SPLASH (Swimming. Positive Perceptions. Lifestyle. Activity. Strength. Healthy Habits.) Into Fitness: An Intervention for Girls

BACKGROUND Lifestyle diseases are the primary cause of death worldwide. The gradual growth of negative behavior in humans due to physical inactivity, unhealthy habit, and improper nutrition expedites lifestyle diseases. In this study, we develop a mathematical model to analyze the impact of regular physical activity, healthy habits, and a proper diet on weight change, targeting obesity as a case study. Followed by, we design an algorithm for the verification of the proposed mathematical model with simulated data of artificial participants. OBJECTIVE This study intends to analyze the effect of healthy behavior (physical activity, healthy habits, and proper dietary pattern) on weight change with a proposed mathematical model and its verification with an algorithm where personalized habits are designed to change dynamically based on the rule. METHODS We developed a weight-change mathematical model as a function of activity, habit, and nutrition with the first law of thermodynamics, basal metabolic rate (BMR), total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), and body-mass-index (BMI) to establish a relationship between health behavior and weight change. Followed by, we verified the model with simulated data. RESULTS The proposed provable mathematical model showed a strong relationship between health behavior and weight change. We verified the mathematical model with the proposed algorithm using simulated data following the necessary constraints. The adoption of BMR and TDEE calculation following Harris-Benedict’s equation has increased the model's accuracy under defined settings. CONCLUSIONS This study helped us understand the impact of healthy behavior on obesity and overweight with numeric implications and the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle abstaining from negative behavior change.

Download Full-text

What can everyone do about it? Sustainable individual choices that contribute to the SDGs

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.1403 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

R Vareda

Keyword(s):

Global Scale ◽

The Sustainable Development ◽

Individual Level ◽

Global Partnership ◽

Healthy Habits ◽

Working Together ◽

Development Goals ◽

Summer Temperatures ◽

Individual Choices ◽

Sustainable Health

Abstract Background The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) aim to solve the world's most wicked problems, which requires global partnership. That means governments, national and international organizations and worldwide leaders working together, but it also implies individuals, families and communities, which make up most of the world, must contribute. Households, schools, the health system and others have a responsibility in the consumption and demand for energy and resources of our planet and contribute largely to climate change. Awareness and population education are essential to promote action on an individual level. Objective This presentation is part of a workshop on how individuals and public health (PH) can create a more sustainable world. It aims to present the science and challenges behind changing and creating new habits, and examples of individual habits and choices everyone can make in order to contribute to the SDG and to sustainable health prevention. This presentation is based on the United Nation (UN) available material for the SDG, as well as other independent research on the subject. Results Sustainable individual actions can be divided in 3 different main themes: Food and Water - Examples. Eat a more plant-based diet; use apps like Too Good To Go®; reutilize the water from your shower... Energy - Examples. Plug all appliances into a power strip and turn them off completely when not in use; adjust your fridge and home thermostat to winter and summer temperatures; use energy efficient light bulbs; fill your house with rugs... Resources - Examples. Pay your bills online; delete your spam email; compost your food; choose a better diaper option; shop second-hand clothes... Conclusions There are a lot of habits and small choices everyone can adopt in order to contribute to a more sustainable world and to promote healthy habits. These changes may seem trivial on an individual level, but they add up to millions of resources saved for the planet at a global scale.

Download Full-text

Development and Content Validity of the Physical Activity Questionnaire-Young Children (PAQ-YC) to Assess Physical Activity in Children between 5 and 7 Years

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9060655 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 655

Author(s):

Marta Amor-Barbosa ◽

Montserrat Girabent-Farrés ◽

Ferran Rosés-Noguer ◽

Anna Ortega-Martínez ◽

Almudena Medina-Rincón ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Physical Education ◽

Young Children ◽

Content Validity ◽

Delphi Study ◽

Critical Period ◽

Consensus Criterion ◽

Physical Activity Questionnaire ◽

Healthy Habits ◽

Activity Questionnaire

Childhood is a critical period in the development and consolidation of healthy habits, such as the practice of physical activity (PA). It is essential to have valid instruments to measure PA from an early age. The aim of this study was to design and evaluate the content validity of the Physical Activity Questionnaire-Young Children (PAQ-YC) to measure the PA level in children aged 5–7 years. The first version of the questionnaire was tested by a 2-round Delphi study. It was established as a consensus criterion that the relative interquartile range (RIR) and/or the coefficient of variation (CV) were ≤20%. The most significant discrepancies in the Delphi survey (n = 11–13) were observed for items about hours of Physical Education or similar activities at school (item 7: RIR = 20, CV = 38.73) and for items about participation in Physical Education (item 8: RIR = 25, CV = 15.45). The cognitive interviews (n = 5) confirmed the version agreed by the experts. The results show that the PAQ-YC presents adequate content validity in terms of relevance, comprehensiveness and comprehensibility.

Download Full-text