scholarly journals Diet and lifestyle behaviour disruption related to the pandemic was varied and bidirectional among US and UK adults participating in the ZOE COVID Study

Nature Food ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohsen Mazidi ◽  
Emily R. Leeming ◽  
Jordi Merino ◽  
Long H. Nguyen ◽  
Somesh Selvachandran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Behaviour ◽  
Relative Deprivation ◽  
Total Population ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Lifestyle Behaviour ◽  
Diet And Physical Activity ◽  
Economically Deprived ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Diet And Lifestyle ◽  
Improve Health

AbstractEvidence of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health behaviours in the general population is limited. In this retrospective longitudinal study including UK and US participants, we collected diet and lifestyle data pre-pandemic (896,286) and peri-pandemic (291,871) using a mobile health app, and we computed a bidirectional health behaviour disruption index. Disruption of health behaviour was higher in younger, female and socio-economically deprived participants. Loss in body weight was greater in highly disrupted individuals than in those with low disruption. There were large inter-individual changes observed in 46 health and diet behaviours measured peri-pandemic compared with pre-pandemic, but no mean change in the total population. Individuals most adherent to less healthy pre-pandemic health behaviours improved their diet quality and weight compared with those reporting healthier pre-pandemic behaviours, irrespective of relative deprivation; therefore, for a proportion of the population, the pandemic may have provided an impetus to improve health behaviours. Public policies to tackle health inequalities widened by the pandemic should continue to prioritize diet and physical activity for all, as well as more targeted approaches to support younger females and those living in economically deprived areas.

scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 on health behaviours and body weight: A prospective observational study in a cohort of 1.1 million UK and US individuals

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohsen Mazidii ◽  
Emily Leeming ◽  
Jordi Merino ◽  
Long Nguyen ◽  
Somesh Selvachandran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Observational Study ◽  
Diet Quality ◽  
Relative Deprivation ◽  
Prospective Observational Study ◽  
Total Population ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Diet And Lifestyle ◽  
Improve Health

Abstract Evidence regarding the impact of COVID-19 on health behaviours is limited. In this prospective study including 1.1 million UK and US participants we collected diet and lifestyle data ‘pre-’ and ‘peri-’ pandemic, and computed a bi-directional health behaviour disruption index. We show that disruption was higher in the younger, female and socioeconomically deprived (p<0.001). A loss in body weight (-0.57kg) was greater in highly disrupted individuals compared to those with low disruption (0.01kg). There were large inter-individual changes observed in all 46 health and diet behaviors measured peri-pandemic versus pre-pandemic, but no mean change in the total population. Individuals most adherent to unhealthy pre-pandemic health behaviours improved their diet quality (0.93units) and weight (-0.79kg) compared with those reporting healthy pre-pandemic behaviours (0.08units and 0.04kg respectively), irrespective of relative deprivation. For a proportion of the population, the pandemic may have provided an impetus to improve health behaviours.

scholarly journals The untapped potential of the gaming community: A narrative review. (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Goodman ◽  
Ethna McFerran ◽  
Richard Purves ◽  
Ian Redpath ◽  
Rebecca J Beeken
Keyword(s):  
Video Games ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Health Behaviour ◽  
Exponential Growth ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Positive Health ◽  
Video Gamers ◽  
Positive Results ◽  
Improve Health

UNSTRUCTURED Video gamers are a population at heightened risk of developing obesity due to the sedentary nature of gaming, increased energy intake and the disruption caused to their sleep. This increases their risk of developing a number of non-communicable diseases. To date, research seeking to improve health behaviours has focussed on developing novel video games to promote behaviour change. Although positive results have emerged from this research, the success has been limited due to the lack of transferability to more mainstream games and the focus on children and adolescents. However, the gaming community has a number of unique aspects which, in comparison to the development of new video games, have received less attention. Research has found that advertising can have implicit effects on individual’s memories which could influence their later decisions. Yet the effect of the exponential growth of in-game advertisements, and brand sponsorship of gaming events and professional gamers, has not been explored in the gaming community. Nor has the possibility of using advertising techniques to encourage positive health behaviours within games or at these events. Research suggests that virtual communities can be effective at disseminating health information, but the efficacy of this needs to be explored utilising known community influencers within the gaming community. The purpose of this paper is to highlight these under-researched areas that have the potential to encourage positive health behaviour among this community.

Area-level relative deprivation and alcohol use in Denmark: Is there a relationship?

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 428-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Bloomfield ◽  
Gabriele Berg-Beckhoff ◽  
Abdu Kedir Seid ◽  
Christiane Stock
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Relative Deprivation ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Area Deprivation ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Housing Component ◽  
Disorder Identification ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact

Aims: Greater area-level relative deprivation has been related to poorer health behaviours, but studies specifically on alcohol use and abuse have been equivocal. The main purpose of the present study was to investigate how area-level relative deprivation in Denmark relates to alcohol use and misuse in the country. Methods: As individual-level data, we used the national alcohol and drug survey of 2011 ( n= 5133). Data were procured from Statistics Denmark to construct an index of relative deprivation at the parish level ( n=2119). The deprivation index has two components, which were divided into quintiles. Multilevel linear and logistic regressions analysed the influence of area deprivation on mean alcohol use and hazardous drinking, as measured by the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test. Results: Men who lived in parishes designated as ‘very deprived’ on the socioeconomic component were more likely to consume less alcohol; women who lived in parishes designated as ‘deprived’ on the housing component were less likely to drink hazardously. But at the individual level, education was positively related to mean alcohol consumption, and higher individual income was positively related to mean consumption for women. Higher-educated men were more likely to drink hazardously. Conclusions: Area-level measures of relative deprivation were not strongly related to alcohol use, yet in the same models individual-level socioeconomic variables had a more noticeable influence. This suggests that in a stronger welfare state, the impact of area-level relative deprivation may not be as great. Further work is needed to develop more sensitive measures of relative deprivation.

scholarly journals LifeLab Southampton: a programme to engage adolescents with DOHaD concepts as a tool for increasing health literacy in teenagers –a pilot cluster-randomized control trial

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 475-480 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Woods-Townsend ◽  
H. Leat ◽  
J. Bay ◽  
L. Bagust ◽  
H. Davey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Literacy ◽  
Critical Time ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Cluster Randomized Control Trial ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
Cluster Randomized ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Diet And Lifestyle

AbstractAdolescence is a critical time point in the lifecourse. LifeLab is an educational intervention engaging adolescents in understanding Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) concepts and the impact of the early life environment on future health, benefitting both their long-term health and that of the next generation. We aimed to assess whether engaging adolescents with DOHaD concepts improves scientific literacy and whether engagement alone improves health behaviours.Six schools were randomized, three to intervention and three to control. Outcome measures were changed in knowledge, and intended and actual behaviour in relation to diet and lifestyle. A total of 333 students completed baseline and follow-up questionnaires. At 12 months, intervention students showed greater understanding of DOHaD concepts. No sustained changes in behaviours were identified.Adolescents’ engagement with DOHaD concepts can be improved and maintained over 12 months. Such engagement does not itself translate into behaviour change. The intervention has consequently been revised to include additional components beyond engagement alone.

scholarly journals Impact of an undergraduate course on medical students’ self-perceived nutrition intake and self-efficacy to improve their health behaviours and counselling practices

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Crowley ◽  
Lauren Ball ◽  
Michael Leveritt ◽  
Bruce Arroll ◽  
Dug Yeo Han ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Lifestyle Behaviour ◽  
Medical Undergraduate ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Nutrition Intake ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

INTRODUCTION: Doctors are increasingly involved in the management of chronic disease and counsel patients about their lifestyle behaviours, including nutrition, to improve their health outcomes. AIM: This study aimed to assess the impact of a medical undergraduate course containing nutrition content on medical students’ self-perceived nutrition intake and self-efficacy to improve their health behaviours and counselling practices. METHODS: A total of 239 medical students enrolled in a 12-week nutrition-related course at The University of Auckland were invited to complete an anonymous questionnaire before and after the course. The questionnaire was adapted from a previous evaluation of a preventive medicine and nutrition course at Harvard Medical School. RESULTS: Sixty-one medical students completed both pre- and post-course questionnaires (25.5%). At baseline, medical students described their eating habits to be more healthy than non-medical students (p=0.0261). Post-course, medical students reported a higher frequency of wholegrain food intake (p=0.0229). Medical students also reported being less comfortable making nutrition recommendations to family and friends post-course (p=0.008). Most medical students (63.9%) perceived increased awareness of their own dietary choices, and some (15.3%) reported an increased likelihood to counsel patients on lifestyle behaviour post-course. DISCUSSION: Students can increase awareness of their own nutrition behaviour after undertaking a course that includes nutrition in the initial phase of their medical degree. Further investigation of how medical students’ confidence to provide nutrition advice evolves throughout their training and in future practice is required. KEYWORDS: Exercise; health behavior; medical education; nutritional sciences

scholarly journals The impact of parents' health behaviours on their preferences regarding vaccinations

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wojciech Kulak ◽  
Jolanta Kraśnicka ◽  
Elżbieta Krajewska-Kułak ◽  
Krystyna Klimaszewska ◽  
Mateusz Cybulski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Behaviour ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Health Practices ◽  
Mental Attitude ◽  
The Impact ◽  
All Diseases

Abstract Background. Health behaviours are very important factors of human life. Currently, as the number of vaccinated children in Poland and throughout Europe is decreasing, parents’ health behaviours may affect the frequency of vaccinations. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of parents’ preferred health behaviours regarding vaccinations.Methods. The study was carried out using a diagnostic survey method with an original questionnaire and the Inventory of Health Behaviours. The study included 300 parents.Results: The level of health behaviours was average in 42.3% of the respondents, low in 33%, and high in 24.7%. Convictions about immunity after contracting a disease, the need to vaccinate for all diseases, the vaccination system, the quality of the vaccines used in Poland, the universal obligation to vaccinate, and the admission of unvaccinated children to crèches and kindergartens were not statistically related to health behaviours. Significant differences in health behaviours, mainly the level of normal eating habits (p = 0.038) and positive mental attitude (p = 0.022), were found in relation to views on the toxicity of vaccines. Participants who reported that vaccines can cause autism engaged in a higher level of prophylactic behaviours. Respondents who vaccinated their children with combined vaccines had a significantly higher level of health practices. Significant or near-significant differences in health behaviour levels in various areas were found between those who sought the recommended vaccinations and those who did not.Conclusions: The health behaviour levels of the majority of the respondents were average, and the most frequent category was "positive mental attitude.” Parents who believed in the toxicity of vaccines were more concerned about proper nutrition, had a positive mental attitude, and engaged in a higher level of preventive behaviours and health practices. Parents who did not vaccinate their children had lower levels of normal eating habits. Parents who vaccinated their children with additional vaccines had a higher level of health behaviours, especially in terms of health practices.

Health Behaviour Change following Persuasive Communication

1996 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helgo Schomer ◽  
Sarah Wadlow ◽  
Tim Dunne
Keyword(s):  
Health Psychology ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Health Behaviour ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Persuasive Communication ◽  
Positive Health ◽  
Significant Change ◽  
The Impact

This study was undertaken to assess the impact of a persuasively presented academic course in Health Psychology on students' health behaviour. Ninety-eight students attending a third-year optional course in Health Psychology at the University of Cape Town volunteered to participate in the study. The students completed a self-report Lifestyle Evaluation Questionnaire (LEQ) at the beginning of the six-week course, at the completion of the course and at an eight-month follow-up. A Lifestyie Beliefs Questionnaire (LBQ) based on the Health Belief Model was also filled out at the follow-up date. The results showed a statistically significant change in the exercise health behaviour, improving as the study progressed. LEQ factors of food and care improved significantly from the beginning to the completion of the course, with the care factor also maintaining a significant change from beginning to follow-up. Analysis of the LBQ indicated that the benefits component predicted exercise and drug use, the barriers component predicted exercise behaviour, and the susceptibility component predicted drug use. It was concluded that persuasive communication had a motivating effect on young, healthy adults to practise positive health behaviours.

scholarly journals Applying behavioural science to improve physicians’ ability to help people improve their own health behaviours

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
K Lavoie
Keyword(s):  
Behaviour Change ◽  
Health Behaviour ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Poor Health ◽  
Behavioural Science ◽  
Effective Interventions ◽  
Physician Health ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Issue/problem Poor health behaviours are at the centre of most non-communicable chronic diseases and account for a significant amount of morbidity and mortality. Healthcare professionals, and especially physicians, are in a unique position to be able to positively influence their patients and aid them in changing poor health behaviours. However, most physicians report having low confidence or a lack of skills to effectively achieve this. Description of the problem The main approach that physicians take to influence their patients’ poor health behaviours is to provide them with advice and evidence about the impact of the poor health behaviours. This strategy has been shown to have limited impact on changing patient behaviour. As such, there is a need to develop effective interventions that target changing physician health behaviour counselling behaviours, effectively, a behaviour change intervention for physicians so that they are better at helping patients change their behaviour. Results Using a structured stakeholder-oriented approach (the ORBIT model for developing behavioural interventions) we have systematically developed a robust behaviour change-based continuing medical education curriculum (leveraging motivational communication), and online assessment tool to improve physician competency. These were developed by a pan-Canadian team with notable international input through the IBTN. Lessons The use of a structured stakeholder-driven process, we have developed an intervention which seems to have greater relevancy to the target audience, lead to greater engagement, and a higher probability of implementation than a researcher led approach. Whilst the studies are still ongoing, it is anticipated that this intervention will be able to dramatically improve the health of individuals through effective health behaviour change interventions by healthcare professionals.

scholarly journals Association between Parenthood and Health Behaviour in Later Life—Results from the Population-Based CARLA Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 82
Author(s):  
Lisa Becker ◽  
Sarah Negash ◽  
Nadja Kartschmit ◽  
Alexander Kluttig ◽  
Rafael Mikolajczyk
Keyword(s):  
Health Behaviour ◽  
Dietary Pattern ◽  
Smoking Status ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Occupational Position ◽  
Partner Status ◽  
Biological Children ◽  
The Impact

Previous research has focused on comparing health behaviour between parents and non-parents at younger ages, while little is known about the impact of being a parent on health behaviours in later life. We studied whether parenthood is associated with later physical activity (PA), dietary pattern, smoking status and alcohol consumption in German adults of middle and old age. We used data from the baseline examination of the population-based CARLA-study in Halle (Saale), comprising 1779 adults aged 45–83. Linear and logistic regression analyses assessed the relationship between parenthood and health behaviours while controlling for age, partner status, education, income, occupational position, socioeconomic status in childhood, and number of chronic diseases. Of the participants, 89.1% had biological children. Being a father was associated with higher PA in sports (sport index ß = 0.29, 95% confidence interval [0.14; 0.44]), but not with PA in leisure time (excluding sports), dietary pattern, consumption of alcohol and smoking status. No associations were found between being a mother with all outcome variables. Provided that PA of fathers is typically reduced when the children are young, the development towards higher PA at later age needs to be studied in more detail.

scholarly journals Evaluation of an intervention targeting diet and physical activity aiming to improve health behaviours and obesity prevention in European preschool children

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Χριστίνα-Πωλίνα Λαμπρινού
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Preschool Children ◽  
Obesity Prevention ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Diet And Physical Activity ◽  
Improve Health

Ο επιπολασμός του υπέρβαρου και της παχυσαρκίας έχει αυξηθεί σημαντικά τα τελευταία 30 χρόνια, τόσο σε ενήλικες όσο και σε παιδιά. Διάφορες παρεμβάσεις δοκιμάζονται σε νεαρή ηλικία προκειμένου να αποφευχθεί η παιδική παχυσαρκία και να βελτιωθούν οι συμπεριφορές που σχετίζονται με την ενεργειακή ισορροπία (EBRBs). Η τρέχουσα εργασία είχε στόχο να αξιολογήσει την αποτελεσματικότητα της παρέμβασης ToyBox στα EBRBs των παιδιών και των ανθρωπομετρικών δεικτών τους, τη διερεύνηση των καθοριστικών παραγόντων της οικογένειας που πιθανώς να διαμεσολαβούν στην αποτελεσματικότητα της παρέμβασης ToyBox στην κατανάλωση νερού καθώς και υγιεινών και ανθυγιεινών σνακ των παιδιών προσχολικής ηλικίας. Μια παρέμβαση που στόχευε στην προώθηση της κατανάλωσης νερού, της υγιεινής διατροφής και ενδιάμεσων γευμάτων, της σωματικής άσκησης και της μείωσης / διακοπής του καθιστικού χρόνου στα παιδιά προσχολικής ηλικίας και στις οικογένειές τους, εφαρμόστηκε σε έξι ευρωπαϊκές χώρες για ένα σχολικό έτος και αξιολογήθηκε σε μια τυχαιοποιημένη δοκιμή. Τα επίπεδα σωματικής δραστηριότητας των παιδιών καταγράφηκαν χρησιμοποιώντας βηματομετρητές για έξι συνεχόμενες ημέρες, συμπεριλαμβανομένων δύο ημερών σαββατοκύριακου. Οι συμπεριφορές που σχετίζονται με την ενεργειακή ισορροπία, συμπεριλαμβανομένων των πιθανών διαμεσολαβητών τους, καταγράφηκαν από τους γονείς/φροντιστές των παιδιών χρησιμοποιώντας τυποποιημένα ερωτηματολόγια. Το βάρος και το ύψος των παιδιών μετρήθηκαν από εκπαιδευμένους ερευνητές, χρησιμοποιώντας τυποποιημένο εξοπλισμό. Όλες οι μετρήσεις πραγματοποιήθηκαν τον Μάιο/Ιούνιο του 2012 και τον Μάιο/Ιούνιο του 2013. Πραγματοποιήθηκαν πολυεπίπεδες επαναλαμβανόμενες αναλύσεις για την αξιολόγηση των επιδράσεων παρέμβασης στα EBRBs και τα ανθρωπομετρικά χαρακτηριστικά των παιδιών, ενώ τα αποτελέσματα για τους διαμεσολαβητικούς παράγοντες αξιολογήθηκαν με τη διαδικασία bootstrapping. Στο συνολικό δείγμα, στην ομάδα παρέμβασης παρατηρήθηκε μεγαλύτερη αύξηση της κατανάλωσης νερού, μεγαλύτερη μείωση των συσκευασμένων χυμών φρούτων, γλυκών και προϊόντων κρέατος, μικρότερη αύξηση του χρόνου που αφιερώνεται σε PC/βιντεοπαιχνίδια (τις καθημερινές και τα σαββατοκύριακα) και μικρότερη μείωση των βημάτων τα σαββατοκύριακα σε σύγκριση με τα παιδιά που ανήκαν στην ομάδα ελέγχου. Παρόμοια αποτελέσματα παρατηρήθηκαν σε επίπεδο χώρας, ενώ πρόσθετα ευνοϊκά αποτελέσματα για την ομάδα παρέμβασης παρατηρήθηκαν στη Γερμανία σχετικά με τα ζαχαρούχα ροφήματα και στο Βέλγιο σχετικά με τα αλμυρά σνακ και το χρόνο παρακολούθησης τηλεόρασης τα σαββατοκύριακα. Στους ανθρωπομετρικούς δείκτες δεν παρατηρήθηκαν σημαντικές επιδράσεις της παρέμβασης. Όσον αφορά τις επιδράσεις της παρέμβασης σε καθοριστικούς παράγοντες που σχετίζονται με την οικογένεια, η παρέμβαση ToyBox αύξησε σημαντικά τη διαθεσιμότητα νερού κατά τη διάρκεια των γευμάτων, την κατανάλωση νερού από τους γονείς, τη γονική ενθάρρυνση στα παιδιά ώστε να πίνουν νερό και τη γονική γνώση σχετικά με τις συστάσεις για την κατανάλωση νερού. Στο συνολικό μοντέλο, όλοι οι παράγοντες συσχετίστηκαν ανεξάρτητα με την κατανάλωση νερού σε παιδιά προσχολικής ηλικίας και διαμεσολαβούσαν το αποτέλεσμα της παρέμβασης στην κατανάλωση νερού (συνολική επίδραση διαμεσολάβησης = 40%). Παρόλο που η συνολική επίδραση της παρέμβασης ToyBox στα υγιεινά και ανθυγιεινά σνακ δεν ήταν σημαντική, η παρέμβαση βελτίωσε σημαντικά τη θέσπιση κανόνων από τους γονείς σχετικά με την κατανάλωση ανθυγιεινών σνακ από τα παιδιά (δηλαδή περιορισμός τους κατά την παρακολούθηση τηλεόρασης και άδεια για την κατανάλωσή τους μόνο σε ορισμένες περιπτώσεις) και την κατανάλωση ανθυγιεινών σνακ των γονέων, ενώ αύξησε τη γονική γνώση σχετικά με τις συστάσεις για την κατανάλωση σνακ. Όσον αφορά τα υγιεινά σνακ, η παρέμβαση ToyBox βελτίωσε τη στάση των παιδιών απέναντι στα φρούτα και τα λαχανικά. Όλοι οι προαναφερθέντες καθοριστικοί παράγοντες διαμεσολαβούσαν στην επίδραση της παρέμβασης στην κατανάλωση υγιεινών και ανθυγιεινών σνακ από τα παιδιά προσχολικής ηλικίας, ενώ σχεδόν όλοι οι καθοριστικοί παράγοντες συσχετίστηκαν ανεξάρτητα με την κατανάλωση υγιεινών και ανθυγιεινών σνακ από παιδιά. Η προσιτή και χαμηλού κόστους παρέμβαση, η οποία πραγματοποιήθηκε από το προσωπικό του νηπιαγωγείου και ενέπλεξε ενεργά τους γονείς, έδειξε ότι μπορεί να προκαλέσει ευνοϊκές αλλαγές στα EBRBs των παιδιών προσχολικής ηλικίας. Οι παρεμβάσεις που αποσκοπούν στην προώθηση της κατανάλωσης νερού και υγιεινών σνακ και στον περιορισμό της κατανάλωσης ανθυγιεινών σνακ σε παιδιά προσχολικής ηλικίας, θα πρέπει να στοχεύουν τους διαμεσολαβητές που αναδείχθηκαν από την παρούσα μελέτη, αλλά και να προσδιορίζουν νέους καθοριστικούς παράγοντες που σχετίζονται με την οικογένεια, το σχολείο ή τους συναδέλφους, για να βελτιώσουν την αποτελεσματικότητά τους.

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