Journal of physical activity & health最新文献

Background: This study aimed to assess longitudinal changes in physical activity inequalities according to gender, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity throughout the life course.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus databases for cohort studies addressing trajectories or monitoring physical activity at a minimum of 2 time points, presenting stratified estimates for at least 1 dimension of inequality (gender, socioeconomic status, or ethnicity). Main methodological characteristics and physical activity point estimates were extracted, enabling interpretation of the stability or increasing/decreasing inequalities over time.

Results: Out of the 22 included studies in the review, none were designed or presented with specific aims addressing changes in physical activity according to the dimension of inequalities throughout the life course. Therefore, the main results and interpretation were performed according to available information. Males consistently showed a higher prevalence of physical activity than females. We observed both an increase and stability in gender inequality during childhood, followed by an increase in the transition from childhood to adolescence. During adolescence, both increase and stability in gender inequality were identified, with mixed results observed during adulthood, and in later life stages, in a limited number of studies. There is no or very limited evidence regarding ethnicity and socioeconomic status inequalities throughout the life course.

Conclusion: Although none of the studies directly measured inequalities, an early emergence of gender inequalities was observed. Future research should include these dimensions as well as other social identities to enhance the understanding of inequalities throughout the life course.

Background: Outdoor, adventurous play supports physical activity and might help to prevent mental health problems, yet data on preschool-aged children's outdoor play are scarce.

Method: Data were collected from a nationally representative sample of 1166 parents/caregivers of children aged 2-4 years (52% male; 88% white) living in Britain. Caregivers reported time children spent playing in 7 locations and corresponding adventure level. Responses were used to derive: total play time, outdoor play time, and adventurous play time (in hours per year). Associations between sociodemographic characteristics and play outcomes were examined, controlling for relevant confounding variables.

Results: Outside of childcare, preschool-aged children spent approximately 4 hours per day playing, with 1 hour 45 minutes spent playing outdoors. Most outdoor play happened in gardens at home. Away from home, children most often played in playgrounds and green spaces. Levels of adventurous play were reported to be highest at indoor play centers, followed by playgrounds and green spaces. Total play differed significantly by location, with children in rural areas spending more time playing (vs urban areas). Child ethnicity was associated with play and outdoor play, with children belonging to minority ethnic groups (vs white) playing less. Child sex was also a significant predictor of outdoor play time: boys (vs girls) spent more time playing outdoors, driven primarily by time spent in green spaces. No associations were found for adventurous play.

Conclusions: These results highlight how inequalities in access to outdoor space at home and good quality local play spaces may impact young children's play opportunities and, in turn, exacerbate health inequalities.

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the gender inequalities in accelerometer-based physical activity (PA) across different age groups using data from 5 Pelotas (Brazil) cohorts.

Methods: The data come from 4 birth cohort studies, covering all live births in the urban area of Pelotas for each respective year (1982, 1993, 2004, and 2015), and the Como vai? cohort study focusing on 60 years and above. Raw accelerometry data were collected on the nondominant wrist using GENEActive/ActiGraph devices and processed with the GGIR package. Overall PA was calculated at ages 1, 2, 4, 6, 11, 15, 18, 23, 30, and 60+ years, while moderate to vigorous PA was calculated from 6 years onward. Absolute (difference) and relative (ratio) gender inequalities were calculated and intersectionality between gender and wealth was also evaluated.

Results: The sample sizes per cohort ranged from 965 to 3462 participants. The mean absolute gender gap was 19.3 minutes (95% confidence interval, 12.7-25.9), with the widest gap at 18 years (32.9 min; 95% confidence interval, 30.1-35.7) for moderate to vigorous PA. The highest relative inequality was found in older adults (ratio 2.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.92-2.08). Our intersectionality results showed that the poorest men being the most active group, accumulating around 60 minutes more moderate to vigorous PA per day compared with the wealthiest women at age 18.

Conclusions: Men were more physically active than women in all ages evaluated. PA gender inequalities start at an early age and intensify in transition periods of life. Relative inequalities were marked among older adults.

Background: The association of working from home (WFH) with physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) has been explored; however, this association during periods without stringent measures to combat coronavirus disease 2019 is undercharacterized. Particularly, few studies have evaluated the potential effect modification on its associations. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the associations of WFH frequency with accelerometer-measured PA and SB, along with its effect modifiers, among Japanese white-collar workers during the later pandemic period.

Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 1133 white-collar workers residing in the Tokyo metropolitan area was conducted between April 2022 and March 2023. WFH frequency was evaluated through a self-report questionnaire, while SB and PA during weekdays were measured using a triaxial accelerometer. Linear regression models adjusting for potential confounders were used to examine the association of WFH frequency with PA and SB.

Results: Regardless of activity intensity, individuals who worked at home, even for 1 to 2 days per week, demonstrated lower levels of PA and higher levels of SB as compared with those who did not (P < .05). For example, difference between never and ≥5 days per week WFH was approximately 70 minutes/day for total PA and about 4000 steps/day for step counts. Associations between WFH and decreased PA were more pronounced in workers who were older, female, less educated, in sales and service work, nonregular staff, and precontemplating changes in exercise and eating habits.

Conclusions: We report that WFH was associated with decreased PA and increased SB in Japanese white-collar workers with pronounced associated in several subgroups.

Background: Poor health in passenger rail drivers, resulting from perceived highly sedentary work and leisure time, has implications for public safety. To date, no studies have described the physical behaviors of passenger rail drivers. This study aimed to characterize the physical behaviors of passenger rail drivers by investigating the volume, pattern, variation, and composition of behaviors at and outside of work.

Methods: A convenience sample of 31 rail drivers (77% male, median age 51.0 [12.5] y) in South Australia wore an activity monitor on their right thigh for 8 days and completed a work logbook. Physical behaviors (sitting, standing, light-intensity physical activity, moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity [MVPA], and steps) were recorded for workdays and nonworkdays, and work and nonwork time on workdays. The volume, bouts, between-participants variation, and 3-way composition were compared across the 4 time periods.

Results: Drivers sat for 10.6 (1.5) hours, did 76.3 (38.8) minutes of MVPA, and took 9727.3 (4088.4) steps daily. At work, drivers were sitting 369.3 (41.8) minutes (187.1 [54.2] min in prolonged bouts) and doing MVPA 31.7 (10.0) minutes. Between-participants variation in sitting time during work (11%) was lower than both nonwork on a workday (19%) and on a nonworkday (24%; P < .001). Compositions at work differed from nonwork on workdays (F = 27.7, P < .001), as did compositions on workdays compared with nonworkdays (F = 6.8, P = .002).

Conclusions: Passenger rail drivers were highly sedentary, but also surprisingly active. At work, drivers were more sedentary and had lower variation in behaviors, suggesting work constraints play an important role. Therefore, work may be the most appropriate domain to intervene for promoting healthy physical behavior profiles among these passenger rail drivers.

Background: This prospective observation study explored the association between 24-hour movement behaviors and fundamental movement skills (FMS) in Chinese preschoolers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Four hundred and eighteen preschoolers (226 males; 4.0 [0.6] y old) from Zhuhai, China, completed the device-based physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior measures, and sleep duration was reported by parents at baseline (October 2021 to December 2021). FMS was assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development: Third Edition at 1-year follow-up (October 2022 to December 2022). The compositional analysis and isotemporal substitution were used.

Results: Moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) was positively associated with locomotor skills and ball skills (P < .05), and light physical activity was negatively associated with locomotor skills (P < .05) during the COVID-19 pandemic. FMS improvements were linked to the addition of MVPA at the expense of light physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep. The estimated detriments to FMS were larger in magnitude than the estimated benefits of time reallocation from MVPA to light physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep.

Conclusions: This study provides evidence about 24-hour movement behaviors and FMS during the COVID-19 pandemic and highlights the importance of participating in MVPA to improve preschoolers' FMS development during the COVID-19 era.

Background: Latinos in the United States face multiple barriers to engaging in physical activity (PA). We implemented a faith-based multilevel intervention to promote PA in parks for Latino adults, which was partially adapted to a virtual platform during the COVID-19 pandemic, and evaluated it using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance framework.

Methods: We conducted in-depth semistructured interviews (83% in Spanish) with 24 intervention participants (75% women) participating in a cluster randomized controlled trial in 2019-2022 that linked 6 churches (3 intervention, 3 control) with parks in East Los Angeles, CA. The intervention included in-person, park-based fitness classes, which were adapted to Facebook during the pandemic; PA motivational text messages; and other activities. Interviews assessed Reach (participation), Effectiveness (perceived impacts), Implementation (participation barriers/facilitators), and Maintenance (plans for sustaining PA), as well as perceived pandemic impacts.

Results: About 80% of interviewees participated in ≥1 park class and 67% in ≥1 virtual class (Reach). Interviewees perceived positive intervention impacts across multiple health and well-being domains (Effectiveness) despite perceived negative pandemic impacts; several facilitators to participation (personal, social, program) and few barriers (personal, virtual, environmental; Implementation); and plans for maintaining PA (eg, revisiting intervention text messages and video recordings; Maintenance).

Conclusions: Findings support the utility of Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance to understand the broad impacts of a faith-based PA intervention. Findings point to the adaptability and robustness of the intervention during a public health crisis. Overall, findings may help inform the translation of the intervention to other communities to advance health equity.

Background: The Mamanet Cachibol League (MCL), a community-based model developed in Israel, promotes physical activity and amateur team sports among women. Women in the Arab society have traditionally played few sports, especially team sports.

Aims: The study aimed to assess the differences in health indicators and well-being, including psychosomatic symptoms, self-reported health, healthy eating habits, and social support, by comparing Arab women MCL participants and nonparticipants and examines benefits and motivations of community-based team sports for participants.

Methods: An explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach included a cross-sectional study with intervention and control groups of Israeli Arab women aged 25-59 years. Two-way analyses of covariance and multiple regression models evaluated demographics, well-being, healthy eating, and social support. Quality in-depth interviews with 30 MCL participants further explained the quantitative findings.

Results: MCL participants reported higher self-assessed health (P < .001) and decreased psychosomatic symptoms (P < .001) than nonparticipants. Healthier eating and well-being were also linked to MCL participation. The women sense of belonging improved social interactions, personal and professional happiness, and group dedication. MCL attendees felt empowered because the group advocated equality and valued women. Women said their involvement helped their families.

Conclusions: Findings on the MCL community-based model suggest that team sports may serve as an effective tool for promoting health and well-being of Arab women and foster positive community relationships. The sense of belonging and personal empowerment derived from being part of a sports team may also contribute to positive mental health outcomes.