Promoting physical activity in the workplace: using pedometers to increase daily activity levels

19666 Objective: The purpose of this preliminary study was to explore the utility of objective assessments of physical activity for investigating the patterns and predictors of reduced physical activity levels in patients receiving standard chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. Methods: Ovarian cancer patients receiving standard regimens of Taxol/Carboplatin chemotherapy (n=9) were recruited prior to their treatment infusion. After signing informed consent, they completed the 20-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD); post treatment daily activity levels were assessed with a wrist watch-sized, water proof, omnidirectional, actigraphy monitor (Actiwatch-64, Mini Mitter, Bend, OR) worn on the nondominant wrist for the three weeks between treatment cycles. Identical actigraphy data were collected on a sample of healthy female staff (n=9) over a 1 week interval to provide a benchmark for comparison. Results: As expected, waking activity levels in the control sample showed no significant changes across days (p=0.41), so mean levels (343.45 counts) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for comparison purposes. Chemotherapy patients had significantly lower levels of activity, as well as evidence of recovering physical activity over the 21 days following treatment (p=0.01). Interestingly, the subset (n=4) of patients with higher levels of pretreatment depression (Hi-CESD) did not show significant recovery in physical activity while the Lo-CESD subgroup showed substantial recovery (p=0.001). Conclusions: Objective assessment of physical activity in ovarian cancer patients following chemotherapy treatment reveals significant reduction in activity levels, and a failure to recover in patients with higher levels of pretreatment depression. Actigraphy of daily activity levels may provide a sensitive means of quantifying reductions in physical activity and recovery patterns following chemotherapy treatment for gynecologic cancer. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

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Exercise prescription improves exercise tolerance in young children with CHD: a randomised clinical trial

Open Heart ◽

10.1136/openhrt-2021-001599 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. e001599

Author(s):

Sinead Callaghan ◽

Margaret Louise Morrison ◽

Pascal P McKeown ◽

Christopher Tennyson ◽

Andrew J Sands ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Young Children ◽

Daily Activity ◽

Exercise Tolerance ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Peak Exercise ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Intervention Programme ◽

Physical Activity Levels ◽

Structured Intervention

ObjectiveThe main objective of this study was to ascertain if a structured intervention programme can improve the biophysical health of young children with congenital heart disease (CHD). The primary end point was an increase in measureable physical activity levels following the intervention.MethodsPatients aged 5–10 years with CHD were identified and invited to participate. Participants completed a baseline biophysical assessment, including a formal exercise stress test and daily activity monitoring using an accelerometer. Following randomisation, the intervention group attended a 1 day education session and received an individual written exercise plan to be continued over the 4-month intervention period. The control group continued with their usual level of care. After 4 months, all participants were reassessed in the same manner as at baseline.ResultsOne hundred and sixty-three participants (mean age 8.4 years) were recruited, 100 of whom were male (61.3%). At baseline, the majority of the children were active with good exercise tolerance. The cyanotic palliated subgroup participants, however, were found to have lower levels of daily activity and significantly limited peak exercise performance compared with the other subgroups. One hundred and fifty-two participants (93.2%) attended for reassessment. Following the intervention, there was a significant improvement in peak exercise capacity in the intervention group. There was also a trend towards increased daily activity levels.ConclusionOverall physical activity levels are well preserved in the majority of young children with CHD. A structured intervention programme significantly increased peak exercise capacity and improved attitudes towards positive lifestyle changes.

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Does feedback on daily activity level from a Smart watch during inpatient stroke rehabilitation increase physical activity levels? Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Trials ◽

10.1186/s13063-018-2476-z ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yun Dong ◽

◽

Dax Steins ◽

Shanbin Sun ◽

Fei Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Daily Activity ◽

Stroke Rehabilitation ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Activity Level ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Smart Watch ◽

Physical Activity Levels

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Investigating the within-person relationships between activity levels and sleep duration using Fitbit data

Translational Behavioral Medicine ◽

10.1093/tbm/ibaa071 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yue Liao ◽

Michael C Robertson ◽

Andrea Winne ◽

Ivan H C Wu ◽

Thuan A Le ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Sleep Duration ◽

Daily Activity ◽

Multilevel Models ◽

Daily Basis ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Obese Adults ◽

Reciprocal Relationships ◽

Future Studies ◽

Significant Relationships

Abstract The advancement of wearable technologies provides opportunities to continuously track individuals’ daily activity levels and sleep patterns over extended periods of time. These data are useful in examining the reciprocal relationships between physical activity and sleep at the intrapersonal level. The purpose of this study is to test the bidirectional relationships between daily activity levels and sleep duration. The current study analyzed activity and sleep data collected from a Fitbit device as part of a 6 month employer-sponsored weight loss program. A total of 105 overweight/obese adults were included (92% female, 70% obese, and 44% Hispanic). Multilevel models were used to examine (a) whether daily active and sedentary minutes predicted that night’s sleep duration and (b) whether sleep duration predicted active and sedentary minutes the following day. Potential extended effects were explored by using a 2 day average of the activity minutes/sleep duration as the predictor. No significant relationships between active minutes and sleep duration were found on a daily basis. However, having less sleep over two nights than one’s usual level was associated with an increased likelihood of engaging in some physical activity the following day. There was a significant bidirectional negative association between sedentary minutes and sleep duration for both the daily and 2 day models. Data from wearable trackers, such as Fitbit, can be used to investigate the daily within-person relationship between activity levels and sleep duration. Future studies should investigate other sleep metrics that may be obtained from wearable trackers, as well as potential moderators and mediators of daily activity levels and sleep.

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How School Time Physical Activity Is the “Big One” for Daily Activity Among Schoolchildren: A Semi-Experimental Approach

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.6.4.510 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 510-519 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Benjamin C. Guinhouya ◽

Mohamed Lemdani ◽

Géoffroy K. Apété ◽

Alain Durocher ◽

Christian Vilhelm ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Daily Activity ◽

Roc Analysis ◽

Experimental Approach ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Community Based Interventions ◽

Community Based ◽

Type Method ◽

School Time ◽

The Relationship

Background:This study was designed to model the relationship between an ActiGraph-based “in-school” physical activity (PA) and the daily one among children and to quantify how school can contribute to the daily PA recommendations.Method:Fifty boys and 43 girls (aged 8 to 11 years) wore ActiGraph for 2 schooldays of no structured PA. The daily moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPAd) was regressed on the school time MVPA (MVPAs). Then, a ROC analysis was computed to define the required MVPAs.Results:Children spent 57% of their awaking time at school. School time PA opportunities (ie, recesses: ~18% of a child’s awaking time) accounted for >70% of the MVPAd among children. Then, MVPAd (Y) could be predicted from MVPAs (X) using the equation: Y = 2.06 X0.88; R2 = .889, P < .0001. Although, this model was sex-specifically determined, cross-validations showed valid estimates of MVPAd. Finally, with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 90%, MVPAs, a 34 min.d−1 was required to prompt the daily recommendation.Conclusions:The current study shows the contribution of MVPA at school to recommended activity levels and suggests the value of activity performed during recesses. It also calls for encouraging both home- and community-based interventions, predominantly directed toward girls.

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