Journal of physical activity & health最新文献

Background: The prevalence of childhood obesity has increased globally, posing a significant public health concern owing to its impact on chronic illnesses, warranting effective mitigation strategies. Studies highlight a negative correlation between a higher body mass index and both executive function and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This study aimed to assess the effects of a contemporary dance program on executive function, BDNF levels, and cardiovascular fitness in children with obesity.

Methods: Overall, 35 children with obesity aged 9-12 years were randomly divided into a dance (n = 17) or control (n = 18) group. Each participant underwent 60-minute moderate-intensity training sessions 3 times weekly for 10 weeks. Before and after training, 3-mL blood samples were collected to measure BDNF levels, and peak oxygen consumption evaluations were conducted. Furthermore, executive function was assessed using the digit span test to evaluate working memory and gauge cognitive changes.

Results: BDNF levels positively correlated with VO2peak (r = .356). Contemporary dance training significantly elevated BDNF levels (P = .005) and VO2peak in the dance group compared with those in the control group (P = .004). The program markedly improved working memory, as evidenced by enhanced test scores (P = .022).

Conclusions: This study highlighted the potential benefits of dance programs for children with obesity, emphasizing improved BDNF levels, cardiorespiratory fitness, and working memory. Although evidence supports the cognitive and physical benefits of dancing, further research is warranted to optimize protocols and evaluate how dancing compares with other physical activity types regarding enhancing cognitive function.

Background: To investigate the mediating effect of 24-hour movement behaviors on the relationship between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and mortality risk; additionally, to assess the health benefits of reallocating sedentary behavior (SB) with physical activity.

Methods: This prospective cohort study included 88,795 participants (aged 43-78) from the UK Biobank with valid accelerometer data. A compositional mediation model assessed whether 24-hour movement behaviors mediate the CKD-mortality association. A flexible parametric hazards model was used to estimate life expectancy under various reallocation scenarios of 24-hour movement behaviors.

Results: During a median follow-up of 8.10 years, 3673 participants met CKD criteria, and 3117 died. CKD increased all-cause mortality risk through greater SB and reduced light-intensity physical activity and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA; hazard ratios = 1.040; 95% confidence interval, 1.030-1.050). Reallocating 20 minutes per day of SB to MVPA increased life expectancy by 1.70 years at age 45 (95% confidence interval, 0.51-4.34).

Conclusions: Twenty four-hour movement behaviors partially mediate mortality risk in CKD, with MVPA showing the strongest protective effect. Interventions that reduce SB and increase MVPA can improve survival in CKD populations.

Background: Interpersonal factors such as family and friends strongly influence children's and adolescents' physical activity (PA). How these young people in Chile perceive parental and peer support for PA practice remains little explored. Therefore, this study aims to determine the association between perceived parental and peer support with PA levels and to compare both types of support with PA recommendation compliance in Chilean children and adolescents.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 641 schoolchildren (47% girls, 9-17 y old) from Valparaíso and Araucanía regions of Chile. Perceived parental and peer support were evaluated through the Physical Activity Family and Friends Support Scales questionnaire. PA was assessed through the Youth Activity Profile questionnaire. t Tests and binary logistic regression were used for statistical analysis (alpha considered: .05).

Results: Significant differences between sexes were found only in parental support (P = .006 for boys-children). In adolescents, a significant difference was found in boys (P < .001) wherein peer support was greater than parental support. Furthermore, parental support was significantly associated with meeting PA recommendations (general: odds ratio [OR] = 3.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.42-4.99; boys: OR = 4.75, 95% CI = 1.91-11.81; girls: OR = 3.56, 95% CI = 2.34-5.41). Peer support was also associated with meeting PA recommendations (general: OR = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.42-2.36; boys: OR = 5.13, 95% CI = 2.05-12.86; girls: OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.15-2.04).

Conclusion: PA promotion strategies should consider age groups and the sex of participants to select the most effective approaches. Moreover, these strategies should aim to address and reduce gender biases among parents, which may inadvertently favor boys over girls.

Background: Physical activity and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) are crucial for maintaining overall health particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. In this study, we aimed to identify the sociodemographic, environmental, and lifestyle factors associated with LTPA in a lower-middle-income country after the lockdown.

Method: We used secondary data from the Bolivian EH2021 National Survey with an expansion factor (N = 6,498,630) to calculate crude and adjusted Odds Ratios for performing LTPA and performing LTPA more than once a week.

Results: Performing LTPA was positively associated with being male, younger, living with fewer people, having a higher income and educational level, and performing physical activity for transportation and daily activities. Performing LTPA more than once a week was associated with sex, age, occupation, marital status, household income, and other sociodemographic and lifestyle-related variables. Environmental factors, such as neighborhood safety, usage of private paid infrastructure, green areas, and house spaces were significantly associated with LTPA performance.

Conclusions: Specific sociodemographic, lifestyle and environmental factors are associated with LTPA performance among the Bolivian population; monitoring and intervention with groups at higher risk of sedentarism based on these socioenvironmental and behavioral factors are encouraged. Our study has important implications for addressing the lack of evidence for underrepresented low- and middle-income countries and highlighting social inequalities that hinder LTPA during crisis times from an integral perspective to enhance prevention and health promotion programs based on physical activity and LTPA.

Background: Our aim was to determine adult's trajectories of meeting 150 minutes per week of physical activity (PA) and assess associations between environmental features (and changes in these) with trajectory membership.

Methods: We used data from the How Areas in Brisbane Influence HealTh and AcTivity (HABITAT) cohort study, Australia. Data on PA were assessed in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2016 among individuals aged 45-60 years. At each survey, data on length of bike paths, area of parks, residential density, street connectivity, land use mix, and number of street lights were measured. PA trajectories were determined using group-based trajectory modeling. Group differences were analyzed based on median and interquartile range (IQR) of environmental features and associations were assessed through multinomial logistic regression.

Results: We identified 4 trajectories of meeting PA guidelines: low (14.4%), decreasing (13.7%), increasing (30.4%), and high (41.5%). Median (IQR) values of environmental features were very similar among trajectory groups (P > .05) with relatively little change between initial (2007) and final (2016) timepoints. Associations with trajectory membership were observed for bike path length among participants in the mid-tertile of the low trajectory group compared with the high trajectory (odds ratio [OR] = 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36-0.84); and for street connectivity in the low (OR = 0.67; 95% CI, 0.51-0.87), and increasing trajectory groups (OR = 0.76; 95% CI, 0.61-0.94).

Conclusion: In the context of this "livable city," environmental features did not thoroughly predict patterns of PA among mid-age adults. Environmental predictors of PA deserve further attention, especially in low-income and middle-income countries, as active friendly environments have important connotations for various types of PA.

Background: Physical activity research is pivotal in shaping policies and interventions that promote health. However, disparities in research contributions across authors and institutions can impact the equity and representation of evidence-based practices.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the dispersion of authors and institutions publishing research on physical activity and health within countries.

Methods: A global bibliometric analysis was conducted, including articles on physical activity and health published between 1950 and 2019. Countries with 10 or more publications were analyzed. Data on authors' names and institutions were extracted, and the Gini coefficient, a measure of inequality, was calculated using the "Descogini" command in Stata. Gini coefficients were generated for authors in 94 countries and for institutions in 98 countries.

Results: The Gini coefficient for authors ranged from 0.03 in Cuba, Bangladesh, and Lebanon (low concentration) to 0.59 in Belgium and 0.65 in Portugal (high concentration). For institutions, the lowest coefficient was 0.08 in Guatemala, and the highest was 0.84 in Belgium and Portugal. Regions such as the Americas, Europe, and the Western Pacific exhibited higher average Gini coefficients for authors and institutions. Similarly, high-income and upper middle-income countries showed greater research concentration than low-income and lower middle-income nations.

Conclusion: To promote a more equitable and impactful global research landscape, it is crucial to invest strategically in developing and multiplying high-quality research groups across regions. Supporting emerging centers of excellence will foster innovation, capacity building, and more inclusive scientific production. Future research should further explore these factors to guide effective policies and investments.