Journal of physical activity & health最新文献

Background: Access to green and recreational areas has been linked to cardiovascular health, but evidence from low- and middle-income megacities remains limited. This study investigated the prospective association between public open spaces (POSs) and incident hypertension in adults living in São Paulo, Brazil and whether leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) mediates this relationship.

Methods: Data from 1056 participants free of hypertension at baseline were analyzed, collected through the "Health Survey of São Paulo: Physical Activity and Environment" cohort (2014-2021). Exposure to POSs, including parks, squares, outdoor gyms, and bike paths, was assessed using geographic information systems within 500-m buffers around participants' residences. The number of types of POSs was categorized as 0, 1 to 2, or 3 to 4. Hypertension was self-reported, and LTPA was measured via the long-form International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Poisson regression models estimated the relative risks of developing hypertension, and mediation was tested using Sobel and bootstrap methods.

Results: Living near 3 or 4 types of POSs was associated with a lower risk of hypertension (relative risk: 0.93; 95% CI, 0.87-0.99). LTPA significantly mediated this association. Among individuals engaging in ≥150 minutes per week of LTPA, proximity to 3 or 4 POSs types was associated with an even lower risk (relative risk: 0.88; 95% CI, 0.79-0.98), while no effect was observed among inactive participants.

Conclusions: A greater variety of POSs near home is associated with a reduced risk of hypertension, partly explained by increased LTPA. These findings support urban planning strategies that enhance diverse recreational environments to promote cardiovascular health in middle-income urban cities.

Background: Although many studies examine adolescent physical activity (PA) guideline adherence, few focus on the lowest end of the PA spectrum-engaging in no-to-low moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA).

Methods: This study characterized cross-sectional and longitudinal patterns of device-measured no-to-low MVPA among a cohort of US adolescents and examined sociodemographic and neighborhood-level correlates. This secondary analysis used data from years 2 and 4 of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. Participants wore a Fitbit Charge HR 2 on their nondominant wrist 24 hours per day for 3 weeks to assess daily MVPA. No-to-low MVPA was defined as <8.57 minutes per day of MVPA (<1 d/wk meeting PA recommendations). Neighborhood conditions were captured using the Child Opportunity Index 2.0. Survey-weighted logistic regression models examined sociodemographic and neighborhood-level correlates of no-to-low MVPA, adjusted for covariates. A total of 5786 adolescents (49% female; mean = 11.99 [0.65] y) had complete data at year 2, with 1348 (51% female) providing data at both years.

Results: The prevalence of no-to-low MVPA was 17% at year 2, 15% at year 4, and 7.3% across both years, with 10% of adolescents transitioning into and 63% transitioning out of no-to-low MVPA between time points. Females and adolescents from low-income households had higher odds of engaging in no-to-low MVPA at both time points. Adolescents in higher opportunity neighborhoods had lower odds of no-to-low MVPA.

Conclusions: This study addresses a critical PA surveillance gap by using device-based measures to quantify no-to-low MVPA among US adolescents. Findings identify at-risk groups and underscore the need for targeted interventions to reduce disparities and improve MVPA engagement.

Background: Low levels of physical activity (PA) in early childhood can have an impact on children's healthy development and increase the risk of a range of chronic conditions in later life. Accelerometer-measured PA data within and outside of early childhood education and care (ECEC), together with demographic data, are needed to support policy changes and intervention development for the United Kingdom.

Methods: Accelerometer data for 419 children aged 2-4 years (49.6% male) attending UK ECEC settings were analyzed. Mixed-effects linear regression models were fitted to compare levels of PA between weekdays attending an ECEC, weekdays not attending an ECEC, and weekend days. The proportion of children meeting international guidelines for PA and probability of children meeting these guidelines were analyzed.

Results: Total PA was significantly higher on ECEC weekdays than non-ECEC weekdays (mean difference: -14.6 min; 95% CI, -20.8 to -8.4; P < .001) and weekends (mean difference: -11.5; 95% CI, -19.5 to -3.5; P = .005). Girls had lower TPA on ECEC weekdays (adjusted MD -14.02 [-22.35, -7.48], P < .001) and activity for all children increased with months of age (adjusted MD 1.61 [1.11, 2.11], P < .001). Findings were similar for non-ECEC weekdays. Less than a quarter of children (23%) met the guideline of 180 minutes of total PA per day and 2.4% of children met the guidelines for 60 minutes of daily moderate to vigorous PA. Fewer girls achieved the recommended total PA (odds ratio: 0.53; 95% CI, 0.29-0.97; P = .038) and guidelines were more likely to be met in older children (odds ratio: 1.12; 95% CI, 1.06-1.17; P < .001).

Conclusions: Early years children were more active on days attending ECEC settings. Young children in the United Kingdom are largely not meeting the recommended activity levels within ECEC or home environments.

Background: This study aimed to assess the relationship between exposure to nature in the context of (1) general life and (2) physical activity (PA) and positive mental health in young adults.

Methods: A total of 357 young adults (Mage = 21.9 y old) from the MATCH study reported their exposure to nature in 2 different contexts and positive mental health twice at 12-month intervals. Exposure to nature was categorized into 4 groups based on their self-reported exposure to nature (low or high) in general life and in the context of PA. Multivariable linear regression models assessed the relationship between nature exposure and positive mental health scores, controlling for gender, age, PA level, financial well-being, and positive mental health at baseline.

Results: Relative to the low general/low PA nature exposure group, the high general/high PA nature exposure group (β^ [95% CI] 3.61 [1.12 to 6.10]) reported better positive mental health scores, but the high general/low PA nature exposure group (β^ [95% CI], 1.71 [-1.78 to 4.60]) and low general/high PA nature exposure group (β^ [95% CI] 1.69 [-0.79 to 4.17]) were not different, after adjusting for all covariates, including positive mental health at baseline.

Conclusion: The current study suggests that higher exposure to nature in both the context of PA and general life is associated with better mental health. It underscores the importance of encouraging exposure to nature in different contexts during early adulthood to foster and protect mental health.

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.