scholarly journals Implementation of a workplace intervention using financial rewards to promote adherence to physical activity guidelines: a feasibility study

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Losina ◽  
Savannah R. Smith ◽  
Ilana M. Usiskin ◽  
Kristina M. Klara ◽  
Griffin L. Michl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Workplace Intervention ◽  
Physical Activity Guidelines

scholarly journals Group Outdoor Health Walks Using Activity Trackers: Measurement and Implementation Insight from a Mixed Methods Feasibility Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 2515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine N. Irvine ◽  
Melissa R. Marselle ◽  
Alan Melrose ◽  
Sara L. Warber
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Holistic Health ◽  
Physical Activity Guidelines ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Activity Trackers ◽  
Outdoor Walking ◽  
Programme Delivery

Outdoor walking groups are nature-based interventions (NBIs) that promote health and wellbeing by modifying individual behaviour. The challenges of such NBIs include the motivation of inactive adults to participate and measurement issues. This feasibility study investigates a 12-week group outdoor health walk (GOHW) incorporating activity trackers and use of a holistic health and wellbeing measure, the Self-sasessment of Change (SAC) scale. A mixed methods design explored participant recruitment and retention, programme delivery, and measures of physical activity and health and wellbeing. Walker data included: pre-post questionnaires, daily step counts, and interviews. Programme delivery information included: weekly checklists, staff reflections, stakeholder meeting minutes, and a report. Thirteen adults (age 63–81, 76% female) joined and completed the activity tracker GOHW. Activity trackers motivated walkers to join and be more active but complicated programme delivery. Activity trackers allowed the quantification of physical activity and the SAC health and wellbeing measure was easy to use. By week 12, all participants met national physical activity guidelines. Clinically relevant changes on the SAC scale included: sleeping well, experiencing vibrant senses, and feeling energised, focused, joyful, calm and whole. Results illustrate the feasibility of using activity trackers to motivate engagement in and provide a measure of physical activity from GOHWs. The SAC scale offers a promising measure for nature–health research. A conceptual model is provided for the development of future large-scale studies of NBIs, such as group outdoor health walks.

scholarly journals Effects of an Activity Tracker and App Intervention to Increase Physical Activity in Whole Families—The Step It Up Family Feasibility Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (20) ◽  
pp. 7655
Author(s):  
Stephanie Schoeppe ◽  
Jo Salmon ◽  
Susan L. Williams ◽  
Deborah Power ◽  
Stephanie Alley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Physical Activity Guidelines ◽  
Mothers And Fathers ◽  
Activity Tracker ◽  
Activity Trackers ◽  
Family Program ◽  
The Mean

(1) Background: Interventions using activity trackers and smartphone apps have demonstrated their ability to increase physical activity in children and adults. However, they have not been tested in whole families. Further, few family-centered interventions have actively involved both parents and assessed physical activity effects separately for children, mothers and fathers. Objective: To examine the feasibility and short-term effects of an activity tracker and app intervention to increase physical activity in the whole family (children, mothers and fathers). (2) Methods: This was a single-arm feasibility study with pre-post intervention measures. Between 2017–2018, 40 families (58 children aged 6–10 years, 39 mothers, 33 fathers) participated in the 6-week Step it Up Family program in Queensland, Australia. Using commercial activity trackers combined with apps (Garmin Vivofit Jr for children, Vivofit 3 for adults; Garmin Australasia Pty Ltd., Sydney, Australia), the intervention included individual and family-level goal-setting, self-monitoring, performance feedback, family step challenges, family social support and modelling, weekly motivational text messages and an introductory session. Parent surveys were used to assess physical activity effects measured as pre-post intervention changes in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in children, mothers and fathers. Objective Garmin activity tracker data was recorded to assess physical activity levels (steps, active minutes) during the intervention. (3) Results: Thirty-eight families completed the post intervention survey (95% retention). At post intervention, MVPA had increased in children by 58 min/day (boys: 54 min/day, girls: 62 min/day; all p < 0.001). In mothers, MVPA increased by 27 min/day (p < 0.001) and in fathers, it increased by 31 min/day (p < 0.001). The percentage of children meeting Australia’s physical activity guidelines for children (≥60 MVPA min/day) increased from 34% to 89% (p < 0.001). The percentage of mothers and fathers meeting Australia’s physical activity guidelines for adults (≥150 MVPA min/week) increased from 8% to 57% (p < 0.001) in mothers and from 21% to 68% (p < 0.001) in fathers. The percentage of families with ‘at least one child and both parents’ meeting the physical activity guidelines increased from 0% to 41% (p < 0.001). Objective activity tracker data recorded during the intervention showed that the mean (SD) number of active minutes per day in children was 82.1 (17.1). Further, the mean (SD) steps per day was 9590.7 (2425.3) in children, 7397.5 (1954.2) in mothers and 8161.7 (3370.3) in fathers. (4) Conclusions: Acknowledging the uncontrolled study design, the large pre-post changes in MVPA and rather high step counts recorded during the intervention suggest that an activity tracker and app intervention can increase physical activity in whole families. The Step it Up Family program warrants further efficacy testing in a larger, randomized controlled trial.

Efficacy of an activity tracker-and app intervention to increase physical activity in the entire family: Pilot single-arm intervention study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Schoeppe ◽  
Jo Salmon ◽  
Susan L. Williams ◽  
Deborah Power ◽  
Stephanie Alley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Intervention Study ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Entire Family ◽  
Physical Activity Guidelines ◽  
Mothers And Fathers ◽  
Activity Tracker ◽  
Activity Trackers ◽  
Family Program ◽  
Intervention Efficacy

BACKGROUND Interventions using activity trackers and smartphone apps have demonstrated their ability to increase physical activity in children and adults. However, they have not been tested in entire families. Further, few family-centred interventions have actively involved both parents, and assessed intervention efficacy separately for children, mothers and fathers. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to examine the short-term efficacy of an activity tracker and app intervention to increase physical activity in the entire family (children, mothers and fathers). METHODS This was a pilot single-arm intervention study with pre-post measures. Between 2017-2018, 40 families (58 children aged 6-10 years, 39 mothers, 33 fathers) participated in the 6-week Step it Up Family program in Queensland, Australia. Using commercial activity trackers combined with apps (Garmin Vivofit Jr for children, Vivofit 3 for adults), the intervention included individual and family-level goal-setting, self-monitoring, performance feedback, family step challenges, family social support and modelling, weekly motivational text messages, and an introductory session delivered face-to-face or via telephone. Parent surveys were used to assess intervention efficacy measured as pre-post intervention changes in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in children, mothers and fathers. RESULTS Thirty-eight families completed the post intervention survey (95% retention). At post intervention, MVPA had increased in children by 58 min/day (boys: 54 min/day, girls: 62 min/day; all P < .001). In mothers, MVPA increased by 27 min/day (P < .001), and in fathers, it increased by 31 min/day (P < .001). Furthermore, the percentage of children meeting Australia’s physical activity guidelines for children (≥60 MVPA min/day) increased from 34% to 89% (P < .001). The percentage of mothers and fathers meeting Australia’s physical activity guidelines for adults (≥150 MVPA min/week) increased from 8% to 57% (P < .001) in mothers, and from 21% to 68% (P < .001) in fathers. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that an activity tracker and app intervention is an efficacious approach to increasing physical activity in entire families to meet national physical activity guidelines. The Step it Up Family program warrants further testing in a larger, randomised controlled trial to determine its long-term impact. CLINICALTRIAL No trial registration as this is not an RCT. It is a pilot single-arm intervention study

scholarly journals The effect of long-term poor sleep quality on risk of back-related disability and the modifying role of physical activity

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eivind Schjelderup Skarpsno ◽  
Tom Ivar Lund Nilsen ◽  
Paul Jarle Mork
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Poor Sleep Quality ◽  
Physical Activity Guidelines ◽  
Adjusted Risk ◽  
Increased Risk

AbstractSleep problems and regular leisure time physical activity (LTPA) are interrelated and have contrasting effects on risk of back pain. However, no studies have investigated the influence of long-term poor sleep quality on risk of back-related disability, or if LTPA modifies this association. The study comprised data on 8601 people who participated in three consecutive surveys over ~ 22 years, and who reported no chronic back pain at the two first surveys. Adjusted risk ratios (RRs) for back-related disability were calculated at the last survey, associated with the joint effect of changes in sleep quality between the two first surveys and meeting physical activity guidelines at the second survey. Compared to people with long-term good sleep, people with long-term poor sleep had nearly twice the risk of back-related disability (RR 1.92, 95% CI 1.48–2.49). There was no statistical interaction between sleep and LTPA but people who reported long-term poor sleep and meeting the physical activity guidelines had 35% lower risk of back-related disability compared to people with same level of sleep problems, but who not met the guidelines. These findings suggest that long-term poor sleep quality contributes to a substantially increased risk of chronic and disabling back pain irrespective of LTPA.

scholarly journals Recall, perceptions and determinants of receiving physical activity advice amongst cancer survivors: a mixed-methods survey

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel T. Orange ◽  
Stephen E. Gilbert ◽  
Morven C. Brown ◽  
John M. Saxton
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Sociodemographic Characteristics ◽  
Physical Activity Guidelines ◽  
Physical Activity Advice ◽  
Exercise Specialist ◽  
Tailored Approach ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Exercise Guidelines

Abstract Purpose This study explored cancer survivors’ views and experiences of receiving physical activity advice post-diagnosis. We also determined the influence of sociodemographic characteristics on the recall of physical activity advice and whether receiving advice was associated with meeting physical activity guidelines. Methods An anonymised, mixed-methods, 27-item survey was distributed to cancer survivors via online cancer communities in the UK. Results Of the 242 respondents, 52% recalled receiving physical activity advice. Of those who recalled receiving advice, only 30% received guidance on type of physical activity and 14% were referred to another source of information or exercise specialist. Advice was most often given after treatment cessation, with only 19% of respondents receiving advice during active treatment. Most respondents (56%) expressed a need for further information. There was no evidence of associations between sociodemographic characteristics and recall of physical activity advice. However, cancer survivors who perceived the physical activity advice they received as being appropriate (odds ratio [OR] 3.8, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.4–10.7) and those with a higher level of education (OR 3.2, 95% CI: 1.8–5.8) were more likely to meet aerobic exercise guidelines. Females were less likely to meet resistance exercise guidelines than males (OR 0.44, 95% CI: 0.21–0.90). Conclusion There is scope to improve the provision of physical activity advice in cancer care by providing advice in a timely manner after diagnosis, referring patients to a suitable exercise or rehabilitation specialist when indicated, and using a tailored approach to ensure the advice is appropriate for specific sociodemographic groups.

The translation of preschoolers’ physical activity guidelines into a daily step count target

2014 ◽  
Vol 33 (10) ◽  
pp. 1051-1057 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marieke De Craemer ◽  
Ellen De Decker ◽  
Ilse De Bourdeaudhuij ◽  
Maïté Verloigne ◽  
Yannis Manios ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Step Count ◽  
Daily Step ◽  
Physical Activity Guidelines ◽  
Daily Step Count

scholarly journals Walking Cadence to Exercise at Moderate Intensity for Adults: A Systematic Review

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Slaght ◽  
M. Sénéchal ◽  
T. J. Hrubeniuk ◽  
A. Mayo ◽  
D. R. Bouchard
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Leisure Activity ◽  
Moderate Intensity ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Physical Activity Guidelines ◽  
Aerobic Activity ◽  
Physical Activity Levels

Background. Most adults choose walking as a leisure activity. However, many do not reach the international physical activity guidelines for adults, which recommend moderate intensity aerobic activity for at least 150 minutes/week in bouts of 10 minutes. Purpose. This systematic review provides an update on the walking cadence required to reach moderate intensity in adults and older adults, identifies variables associated with reaching moderate intensity, and evaluates how walking cadence intensity should be measured, but the main purpose is to report the interventions that have been attempted to prescribe walking cadence to increase time spent at moderate intensity or other outcomes for adults and older adults. Methods. SportDISCUS, Scopus, and PubMed databases were searched. We identified 3,917 articles and 31 were retained for this systematic review. Only articles written in English were included. Results. In general, 100 steps/minute is prescribed for adults to achieve moderate intensity, but older adults may require a higher cadence. Currently, few studies have explored using walking cadence prescription as an intervention to increase physical activity levels. Conclusion. Prescribing walking cadence as a way to increase physical activity levels has potential as a practical and useful strategy, but more evidence is required to assess its ability to increase physical activity levels at moderate intensity.

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