scholarly journals The FLASHE Study: A Publicly Available Data Resource

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 1337-1337
Author(s):  
Linda Nebeling ◽  
Laura Dwyer ◽  
April Oh

Abstract Objectives The Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health and Eating (FLASHE) survey was conducted in 2014 to collect information on eating, physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and behavioral correlates from a national sample of parent-adolescent dyads in the United States. It is a publicly available data resource which can be used to research questions about psychosocial, generational, household and neighborhood correlates of health behaviors. Methods Data were collected from dyads of caregivers and their adolescent children (ages 12–17) (n = 1072 completed dyads) between April – October 2014. Two surveys for each respondent: one on diet-related behaviors and one on physical activity-related behaviors were collected. An additional 407 dyads wore an accelerometer for seven days and completed an activity log. A ‘geoFLASHE’ dataset used parent-provided address information for home and school to geocode these locations and compute a set of variables applied to several different neighborhood definitions, including both circular and street-network buggers with distances ranging from 400 – 1200 meters. Accelerometer variables were computed for a subset of adolescents who wore an Actigraph Gt3x+ for seven days and includes estimates from raw and activity counts data. Training webinars on dyadic analytical methods, models and applications were provided. Results The geoFLASHE dataset includes variables for neighborhood, socioeconomic status factor, factor scores for built environment characteristics (high density, older neighborhood, and short commutes), and other variables for each buffer configuration. The adolescent accelerometer dataset offers summary variables of accelerometer data and minute-level estimates of light, moderate, and vigorous activity using Crouter, Chandler, and GGIR processing methods. Additionally, training webinar, questionnaires, survey data files and codebooks are available. Conclusions The FLASHE study data resources can be used to understand cancer-related health behaviors in family dyads. Funding Sources FLASHE study was funded by the National Cancer Institute under contract number HHSN2612012000391 issued to Westat, Inc.

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (s1) ◽  
pp. S105-S112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kara N. Dentro ◽  
Kim Beals ◽  
Scott E. Crouter ◽  
Joey C. Eisenmann ◽  
Thomas L. McKenzie ◽  
...  

Background:The National Physical Activity Plan Alliance partnered with physical activity experts to develop a report card that provides a comprehensive assessment of physical activity among United States children and youth.Methods:The 2014 U.S. Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth includes 10 indicators: overall physical activity levels, sedentary behaviors, active transportation, organized sport participation, active play, health-related fitness, family and peers, school, community and the built environment, and government strategies and investments. Data from nationally representative surveys were used to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the physical activity indicators. The Committee used the best available data source to grade the indicators using a standard rubric.Results:Approximately one-quarter of children and youth 6 to 15 years of age were at least moderately active for 60 min/day on at least 5 days per week. The prevalence was lower among youth compared with younger children, resulting in a grade of D- for overall physical activity levels. Five of the remaining 9 indicators received grades ranging from B- to F, whereas there was insufficient data to grade 4 indicators, highlighting the need for more research in some areas.Conclusions:Physical activity levels among U.S. children and youth are low and sedentary behavior is high, suggesting that current infrastructure, policies, programs, and investments in support of children’s physical activity are not sufficient.


2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. 616-622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric T. Hyde ◽  
John D. Omura ◽  
Kathleen B. Watson ◽  
Janet E. Fulton ◽  
Susan A. Carlson

Background: To estimate the proportion of adults’ and parents’ knowledge of the adult aerobic and youth physical activity guidelines, respectively, in the United States. Methods: Data were analyzed from a national sample of adults in the 2017 ConsumerStyles survey. Prevalence of knowledge of the adult aerobic guideline (ie, 150 min/wk of moderate-intensity activity) was estimated among all respondents (n = 3910) and of the youth guideline (ie, 60 min/d of physical activity on 7 d/wk) among parents (n = 1288). Odds ratios were estimated using logistic regression models adjusting for demographic characteristics. Results: Overall, 2.5% (95% confidence interval, 2.0–3.1) of adults and 23.0% (95% confidence interval, 20.5–25.7) of parents were knowledgeable of the adult aerobic and youth guidelines, respectively. After adjustment, odds of knowledge of the adult guideline differed significantly by sex and physical activity level, whereas knowledge of the youth guideline differed by parental education level. Conclusions: Despite the release of the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans nearly a decade ago, most US adults and parents lack knowledge of the adult aerobic and youth physical activity guidelines. Effective communication strategies may help raise awareness of current and future editions of national guidelines for physical activity.


Author(s):  
Steven C. Moore ◽  
Charles E. Matthews ◽  
Sarah Keadle ◽  
Alpa V. Patel ◽  
I-Min Lee

Current physical activity guidelines recommend that adults perform at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity (e.g., brisk walking), or 75 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity activity (e.g., jogging), or an equivalent combination of these. In the United States and worldwide, many adults fail to meet these recommended activity levels, with deleterious consequences for health, including increased risk of some cancers. This chapter reviews the epidemiologic evidence for links between physical activity and cancer, emphasizing published meta-analyses and the results of a recent large consortium-based study. The authors find the evidence to be convincing that physical activity reduces risk of colon and female breast cancers, and probable that it reduces risk of kidney and endometrial cancers. Moreover, physical activity has been associated with lower risk of cancers of the bladder, liver, gastric cardia, head and neck, esophagus (adenocarcinoma), and myeloma, myeloid leukemia, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.


2004 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 27-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vicki Ebbeck ◽  
Patti Lou Watkins ◽  
Susan S. Levy

This study examined possible determinants of some of the health behaviors of larger women. Specifically, it was of interest to discern if affect (depression, social physique anxiety) mediated the relationship between self-conceptions (global self-worth, perceived physical appearance) and behavior (disordered eating, physical activity). The investigation was grounded in the model of self-worth forwarded by Harter (1987). A total of 71 overweight or obese women agreed to participate in the study. Data collection involved a researcher meeting individually with each of the participants to record physical assessments as well as responses to a packet of self-report questionnaires. A series of canonical correlation analyses were then conducted to test each of the three conditions for mediation effects outlined by Baron and Kenny (1986). Results suggested that indeed the set of self-conceptions indirectly influenced the set of behaviors via the set of affect variables. Surprisingly, however, involvement in physical activity failed to contribute to the multivariate relationships. The findings further our understanding of how self-conceptions are related to behavior and highlight the value of examining multiple health behaviors in parallel.


2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1547-1559 ◽  
Author(s):  
David O. Garcia ◽  
Luis A. Valdez ◽  
Steven P. Hooker

Hispanic males have the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity among men in the United States; yet are significantly underrepresented in weight loss research. The purpose of the current study was to examine Hispanic male’s perspectives of health behaviors related to weight management to refine the methodologies to deliver a gender-sensitive and culturally sensitive weight loss intervention. From October 2014 to April 2015, semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 overweight Hispanic men of ages 18 to 64 years. The interviews lasted approximately 60 minutes. Participants also completed a brief questionnaire and body weight/height were measured. Grounded in a deductive process, a preliminary codebook was developed based on the topics included in the interview guides. A thematic analysis facilitated the identification of inductive themes and the finalization of the codebook used for transcript analysis. Four overarching themes were identified: (a) general health beliefs of how diet and physical activity behaviors affect health outcomes, (b) barriers to healthy eating and physical activity, (c) motivators for change, and (d) viable recruitment and intervention approaches. Future research should examine feasible and appropriate recruitment and intervention strategies identified by Hispanic males to improve weight management in this vulnerable group.


2007 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 137-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Bagby ◽  
Susan Adams

Because of the growing obesity epidemic across all age groups in the United States, interventions to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviors have become a priority. Evidence is growing that interventions to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviors have positive results and are generally inexpensive to implement. National and international health organizations are calling for a comprehensive approach for reducing obesity in children that includes increasing physical activity in the school setting. Although the call to increase activity levels in schools is clear, little guidance has been given to schools on specific methods to accomplish this task. This article provides an overview of an evidence-based guideline developed by a physical education teacher and a school nurse to provide inexpensive, easy-to-implement, effective strategies to increase physical activity in students. Tools are also included in the guideline to measure the effectiveness of the intervention.


Author(s):  
Gregory J. Welk ◽  
Pedro F. Saint-Maurice ◽  
Philip M. Dixon ◽  
Paul R. Hibbing ◽  
Yang Bai ◽  
...  

A balance between the feasibility and validity of measures is an important consideration for physical activity (PA) research—particularly in school-based research with youth. The present study extends previously tested calibration methods to develop and test new equations for an online version of the youth activity profile (YAP) tool, a self-report tool designed for school applications. Data were collected across different regions and seasons to develop more robust, generalizable equations. The study involved a total of 717 youth from 33 schools (374 elementary [ages 9–11 years], 224 middle [ages 11–14 years], and 119 high school [ages 14–18 years]) in two different states in the United States. Participants wore a Sensewear monitor for a full week and then completed the online YAP at school to report PA and sedentary behaviors in school and at home. Accelerometer data were processed using an R-based segmentation program to compute PA and sedentary behavior levels. Quantile regression models were used with half of the sample to develop item-specific YAP calibration equations, and these were cross validated with the remaining half of the sample. Computed values of mean absolute percentage error ranged from 15 to 25% with slightly lower error observed for the middle school sample. The new equations had improved precision compared with the previous versions when tested on the same sample. The online version of the YAP provides an efficient and effective way to capture school level estimates of PA and sedentary behaviors in youth.


2003 ◽  
Vol 1 (SI) ◽  
pp. 54-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay E. Maddock ◽  
Carrie S. Marshall ◽  
Claudio R. Nigg ◽  
Jodi D. Barnett

Chronic diseases account for 7 out of 10 deaths in the United States and 60% of the Nation’s health care expenses. Tobacco use, lack of physical activity and poor nutrition account for one third of US mortality. Behavioral surveillance systems such as the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) provide information on rates of behavior in the population and among different demographic categories. While these systems are essential for health promotion they do not assist the health educator in understanding psychosocial factors which may be related to the rates. A psychosocial surveillance system can aid in understanding the behavior change process and in the readiness of the population for behavior change. Results can assist states and localities in targeting health promotion messages and programs and can help in the allocation of often scarce health promotion funds. In 2000, the Hawaii Department of Health launched the Healthy Hawaii Initiative, a statewide program to reduce tobacco use, increase physical activity, and improve nutrition. As part of the evaluation, researchers at the University of Hawaii implemented a psychosocial surveillance system for the three target behaviors to assess changes in hypothesized mediators including stage of change, self efficacy, attitude and social norms. A random digit dial survey was conducted in the Spring and Fall of 2002 with 4,706 and 4,555 participants, respectively. Results show stability in the demographic characteristics and health behaviors of the sample but changes in the psychosocial variables. Several possible areas for interventions and messaging are demonstrated. A psychosocial surveillance system can be an important tool for health promotion and can lead to better understanding of health behaviors and attitudes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theresa Pauly ◽  
Jan Keller ◽  
Nina Knoll ◽  
Victoria I Michalowski ◽  
Diana Hilda Hohl ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Overall time spent in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behavior are both correlated in couples. Knowledge about the nature and psychosocial correlates of such dyadic covariation could inform important avenues for physical activity promotion. Purpose The present study investigates hour-by-hour covariation between partners (i.e., synchrony) in MVPA and sedentary behavior as partners engage in their daily lives and links it with person-level MVPA/sedentary behavior, temporal characteristics, and relationship variables. Methods We used 7-day accelerometer data from two couple studies (Study 1, n = 306 couples, aged 18–80 years; Study 2, n = 108 couples, aged 60–87 years) to estimate dyadic covariation in hourly MVPA and sedentary behavior between partners. Data were analyzed using coordinated multilevel modeling. Results In both studies, hourly MVPA and sedentary behavior exhibited similarly sized dyadic covariation between partners in the low-to-medium range of effects. Higher MVPA synchrony between partners was linked with higher individual weekly MVPA and higher individual weekly sedentary levels, whereas higher sedentary synchrony between partners was associated with higher individual weekly MVPA but lower individual weekly sedentary levels. MVPA and sedentary synchrony were higher in the morning and evening, more pronounced on weekends, and associated with more time spent together, longer relationship duration, and time-varying perceptions of higher partner closeness. Conclusions This study demonstrates that MVPA and sedentary behaviors do not occur in a social vacuum. Instead, they are linked with close others such as partners. Thus, capitalizing on social partners may increase the effectiveness of individual-level physical activity interventions.


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