Journal of physical activity & health最新文献

Background: Multilevel interventions that address individual, interpersonal, environmental, and other contextual influences can help increase physical activity (PA) in Latino populations. Yet, critical gaps remain in understanding their feasibility, especially in community-based settings, and the diverse factors that contribute to PA outcomes and disparities. This study examined multilevel predictors of participation in group exercise classes from a faith-based multilevel PA intervention and postintervention PA outcomes among a Latino adult sample.

Methods: Preintervention and postintervention data collected between 2019 and 2025 came from 195 Latino participants residing in East Los Angeles, CA and surrounding neighborhoods. Logistic regression models examined baseline perceived neighborhood, psychosocial, and sociodemographic factors in relation to participation in group exercise classes in parks (and/or online for participants impacted by the pandemic). Linear regression models examined the baseline multilevel factors in relation to accelerometer-based moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) and self-reported leisure-time MVPA.

Results: Perceived stress was significantly associated with lower odds of class attendance, controlling for other multilevel factors. Being female was significantly associated with lower accelerometer-based MVPA at follow-up and marginally significant lower self-reported leisure-time MVPA at follow-up. Being employed was marginally associated with lower leisure-time MVPA at follow-up.

Conclusions: Findings suggest individual-level factors may be stronger predictors of intervention uptake and postintervention PA, compared with neighborhood and psychosocial factors. More research is needed examining social and structural drivers that contribute to perceived stress, which may influence intervention participation and PA behavior change among Latinos, a population who faces a high burden of obesity and chronic conditions.

Background: Regular physical activity (PA) benefits mental health, but most research focuses on Western and affluent populations, limiting generalizability. This study explored how PA's effects on mental health vary by household income in Korean adults.

Methods: Data from 8235 participants (55.2% female; mean age = 63.35 [15.20] y) in the Korea Health Panel Study II (2019-2020) were analyzed. PA (regular vs irregular) and household income (low, middle, and high) were assessed in 2019, and mental health outcomes (stress, depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts) were measured in 2020. Multinomial logistic regression and interaction analyses examined associations between PA, income, and mental health outcomes, controlling for covariates.

Results: Regular PA reduced odds of high stress across income groups: low income (odds ratios [OR] = 0.61, 95% CI, 0.51-0.73), middle income (OR = 0.78, 95% CI, 0.66-0.93), and high income (OR = 0.64, 95% CI, 0.55-0.76). Regular PA also lowered odds of anxiety (OR = 0.64, 95% CI, 0.42-0.98) and depression (OR = 0.61, 95% CI, 0.44-0.85) in high-income groups. High-income participants showed reduced odds of suicidal thoughts (OR = 0.65, 95% CI, 0.43-0.98). Significant interactions between PA and income were observed for all outcomes (P < .001).

Conclusions: Regular PA and higher income independently and interactively reduce adverse mental health outcomes. Promoting PA and addressing income disparities are essential for effective mental health interventions and policies.

Background: This study examined associations of yoga participation and prospective all-cause mortality risk in the United States' nationally representative National Health Interview Survey.

Methods: Data were from the National Health Interview Survey samples from 2007, 2012, and 2017. A subset of participants were asked about their weekly physical activity (PA; min/wk) and if they practiced yoga in the past year (yes/no). Participants were ≥18 years, had eligible mortality follow-up, and answered PA and yoga questions (N = 26,055). Participants were followed up using the National Death Index (a resource that provides mortality data from death certificates) through 2019 to determine participant mortality status (n = 815 deaths). Participant activity level was categorized as meeting (active) or not meeting (inactive) combined aerobic and strength training PA guidelines (≥150 min/wk of moderate-to-vigorous PA and ≥2 d/wk of strength training) based on their reported activity. Participants were categorized into 4 groups by their yoga participation and meeting combined PA guidelines (inactive/no yoga, inactive/yoga, active/no yoga, and active/yoga). Survey weighted Cox proportional hazard models computed hazard ratios mortality during follow-up between the 4 groups with active/no yoga as the reference.

Results: In the fully adjusted models, the active/yoga group had 51% lower risk of mortality compared with active/no yoga (hazard ratio: 0.49; 95% CI, 0.26-0.91), whereas the inactive/no yoga group had 77% higher risk compared with active/no yoga (hazard ratio: 1.77; 95% CI, 1.12-2.80).

Conclusions: Yoga participation and meeting the combined PA guidelines may provide additional and independent protective mortality benefits compared with meeting PA guidelines without yoga.

Background: We aimed to analyze the association of macroeconomic and social indicators with the prevalence and gender inequalities in physical activity (PA) among adolescents.

Methods: An ecological study with data from 135 countries. Human Development Index (HDI), Gender Inequality Index (GII), and Gini coefficient (wealth inequality) were retrieved from official websites. Prevalence of adolescents who reported ≥1 day per week of ≥60 minutes per day of moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA) (some MVPA), and compliance with 2010 PA guidelines were calculated.

Results: Prevalence of some MVPA and compliance with PA guidelines were higher in countries with the highest HDI than those with the lowest (low: 69.0% vs very high: 90.0% and low: 14.0% vs very high: 18.0%, respectively). Prevalence was higher in countries with the lowest GII (tertile 3: 69.0% vs tertile 1: 94.0%, and tertile 3: 15.0% vs tertile 1: 19.0%, respectively) and the lowest Gini (tertile 3: 74.0% vs tertile 1: 86.0%, and tertile 3: 15.0% vs tertile 1: 19.0%, respectively). Countries with lower HDI and higher GII and Gini had higher gender inequalities in completing some MVPA, whereas higher gender inequalities in compliance with PA guidelines were observed among countries with higher HDI and lower GII. Associations between country-context variables and completing some MVPA tended to be consistent after stratification by income, whereas associations with PA compliance were more consistent in the Global South.

Conclusion: Countries with better macroeconomic and social indicators had higher prevalence of some MVPA and adherence to the PA guidelines; however, their relationship with gender inequalities is inconsistent.

Background: Employment among older adults has been increasing; however, its association with daily activities remains unclear. This study examined the associations between working condition categories and nonoccupational physical activity among older workers in Japan.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used the baseline data from the Wako Cohort Study conducted in 2023. Of the 6429 older respondents, we analyzed 1689 older workers (age range: 65-91). They were categorized by their paid work hours (full time: ≥20 h/wk, part time: <20 h/wk) and the presence or absence of occupational physical activity. A questionnaire combining the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and International Physical Activity Questionnaire long form was used to assess occupational, leisure-time, household, and transport-related physical activity. A 2-part model was fitted to analyze the binary (engagement vs nonengagement) and continuous outcomes of nonoccupational physical activity.

Results: Compared with part-time work involving occupational physical activity, full-time work with and without occupational physical activity showed significantly lower odds of engaging in leisure-time physical activity (odds ratio: 0.62; 95% CI, 0.42-0.91 and 0.54; 95% CI, 0.35-0.84, respectively). Full- and part-time work hours without occupational physical activity had a lower odds ratio of engaging in household physical activity (odds ratio: 0.35; 95% CI, 0.22-0.56 and 0.31; 95% CI, 0.19-0.50, respectively). In addition, they were associated with lower levels of total nonoccupational physical activity (mean ratio: 0.83; 95% CI, 0.71-0.98 and 0.72; 95% CI, 0.61-0.86, respectively).

Conclusion: Working condition categories can reflect the physical activity characteristics of older workers outside their work hours.

Purpose: Physical activity (PA) is an important component of health, yet PA screening is not broadly adopted in clinical practice. Screening tools present trade-offs between efficiency and comprehensiveness, and patient understanding and interpretation of terms like "physical activity" and "exercise" may influence reporting. We aimed to describe how patients interpret and report these terms in primary care.

Methods: We conducted a survey-based study with English- and Spanish-speaking participants. Four open-ended questions asked participants to define "exercise" and "physical activity" and describe their own PA and exercise in the past week. Thirteen close-ended questions asked participants to classify activities. Responses were analyzed qualitatively and descriptively.

Results: Of 142 participants, most defined PA broadly as movement, while exercise was described as intentional movement with a purpose. When describing PA, Spanish speakers less often included housework and yardwork and more often considered job-related activity as exercise. Many classified occupational and household activities as PA but not exercise. About one quarter viewed transportation-related activities as exercise only. Recreational activities were frequently classified as both, though many participants considered structured moderate- and high-intensity activities as exercise only.

Conclusion: Patients view PA and exercise as overlapping but distinct constructs, highlighting the importance of terminology in PA screening.