Childcare Correlates of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Adiposity in Preschool Children: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the SPLASHY Study

Background. The childcare (CC) environment can influence young children’s physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), and adiposity. The aim of the study was to identify a broad range of CC correlates of PA, SB, and adiposity in a large sample of preschoolers. Methods. 476 preschool children (mean age 3.9 yrs; 47% girls) participated in the Swiss Preschoolers’ Health Study (SPLASHY). PA and SB were measured by accelerometry. Outcome measures included total PA (TPA), moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), SB, body mass index (BMI), and skinfold thickness (SF). PA measures consisted of both daily PA during CC attendance days and overall daily PA (CC and non-CC days). Results. We identified the following CC correlates for higher TPA and/or higher MVPA or lower SB during CC attendance days: older age, sex (boys), more frequent child-initiated interactions during CC, mixing different ages within a group, and the presence of a written PA policy in the CC (all p≤0.02). The CC correlates for overall TPA and/or MVPA or lower overall SB including both CC and non-CC days were the following: older age, sex (boys), more frequent child-initiated interactions during CC, mixing different ages within a group, less parental PA involvement in the CC, and having a larger surface area in CC (all p≤0.046). Correlates for lower SF were sex (boys) and parental PA involvement in the CC (all p≤0.02), and, for lower BMI, only increased age (p=0.001) was a correlate. Conclusions. More frequent child-initiated interactions and mixing different ages in CC, the presence of a written PA policy, and a larger CC surface are correlates of PA and SB during CC attendance days and/or of overall PA. Parental involvement in CC PA projects was a correlate for reduced body fat. These novel factors are mostly modifiable and can be tackled/addressed in future interventions.

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Daily Sitting for Long Periods Increases the Odds for Subclinical Atheroma Plaques

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10061229 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 1229

Author(s):

Jose Luis Perez-Lasierra ◽

Martin Laclaustra ◽

Pilar Guallar-Castillón ◽

Jose Antonio Casasnovas ◽

Jose Antonio Casajús ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Subclinical Atherosclerosis ◽

Sitting Time ◽

Health Study ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Trained Personnel ◽

Atherosclerosis Development ◽

Sectional Analysis ◽

The Relationship

Sedentarism is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), but currently it is not clear how a sedentary behavior such as long sitting time can affect atherosclerosis development. This study examined the relationship between sitting time and the prevalence of carotid and femoral subclinical atherosclerosis. A cross-sectional analysis based on a subsample of 2082 participants belonging to the Aragon Workers’ Health Study was carried out. Ultrasonography was used to assess the presence of plaques in carotid and femoral territories; the validated Spanish version of the questionnaire on the frequency of engaging in physical activity used in the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals’ was used to assess physical activity and sitting time; and demographic, anthropometric, and clinical data were obtained by trained personnel during the annual medical examination. Participants were categorized into <9 h/day and ≥9 h/day sitting time groups. After adjusting for several confounders, compared with participants that remain seated <9 h/day, those participants who remain seated ≥9 h/day had, respectively, OR = 1.25 (95%CI: 1.01, 1.55, p < 0.05) and OR = 1.38 (95%CI: 1.09, 1.74, p < 0.05) for carotid and any-territory plaque presence. Remaining seated ≥9 h/day is associated with higher odds for carotid and any-territory plaque presence independently of physical activity levels and other cardiovascular risk factors.

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Spirituality and Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior among Latino Men and Women in Massachusetts

Ethnicity & Disease ◽

10.18865/ed.27.1.3 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

pp. 3 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Valerie J. Silfee ◽

Christina F. Haughton ◽

Stephenie C. Lemon ◽

Vilma Lora ◽

Milagros C. Rosal

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Family Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Future Research ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Latino Men ◽

Hispanic Adults ◽

Sectional Analysis ◽

The Impact

Objective: To examine the relationships between spirituality and physical activity and sedentary behavior in a sample of Latino adults in Massachusetts.Design: This is a cross-sectional analysis of the Lawrence Health and Well Being Study; a study that was conducted among patients at the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center (GLFHC) in Lawrence, Massachusetts.Participants: 602 Latino or Hispanic adults aged 21 to 85 years completed the study.Results: There was a significant negative relationship between spirituality and sedentary behavior (β= -.12, p = .004). Although not statistically significant, higher spirituality was associated with increased odds of engaging in physical activity. There were no significant associations between spirituality and physical activity among men or women. Men with greater spirituality were significantly less sedentary (β = -.17, P = .005). There was no relationship between sedentary behavior and spirituality among women.Conclusions: This study found that individuals who are more spiritual are also less sedentary, and this association was stronger in men than women. Findings provide insight for developing future interventions to promote activity in this high-risk population, which has been greatly understudied. Future research endeavors should consider investigating the impact of spirituality-based messages to reduce sedentary behavior among Latinos.Ethn Dis. 2017;27(1):3-10; doi:10.18865/ed.27.1.3.

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Physical activity and sedentary behavior among Chinese children aged 6–17 years: a cross-sectional analysis of 2010–2012 China National Nutrition and health survey

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-019-7259-2 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Chao Song ◽

Weiyan Gong ◽

Caicui Ding ◽

Fan Yuan ◽

Yan Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Health Survey ◽

Chinese Children ◽

Nutrition And Health ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Cross Sectional Analysis ◽

Sectional Analysis

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Correlates of preschool children’s objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behavior: a cross-sectional analysis of the SPLASHY study

International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity ◽

10.1186/s12966-016-0456-9 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 47

Author(s):

Einat A. Schmutz ◽

Claudia S. Leeger-Aschmann ◽

Thomas Radtke ◽

Stefanie Muff ◽

Tanja H. Kakebeeke ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Cross Sectional Analysis ◽

Objectively Measured ◽

Sectional Analysis ◽

Objectively Measured Physical Activity

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Correlates of and changes in aerobic physical activity and strength training before and after the onset of COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. Findings from the HEBECO study.

10.1101/2021.01.16.21249925 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Aleksandra Herbec ◽

Verena Schneider ◽

Abi Fisher ◽

Dimitra Kale ◽

Lion Shahab ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Strength Training ◽

Older Age ◽

Annual Household Income ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Education Access ◽

White Ethnicity ◽

Before And After ◽

The Uk ◽

Sectional Analysis

Objectives: Understanding changes in moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activity (MVPA) and strength training (MSA) from before to after (pre-/post-) the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK (first lockdown) and their correlates can inform interventions. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of retrospective and concurrent data on MVPA/MSA pre- and post-Covid-19 (until 14th June 2020) among 2,657 UK adults. The associations between socio-demographic and health characteristics, MVPA/MSA pre-Covid-19, living and exercise conditions and meeting WHO recommended levels for MVPA/MSA/both (vs meeting neither), and changes in MVPA/MSA from pre- to post-Covid-19 following stratification for pre-Covid-19 MVPA/MSA levels were evaluated. Results: A third of adults maintained (30.4%), decreased (36.2%) or increased (33.4%) their MVPA levels post-Covid-19. For MSA, the percentages were 61.6%, 18.2%, and 20.2%, respectively. MVPA increased or decreased by an average of 150min/week, and MSA by 2 days/week. Meeting both MSA+MVPA recommendations during lockdown (vs. meeting neither) was positively associated with meeting MVPA+MSA pre-lockdown (aOR=16.11,95%CI=11.24-23.07), and post-16-years of age education (aOR=1.57,1.14-2.17), and negatively associated with being obese (aOR=0.49,0.33-0.73), older age (65+ vs ≤34; aOR=.53,.32-.87), and annual household income <50.000GBP (vs ≥50.000GBP; aOR=0.65,0.46-0.91). The odds for decreasing MVPA were significantly lower for white ethnicity, post-16-years of age education, access to garden/balcony, and higher for those who were in total isolation. The odds for decreasing MSA were significantly higher for those who were overweight or obese. Conclusion: Aerobic and strength training were differently impacted during the first UK lockdown, with poorer outcomes associated with older age, lower education, and higher body mass index.

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Association of physical activity with adiposity in preschoolers using different clinical adiposity measures: a cross-sectional study

BMC Pediatrics ◽

10.1186/s12887-019-1764-4 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Amar Arhab ◽

Nadine Messerli-Bürgy ◽

Tanja H. Kakebeeke ◽

Kerstin Stülb ◽

Annina Zysset ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Total Sample ◽

Skinfold Thickness ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Health Study ◽

Obese Children ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Linear Regression Modeling ◽

Objectively Measured

Abstract Background More research is needed about the association between physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB), and adiposity in preschoolers, particularly using more direct clinical measures of adiposity. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to investigate the association between objectively measured PA and different clinical adiposity measures in a large sample of preschoolers. Methods Four hundred sixty-three predominantly normal-weight (77%) 2–6-year-old preschool children participated in the Swiss Preschoolers’ Health Study (SPLASHY). Physical activity was measured using accelerometers and was analyzed using 15-s (uni-axial) epoch length using validated cut-offs. Adiposity measures included body mass index (BMI), the sum of four skinfolds, and waist circumference (WC). Multilevel linear regression modeling, adjusted for age, sex and wear time, was used to assess the association between PA and SB with BMI, WC, and skinfold thickness. Results Total PA and different PA intensities were positively and SB was inversely associated with BMI in the total sample and in the normal-weight children (p < 0.05). Total PA was inversely associated with skinfold thickness in overweight and obese children (p < 0.05), while there was only a weak association for vigorous PA (p > 0.05). Moderate and moderate-to-vigorous PA were positively, and SB was negatively associated with WC in the total sample and in the normal-weight children (p < 0.05). Additional adjustment for potential sociocultural and biological confounding variables attenuated some of the results. Conclusions In this very young and predominantly normal-weight population, PA is positively related to BMI and WC, but this relationship is not observed in overweight and obese children. In this latter population, PA is inversely, and SB is positively related to skinfold thickness. Skinfold thickness could represent a useful and simple clinical measure of body fat in preschoolers. The role of vigorous PA in the prevention of early childhood obesity should be further investigated in future studies. Trial registration ISRCTN ISRCTN41045021. Retrospectively registered 06 May 2014.

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The Relationship Between Time of Day of Physical Activity and Obesity in Older Women

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.2015-0152 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 416-418 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Andrea K. Chomistek ◽

Eric J. Shiroma ◽

I-Min Lee

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Weight Control ◽

Time Of Day ◽

Health Study ◽

Healthy Weight ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Important Health ◽

Novel Strategy ◽

Study Participants ◽

Sectional Analysis

Background:Physical activity is important for maintaining healthy weight. The time of day when exercise is performed—a highly discretionary aspect of behavior—may impact weight control, but evidence is limited. Thus, we examined the association between the timing of physical activity and obesity risk in women.Methods:A cross-sectional analysis was conducted among 7157 Women’s Health Study participants who participated in an ancillary study begun in 2011 that is measuring physical activity using accelerometers. The exposure was percentage of total accelerometer counts accumulated before 12:00 noon and the outcome was obesity.Results:Mean (±SD) BMI among participants was 26.1 (±4.9) kg/m2 and 1322 women were obese. The mean activity counts per day was 203,870 (±95,811) of which a mean 47.1% (±11.5%) were recorded in the morning. In multivariable-adjusted models, women who recorded < 39% (lowest quartile) of accelerometer counts before 12:00 noon had a 26% higher odds of being obese, compared with those recording ≥ 54% (highest quartile) of counts before noon (Ptrend = 0.02).Conclusions:These study findings—that women who are less active during morning hours may be at higher risk of obesity—if confirmed can provide a novel strategy to help combat the important health problem of obesity.

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Relationship between Physical Activity and Physical Fitness in Preschool Children: A Cross-Sectional Study

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2017/9314026 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Hui Fang ◽

Minghui Quan ◽

Tang Zhou ◽

Shunli Sun ◽

Jiayi Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Preschool Children ◽

Physical Fitness ◽

Aerobic Fitness ◽

Skinfold Thickness ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Balance Beam ◽

Long Jump ◽

Objectively Measured

Purpose. To evaluate the relationships between objectively measured physical activity and physical fitness among preschool children. Methods. A total of 346 participants (201 boys and 145 girls) aged 3.5–5.5 years (M=4.5 yr, SD = 0.47) from Shanghai, China, completed physical fitness assessments, including triceps skinfold thickness (TSFT), grip strength, tennis throwing, sit and reach test, standing long jump, balance beam, 10mSRT, and 20mSRT. Physical activity was objectively measured by ActiGraphGT3X+ accelerometer. Multiple linear regression models were used to explore the cross-sectional associations between PA and physical fitness after adjusting for age, gender, BMI, and valid wearing time. Results. Positive associations were observed between stand long jump (p<.01), tennis throwing (p<.01), laps in 20mSRT (p<.01), and MVPA. However, TSFT (p<.05), time in 10mSRT (p<.01), and balance beam (p<.05) were negatively associated with MVPA. Furthermore, positive associations were found between stand long jump (p<.01), tennis throwing (p<.01), and MVPA only in boys. Negative associations were found between time on balance beam (p<.01) and MVPA only in girls. Conclusions. MVPA appears to be an effective and reliable predictor of preschoolers’ physical fitness. Boys’ body composition, muscular strength, explosive strength, agility, aerobic fitness, girls’ agility, aerobic fitness, and balance could improve as MVPA increases.

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