scholarly journals Correlates of childhood obesity in Athens, Greece

2008 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 940-945 ◽  
Author(s):  
Areti Lagiou ◽  
Maria Parava
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Childhood Obesity ◽  
Energy Intake ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
School Students ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Physical Activity Patterns ◽  
Eating Occasions

AbstractObjectiveChildhood obesity is a growing public health problem. We have examined the association between sociodemographic profile and eating and physical activity patterns with overweight among primary-school students in Athens, Greece.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingEleven primary schools in the greater Athens area, Greece.SubjectsA total of 633 children aged 10–12 years (50 % boys, 50 % girls) were interviewed in person during spring 2003. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate the association between eating and physical activity patterns and overweight (≥85th sex- and age-specific BMI centile). Results are presented as odds ratios and 95 % confidence intervals.ResultsOverweight was more common among girls than among boys (OR=1·73; 95% CI 1·11, 2·69) and substantially less common among children born outside Greece (OR=0·46; CI 0·22, 0·95). Reported physical activity (per 1·5 h per day) was unrelated to overweight (OR=0·97; CI 0·85, 1·12) but patent physical inactivity, operationalised as time spent watching television or working/playing with the computer (per 1·5 h per day) was a highly significant predictor of overweight (OR=1·20; CI 1·05, 1·36). Composition of diet was unrelated to overweight but the daily number of eating occasions, controlling for total energy intake, was significantly inversely associated with overweight (OR=0·61; CI 0·48, 0·76).ConclusionsThe principal factor underlying overweight among children in Athens appears to be the extended inactivity imposed by modern childhood lifestyles. An intriguing finding is that spreading a given energy intake over several eating occasions was inversely associated with the likelihood of childhood obesity.

scholarly journals Domain-specific physical activity patterns and cardiorespiratory fitness among the working population: Findings from the cross-sectional German Health Interview and Examination Survey

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. e034610
Author(s):  
Johannes Zeiher ◽  
Maurice Duch ◽  
Lars E Kroll ◽  
Gert B M Mensink ◽  
Jonas D Finger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽  
Leisure Time ◽  
Leisure Time Physical Activity ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Occupational Physical Activity ◽  
Working Population ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Physical Activity Patterns ◽  
Domain Specific

ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate associations between occupational physical activity patterns (physical work demands linked to job title) and leisure time physical activity (assessed by questionnaire) with cardiorespiratory fitness (assessed by exercise test) among men and women in the German working population.DesignPopulation-based cross-sectional study.SettingTwo-stage cluster-randomised general population sample selected from population registries of 180 nationally distributed sample points. Information was collected from 2008 to 2011.Participants1296 women and 1199 men aged 18–64 from the resident working population.Outcome measureEstimated low maximal oxygen consumption (V˙O2max), defined as first and second sex-specific quintile, assessed by a standardised, submaximal cycle ergometer test.ResultsLow estimatedV˙O2maxwas strongly linked to low leisure time physical activity, but not occupational physical activity. The association of domain-specific physical activity patterns with lowV˙O2maxvaried by sex: women doing no leisure time physical activity with high occupational physical activity levels were more likely to have lowV˙O2max(OR 6.54; 95% CI 2.98 to 14.3) compared with women with ≥2 hours of leisure time physical activity and high occupational physical activity. Men with no leisure time physical activity and low occupational physical activity had the highest odds of lowV˙O2max(OR 4.37; 95% CI 2.02 to 9.47).ConclusionThere was a strong association between patterns of leisure time and occupational physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness within the adult working population in Germany. Women doing no leisure time physical activity were likely to have poor cardiorespiratory fitness, especially if they worked in physically demanding jobs. However, further investigation is needed to understand the relationships between activity and fitness in different domains. Current guidelines do not distinguish between activity during work and leisure time, so specifying leisure time recommendations by occupational physical activity level should be considered.

scholarly journals Ecological study of playground space and physical activity among primary school children

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. e034586
Author(s):  
Anne C Grunseit ◽  
Blythe Jane O'Hara ◽  
Bradley Drayton ◽  
Vincent Learnihan ◽  
Louise L Hardy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Cardiovascular Fitness ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Primary School Children ◽  
Nutrition Survey ◽  
School Students ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Predicted Probability

ObjectivesTo examine the relationship between school playground size and total physical activity (PA), fitness and fundamental movement skills (FMS) of primary school students.DesignCross-sectional ecological analysis.Setting43 primary schools in New South Wales, Australia.ParticipantsData were from 5238 students, aged 5 to 12 years, participating in the Schools Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey.Outcome measuresSelf (for age ≥11 years) and parent (for age <11 years) report of PA (meeting PA recommendations and number of days meeting recommendations), objectively measured FMS and cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness.ResultsAssociations between playground space and measures of PA and fitness were mostly non-linear and moderated by loose equipment. Students in schools with no loose equipment showed a weak association between space and meeting PA recommendations (self-report). In schools with equipment, students’ predicted probability of meeting PA recommendations increased sharply between 15 m2 and 25 m2 per student from 0.04 (95% CI: 0.01 to 0.08) to 0.30 (95% CI: 0.14 to 0.46), but at 30 m2 returned to levels comparable to students in schools with no equipment (0.18, 95% CI: 0.07 to 0.28). For cardiorespiratory fitness, in schools with no loose equipment, probabilities for being in the healthy cardiovascular fitness zone varied between 0.66 and 0.77, showing no consistent trend. Students in schools with loose equipment had a predicted probability of being in the healthy fitness zone of 0.56 (95% CI: 0.41 to 0.71) at 15 m2 per student, which rose to 0.75 (95% CI: 0.63 to 0.86) at 20 m2 per student. There was no relationship between space and FMS.ConclusionsSchool space guidelines need to incorporate sufficient playground space for students. Our study provides evidence supporting better PA outcomes with increasing space up to 25 m2 per student, and access to loose equipment, however further research is required to determine precise thresholds for minimum space. Intersectoral planning and cooperation is required to meet the needs of growing school populations.

scholarly journals Physical activity patterns in older men and women in Germany: a cross-sectional study

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Moschny ◽  
Petra Platen ◽  
Renate Klaaßen-Mielke ◽  
Ulrike Trampisch ◽  
Timo Hinrichs
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Older Men ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Physical Activity Patterns ◽  
Older Men And Women

scholarly journals Correction: Physical Activity Patterns and Factors Related to Exercise during Pregnancy: A Cross Sectional Study

PLoS ONE ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. e0133564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simony Lira Nascimento ◽  
Fernanda Garanhani Surita ◽  
Ana Carolina Godoy ◽  
Karina Tamy Kasawara ◽  
Sirlei Siani Morais
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Physical Activity Patterns ◽  
Exercise During Pregnancy

scholarly journals Association between physical activity patterns and sarcopenia in Arab men

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 030006052091869 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaea Alkahtani ◽  
Osama Aljuhani ◽  
Maha Alhussain ◽  
Syed Shahid Habib
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Muscle Mass ◽  
Handgrip Strength ◽  
Vigorous Physical Activity ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Physical Activity Patterns ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Arab Men

Objective In this study, we aimed to examine the association between physical activity patterns and sarcopenia in Arab men. Methods This cross-sectional study included 363 men (47.7 ± 15.4 years). We analyzed appendicular lean mass (ALM), handgrip strength test, and physical activity levels. ALM divided by height (meters) squared was calculated (ALM/Ht 2 ), and participants with −1 and −2 standard deviations below the sex-specific mean for Saudi young adults were considered to have sarcopenia class I and class II, respectively. Independent t-tests, analysis of variance, and Mann–Whitney U tests were performed to determine mean and median differences. Results We observed a significant difference between participants with and without sarcopenia in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA); the correlation between ALM/H2 and MVPA was borderline significant. With a 1-hour/week increase in MVPA, ALM/Ht 2 increased by 0.30 kg/m2. Total and ALM, handgrip strength, and MVPA were significantly lower in participants age >60 years; fat mass and waist circumference were unchanged as compared with middle-aged participants. Conclusions We identified an association between time spent in recreational MVPA and lean muscle mass among Arab men. Future studies should examine the role of MVPA training programs on muscle mass and strength in older men.

scholarly journals Impact of Migration on the Eating Habit and Physical Activity Patterns among Saudi Students living in South Korea

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
Noor A. Hakim
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Physical Activity Patterns ◽  
Saudi Students ◽  
Significant Difference

This study investigates the effect of migration on eating habits and physical activity patterns of Saudi migrants living in South Korea. A cross-sectional study was conducted, and an online survey was prepared to assess participants&rsquo; demographic details, including; eating habits and physical activity pattern compared to pre-migration among 198 Saudi students. Data was analyzed through descriptive statistics and chi square. Saudi migrant students practice healthy habits such as; low frequency consumption of snacks and regular exercise habits. No significant difference was observed in the number and type of meal taken per day between the participants who lived less than three years in South Korea, in comparison to those who were living for more than three years. A significant increase in excessive exercise among students who lived in South Korea for more than three years in contrast to the students who lived less than three years. Findings suggested that more attention is needed to identify the nutritional need of international students living in South Korea.

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