Journal of physical activity & health最新文献

Background: Although previous studies have identified a positive relationship between physical activity (PA) participation and cognitive function in older adults, further research is needed to determine the level of PA necessary to significantly reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD), particularly among older adults with mild cognitive impairment.

Methods: This study used Health and Retirement Study data from 2012 to 2020 (n = 9714 Index = 5) and employed the generalized estimating equations to estimate the odds ratios (OR) of AD/ADRD across various PA levels. Covariates such as age, sex, education, and baseline cognitive function in 2012 were included in the regression model.

Results: Individuals with a PA level of 2.80 experienced a 4.6% reduction in the odds of developing AD/ADRD (B = -0.046, OR = 0.954, 95% CI, 0.946-0.964). Similar significant effects were observed at PA levels of 2.60, 2.40, and 2.20, with ORs of 0.962, 0.967, and 0.970, respectively, all within 95% CI. These findings indicate that maintaining a PA level between 2.20 and 2.80 is significantly associated with a reduced risk of AD/ADRD. Lower PA levels such as 2.00 (OR = 0.974, P = .09) and 1.80 (OR = 0.983, P = .06) showed nonsignificant trends toward risk reduction.

Conclusion: Engaging in PA (eg, walking, exercise) more than twice per week significantly reduces the risk of AD/ADRD, whereas less frequent activity showed no statistically significant benefit.

Background: Maintaining exercise behavior is important for health. Although exercising with others may be an effective strategy for maintaining this, the association between exercising with others and the maintenance of it as well as the mediators of this association remain unconfirmed. The present study examined whether exercising with others was longitudinally and positively associated with 1-year maintenance of exercise behavior, and this association was mediated by exercise motivation among workers.

Methods: This study used data of an online survey-based longitudinal cohort study on 2819 Japanese workers who performed exercise at baseline and responded to a 1-year follow-up survey. This study analyzed 1-year follow-up data of participation in exercise; baseline and 1-year follow-up data of weekly exercise time; and baseline data of exercising with others, exercise motivation, and demographic factors. Participation in exercise (model 1) and weekly exercise time (model 2) after 1 year were indices of 1-year maintenance of exercise behavior.

Results: Adjusting for demographic factors, path analyses showed that exercising with others at baseline indirectly and significantly predicted 1-year maintenance of exercise behavior, mediated by exercise motivation and weekly exercise time at baseline (standardized total associations, 0.07 in model 1 and 0.18 in model 2; standardized indirect associations, 0.06 in model 1 and 0.18 in model 2).

Conclusions: This study found that exercising with others was indirectly and positively associated with 1-year maintenance of exercise behavior, mediated by exercise motivation. Encouraging participation with others may be effective in supporting motivation and maintaining exercise behavior.

Background: Built environments are excellent places/opportunities for sports and recreational practice. However, research on this topic is scarce and unclear in Latin America, especially in Uruguay. This study aimed to analyze the features of resources for sport and recreational physical activity and their association with use in the city of Rivera, Uruguay.

Methods: This observational, cross-sectional study analyzed all available public open spaces (POS) from Rivera city in Uruguay the Physical Activity Resource Assessment checklist to evaluate the presence and quality of resources, and the System for Observation of Play and Recreation in Communities to evaluate the use. Each space was visited 9 times: mornings, afternoons, and evenings on 2 nonconsecutive weekdays and weekend days. A negative binomial regression model was used to analyze the association between POS quality and their use.

Results: Twenty-nine POS were assessed, the squares (58.1%) and sports facilities (22.6%) were the most frequent of resource. A total of 7920 scans were performed in 88 target areas; 808 users were observed, and the highest frequency of use was identified in men on the weekdays (66.4%) and on the weekend (66.7%). Was observed a positive and significant association between the features (P = .028), incivilities (P = .042), and total quality (P = .001) with the number, but there was no association between the amenities (P = .155) and the number users.

Conclusion: Our findings provide relevant information at the local level and suggest promoting intervention policies that help maintain renovated and accessible POS for the physical activity, sports, and outdoor recreation.

Background: Mental health is a serious concern among US adolescents. We examined the role of a combined running/mentorship program, Teens Run DC (TRDC), on self-reported indicators of mental health in high-school students (N = 291) living in Washington, DC.

Methods: The TRDC program was offered in 10 high schools across 7 DC wards between 2010 and 2018. We used a quasi-experimental design within each school to determine the relation between dose of the TRDC program, and indicators of depression, and social connectedness in students who did and did not participate in the program. Data were collected at the beginning and end of each school year, using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression in Children scale and the Hemingway Social Connectedness scale. Mixed-effect regression modeling examined the dose-response relationship between participation dose and mental health scores.

Results: High school students who completed at least 2 years of TRDC lowered their Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression in Children scale score by 6 points (β = -5.9; 95% CI, -10.7 to -1.0) and had a 69% lower odds of developing symptoms of clinical depression (odds ratios = 0.31; 95% CI, 0.23 to 0.42), compared with students receiving less than one year. Similarly, students with 2 or more years of TRDC increased their overall Hemingway Social Connectedness score by 8 points (β = 7.9; 95% CI, 0.65 to 15.1), relative to those with less than one year of exposure. The benefits of TRDC were especially pronounced in female students.

Conclusion: These findings indicate that a running/mentoring program has substantial mental health benefits for high school students and this is particularly so for teenage girls.

Background: Sleep and eating disorders are significant global public health concerns. While physical activity (PA) has been suggested to influence these disorders, the nature of this relationship remains unclear. This study aims to investigate whether a causal link exists between PA and sleep and eating disorders.

Methods: This study uses Genome-Wide Association Study data; PA ("ebi-a-GCST90061432") is the exposure, with sleep disorders ("ukb-d-SLEEP") and eating disorders ("finn-b-F5_EATING") as outcomes variable. The study sample consists of a European population, and genetic instrumental variables are carefully selected. Two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) analysis is performed using inverse variance weighting, weighted median, and MR-Egger regression.

Results: MR analysis revealed a significant negative association between PA and sleep disorders (inverse variance weighting estimate β = -0.004, SE = 0.002, P = .008). Both the Weighted Median and MR-Egger methods showed negative trends, but not statistically significant (β = -0.003/-0.005, SE = 0.002/0.005, P = .191/0.346). For PA and eating disorders, the inverse variance weighting estimate was β = -0.375 (P = .153), with no significance in the other methods, suggesting a limited effect of PA on eating disorders. Sensitivity (MR-Egger, leave-one-out) and heterogeneity (Q = 29.87, P = .472; I2 = 0.004) analyses confirmed the robustness of these findings (F = 24.49).

Conclusion: This study suggests PA may reduce the risk of sleep disorders, while its impact on eating disorders appears limited. Future research should explore how different types, frequencies, and intensities of PA affect various health conditions to optimize its use in public health.

Background: Seasonality profoundly impacts older adults in rural communities, influencing daily routines, physical activity (PA), and functionality. Effective interventions require a nuanced understanding of these variations particularly for those living alone.

Methods: This longitudinal study examined 58 older adults (mean age 80.22 y) living alone in a rural community across summer and winter. Variables assessed included sociodemographics, lifestyle factors, weekly social contacts, a composite index of agricultural activity, independence in daily activities, functional status, and weather conditions. PA was measured using an ActiGraph GT9X accelerometer. Paired t tests and K-means cluster analysis were applied, followed by discriminant analysis and cluster evolution monitoring.

Results: Significant seasonal differences were observed in lifestyle, weekly contacts, agricultural activity, and PA. Engagement in agricultural activities correlated with higher PA levels during summer and lower sedentary behavior in both seasons. Cluster analysis identified 3 distinct groups each season, with unique levels of PA, functionality, and behaviors. The discriminant analysis highlighted seasonal patterns, while the bipartite graph analysis showed subject reaggregation in winter, illustrating cluster composition shifts.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that older adults living alone in rural areas are vulnerable to seasonal variations, with higher PA, more frequent social contacts, and greater agricultural engagement in summer than in winter. Cluster analysis revealed 3 groups of older adults each season, underscoring the necessity for customized interventions that consider behavioral patterns, specific needs, and seasonal changes. The significance of suitable interventions to improve social interactions and prevent functional decline is emphasized.

Background: Characterizing interindividual differences in physical activity within schools and understanding potential drivers of these differences may support the development of improved strategies to increase in-school physical activity.

Methods: Anonymized physical activity data from a school-specific wrist-worn device were obtained from 17,043 pupils and 2555 staff from 165 primary schools in England. Additional school information included UK government school data, area-level deprivation, and estimated playground area. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and data visualizations were used to explore within- and between-school differences. Multilevel models were used to explore the associations between children's in-school physical activity and school variables, with pupils nested within schools, adjusted for individual characteristics.

Results: There was large variation in physical activity between schools. Some schools accumulated twice the amount of physical activity within the school day compared with other schools, with physical activity ranging from 4253 to 8356 steps per school day or 16 to 39 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per school day. School-level data, such as playground space and government school ratings, did not explain between-school variance. Although boys were generally more active than girls in most schools, some schools had more equitable physical activity, and in a small number of schools (∼5%), girls were more active than boys.

Conclusions: There is considerable heterogeneity in physical activity levels between English primary schools. Technology-enabled surveillance from wearable devices can be used to identify schools needing greater support and facilitate learning from those with higher and more equitable physical activity among pupils.