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Background: Transition to university, academic performance pressure, lack of sleep, personal relationships, and poor coping skills are the common sources of stress for undergraduate students. The health of students can be negatively impacted by high-energy, high-salt diets, irregular diets, and insufficient physical activity (PA), which can result in overweight and obesity. Aims and Objectives: To find out the relationship between PA and stress among male medical students. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 60 male undergraduate students in the age group 18-21 years of 1st professional MBBS. After taking a detailed history body mass index (kg/m2) was calculated. Then subjects were asked to fill out the perceived stress scale and global PA questionnaire to assess their stress and PA status. Results: In the present study there is a statistically significant relationship between the stress score and the PA. This shows that those students who were leading a more active daily or weekly schedule were exhibiting lower scores on the stress scale tool employed. Conclusion: The study revealed a highly significant (P < 0.001) correlation between the stress level and PA status of the students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Physical inactivity represents a global challenge in public health, being the second most significant factor contributing to mortality. In Latin America, the prevalence of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour is notable, affecting medical students as well, who play a crucial role as behavioural role models for the population. This study addresses the prevalence of physical activity and sedentary behaviour among medical students in Latin America during the year 2023. A total of 864 participants from 12 institutions across eight countries were surveyed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Significant variations in physical activity and sedentary behaviour were observed according to sex, age, body mass index, academic year, and country. Notably, Costa Rica exhibited the highest levels of moderate physical activity in leisure time (90 min/day). Strength training was more common among men (60 min/day) and in Argentina (60 min/day). Sedentary behaviour was higher in women (420 min/day) and during the first academic year (485 min/day). Uruguay stood out with high levels of sedentary behaviour (600 min/day). Correlations indicated positive moderate associations between academic year and moderate leisure-time PA (r:0,128, p:0,007). In conclusion, there are associations between the level of physical activity and sedentary behaviour with the variables studied in this research, with the main findings being that the female sex has more time spent in sedentary behaviour (minutes/day) and less time spent in strength training (minutes/day). Additionally, there are higher levels of sedentary behaviour in the early years of medical study compared to the later years of the program.

Physical inactivity represents a global challenge in public health, being the second most significant factor contributing to mortality. In Latin America, the prevalence of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour is notable, affecting medical students as well, who play a crucial role as behavioural role models for the population. This study addresses the prevalence of physical activity and sedentary behaviour among medical students in Latin America during the year 2023. A total of 864 participants from 12 institutions across eight countries were surveyed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Significant variations in physical activity and sedentary behaviour were observed according to sex, age, body mass index, academic year, and country. Notably, Costa Rica exhibited the highest levels of moderate physical activity in leisure time (90 min/day). Strength training was more common among men (60 min/day) and in Argentina (60 min/day). Sedentary behaviour was higher in women (420 min/day) and during the first academic year (485 min/day). Uruguay stood out with high levels of sedentary behaviour (600 min/day). Correlations indicated positive moderate associations between academic year and moderate leisure-time PA (r:0,128, p:0,007). In conclusion, there are associations between the level of physical activity and sedentary behaviour with the variables studied in this research, with the main findings being that the female sex has more time spent in sedentary behaviour (minutes/day) and less time spent in strength training (minutes/day). Additionally, there are higher levels of sedentary behaviour in the early years of medical study compared to the later years of the program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction & Purpose The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ; Armstrong & Bull, 2006) is commonly used to assess frequency, duration and intensity of physical activity (PA) in three domains: work, travel and recreation. It is frequently used as a self-administered questionnaire; however, the execution was originally designed for an interviewer. With the continuous development of app-based technology, the evaluation of PA online-assessment is relevant (Mosa et al., 2012). The objective of the study was to compare an online self-administered version of the GPAQ with the original version administered by an interviewer. Methods The physical activity behaviour of 533 participants (70% female, average age 44, ± 13.9) from the LIFE-Tirol Study (Lasting Health through Intermittent Fasting, Emotional Firmness and Exercise) was assessed by an interviewer using the GPAQ. The interviewer used generic show cards for explaining different levels of exercise intensities as recommended in the analysis guidelines (Armstrong & Bull, 2006). After two months, participants were asked to fill in the GPAQ via online app without show cards. Participant were advised not to change their usual physical activity levels during the two months. The movement domains and intensities of the two versions were compared with Jamovi v2.3 using a series of Wilcoxon W-tests and a series of 2 × 2 mixed ANOVAs to analyse gender- and age-specific aspects. Results Total metabolic equivalent task (MET) minutes were significantly different between interview and self-assessed online version (1,971 ± 2,590 vs. 4,143 ± 4,370 MET minutes; p < .001, d = 0.670). Significantly more MET minutes were reported in the online version compared to the interview version across all three PA-domains and both vigorous and moderate intensities (F(1, 552) = 167, p < .001, ƞ² = .232). This difference was not influenced by gender. 18–34-year-old participants reported significantly less MET minutes during recreational PA than participants older than 55 years in both versions (F(1, 551) = 113, p < .001, ƞ²= .170). No further gender/age × assessment interaction effects were found. Male participants tend to report higher intensity minutes more likely than females in both assessment versions (F(1, 551) = 4.43, p = 0.360, ƞ²= .008). Discussion The amount of PA as well as its intensities seem to differ between the self-assessed online version compared to the interview assessment of the GPAQ, although the interview was conducted as the first measurement and PA as well as intensities were explained in detail to participants using generic show cards. It was previously reported that show cards have no significant impact on the results of the self-administered version of the GPAQ (Rudolf et al., 2020). Therefore, the authors suggest that the main differences between both assessments were caused by the presence of the interviewer independent of age or gender. Conclusion Regardless of the use of show cards and detailed explanations of PA, the main difference between guided and self-administered PA-assessments may result from the presence or absence of an interviewer. Therefore, it is important to interpret self-administered app-based GPAQ evaluations with caution. Future studies should validate app-based GPAQ data by using objective PA measurements, such as accelerometers. References Armstrong, T., & Bull, F. (2006). Development of the World Health Organization Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). Journal of Public Health, 14(2), 66–70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-006-0024-x Mosa, A. S. M., Yoo, I., & Sheets, L. (2012). A systematic review of healthcare applications for smartphones. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 12, Article 67. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6947-12-67 Rudolf, K., Lammer, F., Stassen, G., Froböse, I., & Schaller, A. (2020). Show cards of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) – Do they impact validity? A crossover study. BMC Public Health, 20, Article 223. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-8312-x

Abstract Introduction Current guidelines suggest that regular aerobic training might lower blood pressure in hypertensive individuals. However, evidence linking resistant hypertension (RH) with total daily physical activity (PA), including work-, transport-, and recreation-related PA, is limited. Therefore, this study assessed the association between daily PA and RH. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted using data acquired from a nationwide survey in the US (the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, NHANES). The weighted prevalence of RH was calculated, and moderate and vigorous daily PA was assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). A multivariate logistic regression model determined the association between daily PA and RH. Results A total of 8,496 treated hypertension patients were identified, including 959 RH cases. The unweighted prevalence of RH among treated hypertension cases was 11.28%, while the weighted prevalence was 9.81%. Participants with RH had a low rate of recommended PA levels (39.83%), and daily PA and RH were significantly associated. PA exhibited significant dose-dependent trends with a low probability of RH (p-trends

Introduction: Current guidelines suggest that regular aerobic training might lower blood pressure in hypertensive individuals. However, evidence linking resistant hypertension (RH) with total daily physical activity (PA), including work-, transport-, and recreation-related PA, is limited. Therefore, this study assessed the association between daily PA and RH. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted using data acquired from a nationwide survey in the US (the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, NHANES). The weighted prevalence of RH was calculated, and moderate and vigorous daily PA was assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). A multivariate logistic regression model determined the association between daily PA and RH. Results: A total of 8,496 treated hypertension patients were identified, including 959 RH cases. The unweighted prevalence of RH among treated hypertension cases was 11.28%, while the weighted prevalence was 9.81%. Participants with RH had a low rate of recommended PA levels (39.83%), and daily PA and RH were significantly associated. PA exhibited significant dose-dependent trends with a low probability of RH (p-trends < 0.05). Additionally, participants with sufficient daily PA had a 14% lower probability of RH than those with insufficient PA [fully adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.86; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.74–0.99). Conclusion: The present study revealed that RH has an incidence of up to 9.81% in treated hypertension patients. Hypertensive patients tended to be physically inactive, and insufficient PA and RH were significantly associated. Sufficient daily PA should be recommended to reduce the RH probability among treated hypertension patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Physical activity is an important factor for healthy aging, and lack of it has been associated with chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Research in sedentary behavior has indicated that it is an independent risk factor of morbidity and mortality, separate from lack of physical activity. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the department of medicine in a tertiary care hospital on apparently healthy relatives of patients without chronic NCDs. Metabolic equivalents of tasks (METs) were calculated by the global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ). Statistical Analysis: We correlated the various parameters [age, sex, body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), and lipid panel with METs] by Pearson correlation coefficient. Observations and Results: Total of 750 patients with a mean age of 42.55 ± 10.93 years were included, and 389 (51.9%) were male in the present study. In our study, a strong negative correlation was found between physical activity and BMI, moderate negative correlation between physical activity with triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and WHR. There was a high degree of positive correlation between sedentary lifestyle (SLS) duration with BMI and TC. A moderate degree positive correlation was found between SLS duration and WHR, TG, and low-density lipoproteins (LDL). Conclusion: The clinician should be aware of various obesity indices, and it was found that lipid profile is inversely correlated with physical activity and directly correlated with SLS in healthy individuals. Lifestyle changes and exercise may reduce obesity and lipid disorders and thereby reduce further development of complications in those patients.

Background Monitoring population-level physical activity is crucial for examining adherence to global guidelines and addressing obesity. This study validated self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) against an accurate device-based method in Namibia. Methods Adolescent girls (n = 52, mean age 16.2 years [SD 1.6]) and adult women (n = 51, mean age 31.3 years [SD 4.7]) completed the PACE+/GPAQ self-report questionnaires and were asked to wear an Actigraph accelerometer for 7 days. Validity of self-reported MVPA was assessed using rank-order correlations between self-report and accelerometry, and classification ability of the questionnaires with Mann–Whitney tests, kappa's, sensitivity and specificity. Results In the adolescents, Spearman's rank coefficients between self-reported MVPA (days/week) and accelerometry measured MVPA were positive but not significant (r  = 0.240; P  = 0.104). In the adults, self-reported MVPA (minutes/day) was moderately and significantly correlated with accelerometer-measured MVPA (r  = 0.396; P  = 0.008). In both groups, there was fair agreement between accelerometry and questionnaire-defined tertiles of MVPA (adolescents κ  = 0.267; P  = 0.010; adults κ  = 0.284; P  = 0.008), and measured MVPA was significantly higher in the individuals self-reporting higher MVPA than those reporting lower MVPA. Conclusions The PACE+ and GPAQ questionnaires have a degree of validity in adolescent girls and adult females in Namibia, though more suitable for population than individual level measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) is an important contributor to total physical activity and the focus of many interventions promoting activity in high-income populations. Little is known about LTPA in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and with expected declines in physical activity due to rapid urbanisation and lifestyle changes we aimed to assess the sociodemographic differences in the prevalence of LTPA in the adult populations of this region to identify potential barriers for equitable participation. Methods A two-step individual participant data meta-analysis was conducted using data collected in SSA through 10 population health surveys that included the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. For each sociodemographic characteristic, the pooled adjusted prevalence and risk ratios (RRs) for participation in LTPA were calculated using the random effects method. Between-study heterogeneity was explored through meta-regression analyses and tests for interaction. Results Across the 10 populations (N = 26,022), 18.9% (95%CI: 14.3, 24.1; I 2 = 99.0%) of adults (≥ 18 years) participated in LTPA. Men were more likely to participate in LTPA compared with women (RR for women: 0.43; 95%CI: 0.32, 0.60; P

Objetivo: Evaluar la validez concurrente y la confiabilidad test-retest del Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) y el International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ, versión corta) en una comunidad universitaria. Metodología: Un total de 76 personas de la Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín (Colombia), con edades entre 18 y 44 años, portaron un acelerómetro (ActiGraph GT3X+) durante siete días y posteriormente diligenciaron los dos cuestionarios; estos se repitieron una semana después. La validez y la confiabilidad para evaluar el gasto energético (GE) y el tiempo sedentario (TS) se determinó con el coeficiente de correlación intraclase (CCI); la concordancia para clasificar el nivel de actividad física (NAF) se evaluó con el índice de Kappa ponderado (IKp). Resultados: Para medir el GE, el IPAQ mostró una validez “moderada” (CCI = 0,434, IC 95 % = 0,231-0,600; p < 0,001) y el GPAQ “pobre” (CCI = 0,335, IC 95 % = 0,123-0,519; p < 0,001); para el TS, la validez de ambos cuestionarios fue “pobre” (IPAQ: CCI = 0,234, IC 95 % = 0,011-0,435, p < 0,020; GPAQ: CCI = 0,231, IC 95 % = 0,009-0,432, p < 0,021). Para clasificar el NAF (bajo, moderado o alto), ambos cuestionarios mostraron concordancias “bajas” (IPAQ: IKp = 0,298, p = 0,001; GPAQ: IKp = 0,137, p = 0,119). La confiabilidad del GPAQ para evaluar el GE fue “buena / excelente” (CCI = 0,838; IC 95 % = 0,754-0,895; p < 0,001) y del IPAQ fue “moderada” (CCI = 0,655; IC 95 % = 0,505-0,766; p < 0,001). La confiabilidad para el TS fue “moderada” en ambos instrumentos (IPAQ: CCI = 0,716; IC 95 % = 0,583- 0,811; p < 0,001; GPAQ: CCI = 0,736; IC 95 % = 0,613-0,824; p < 0,001). Conclusiones: Los cuestionarios mostraron poca validez para la medición del NAF y del TS. Sin embargo, ambos instrumentos presentaron una buena confiabilidad para la medición de las variables estudiadas. No se recomienda el uso de los cuestionarios para la población estudiada

Background: One-third of individuals with stroke report symptoms of depression, which has a negative impact on recovery. Physical activity (PA) is a potentially effective therapy. Our objective was to examine the associations of subjectively assessed PA levels and symptoms of depression in a nationally representative stroke sample. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 175 adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2012 cycle. Moderate, vigorous, and combination equivalent PA metabolic equivalent (MET)-minutes per week averages were derived from the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, and. the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines/American College of Sports Medicine recommendations of >500 MET-minutes per week of moderate, vigorous, or combination equivalent PA were used as cut points. Depression symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Results: Meeting moderate PA guidelines resulted in 74% lower odds of having depression symptoms (P < .0001) and 89% lower odds of major symptoms of depression (P - .0003). Meeting vigorous guidelines showed a 91% lower odds of having mild symptoms of depression (P = .04). Participating in some moderate, vigorous, or combination equivalent PA revealed the odds of depression symptoms 13 times greater compared with meeting guidelines (P = .005); odds of mild symptoms of depression were 9 times greater (P = .01); and odds of major symptoms of depression were 15 times greater (P = .006). Conclusions: There is a lower risk of developing mild symptoms of depression when vigorous guidelines for PA are met and developing major symptoms of depression when moderate guidelines met. Participating in some PA is not enough to reduce the risk of depression symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Physical activity is an important factor for healthy aging, and lack of it has been associated with chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Research in sedentary behavior has indicated that it is an independent risk factor of morbidity and mortality, separate from lack of physical activity. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the department of medicine in a tertiary care hospital on apparently healthy relatives of patients without chronic NCDs. Metabolic equivalents of tasks (METs) were calculated by the global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ). Statistical Analysis: We correlated the various parameters [age, sex, body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), and lipid panel with METs] by Pearson correlation coefficient. Observations and Results: Total of 750 patients with a mean age of 42.55 ± 10.93 years were included, and 389 (51.9%) were male in the present study. In our study, a strong negative correlation was found between physical activity and BMI, moderate negative correlation between physical activity with triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and WHR. There was a high degree of positive correlation between sedentary lifestyle (SLS) duration with BMI and TC. A moderate degree positive correlation was found between SLS duration and WHR, TG, and low-density lipoproteins (LDL). Conclusion: The clinician should be aware of various obesity indices, and it was found that lipid profile is inversely correlated with physical activity and directly correlated with SLS in healthy individuals. Lifestyle changes and exercise may reduce obesity and lipid disorders and thereby reduce further development of complications in those patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Insufficient physical activity (IPA) is one of the leading causes of premature mortality through the increased burden of non-communicable diseases. From 1990 to 2017, the percentage of low physical activity attributable disability-adjusted life years (DALY) increased globally by 1.5 times and 2-fold in Iran, causing more than 1.2 million deaths worldwide and 18,000 deaths in Iran in 2017. Reports suggest that Iran, a developing middle-income country, suffers from a high level of IPA. Socioeconomic and cultural alterations along with the country’s developments expose the population to IPA risk. We aimed to describe IPA prevalence in Iran’s adult population, categorized by demographics, geographical region, and activity domains to assess the present pattern of physical inactivity and its domains in the country. Methods In 2016, in order to represent Iran’s adult population, adult participants (n: 30541) from 30 provinces were selected using systematic proportional to size cluster sampling. Physical activity (PA) was assessed via the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, calculating the Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) value in minutes per week for work, recreation, and transport domains. Insufficient physical activity (IPA) was defined according to WHO’s recommendation (less than 600 METs per week). Adjusted odds ratios of IPA associates for sociodemographic, lifestyle related variables, and metabolic risk factors were reported. Results A high prevalence of IPA was seen in the total population (54.7%, 95%CI: 54.0–55.3) with a considerable difference between the two genders (males: 45.3% (95%CI: 44.3–46.3); females: 61.9% (95%CI: 61.0–62.7)). Work-related activity was the domain with the greatest percentage of total PA, whereas, both genders lacked recreational activities. In our findings, being female, a housekeeper, younger and living in urban areas were significantly associated with higher levels of IPA. Moreover, insufficient fruit and vegetable consumption, lack of alcohol consumption, having a personal vehicle, and finally, having a medical history of diabetes were significantly associated with the presence of IPA in our population. Among the study population, 33.6% (95%CI: 33.0–34.2) had at least 4 h of sedentary behavior in a typical day. Conclusions Widespread IPA among the Iranian adult population is of major concern. In our findings, we observed a considerable gap in the prevalence and pattern of IPA between the two genders. Additionally, IPA was associated with living in urban areas, unhealthy lifestyle habits and a history of other metabolic risk factors. Thus, a prompt initiative for population-specific actions should be taken.

Abstract Background Data on adolescents’ physical activity and determinants are scarce in Nepal. In this study, we aim to assess the level of physical activity, its correlates and the sedentary behavior of high school students in an urban district of Nepal. Methods This is a cross-sectional study. Participants were selected using two-stage cluster sampling technique. We used Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) to collect information regarding physical activity and sedentary behavior. We also collected information about socio-demographic, academic, environmental and lifestyle-related factors. Data from 945 high school students from 23 randomly selected schools were analyzed. Logistic regression was used to identify correlates of low physical activity separately for male and female students. Results Based on GPAQ classification, one out of five respondents reported low physical activity. The prevalence of low physical activity was 8% for males and 31% for females. About 31% of the adolescents and 14% of young adults did not meet the WHO recommendations of physical activity. Forty-seven percent of the total physical activity was borne by recreational activities. Correlates of low physical activity included school type and mode of transport among females, family support and drinking among males, and playground/park around home among both. Conclusions The prevalence estimate of low physical activity among adolescents is high, with higher odds among females. Several different factors are associated with physical activity among males and females, therefore, interventions to promote physical activity in school may need to weigh these factors prior to/during implementation.

Introduction: Insufficient physical activity is the fourth leading cause of death globally. Increased physical activity improves the physical and psychological well-being and decreases the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and cancer. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted among 267 adults from a rural area of Kancheepuram District in Tamil Nadu, South India. Cluster sampling method was used. Clusters were selected randomly. Within each clusters, the simple random sampling method was used to select the individual participants. Data were collected using the World Health Organization's standard Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Results: Overall prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adults in a rural area of South India was 22.5% (17.88–27.85) (n = 60), and the prevalence of sufficient physical activity was 77.5 (72.2–82.08) (n = 207). Among overall physical activity, major contribution was from work (75%) followed by transport time activity (18%) and the least by leisure-time physical activity, which was only 7%. With increase in age, level of adequate physical activity was decreasing (adjusted odds ratio (0.95 [0.92–0.98], P < 0.001). Insufficient physical activity was not associated with any other studied factors (gender, employment, education, occupation, and marital status). Conclusion: In a rural area of South India, the physical activity was contributed majorly by work domain and least by other domains. Leisure-time physical activity in rural community was poor and to be encouraged in future by community interventions.

Purpose: To examine intensity- and domain-specific physical activity (PA) levels between Korean cancer survivors compared with non-cancer individuals.Methods: We used data from the 2014-2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHNES) to compare PA levels between 639 cancer survivors and 15,352 non-cancer individuals. Using the 1:5 propensity score matching analysis by sex, age, body mass index (BMI), and education level, 3195 non-cancer individuals were selected. Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) was used to assess PA levels.Results: Cancer survivors were more likely to participate in a leisure-time PA (64.5 ± 157.9 vs. 51.8 ± 145.3 min/week, p < 0.002) compared with non-cancer individuals, while no difference was observed between groups in work and transportation. Cancer survivors undergoing treatment participated in more leisure-time PA (80.9 ± 169.2 vs. 56.6 ± 151.8 min/week, p < 0.02) compared with cancer survivors who completed cancer treatment. However, we found no significant difference in vigorous-intensity PA (18.8 ± 113.9 vs. 20.5 ± 156.1 min/week, p = 0.56) and moderate-intensity PA (186.2 ± 313.1 vs. 203.1 ± 355.3 min/week, p = 0.17) levels between cancer survivors and non-cancer individuals.Conclusions: This study showed that cancer survivors were more participated in leisure-time PA compared with age, gender, BMI, and education levels matched non-cancer individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) is an important contributor to total physical activity and the focus of many interventions promoting activity in high-income populations. Little is known about LTPA in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and with expected declines in physical activity due to rapid urbanisation and lifestyle changes we aimed to assess the sociodemographic differences in the prevalence of LTPA in the adult populations of this region to identify potential barriers for equitable participation.Methods: A two-step individual participant data meta-analysis was conducted using data collected in SSA through 10 population health surveys that included the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. For each sociodemographic characteristic, the pooled adjusted prevalence and risk ratios (RRs) for participation in LTPA were calculated using the random effects method. Between-study heterogeneity was explored through meta-regression analyses and tests for interaction.Results: Across the 10 populations (N = 26,022), 18.9% (95%CI: 14.3, 24.1; I2 = 99.0%) of adults (≥ 18 years) participated in LTPA. Men were more likely to participate in LTPA compared with women (RR for women: 0.43; 95%CI: 0.32, 0.60; P < 0.001; I2 = 97.5%), while age was inversely associated with participation. Higher levels of education were associated with increased LTPA participation (RR: 1.30; 95%CI: 1.09, 1.55; P = 0.004; I2 = 98.1%), with those living in rural areas or self-employed less likely to participate in LTPA. These associations remained after adjusting for time spent physically active at work or through active travel.Conclusions: In these populations, participation in LTPA was low, and strongly associated with sex, age, education, self-employment and urban residence. Identifying the potential barriers that reduce participation in these groups is necessary to enable equitable access to the health and social benefits associated with LTPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Evaluate the concurrent validity and test-retest reliability of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ, short version) in a university community. Methodology: A total of 76 people from the University of Antioquia, Medellín (Colombia), aged between 18 and 44, carried an accelerometer (ActiGraph GT3X +) for seven days and subsequently filled out the two questionnaires; these were repeated a week later. The validity and reliability for assessing energy expenditure (EE) and sedentary time (ST) was determined with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC); concordance to classify the physical activity level (PAL) was evaluated with the weighted Kappa index (wKI). Results: To measure the EE , IPAQ showed a "moderate" validity (ICC = 0.434, CI 95% = 0.231-0.600; p <0.001) and the "poor" QPAQ (ICC = 0.335, CI 95% = 0.123-0.519; p <0.001); for ST , the validity of both questionnaires was "poor" (IPAQ : ICC = 0.234, CI 95% = 0.011-0.435, p <0.020; GPAQ: ICC = 0.231, CI 95% = 0.009-0.432, p <0.021). To classify the PAL (low, moderate or high), both questionnaires showed "low" concordance (IPAQ: wKI = 0.298, p = 0.001; GQAP: wKI = 0.137, p = 0.119). The reliability of the GPAQ for assessing EE was "good/excellent" (ICC = 0.838; CI 95% = 0.754-0.895; p <0.001) and the IPAQ was "moderate" (ICC = 0.655; IC 95% = 0.505-0.766 ; p <0.001). The reliability for ST was "moderate" in both instruments (IPAQ: ICC = 0.716; CI 95% = 0.583-0.811; p <0.001; GPAQ: ICC = 0.736; CI 95% = 0.613-0.824; p <0.001). Conclusions: The questionnaires showed little validity for measuring PAL and ST . However, both instruments presented good reliability for measuring the variables studied. The use of questionnaires for the population studied is not recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 Internship is the time period when young doctors learn to balance between professional and personal lives. If they have good awareness and practice of any kind of physical activity during this period, it will help them to continue it forward. This enables them to educate and inspire people and patients around them. The main objectives of this study were to assess patterns of physical activity among medical interns and to understand the factors preventing physical activity among them. Methodology This cross-sectional survey was carried out among interns of a tertiary care hospital in western Maharashtra from July 2022 to September 2022. Ethical clearance was obtained before starting data collection. The survey was administered to those who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The questionnaire was adopted from the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. The data collected were entered into Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA) and analysis was done using MedCalc v.18.2.1 (MedCalc Software Ltd, Ostend, Belgium). Results A total of 220 interns were enrolled in the survey, of which 13 were removed due to incomplete data and 28 interns did not participate in the study. Finally, 179 interns were included for analysis in the study. The response rate was 87.27%. The mean age of participants was 23.12 years. The study population consisted of 72 (40.22%) males and 107 (59.78%) females. Among participants, 33 interns (18.44%) were involved in vigorous activity during work, and 108 interns (60.34%) were involved in moderate physical activity during work. The median time of a sedentary lifestyle was 300 minutes per day and was more common among males. Cumulatively busy working schedules and exam preparation were the important reasons for reduced physical activity. Conclusion There is a gap in the practice of physical activity among interns. A sedentary lifestyle was more prevalent among male interns than in female interns. The main constraints were demanding working hours and the pressure of competitive exams. Medical students will become doctors in the future who can advise their patients on healthy lifestyle habits. We recommend that it is necessary to promote physical activity in medical schools and to reinforce the importance of physical exercise in the medical curriculum., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, R et al.)

Introduction: Physical inactivity is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. Increase in physical activity decreases the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, Type 2 diabetes, stroke, and improves psychological wellbeing. Aim: To study the level of physical inactivity among the adult population in an urban area of Puducherry in India and its associated risk factors. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 569 adult participants from an urban area of Pondicherry. The level of physical inactivity was measured by using WHO standard Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). Results: Overall prevalence of physical inactivity in our study was 49.7% (CI: 45.6-53.8). Among the physically active people, contribution of physical activity by work was 77.4%, leisure time activities were 11.6% and transport time was 11%. Both men and women were equally inactive {Physically inactive among women was 50% (CI:44.1-55.9)} and {Physically inactive among men was 49.5% (CI:43.8-55.2)}. Prevalence of physical inactivity was increasing with increasing age. Non tobacco users were two times more active than tobacco users {Adjusted Odds Ratio: 2.183 (1.175- 4.057)}. Employed were more active as compared to retired {Adjusted Odds Ratio: 0.412 (0.171- 0.991)}, students {Adjusted Odds Ratio: 0.456 (0.196-1.060)}, house wives {Adjusted Odds Ratio: 0.757 (0.509-1.127)} and unemployed {Adjusted Odds Ratio: 0.538 (0.271-1.068)}. Non alcoholics were only 0.34 times as active as alcoholics. Conclusion: Level of physical activity was found to be insufficient among adult urban population of Puducherry. Working adult population found to be active, that too due to their work pattern. There is a need to promote leisure time and travelling time physical activity.

Introduction: Physical activity (PA) is protective against non-communicable diseases and it can reduce premature mortality. However, it is difficult to assess the frequency, duration, type and intensity of PA. The global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ) has been developed by World Health Organization with the aim of having valid and reliable estimates of PA. The primary aim of this study is to assess the repeatability of the GPAQ instrument and the secondary aim is to validate it against International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and against an objective measure of PA (i.e., using pedometers) in both rural and peri-urban areas of North India. Methods: A total of 262 subjects were recruited by random selection from Ballabgarh Block of Haryana State in India. For test retest repeatability of GPAQ and IPAQ, the instruments were administered on two occasions separated by at least 3 days. For concurrent validity, both questionnaires were administered in random order and for criterion validity step counters were used. Spearman′s correlation coefficient, intra-class correlation (ICC) and Cohen′s kappa was used in the analysis. Results: For GPAQ validity, the spearman′s Rho ranged from 0.40 to 0.59 and ICC ranged from 0.43 to 0.81 while for IPAQ validity, spearman correlation coefficient ranged from 0.42 to 0.43 and ICC ranged from 0.56 to 0.68. The observed concurrent validity coefficients suggested that both the questionnaires had reasonable agreement (Spearman Rho of >0.90; P < 0.0001; ICC: 0.76-0.91, P < 0.05). Conclusions: GPAQ is similar to IPAQ in measuring PA and can be used for measurement of PA in community settings.

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 < 0.01) but poor for rural residents. The overall correlation between the GPAQ and accelerometer for sitting was low (rho: 0.23; p < 0.001). GPAQ-Accelerometer correlation for MVPA was higher for females (rho: 0.42), ≤35 age group (rho: 0.31) and those with higher education attainment (rho: 0.48). The Bland-Altman plots illustrated bias towards over estimation of GPAQ MVPA with increased activity levels for urban and rural residents.Conclusion: GPAQ is an acceptable measure for physical activity surveillance in Bangladesh particularly for urban residents, women and people with high education. Given waist worn accelerometers do not capture the typical PA in rural context, further study using a physical activity diary and a combination of multiple sensors (e.g., wrist, ankle and waist worn accelerometers) to capture all movement is warranted among rural population with purposive sampling of all education levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): To study the knowledge, attitude and practice in breast feeding mothers in the field of physical activities and related factors on exercises.Methods: Tow hundred breast feeding mothers referring health and treatment centers of Tehran have been random selected from five centers through the questionnaire and their knowledge, attitude and related factors on exercise were studied. Regarding practice, Global physical activity questionnaire from World Health organization was used evaluating the three fields of work, exercise, leisure time, going from one place to another, level of physical activity. Data were analyzed using SPSS Statistical software after being collected.Results: According to the data from this research, 74.5% of mothers were highly aware while 80.5% had positive attitude toward exercising during lactation. In term of physical exercise only 14% were performing some type of sport activity. Regarding physical activity, 58% of the subjects had average physical activity among the total activities in all three fields. As well the study showed that the average physical activity among lactating mothers in the field of work was 38 min per day, going from one place to another using bicycle or walking for 15 min per day and 5 min per day of exercise in the field of sport activities.Among the most important factors of having no sport activity the reasons were having no enough time, having small children, giving no importance to sport activities and lack of exercise space for women respectively.Conclusion: However most of breast feeding mothers in this study had high knowledge and positive attitude toward the benefits of exercises during lactation, their activity level was so limited. So it is recommended that health employees, especially those in health and treatment centers should encourage mothers to perform and follow both health behaviors, namely exercise and breast feeding and arrange short term exercise plans for lactating mothers in post labor and lactation care services. Further researches on the effects of health training models on exercises in lactating mothers seem to be necessary.

Introduction: Lifestyle modifications can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and hypertension. Our study investigated whether domain-specific physical activity (such as work, transport and leisure) and sedentary behaviour were associated with T2DM and hypertension, and whether these associations were moderated by sex and age., Method: For this cross-sectional study, data were obtained from a population survey in Singapore (n=2,867) conducted from February 2019 to March 2020. T2DM and hypertension were self-reported. Global physical activity questionnaire was used to assess domain-specific physical activity (in metabolic equivalent of task [MET]-minutes) and sedentary time (in hours). Logistic regression models were generated to examine the abovementioned associations, and adjusted for age, sex, education, ethnicity, personal income, body mass index, diet and hypertension/diabetes. Interaction terms were included individually to investigate whether age and sex moderated the associations., Results: Individuals with >826 MET-minutes of leisure-related physical activity per week had lower odds of having T2DM (odds ratio [OR] 0.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.24-0.86) and hypertension (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.37-0.94) than those with no leisure-related physical activity. Individuals with >8 hours of sedentary time daily had higher odds of having hypertension (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.06-2.69) than those with 0-5 hours of sedentary time. Logistic regression models including interaction terms showed that the association between leisure-related physical activity and hypertension was significant for those aged 18-34 (OR 0.15, 95% CI 0.03-0.66) and 50-64 years (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.21-0.91). The association between sedentary time and hypertension was significant for those aged 18-34 years (OR 15.07, 95% CI 1.69-133.92)., Conclusion: Our results support the widespread promotion of an active lifestyle to lower the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension in Singapore.

Background: The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) has been recommended for the international tracking of physical activity (PA). This study aimed to investigate the agreement between the GPAQ and accelerometry, as well as the test–retest reliability of the GPAQ in Saudi college-age men. Methods: The participants included 62 male students, aged 20.0 ± 1.1 year, with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 24.1 ± 6.3 kg/m2. This study used a cross-sectional comparison of measures design. Participants completed the GPAQ twice (2 weeks apart) and wore accelerometers for seven consecutive days. Results: The agreement between the GPAQ and accelerometry for moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) was weak (r ≤ 0.32). Participants underreported sedentary time relative to accelerometer measurements (Δ = 3.4 h/day). BMI was statistically associated with increased bias between the two methods. However, correlations between the GPAQ test and retest for MVPA and sedentary time were moderate to strong (r = 0.44–0.78). Conclusion: The GPAQ is reliable, but had low agreement with accelerometry for estimating MVPA, and very low agreement with accelerometry for estimating sedentary time in college-age Saudi men. Individual participant characteristics should be considered when using the GPAQ to estimate sedentary time. Adapting the current GPAQ to build a regional PA questionnaire is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]