Maternal Perceptions of Physical Activity Spaces for Children in Texas Border colonias

This study examined differences in mother-reported physical activity (PA) and screen time (ST) based on child sex and mothers’ perceptions of PA resources for Mexican-heritage (MH) children residing in Texas-Mexico border colonias. Mothers with children 8 to 10 years old ( n = 335) from colonias in south Texas reported if there were places for their child to be physically active and their child’s hours of PA and ST per day during the week and weekend. Two-way ANCOVAs examined differences in child PA and ST based on presence of PA places and child sex. Only 46.0% of mothers ( n = 159) reported places for their child to be physically active; with no significant difference based on sex. Mothers’ perceptions of a place to play was differentially beneficial for girls’ weekday PA and ST. Findings suggest a need to increase perceived and/or actual access to PA places in colonias communities, particularly for girls.

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COVID-19 Pandemic and Remote Education Contributes to Improved Nutritional Behaviors and Increased Screen Time in a Polish Population-Based Sample of Primary School Adolescents: Diet and Activity of Youth during COVID-19 (DAY-19) Study

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13051596 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 1596

Author(s):

Aleksandra Kołota ◽

Dominika Głąbska

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Primary School ◽

Screen Time ◽

Fast Food ◽

Population Based ◽

Polish Population ◽

Remote Education ◽

Physically Active ◽

Validated Questionnaire ◽

Diet And Physical Activity

The Coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) pandemic has influenced the nutrition of individuals, including the diet followed, food availability, and food security. However, thus far, only a few studies have been published regarding the diet and activity of children and adolescents. The aim of the present study was to analyze the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic and remote education in this period on the diet and physical activity in a Polish population-based sample of primary school adolescents. In June 2020, the Diet and Activity of Youth during COVID-19 (DAY-19) Study was conducted on a population recruited based on stratified random sampling from all regions (schools sampled from counties, and counties from voivodeships). The sample consisted of a total of 1334 adolescents aged 10–16 years. The study assessed the diet and physical activity of the participants using a validated questionnaire which included questions about the period of remote education and the period before the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants were asked about the following: consumption of fruit, vegetables, soft drinks, water, French fries, and fast food; eating meals in front of the television; and the number of days they are physically active and the number of hours they spend watching television. The obtained data were analyzed by stratifying the respondents by the gender, age, size of the city and total COVID-19 morbidity in the voivodeship. It was observed that, during the pandemic and the resultant remote education, the proportion of respondents who declared the recommended intake of fruits and vegetables had increased compared to that before the pandemic—a higher proportion consumed at least three portions of fruit per day (19.0% before pandemic vs. 27.4% during pandemic; p < 0.0001), as well as three and four or more portions of vegetables per day (11.9% vs. 14.5% and 7.5% vs. 11.1%; p = 0.0004). At the same time, the proportion of respondents consuming at least three cups of water per day had increased (41.1% vs. 47.9%; p = 0.0020), whereas the proportion of respondents who never or rarely eat their meals in front of the television had decreased (35.6% vs. 28.9%; p < 0.0001), and the proportion watching television for more than 2 h a day had increased (78.3% vs. 88.4%; p < 0.0001). Based on the results, it may be concluded that, during the period of remote education due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the dietary behaviors of the studied population of Polish adolescents were more beneficial, which included a higher intake of fruit, vegetables, and water, compared to before the pandemic. In spite of the increasing screen time, including eating in front of the television, there was no reduction in the number of days the respondents were physically active.

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660 Chronotype Associations with Insomnia, Depressive Symptoms, and Changes in Sleep and Health Behaviors during the COVID-19 Pandemic

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/zsab072.658 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. A258-A258

Author(s):

Megan Petrov ◽

Matthew Buman ◽

Dana Epstein ◽

Shawn Youngstedt ◽

Nicole Hoffmann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Health Behaviors ◽

Screen Time ◽

Online Survey ◽

Light Exposure ◽

Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Time In Bed ◽

Significant Difference

Abstract Introduction Evening chronotype (i.e., night owl preference) is associated with worse insomnia and depressive symptoms, and poorer health behaviors. The aim of this study was to examine the association between chronotype and these symptoms and health behaviors during COVID-19 pandemic quarantine. Methods An online survey, distributed internationally via social media from 5/21/2020–7/1/2020, asked adults to report sociodemographic/economic information, changes in sleep (midpoint, total sleep time, sleep efficiency, time-in-bed), and health behaviors (i.e., physical activity, sedentary screen time, and outdoor light exposure patterns) from prior to during the pandemic, chronotype preference (definitely morning [DM], rather more morning [RM], rather more evening [RE], or definitely evening [DE]), and complete the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D-10). Multinomial logistic regression and ANCOVA models, adjusting for age and sex, examined associations of chronotype with COVID-19 pandemic related impacts on sleep, depressive symptoms, and health behaviors. Results A subsample of 579 participants (M age: 39y, range: 18–80; 73.6% female), currently under quarantine and neither pregnant nor performing shift work, represented each chronotype evenly (~25%). Participants delayed their sleep midpoint by 72.0min (SD=111.5) during the pandemic. DE chronotypes had a greater delay than morning types (M±SD DE: 91.0±9.0 vs. RM: 55.9±9.2 & DM: 66.1±9.3; p=0.046) with no significant change in other sleep patterns relative to other chronotypes. However, DE and RE chronotypes had greater odds of reporting that their new sleep/wake schedule was still not consistent with their “body clock” preference relative to morning types (Χ2[15]=54.8, p<0.001), reported greater ISI (F[3,503]=5.3, p=.001) and CES-D-10 scores (F[3,492]=7.9, p<.001), and had greater odds for increased or consistently moderate-to-high sedentary screen time (Χ2[12]=22.7, p=0.03) and decreased physical activity (Χ2[12]=22.5, p=0.03) than DM chronotype. There was no significant difference in change in outdoor light exposure by chronotype (Χ2[12]=12.1, p=0.43). Conclusion In an international online sample of adults under COVID-19 pandemic quarantine, evening chronotypes, despite taking the opportunity to delay sleep to match biological clock preference, reported their sleep/wake schedules were still inconsistent with personal preference, and reported greater insomnia and depressive symptoms, and odds of engaging in poorer health behaviors than morning chronotypes. Support (if any):

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Daily School Physical Activity Is Associated with Higher Level of Physical Activity Independently of Other Socioecological Factors

Sports ◽

10.3390/sports8080105 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (8) ◽

pp. 105

Author(s):

Amanda Lahti ◽

Björn Rosengren ◽

Jan-Åke Nilsson ◽

Magnus Dencker ◽

Magnus Karlsson

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Screen Time ◽

Body Height ◽

Analysis Of Covariance ◽

Parental Attitude ◽

Physically Active ◽

Time Activity ◽

Relative Age ◽

Parental Educational Level ◽

Objectively Measured

Only one fifth of children aged 11–17 years are physically active for 60 min (min)/day. As physical activity (PA) levels track from childhood to adulthood, it is important to establish healthy PA behavior early in life. This study aims to evaluate whether daily school PA is associated with objectively measured PA independently of other socioecological factors. This study includes 209 children (120 boys) aged 9.8 ± 0.6 (mean ± SD) years from four government-funded schools in Sweden. One school including 113 children (70 boys) had 40 min of daily school PA (intervention) and three schools including 96 children (50 boys) had 60 min of school PA/week (control). PA was measured during four serial days with accelerometers. General PA (GPA) was defined as mean counts per minute (cpm). Socioecological factors were collected by questionnaires, and anthropometric traits by measurements. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test whether sex, age, relative age, body height, fat mass, lean mass, screen time activity, parental educational level, parental attitude towards PA, parental PA, sibling(s)’ PA, living in a house or apartment, and whether the child was allocated to 40 min daily school PA or 60 min school PA/week, was independently associated with GPA. Daily GPA was found to be 686.9 ± 211.9 cpm. Independently of the other included factors, daily school PA was associated with +81.8 (15.7, 147.8) cpm compared with 60 min PA/week. This study infers that daily school PA is an appropriate strategy to promote PA in 10-year-old children, independently of different socioecological factors.

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Levels of physical activity and screen time usage - Preliminary analysis from the Irish National Children's Food Consumption Survey II

Proceedings of The Nutrition Society ◽

10.1017/s0029665120003006 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 79 (OCE2) ◽

Author(s):

Aisling O'Donnell ◽

Maria Buffini ◽

Laura Kehoe ◽

Aoibhín Moore Heslin ◽

Anne Nugent ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Food Consumption ◽

Body Fat ◽

Preliminary Analysis ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

World Health ◽

Physically Active ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Food Consumption Survey ◽

Consumption Survey

AbstractBeing physically active is associated with fundamental health benefits and assists with the maintenance of normal weight in children. The current World Health Organizations’ recommendation is for children to accumulate 60 minutes of physical activity (PA) per day to obtain such benefits. Conversely, time spent in sedentary behaviours including watching screens (ST) are positively associated with the risk of overweight and obesity in young people. The aim of this research was to estimate PA levels and ST usage of Irish children and to examine the relationship with body fat.This analysis was based on data collected from a nationally representative sample of Irish children aged 5–12-years (n = 591, 50% female) from The National Children's Food Consumption Survey II (www.iuna.net). The Child/Youth Physical Activity Questionnaires (C-PAQ/Y-PAQ) were used to measure PA and ST in 5–8 and 9–12-year-olds respectively. Both questionnaires were self-administered, recall instruments that assessed the frequency/duration of activities participated in over the previous 7-day period. The MET minutes (metabolic cost of the activity multiplied by the duration in minutes) of the PA's were calculated per child. Percentage body fat (%BF) was measured by a Tanita BC420MA device and participants were classified into categories based on their %BF, age and gender. Independent t-tests and ANOVA (post-hoc DunnettT-3) were used to assess differences between gender and %BF category.Overall, children spent 93 mins/d being physically active with 69% meeting the > 1hr recommendation. There was a significant difference in the time spent undertaking PA between boys (99 mins/d) and girls (88 mins/d) p = 0.020. Children spent 107 mins/d watching screens with 68% meeting the < 2hr guidance. Girls spent significantly less time watching screens (89 mins/d) than boys (124 mins/d) p ≤ 0.001. Children who had a normal %BF accumulated more PA MET mins/day compared to those who were classified as obese, which was significant in the total population (p = 0.007), for boys (p ≤ 0.001), but not girls (p = 0.929).This preliminary analysis indicates that a high proportion of Irish children are meeting the PA and ST recommendations, with boys being more physically active and spending more time watching screens compared to girls. However, results should be interpreted with caution as PA and ST usage were self-reported by participants. The association between PA MET minutes and %BF suggest that advice to encourage PA participation to combat excess adiposity in Irish children is justified. Future work should examine the role of other potential determinants of obesity in this cohort.

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Nutrition intake and physical activity in a middle school in New York City

International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health ◽

10.1515/ijamh-2014-0035 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 27 (3) ◽

pp. 335-340 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Marisol Gonzalez ◽

Ronald Feinstein ◽

Carina Iezzi ◽

Martin Fisher

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Middle School ◽

New York ◽

New York City ◽

Middle School Students ◽

York City ◽

Screen Time ◽

Great Variability ◽

School Students ◽

Significant Difference

Abstract Purpose: The threat of childhood obesity has never been greater. Behavior changes implemented during childhood and adolescence are believed to be the most successful means of thwarting the progression of this epidemic. The American Academy of Pediatrics has developed a public health campaign that promotes awareness of clinical guidelines for nutrition and physical activity. The campaign is based on a concept developed by the Maine Center for Public Health referred to as “5-2-1-0 Healthy”. The simple clear message of this concept outlines steps families can take to help prevent and treat childhood obesity. The purpose of the present study is to determine the current level of compliance and health education needs of a middle school population related to the “5-2-1-0” concept. Methods: A modified version of the 2010 National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) was distributed to students at a private, nonsectarian, middle school in New York City. The school is located in the borough of Manhattan, but includes youngsters from all five boroughs of the city. The questions were grouped and analyzed according to “5-2-1-0” categories. Surveys were scored, and the association between targeted questionnaire items and demographic variables (i.e., sex and grade) was examined. Results: All 140 students completed the survey, and there was great variability in their responses to both the nutrition and physical activity questions. Of all students, 65% reported eating one cup or more of fruit daily, and 38% reported eating one cup or more of vegetables daily. There was no statistically significant difference reported in consumption of fruits or vegetables by gender or grade. Over 60% of students indicated <2 h of DVD/video or computer/video game time per day, while 10% indicated more than 3 h per day for each. A significant difference existed in the screen time reported between grades (more screen time by the older students) and a statistically significant difference also existed in the amount of physical activity reported by gender and grade (more physical activity by males and younger students). There was no difference in the reported consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages by gender or grade. Conclusion: In a cohort of middle school students in New York City, there was great variability in compliance with the principles represented by the “5-2-1-0” concept. Changes in health behaviors were noted as students went from 6th to 7th to 8th grade, with physical activity decreasing and screen time increasing. Consequently, health curriculum topics for middle school students should focus on physical activity and screen time, while continuing to emphasize the need for proper nutrition.

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Association between Family Structure and Physical Activity of Chinese Adolescents

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2016/4278682 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Lijuan Wang ◽

Jing Qi

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Family Structure ◽

Family Environment ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Single Parent ◽

Chinese Adolescents ◽

Physically Active ◽

Biological Parents ◽

Significant Difference

Background. This study examines the association between family structure and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) of adolescents in China.Methods. The participants included 612 adolescents (317 boys and 295 girls) from Shanghai with ages ranging from 10 to 16 years. Accelerometers were used to measure the duration of MVPA of adolescents, and questionnaires on family structure were completed by the parents of these adolescents.Results. Findings suggested that family structure significantly increased the likelihood of adolescents engaging in physical activity (PA) and explained 6% of MPVA variance. Adolescents living in single-parent households and step families were more physically active than those living in two-parent homes and with biological parents, respectively. However, adolescents residing with grandparents were less active than those living with neither grandparent. No significant difference was found in MVPA time between adolescents living with one sibling and those without siblings.Conclusion. Family environment may be considered in the development of PA interventions and policies, and adolescents living with their grandparents may be targeted in PA promotion.

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Association Between Physical Activity and Post menopausal Symptoms in Saudi Women: A Cross-sectional Study

Iranian Rehabilitation Journal ◽

10.32598/irj.19.2.1237.1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 157-164

Author(s):

Muneera Almurdi ◽

◽

Syamala Buragadda ◽

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Short Form ◽

Study Groups ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Menopausal Symptoms ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Physically Active ◽

Menopausal Women ◽

Significant Difference

Objectives: Menopause is the termination of a woman’s menstrual cycle for a year. In this condition, women’s health status declines due to hormonal changes and aging. Physical Activity (PA) is among the best available alternatives for managing menopause-related symptoms without any adverse effects. This study aimed to assess the relationship between PA and symptoms, such as fatigue, depression, and insomnia in Saudi menopausal women. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 60 menopausal women; they were divided into physically active and inactive groups. The group allocation was conducted based on their PA level determined by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short-Form (IPAQ-SF). Menopausal symptoms, such as fatigue, depression, and insomnia were assessed using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), respectively, in the study groups. The association between PA and fatigue, depression, and insomnia was assessed using the Pearson correlation coefficient. The significance level was set at P≤0.05. Results: Fatigue, depression, and insomnia were more prevalent in physically inactive post-menopause women than the active women. A significant difference was observed in the outcome variables between the study groups. Furthermore, a significant association was detected between PA and fatigue, depression, and insomnia in the study participants. Discussion: Half of the explored menopausal women were physically active. Physically active menopausal women presented less fatigue, depression, and insomnia, compared to their inactive counterparts. This study suggested that PA positively impacted menopausal symptoms (fatigue, insomnia, & depression). Besides, the collected results highlighted the importance of physical activity among menopausal women.

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The effect of BMI and physical activity levels on the duration of symptomatic days with Covid-19 infection

10.1101/2020.08.21.20179499 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Boukhemis Boukelia ◽

Abdulazeem S S Alataibi

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Recovery Time ◽

Anthropometric Measurement ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Physically Active ◽

Fitness Level ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Recovery Times ◽

Activity Requirement ◽

Active Patients

Regular exercise is known to boost immunity, increase immune response to fight infection, as well as speeding up recovery times and healing processes. This study seeks to assess if exercising regularly pre- SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and/or BMI status has an effect on recovery time. A total of 215 people infected with COVD-19 from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia took part in this study (age 36 years, mass 72 kg, stature 166 cm). Only 10 patients were physically active and fulfil WHO physical activity requirement (Age 30 years, Mass 77 kg, Stature 176 cm). There was a significant difference in recovery time between active and inactive patients (P=0.00) with active patients recovery 2.7 times faster than inactive patients. Active patients showed a lower BMI level (p=0.043). Anthropometric measurement characteristics and the fitness level could be used in decision making scenarios for the estimation of the risk of complications in patients with COVID-19.

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Influence of Physically Active or Sedentary Lifestyle on Postural Control of Community-dwelling Old Adults

Exercise Medicine ◽

10.26644/em.2021.004 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 ◽

pp. 4

Author(s):

Uanderson Silva Pirôpo ◽

Silvania Moraes Costa ◽

Ícaro JS Ribeiro ◽

Ivna Vidal Freire ◽

Ludmila Schettino ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Postural Control ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Postural Balance ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Sitting Time ◽

Mean Velocity ◽

Physically Active ◽

Old Adults ◽

Significant Difference

Objectives: The maintenance of the postural balance is fundamental for the daily living activities, as well as for the practice of physical exercise. However, the aging process and sedentary behavior (i.e., large sitting time) lead to changes biological systems, impairing postural balance with consequent increased falls risk. On the other hand, physical activity practice is a protective factor against these trends. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of physical activity profile and sedentary behavior on postural control in community-dwelling old adults.Methods: This is a cross-sectional study including 208 community-dwelling old adults, which were stratified as sufficiently or insufficiently physically active and with or without sedentary behavior. Then, they were grouped as follow: G1 (sufficiently physically active and without sedentary behavior), G2 (insufficiently physically active, but without sedentary behavior), G3 (sufficiently physically active, but with sedentary behavior), and G4 (insufficiently physically active and with sedentary behavior).Results: Stabilometric parameters (sway area, total length of center of pressure [CoP] trajectory, and the mean velocity of CP displacement) were obtained to evaluate the postural control. There was significant difference between G1 and G4 on mean velocity of CoP displacement (p < 0.05).Conclusions: The coexistence of sedentary behavior and insufficient physically active profile seem to impact negatively on postural control.

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Physical Activity Levels and Related Energy Expenditure during COVID-19 Quarantine among the Sicilian Active Population: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey Study

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12114356 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (11) ◽

pp. 4356 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Valerio Giustino ◽

Anna Maria Parroco ◽

Antonio Gennaro ◽

Giuseppe Musumeci ◽

Antonio Palma ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Energy Expenditure ◽

Online Survey ◽

Short Form ◽

The Elderly ◽

Survey Study ◽

Rank Test ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Physically Active ◽

Significant Difference

Background: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Italian government has adopted containment measures to control the virus’s spread, including limitations to the practice of physical activity (PA). The aim of this study was to estimate the levels of PA, expressed as energy expenditure (MET–minute/week), among the physically active Sicilian population before and during the last seven days of the COVID-19 quarantine. Furthermore, the relation between this parameter and specific demographic and anthropometric variables was analyzed. Methods: 802 Sicilian physically active participants (mean age: 32.27 ± 12.81 years; BMI: 23.44 ± 3.33 kg/m2) were included in the study and grouped based on gender, age and BMI. An adapted version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire—short form (IPAQ-SF) was administered to the participants through an online survey. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum test were used for statistical analyses. Results: As expected, we observed a significant decrease of the total weekly energy expenditure during the COVID-19 quarantine (p < 0.001). A significant variation in the MET–min/wk in the before quarantine condition (p = 0.046) and in the difference between before and during quarantine (p = 0.009) was found for males and females. The male group decreased the PA level more than the female one. Moreover, a significant difference in the MET–min/wk was found among groups distributions of BMI (p < 0.001, during quarantine) and of age (p < 0.001, both before and during quarantine). In particular, the highest and the lowest levels of PA were reported by the young and the elderly, respectively, both before and during quarantine. Finally, the overweight group showed the lowest level of PA during quarantine. Conclusion: Based on our outcomes, we can determine that the current quarantine has negatively affected the practice of PA, with greater impacts among males and overweight subjects. In regards to different age groups, the young, young adults and adults were more affected than senior adults and the elderly.

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