Journal of physical activity & health最新文献

Background: The rise in mental health challenges in university students is of increasing concern, with the accompanying increased demand for services. Physical activity demonstrates potential as a tool to alleviate said demand. Hence the aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of tailored group exercise among students facing mental health challenges.

Methods: Eleven university students aged 20-39 years who were facing mental health challenges, participated in a pilot study with 10 weeks of supervised group exercise tailored to their mental health, physical fitness, and function, were included in this qualitative study with semistructured in-depth interviews. Interviews were analyzed using systematic text condensation.

Results: The analysis resulted in 5 themes describing the students' experiences with the tailored group exercise: (1) resistance in advance; (2) social belonging and community; (3) the instructor as sweet and sour; (4) better mental health, joy, and something "to go to;" and (5) a desire to continue the intervention and exercising.

Conclusions: Tailored group exercise was experienced as difficult to enter and attend prior to the start, yet manageable for students facing mental health challenges. Group exercise under the supervision of a competent instructor provided the students with a sense of belonging and enhanced their self-efficacy for exercise. The new experience seemed to have changed the participants' attitudes and motivation to exercise, as well as improved their mental health and structure of their day. Insight into these experiences is important when planning exercise interventions for students facing mental health challenges.

Background: We aimed to investigate the relationship between neighborhood environments and disparities in walking based on exercise preference.

Methods: This nationwide cross-sectional study included 40,423 Japanese adults (aged 20-98 y, male 50.5%) who responded to a web-based survey with stratified sampling in 2021. Neighborhood environment characteristics were assessed using the Japanese version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Environmental Module. Weekly time spent walking for leisure and utilitarian purposes was assessed by questionnaire. The Slope Index of Inequality was calculated using a multivariable logistic regression model and was used to examine the relationship between neighborhood environments and walking disparities by exercise preference.

Results: Almost half (45.2%) of the participants did not like exercise. Median total walking time was 180 minutes per week (utilitarian walking: 90 min/wk, leisure walking: 45 min/wk) for those who liked exercise and 100 minutes per week (utilitarian walking: 60 min/wk, leisure walking: 0 min/wk) for those who disliked it. Except for safety from traffic and crime, all walkability attributes were positively associated with walking, regardless of exercise preference. The association between access to shops and public transport and utilitarian walking was stronger among participants who disliked exercise, contributing to a disparity in walking by exercise preference. On the other hand, the presence of recreational facilities was more strongly associated with leisure walking among those who liked exercise, related to a greater disparity in leisure walking by exercise preference.

Conclusions: Activity-friendly neighborhood environments may be associated with a smaller disparity in utilitarian walking between those who liked or disliked exercise.

Background: Ensuring access to safe and affordable recreational spaces is vital for promoting health and well-being. Despite the potential of shared use agreements between schools and community entities as a strategy to expand recreational access, there is a limited existing body of research connecting access to actual usage of these spaces and resulting physical activity levels. This scoping review aimed to synthesize existing literature on the (1) usage of and (2) physical activity in school shared use spaces to inform efforts to promote active and healthy communities.

Methods: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines, we extracted key information from eligible research, including objectives, theoretical frameworks, study designs, data collection methods, and findings.

Results: Twenty-seven articles were included across at least 13 US states and 4 countries, with most studies (85%) classified as observational and utilizing various data collection methods (eg, self-report, observation [56%]), and lacking theoretical or conceptual frameworks (56%). Outcomes focused on usage patterns and physical activity levels related to access to school shared use spaces were found in 24 (89%) and 23 studies (85%), respectively.

Conclusions: The findings highlight the potential role schools can play as a space for providing opportunities for physical activity, especially when complemented by renovations, structured programming, and safety considerations. However, the variability in outcomes indicates a need for community-specific, adaptable practices. Future research should focus on developing and evaluating tailored strategies that actively engage communities to identify their local shared use needs, and optimize and sustain the use of school shared spaces for physical activity.

Background: A structured day can positively impact movement behaviorsphysical activity, sedentary time, and sleep among children with cerebral palsy. This study aims to describe and examine the between- and within-person associations of movement behaviors on days with and without structured activities among children with cerebral palsy.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 17 children with cerebral palsy. Inclusion criteria were children aged 3-10 years, diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and classified as levels I to III according to the Gross Motor Function Classification System. Movement behaviors were objectively measured using accelerometers over 7 consecutive days. A daily activity log documented the structure of the children's activities. Two-level multilevel linear mixed-effects models were fitted to analyze associations.

Results: A total of 119 days were included in the analyses. Recommendations for sleep, sedentary time (ie, screen time), and physical activity were met on 30.2%, 9.2%, and 6.7% of the days, respectively. More favorable behaviors occurred on days with structured activities compared with days without. Adjusted within-person effects revealed that on days with more structured activities compared with their average days, children accumulated an additional 4.3 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity, took 648 more steps, and spent 24.8 fewer minutes on screen time.

Conclusions: The within-person analysis highlights day-to-day patterns and provides a contextual perspective on promoting movement behaviors, regardless of the child's level of impairment. Informing caregivers and families about the benefits of structured activities can support strategies to enhance movement behaviors in children with cerebral palsy.

Background: Studies examining the relationship between physical activity (PA) domains and cognitive decline are scarce. We examined the association between PA performed during leisure time and active commuting with cognitive decline in middle-aged and older adults.

Methods: We analyzed data from the Estudo Longitudinal de Saúde do Adulto (ELSA-Brasil) study. Participants were enrolled between 2008 and 2010, with a follow-up visit between 2017 and 2019. Baseline PA during leisure time and active commuting were assessed. We evaluated memory, language, and executive function at baseline and follow-up. Cognitive decline was defined as a difference in cognitive score at follow-up from the baseline mean and SD. Cognitive impairment was defined using normative values.

Results: Participants (n = 10,412, 51.0 [8.9] y; 56% female) were followed over a mean follow-up of 8.1 (0.6) years. Dose-response analyses revealed nonlinear and domain-specific associations. Leisure PA was associated with better baseline cognitive performance and a lower risk of cognitive impairment. Participants classified as active (≥150 min/wk) in leisure had a lower risk of cognitive impairment compared with participants with 0 minutes per week (relative risk = 0.85; 95% CI, 0.75-0.96). In contrast, commuting PA particularly at higher levels was associated with lower baseline cognitive performance and a higher risk of cognitive impairment (relative risk = 1.15; 95% CI, 1.01-1.31). Active commuters also showed a slower decline in executive function over time (β = 0.05; 95% CI, 0.01-0.09), although scores remained lower throughout follow-up.

Conclusion: These findings underscore the importance of considering the context in which PA occurs when designing interventions to promote cognitive health.

Background: Leisure-time physical activity is associated with health benefits, whereas occupational physical activity (OPA) may, paradoxically, increase health risks. This study examined associations between OPA and mortality in a representative US sample.

Methods: Data from 8041 full-time workers (age 41.4 ± 0.2 y) in the 1999-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, linked to the 2019 National Death Index, were analyzed. Self-reported occupations were categorized as low, moderate, or high OPA. Cox proportional hazards models estimated adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) for all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, adjusting for demographics, health behaviors, and health status. Effect modification by age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, smoking, and leisure-time physical activity was examined.

Results: Moderate OPA was associated with higher all-cause mortality (aHR = 1.24, 95% CI, 1.00-1.53) compared with low OPA. Moderate (aHR = 1.79, 95% CI, 1.16-2.75) and high OPA (aHR = 1.71, 95% CI, 1.00-2.92) showed higher CVD mortality risk. Adults aged ≤44 years and females with high OPA had higher all-cause mortality risk compared with low OPA (aHR = 1.60, 95% CI, 1.00-2.57 and aHR = 1.59, 95% CI, 1.05-2.41; respectively). Among never smokers, those with some college education, and those meeting leisure-time physical activity guidelines, high OPA was associated with increased CVD mortality (aHR = 3.44, 95% CI, 1.26-9.37; aHR = 3.50, 95% CI, 1.60-7.64; and aHR = 6.21, 95% CI, 2.10-18.39; respectively).

Conclusion: This analysis supports the physical activity health paradox in a US population, with higher OPA levels associated with increased mortality risk, particularly from CVD. These findings underscore the need for targeted workplace interventions, especially for vulnerable populations.

Background: Most people are insufficiently physically active. Evidence indicates that social support can be used to promote physical activity and can be sourced from online connections, but it is unclear which type (1. appraisal, 2. belongingness, 3. emotional, 4. informational, or 5. instrumental) and setting (in-person or remote) of social support is associated with physical activity levels.

Methods: A one-time, online Qualtrics survey asked participants (n = 201) how many minutes per week they spend being physically active; who their social supporters are; and how often support is sought, received, reciprocated, satisfactory, in-person, and remote. Network composition scores were computed by averaging the frequencies of (1) seeking, (2) receiving, (3) reciprocating, (4) satisfaction of, (5) in-person setting, and (6) remote setting for all nominations within each type of social support. Five regressions were used to assess if network compositions are associated with physical activity level.

Results: The informational (R2 = .07, P = .19), instrumental (R2 = -.12, P = .88), appraisal (R2 = .05, P = .25), and belongingness (R2 = -.03, P = .60) models were not statistically significant; however, the emotional (R2 = .39, P < .001) model was statistically significant. Notably, in-person (b = -163.11, SE = 53.57), receiving (b = -156.33, SE = 74.63), and reciprocating (b = 116.25, SE = 53.08) emotional support was associated with physical activity level.

Conclusions: These results indicate that physical activity is associated with receiving less but reciprocating more emotional support. In addition, the in-person setting for emotional support seems contradirectional to physical activity, but further research is required to determine the directionality and causality of in-person emotional support and physical activity.

Background: Acute exercise has been demonstrated to improve cognitive functioning among the general population. We provide the first review to establish the evidence for acute exercise to improve cognitive function among adults with cognitive impairment (CI).

Methods: We conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that investigated the effects of a single exercise session on cognitive function. Data sources were PubMed, SportDiscus, PsychINFO, Cochrane Central, PEDro, and Embase. Eligibility criteria were randomized controlled trials of acute exercise with participants aged 18+ and physician diagnosed or self-reported CI. We used dual data abstraction, risk-of-bias assessment, and strength of evidence assessment. We pooled results using the inverse variance heterogeneity model or with narrative synthesis.

Results: Fifteen studies (8 parallel group and 7 crossover) representing 500 participants were included, 10 in the meta-analysis. Acute exercise significantly improved executive function (moderate evidence, 9 studies, 330 participants, g = 0.33, small effect, 95% CI, 0.07-0.59, P = .01, I2 = 26.77%). However, this was only for high risk of bias/crossover studies. Acute exercise improved reaction time but not significantly (very low evidence, 7 studies, 271 participants, g = 0.17, small effect, 95% CI, -0.20-0.54, P = .36, I2 = 50.18%). Narratively, improvements were noted for memory, but there was mixed evidence for attention, information processing, and motor memory.

Conclusions: Acute exercise provides a small improvement in executive function and may also improve reaction time and memory for adults with CI. Additional research is needed before reaching an evidence-based consensus on the promotion of acute exercise for adults with CI.

Background: Korea experiences rapid aging among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. This population faces challenges, such as physical and mental health issues. Physical activity promotes successful aging, yet longitudinal evidence examining its causal effects on health and life satisfaction among them remains unexplored.

Methods: Longitudinal data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging were examined, using 43,234 observations from 2006 to 2020. The analysis employs fixed-effects models to assess the long-term causal impact of regular exercise and exercise frequency on health and life satisfaction.

Results: Regular exercise participation leads to a 2.59 point increase in self-assessed health (P < .1), with a relatively larger effect observed among males compared to females. Exercise frequency positively affects health satisfaction with coefficients of 0.41 (P < .01) overall, 0.50 (P < .01) for males, and 0.33 (P < .01) for females. For life satisfaction, regular exercise shows positive effects with coefficients of 2.25 (P < .01) for the full sample, 2.28 (P < .01) for males, and 2.20 (P < .01) for females.

Conclusions: This study provides evidence of a long-term impact between regular exercise, exercise frequency, and health and life satisfaction among older adults in Korea. Findings emphasize the importance of physical activity programs and the role of public health policies in encouraging active lifestyles to support healthy aging.

Background: To examine the independent, stratified, and joint associations of physical activity (PA) and adiposity with microvascular diseases (MVDs) in prediabetes.

Methods: This cohort study included 9063 prediabetic individuals from the UK Biobank. Total PA, light-intensity PA, moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA, and vigorous-intensity PA were measured by wrist-worn AX3 accelerometers and determined through a machine learning approach. Moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA was categorized by the guideline (≥150 min/wk), and the others were categorized by tertiles. Body fat percentage (BF) was measured by bioimpedance and divided into low and high groups according to sex-specific medians. Cox proportional hazards models were used.

Results: During a median follow-up of 8.0 years, 700 cases of MVDs were documented. Recommended moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA and high vigorous-intensity PA (median = 18 min/wk) were associated with reduced risks of MVDs across all BF levels, but the protective association of light-intensity PA was only observed in the low BF group (hazard ratio: 0.67; 95% CI, 0.49-0.91). Joint analyses showed that the lowest risks of MVDs were observed in combinations of low BF and high PAs. The findings had no substantial change using body mass index as an indicator of adiposity.

Conclusions: The findings suggested that short-time vigorous-intensity PA (approximate 18 min/wk) may reduce the risk of MVDs in all strata of adiposity, whereas the protective role of high light-intensity PA was mainly prominent in those with low adiposity among prediabetes. These findings highlighted the need to personalize PA advice combined with adiposity management to improve microvascular health.