scholarly journals WHO: Diet and physical activity: the public health debate

2004 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 336-336
Author(s):  
M. Danzon
2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (OCE2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Isobel Bandurek ◽  
Emily Almond ◽  
Susannah Brown ◽  
Giota Mitrou ◽  
Ifigeneia Bourgiezi ◽  
...  

AbstractIntroductionGlobally, over 1.97 billion adults and 338 million children and adolescents are living with overweight and obesity, increasing the risk of numerous co-morbidities, including at least 12 cancers(1). WCRF/AICR conducted a literature review of diet and physical activity as determinants of weight gain, overweight and obesity in adults and children. We also introduce a novel evidence-based policy framework for promoting physical activity, and linked database, currently in development as part of the EU-funded CO-CREATE project on child and adolescent obesity prevention.Materials and MethodsEvidence on diet and physical activity as determinants and risk of weight gain, overweight and obesity was systematically extracted from existing reviews and a systematic search for recent meta-analyses, then collated and analysed. The WCRF Continuous Update Project Expert Panel drew conclusions about which exposures influence risk of weight gain, overweight and obesity, using pre-defined criteria that included evidence of biological plausibility.ResultsThe Panel identified strong evidence that several diet and physical activity related exposures influence the risk of weight gain, overweight and obesity in adults and children (see table 1). Separate conclusions were drawn for adults and children in relation to screen time, considered a marker of sedentary time.However, the Panel noted that as exposures tend to cluster, physiologically interact and share common biological mechanisms, they should not be regarded as absolutely ‘singular'but an integrated concept of interrelated exposures within a pattern of lifestyle. Table 1.Risk of weight gain, overweight and obesitySTRONG EVIDENCEDECREASES RISKINCREASES RISKCONVINCINGWalkingScreen time (children)Sugar sweetened drinksPROBABLEAerobic physical activityFoods containing dietary fibre‘Mediterranean type’ dietary patternHaving been breastfedScreen time (adults)‘Fast foods’‘Western type’ dietFor full list of footnotes, see Energy Balance and Body Fatness report(1).DiscussionHealthy dietary patterns help prevent excess weight gain. Achieving such patterns requires attention to the broader economic, environmental and social factors that influence and constrain people's behaviour. The findings of this report support the need for evidence-based public health policy to help create health-enabling environments, particularly for children and adolescents. The WCRF International MOVING framework(2) presents a package of policies to promote physical activity, which alongside wider public health policy can help address the multiple drivers of overweight and obesity.


2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 492-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dale S. Bond ◽  
Hollie A. Raynor ◽  
J. Graham Thomas ◽  
Jessica Unick ◽  
Jennifer Webster ◽  
...  

Background:This study examines whether performance of bout-related physical activity (PA) during morning hours is related to greater overall bout-related PA increases within a preoperative PA intervention for bariatric surgery (BS) patients.Methods:Participants with severe obesity (n = 33; mean age = 45.6 ± 9.6 years; BMI = 45.7 ± 7.0 kg/m2) seeking BS were randomized to and completed 6 weeks of preoperative PA counseling (retention = 82.5%). Participants were encouraged to walk daily at a moderate intensity in bouts ≥ 10 minutes during morning hours to overcome time-related obstacles and establish a PA habit. Timing and amount of bout-related moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) was assessed via objective monitor at pre- and postintervention.Results:Greater proportion of bout-related MVPA performed during morning hours (4:00 AM–12:00 PM) at postintervention was associated with larger total increases in bout-related MVPA minutes/day (β = .40, P = .03). At postintervention, a greater proportion of participants whose longest MVPA bouts occurred during morning hours (n = 11) achieved the public health guideline (ie, ≥150 bout-related MVPA minutes/week) versus those whose longest MVPA bouts occurred during nonmorning hours (n = 19; 63.6% vs. 26.3%, P = .04).Conclusions:Intervention-related increases in PA tended to be greatest when PA was performed in the morning. Morning exercise may be a viable strategy for promoting habitual PA in inactive BS patients.


2012 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 71
Author(s):  
N. Chilcott ◽  
S. Duncan ◽  
D. Gorton ◽  
L. Matoe ◽  
G. Schofield ◽  
...  

1999 ◽  
Vol 2 (3a) ◽  
pp. 453-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Sjöström ◽  
Agneta Yngve ◽  
Eric Poortvliet ◽  
Daniel Warm ◽  
Ulf Ekelund

AbstractFor the majority of European adults, who neither smoke nor drink excessively, the most significant controllable risk factors affecting their long-term health are what they eat, and how physically active they are.Scientists are supposed to clarify to policy makers and health professionals the usefulness of their health messages. However, to be able to do that, a more detailed understanding is needed of the basic mechanisms behind the effects on health of diet and physical activity and, especially, the two in combination. Further, better methods for assessment of nutrition and physical activity in the population have to be developed, and more and better baseline data have to be collected. Increased and more efficient interventions are then needed. People trained and competent in the new discipline of Public Health Nutrition are required.Through the stimulating support that the European Commission, as well as other national and international partners, are presently giving to the development of Public Health Nutrition across Europe, we can hope for an increased mobility, networking and understanding between European nutrition and physical activity professionals. This will most likely result in greater and better policy making, strategy development, implementation and evaluation. We now have a great possibility to develop the integrated field of preventive nutrition and health enhancing physical activity.


Author(s):  
R Evans

Background: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are increasingly prevalent within South Africa. Physical inactivity is a significant, independent and modifiable risk factor increasing the prevalence of NCDs.Discussion: The integration of physical activity programmes into the primary health care system through multidisciplinary platforms is thus advocated for and envisioned to be more cost-effective than current practices. However, currently within the primary health care setting of South Africa, there is an absence of health care professionals adequately equipped to develop and implement physical activity programmes. Biokineticists, whose scope of practice is to improve physical functioning and health through exercise as a modality, are ideally suited to developing and implementing physical activity programmes in the public sector. Yet despite their evident demand, the role of the biokineticist is not incorporated into the national public health care system.Conclusion: This short report calls firstly, for the inclusion of biokinetics into the public health care sector, and secondly, for the funding of multidisciplinary community health programmes supporting education, healthy eating and physical activity levels.


Author(s):  
Chetana P. Hadimani ◽  
Shruti S. Kulkarni ◽  
Avinash K. Math ◽  
Shivalingappa B. Javali

Background: The public health burden of a sedentary lifestyle has been recognized globally. Physical inactivity has been identified as the fourth leading risk factor in global mortality. Medical professionals have a significant role in counselling patients so as to reach the public health goals. The objectives were to evaluate patterns of physical activity comprising work, transport, domestic and leisure domains and its correlation with gender and body mass index (BMI) among medical students.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 128 medical students. The international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ) long form was used to measure total physical activity (PA) and metabolic equivalent (MET). BMI was calculated using height and weight. Data analyzed by SPSS version 20.Results: It was observed that the PA was low among medical students. As per MET score, 80.5%, 58.6%, 67.2% and 39% of students had a low PA pattern in domains of work, transport, domestic and leisure time respectively. The practice of domestic and leisure activity was significantly lower among female students compared to males with p-values of <0.009 and 0.005. The association between PA score and its domains with BMI of students was found to be not significant. In female students a significant positive relationship was observed between domestic and BMI scores with r =0.3459, p<0.005.Conclusions: Medical students in this study were insufficiently physically active. The practice of activity was intensely lower in females compared to males. These results reflect us the crucial need for intervention on students’ health promotion strategies.


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