessed eligibility and risk of bias with the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments. Thirty-four studies using 21 different measures of PA were identified. Seventeen studies used performance-based measures. The Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire ( GLTEQ) was the most frequently used patient-reported measure. Psychometric properties were reported for 13 of these measures and most frequently for movement sensors. Two studies reported on properties of the GLTEQ. Quality ratings for risk of bias were low. There is significant heterogeneity amongst studies regarding method of PA measurement along the lung cancer continuum. Greater consensus could be achieved by using a consensus approach such as a Delphi process. Future studies should include assessment of psychometric properties of the measurement tool being used. Currently, it is recommended where feasible, both performance-based and patient-reported measurements of PA should be undertaken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accelerometers have been widely deployed in public health studies in recent years. While they collect high-resolution acceleration signals (e.g., 10–100 Hz), research has mainly focused on summarized metrics provided by accelerometers manufactures, such as the activity count (AC) by ActiGraph or Actical. Such measures do not have a publicly available formula, lack a straightforward interpretation, and can vary by software implementation or hardware type. To address these problems, we propose the physical activity index (AI), a new metric for summarizing raw tri-axial accelerometry data. We compared this metric with the AC and another recently proposed metric for raw data, Euclidean Norm Minus One (ENMO), against energy expenditure. The comparison was conducted using data from the Objective Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health Study, in which 194 women 60–91 years performed 9 lifestyle activities in the laboratory, wearing a tri-axial accelerometer (ActiGraph GT3X+) on the hip set to 30 Hz and an Oxycon portable calorimeter, to record both tri-axial acceleration time series (converted into AI, AC, and ENMO) and oxygen uptake during each activity (converted into metabolic equivalents (METs)) at the same time. Receiver operating characteristic analyses indicated that both AI and ENMO were more sensitive to moderate and vigorous physical activities than AC, while AI was more sensitive to sedentary and light activities than ENMO. AI had the highest coefficients of determination for METs (0.72) and was a better classifier of physical activity intensity than both AC (for all intensity levels) and ENMO (for sedentary and light intensity). The proposed AI provides a novel and transparent way to summarize densely sampled raw accelerometry data, and may serve as an alternative to AC. The AI’s largely improved sensitivity on sedentary and light activities over AC and ENMO further demonstrate its advantage in studies with older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We determined the number of days required, and whether to include weekdays and/or weekends, to obtain reliable measures of ambulatory physical activity in people with Parkinson's disease (PD). Ninety-two persons with PD wore a step activity monitor for seven days. The number of days required to obtain a reliable estimate of daily activity was determined from the mean intraclass correlation (ICC2,1) for all possible combinations of 1-6 consecutive days of monitoring. Two days of monitoring were sufficient to obtain reliable daily activity estimates (ICC2,1 > 0.9). Amount (p = 0.03) but not intensity (p = 0.13) of ambulatory activity was greater on weekdays than weekends. Activity prescription based on amount rather than intensity may be more appropriate for people with PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports on the physical activity participation involvement of students entering their first year of study at an Australian metropolitan university campus. Participants were 780 students in four courses of study within the Faculty of Heath Sciences - Nursing, Nursing and Paramedicine, Exercise Science and Physiotherapy. Levels of physical activity involvement were measured by means of a self-report instrument the Physical Activity Index (PAI) which includes estimates of intensity, frequency and duration. Males in the sample reported significantly higher levels of physical activity than females. No significance was found for the influence of age nor for the lifestyle factors of living arrangements, travel to and from the university, or hours involved in outside paid work. However there was a significant difference in the average levels of physical activity experienced by students enrolled in the different professional courses, where students in Exercise Science and Physiotherapy accrued higher levels of involvement than their colleagues in Nursing and Nursing and Paramedicine. Implications are drawn concerning the responsibility of institutions such as universities to provide training environments that are supportive of maintaining life-long commitment to health-supporting physical activity behaviour, both for individuals experiencing the lifespan transition from late adolescence into early adulthood and for health professionals who need to model health supporting behaviours and inspire their clients to adopt them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is already known that physical activity is very important measure in treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, but in spite of that, in our country, there is neither its adequate use in therapy, nor the evaluation of its level in type 2 diabetics.The aim of this study is to evaluate the level of physical activity in patients with type 2 diabetes, by using the questionnaire for evaluation of physical activity, based on the International Physical Activity Questionnaire used in the Framingham Heart Study.The level of physical activity is evaluated by the Physical Activity Index (PAI), which is calculated by summing the number of hours spent in each activity intensity level (vigorous, moderate, light physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep) and multiplying by a respective weight factor, derived from the estimated oxygen consumption requirement for each intensity level (Metabolic Equivalent, MET). The results were compared to the results of healthy control subjects.The estimated value of PAI in patients with type 2 diabetes was 34.1 ± 6.4 and in controls 37.6 ± 6.4. The energy expenditure in the subgroup of patients with type 2 diabetes with predominantly sedentary behavior was 852 kcal minor than in the control group.The results of this investigation show very low level of physical activity in patients with type 2 diabetes and its correlation with coronary risk factors

Background: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) may have diverse foot problems, but how these problems are linked with physical activity is not clear. This study investigated the prevalence of foot problems among patients with T2DM and investigated how the problems were related to physical activity. Methods: Habitual physical activity, peripheral neuropathy, lower limb functions and foot deformities of 246 T2DM patients were respectively assessed with the Baecke Physical Activity Questionnaire, Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument, Lower Limb Function Scale, and a self-designed foot deformity audit form. Results: Habitual physical activity index (3.2 ± 0.83) was highest in work-related activities; 69 (26.1 %) patients presented with peripheral neuropathy and 52 (19. 7%) had the lowest limb function. Pes planus was the most prevalent foot deformity (20.1%). Significant differences existed in physical activity indices across deformity groups (p < 0.05) and total activity index was related to neuropathic and lower limb function scores (p < 0.05). Conclusion: A higher work-related but reduced participation in sports and leisure time physical activity among the patients was observed. Habitual physical activity was lowest in patients with a forefoot deformity, higher neuropathic scores and lesser lower limb function scores. Patients with T2DM in these categories may be a target for special physical activity intervention programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The underlying goal of the study was to examine gender-specific effects of leisure-time physical activity on the development of symptoms of anxiety. Methods: The second wave of a prospective cohort survey (HUNT 2) was conducted during 1995-1997 in the county of Nord-Trøndelag, Norway, with a follow-up in 2006-2008 (HUNT 3). The sample consisted of 12,796 women and 11,195 men with an age range of 19-85 years. A binomial model with a log-link function and generalized linear model analysis with gamma distribution was used to assess the association between physical activity and anxiety symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale anxiety subscale, HADS-A). Results: A total of 1,211 (9.5 %) women and 650 (5.8 %) men developed HADS-defined anxiety (≥8 on the HADS-A scale). Men who scored in the middle tertile of the calculated physical activity index developed significantly fewer cases of HADS-defined anxiety compared with men in the lowest tertile ( p < 0.05). In the gamma regression analysis for women, having higher scores on the moderate-high physical activity was associated with fewer symptoms of anxiety ( p < 0.01). Conclusions: Women developed almost twice as many cases of HADS-defined anxiety compared to men. Significant associations were found between general leisure-time physical activity and anxiety symptoms among women and men, but the true effect is likely to be different from the observed associations due to several threats to the internal validity in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Features of the built environment that may influence physical activity (PA) levels are commonly captured using a so-called walkability index. Since such indices typically describe opportunities for walking in everyday life of adults, they might not be applicable to assess urban opportunities for PA in children. Particularly, the spatial availability of recreational facilities may have an impact on PA in children and should be additionally considered. We linked individual data of 400 2- to 9-year-old children recruited in the European IDEFICS study to geographic data of one German study region, based on individual network-dependent neighborhoods. Environmental features of the walkability concept and the availability of recreational facilities, i.e. playgrounds, green spaces, and parks, were measured. Relevant features were combined to a moveability index that should capture urban opportunities for PA in children. A gamma log-regression model was used to model linear and non-linear effects of individual variables on accelerometer-based moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) stratified by pre-school children (<6 years) and school children (≥6 years). Single environmental features and the resulting indices were separately included into the model to investigate the effect of each variable on MVPA. In school children, commonly used features such as residential density $$ \left(\widehat{\beta}=0.5\cdot {10}^{-4},p=0.02\right) $$, intersection density $$ \left(\widehat{\beta}=0.003,p=0.04\right) $$, and public transit density $$ \left(\widehat{\beta}=0.037,p=0.01\right) $$ showed a positive effect on MVPA, while land use mix revealed a negative effect on MVPA $$ \left(\widehat{\beta}=-0.173,p=0.13\right) $$. In particular, playground density $$ \left(\widehat{\beta}=0.048,p=0.01\right) $$ and density of public open spaces, i.e., playgrounds and parks combined $$ \left(\widehat{\beta}=0.040,p=0.01\right) $$, showed positive effects on MVPA. However, availability of green spaces showed no effect on MVPA. Different moveability indices were constructed based on the walkability index accounting for the negative impact of land use mix. Moveability indices showed also strong effects on MVPA in school children for both components, expanded by playground density $$ \left(\widehat{\beta}=0.014,p=0.008\right) $$ or by public open space density $$ \left(\widehat{\beta}=0.014,p=0.007\right) $$, but no effects of urban measures and moveability indices were found in pre-school children. The final moveability indices capture relevant opportunities for PA in school children. Particularly, availability of public open spaces seems to be a strong predictor of MVPA. Future studies involving children should consider quantitative assessment of public recreational facilities in larger cities or urban sprawls in order to investigate the influence of the moveability on childhood PA in a broader sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The aim of this study was to determine: whether and at what stage of education is proper body posture learned, the intention of young adults to participate in activities teaching proper posture, and the effects of factors related with the said intention. Methods. The study involved 430 university students aged 18-24 years. Anthropometric data was collected. Participants completed questionnaires assessing physical activity level (IPAQ) and their intention to participate in extracurricular activities teaching proper posture while sitting or walking, proper running technique, corrective gymnastics, or weight loss exercises. A self-assessment of posture, physical fitness, attractiveness, and body satisfaction was also completed. Results. Lower back pain was experienced by 41% of the respondents. Most were taught proper posture-related habits in primary school, followed by secondary school, and then at university. Many students expressed their intention to participate in the extracurricular activities. None of the questionnaire variables were associated with the intention to learn proper walking posture or proper running technique. The intention to participate in classes teaching proper sitting posture was associated with lower back pain in women and low physical activity level in men. In women, a relationship was found between the intention to participate in weight loss exercises and body dissatisfaction, high BMI, and poor self-evaluations of posture and attractiveness. In men, this activity was associated with body dissatisfaction. Conclusions. There is a need for further education on the development of proper postural habits at the university level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objective The aim of the study was to investigate the sport activitiy level during the leisure-time and the body mass index of the young people. Methods The work is a non-experimental study. It is a pilot study applied to some groups of high school and college students. The measurement research instruments used for the study were physical activity index and body mass index. In order to fund out the physical activity index we applied the survey with three parameters (intensity, lasting and irecvency) with four-five levels, quantified by figures and applied in a formula. The final score characterizes physical activities and fitness category of the subjects. An other instrument used is body mass index, hat is a measure of relative weight based on an individual's mass and height. The samples of study were three groups of subjects, males and females: the first is high school students aged 16-19; the second group is college students aged 20-25 and the third group is college students 26-30 years old. The total number of subjects is 165. Results The results indicate the average scores 40-60 points for 21 -25 years male category. The other categories of gender and age scores are included at 20-40 points. Calculated body mass index is about 18.8-25 kg/nr for males, age 16-25 years and females aged 21-25. For the others subjects the body mass index is 25-30 kg/m2. Conclusions Most subjects had an inadequate physical activity that means sedentary persons with poor fitness. Almost the same majority is slightly overweight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Art plays a vital role in developing a child's communication, problem solving, social and emotional skills as well as motor control, creativity and self-expression. For children with severe impairments that limit their access to traditional art processes, it is important to find alternative methods to enable these children to express themselves creatively. Advantages of a virtual art program include its ability to compensate for specific physical impairments, flexibility of incorporating sensory feedback, such as audio, to improve engagement, the avoidance of the untidiness often associated with children's arts activities, and the absence of physical parts conducive to accidental ingestion. The Kinect Virtual Art Program (KVAP) uses the Microsoft Kinect gesture recognition technology that facilitates a new method of engaging children in therapeutic recreation. The program was designed to allow the creation of art through non-contact 'virtual' button activation. A pilot study was performed with five children with severe impairments to determine the level of physical engagement that these children could attain while using the KVAP over five sessions. The results indicated that the participants enjoyed using the KVAP and increasingly engaged with it over the sessions. The KVAP encouraged physical activity and enabled children to create their own works of art, an activity that was previously inaccessible to them using traditional approaches. The KVAP may offer a potential new avenue for therapy, play and exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Implanted devices can provide objective assessment of physical activity over prolonged periods. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of devicemeasured physical activity data compared with a six-minute walk test (6MWT) in predicting clinical response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). This was a singlecenter study in which patients who underwent CRT for standard indications were evaluated. Daily physical activity and 6MWT were evaluated postimplant at 1, 3, and 6 months. The primary end point was a composite of heart failure hospitalization, transplant, left ventricular (LV) assist device, and all-cause death at 3 years. Echocardiographic response, defined as a ≥10% improvement in LV ejection fraction (LVEF), at 6 months was the secondary end point. About 164 patients were included: average age was 67.3 ± 12.9 years, 77% were men, baseline LVEF was 25% ± 7%. Kaplan-Meier curves showed superior freedom from the composite end point in the highest tertile of both 6MWT and physical activity compared with the lowest tertile (41 vs 23 cases, respectively, p <0.001) for 6MWT and for activity (22 vs 7 cases, respectively, p [ 0.001). In an adjusted multivariate model, independent predictors of improved clinical outcome included 1-month physical activity (hazard ratio 0.546, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.361 to 0.824, p = 0.004) and 6MWT (hazard ratio 0.581, 95% CI 0.425 to 0.795, p = 0.001). An additional hour of higher activity at 1 month translated to a 1.38 times (95% CI 1.075 to 1.753, p = 0.011) higher likelihood of improved echocardiographic response. In conclusion, device-based measures of physical activity may be useful in predicting echocardiographic reverse remodeling and long-term clinical outcome in patients receiving CRT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Novel parameters derived from peak maximal oxygen uptake (VO2) and exercise arterial blood pressure, such as peak circulatory power (CP) and exercise cardiac power (ECP), can be used in the risk assessment of cardiovascular disease and stroke. However, the determinants of these factors are poorly characterized in the general population. Methods: We assessed peak arterial blood pressure, CP and ECP with standardized cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) on 281 female and 257 male participants of the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. The subjects were aged 30-47 years. Peak VO2 as well as systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressures were measured to calculate peak mean arterial pressure, CP and ECP. These parameters were assessed for correlation with sex, age, height, weight, waist-to-hip ratio, smoking, physical activity index (PAI), fasting insulin and glucose levels as well as the use of antihypertensive treatment. Results: Sex, age and weight explained 36% of the variation in peak systolic blood pressure, and these factors in combination with height and the use of antihypertensive treatment explained 13% of the variation in peak diastolic blood pressure. Sex, height, weight, waist-to-hip ratio, PAI and smoking explained 49% - 52% of the variation in peak CP. Sex, age, height, weight, waist-to-hip ratio, PAI, smoking and insulin levels explained 21% - 49% of variation in ECP. Conclusions: Subject demographics and lifestyle-related factors should be taken into account when exercise blood pressure response, CP and ECP are used to evaluate patients' cardiac function in CPET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Reduced physical activity is associated with increased risk of heart failure (HF) in middle-aged individuals. We hypothesized that physical inactivity is also associated with greater HF risk in older individuals, and examined if the association was consistent for HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF) vs. HF with a reduced ejection fraction (HFREF). Methods and results We evaluated 1142 elderly participants (mean age 76 years) from the Framingham Study without prior myocardial infarction and who attended a routine examination when daily physical activity was assessed systematically with a questionnaire. A composite score, the physical activity index (PAI), was calculated and modelled as tertiles, and related to incidence of HF, HFPEF, and HFREF on follow-up using proportional hazards regression models adjusting for age and sex, and then additionally for standard HF risk factors. Participants with HF and EF <45% vs. ≥45% were categorized as HFREF and HFPEF, respectively. On follow-up (mean 10 years), 250 participants developed HF (108 with HFPEF, 106 with HFREF, 36 with unavailable EF). In age- and sex-adjusted models, the middle and highest PAI tertiles were associated with a 15–56% lower risk of any HF, of HFREF, and of HFPEF, with a graded response across tertiles. In multivariable models, the association of higher PAI with lower risk of any HF and with HFPEF was maintained, whereas the association with HFREF was attenuated. Conclusions Our study of an older community-based sample extends to the elderly and to HFPEF previous findings of a protective effect of physical activity on HF risk. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article presents a study which estimates the exercise performance intensity during walking and running by three-dimensional accelerometry system. The physical activity-monitoring system (PAMS) in inexpensive, precise, and light with output that is proven to be highly reproducible and valid in different speeds. It implies that the PAMS offers the advantages of high-speed data recording on a high-capacity memory card and feasibility of data processing after the exercise.

Abstract: Objective: To develop a method of event-based analysis that quantifies the fragmented nature of walking bouts in individuals with intermittent claudication [IC] and compare outcomes with age and gender-matched healthy controls. Design: Cross-sectional. Materials: The activPAL™ physical activity monitor. Methods: 7-day physical activity patterns were compared between individuals with IC (n = 30) and controls matched for age and gender (n = 30). The ratio of the number of walking events to upright events was calculated to provide an event-based claudication index (EBCI) that represented the fragmented nature of walking bouts commonly reported in those with IC. Results: Individuals with IC had a greater EBCI than age matched controls indicating a more fragmented walking pattern (5.8 ± 2.0 vs. 7.7 ± 3.1, p < 0.01). The difference between groups was more pronounced when the EBCI was calculated from upright events that included >400 steps (23.4 ± 11.3 vs. 35.8 ± 14.2, p < 0.01). Conclusion: The classic fragmented stop/start walking pattern universally described by individuals with IC can be quantified using the EBCI. This method of measurement potentially provides a novel method of assessing the effectiveness of clinical interventions for this patient group. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Purpose: To objectively assess, in stable cardiac patients, the adherence to physical activity (PA) recommendations using an accelerometer at 2 or 12 months after the discharge of cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP). Methods: Eighty cardiac patients wore an accelerometer at 2 months (group 1, short-term adherence, n =41) or one-year (group 2, long-term adherence, n =39) after a CRP including therapeutic education about regular PA. PA was classified as “light” (1.8–2.9 Metabolic Equivalent of Task [METs]), “moderate” (3–5.9 METs), or “intense” (>6METs). Energy expenditure (EE, in Kcal) and time (min) spent in these three different levels were measured during a one-week period with the MyWellness Key actimeter (MWK). Motivational readiness for change was also assessed at the end of CRP. Patients were considered as physically active when a minimum of 150min of moderate PA during the one-week period was achieved. Results: Both groups were comparable, except for exercise capacity at the end of the CRP which was slightly higher in group 1 (167.5±42.3 versus 140.7±46.1W, P <0.01). The total weekly active EE averaged 676.7±353.2kcal and 609.5±433.5kcal in group 1 and 2, respectively. The time spent within the light-intensity range PA was 319.4±170.9 and 310.9±160.6min, and the time spent within the moderate-intensity range averaged 157.4±115.4 and 165±77.2min per week for group 1 and 2, respectively. Fifty-three percent and 41% of patients remained active in both groups respectively. Conclusion: About half of the patients are non-adherent to PA after CRP and do not reach target levels recommended by physicians. The first 2 months following the discharge of CRP seem to be of outmost importance for lifestyle modifications maintenance, and further study monitoring more closely PA decrease could help to clarify the optimal follow-up options. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background. Physical activity is indispensable in the elderly. Institutionalized elderly people frequently present depression, which can be treated with the help of the physical, psychical and social benefits of a regular physical exercise program. Aims. The institutionalized elderly were evaluated for depression, physical activity and its benefits. Methods. The research was carried out on two groups of institutionalized elderly people, men and women, with an average age of more than 73 years. We determined the physical activity index, depression index and cognitive functions based on the Mini Mental State Examination. Results. Our results showed a higher depression score when the physical activity index was lower and a higher MMSE score when the physical activity index was higher. Conclusions. Physical activity of institutionalized elderly people has beneficial anti-iatrogenic effects, fighting depression and iatrogenic illnesses due to institutionalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the applicability of the General Activities of Daily Living (GADL) scale in measuring the functional performance of older adults in Brazil using confirmatory factor analysis. Topics discussed include the medical al history of participants, advantages of GADL use, and reliability of the method for clinical use.