scholarly journals Investigating Obesity Related Behaviours in Friendship Networks Among the Youth: A Systemized Review

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noor Alsayed ◽  
Tillal Eldabi ◽  
Habin Lee

Background: An unhealthy diet, low levels of physical activity and increased participation in sedentary activities are important obesity-related behaviours that negatively impact the health of today’s youth. Friends’ health behaviours have been found to influence the individual health behaviours; however current evidence on the specific role of friendship networks on obesity-related behaviours are inconclusive. The purpose of this review is to profile the existing literature in an attempt to identify the associations between friendship networks and obesity-related behaviours among adolescents. Method: A systemized review of the literature was undertaken after a search of the Scopus database, a total of fifteen articles were eligible for inclusion. The selected publications assessed the association between friendship networks and obesity-related behaviours (diet, physical activity, and sedentary behaviour) among the youth. Results: There is consistent evidence that friends are similar in physical activity; evidence on diet and sedentary behaviour is mixed and limited. Friendship network characteristics seem to associated with obesity-related behaviours. Popularity (receiving ties) is likely to be associated with diet, network size and the proportion of active friends is tends to be associated with physical activity and finally, network density is associated with sedentary behaviour. Conclusion: Friendships are critical in shaping young people’s obesity-related behaviours. There is extensive research investigating friendship influences on diet physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Future studies should investigate whether friendship influence operates via other obesity-related behaviours that have not been explored yet such as sleep. Results from this review are informative for designing effective public health interventions because network-based promotion interventions have a promising potential. Keywords: social networks, friendship, diet, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, obesity

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keri Jo Sawka ◽  
Gavin R. McCormack ◽  
Alberto Nettel-Aguirre ◽  
Anita Blackstaffe ◽  
Rosemary Perry ◽  
...  

Background.Adolescent friendships have been linked to physical activity levels; however, network characteristics have not been broadly examined.Method.In a cross-sectional analysis of 1061 adolescents (11–15 years), achieving 60 minutes/day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and participating in over 2 hours/day of sedentary behaviour were determined based on friendship network characteristics (density; proportion of active/sedentary friends; betweenness centrality; popularity; clique membership) and perceived social support.Results.Adolescents with no friendship nominations participated in less MVPA. For boys and girls, a ten percent point increase in active friends was positively associated with achievement of 60 minutes/day of MVPA (OR 1.11; 95% CI 1.02–1.21, OR 1.14; 95% CI 1.02–1.27, resp.). For boys, higher social support from friends was negatively associated with achieving 60 minutes/day of MVPA (OR 0.63; 95% CI 0.42–0.96). Compared with low density networks, boys in higher density networks were more likely to participate in over 2 hours/day of sedentary behaviour (OR 2.93; 95% CI 1.32–6.49). Social support from friends also modified associations between network characteristics and MVPA and sedentary behaviour.Conclusion.Different network characteristics appeared to have different consequences. The proportion of active close friends was associated with MVPA, while network density was associated with sedentary behaviour. This poses challenges for intervention design.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 205520761877645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura J Wilde ◽  
Gillian Ward ◽  
Louise Sewell ◽  
Andre M Müller ◽  
Petra A Wark

Objective Monitoring of physical activity and sedentary behaviours by mobile phone applications (apps) and wearable technology (wearables) may improve these health behaviours. This systematic review aims to synthesise the qualitative literature on the barriers and facilitators of using apps and wearables for monitoring physical activity and/or sedentary behaviour in adults. Methods This review protocol is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42017070194). Scientific databases including CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, Cochrane Library and Scopus will be searched for relevant studies published from 1 January 2012 to the date the searches are conducted. Studies will be included if they incorporated adults who used an app or wearable for monitoring physical activity and/or sedentary behaviour; explored the barriers and/or facilitators of using an app and/or wearable; and were published in English. Following duplicate screening of titles and abstracts, full texts of potentially eligible papers will be screened to identify studies using qualitative approaches to explore barriers and facilitators of using apps and/or wearables for monitoring physical activity and/or sedentary behaviour. Discrepancies will be resolved through consensus or by consulting a third screener. Relevant excerpts (quotes and text) from the included papers will be extracted and analysed thematically. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Qualitative Research Checklist will be used to appraise included studies. Conclusion The results of this work will be useful for those intending to monitor physical activity and/or sedentary behaviour using these technologies.


Author(s):  
Sara Tabatabaie ◽  
Jill S. Litt ◽  
Amanda Carrico

(1) Background: Current evidence on the association between greenery and physical activity (PA) remains inconsistent. Most studies on this association use objective measures of greenness, which do not reveal people’s perceptions of greenness in neighborhoods, or the role of quality components of greenness, such as shade, trees, and the presence of nature on this association. (2) Methods: Drawing on data from the Neighborhood Environment and Health Survey—a cross-sectional population-based survey of Denver residents in 2007—we examined which measures of greenness (perceived and objective) correlated with the self-reported PA. We also assessed how components of perceived greenness, shade, trees and the presence of nature, correlated with PA. (3) Results: Perceived greenness, reflecting perception of trees, shade and the presence of nature, was positively associated with reported moderate–vigorous PA. Conclusion: Findings provide evidence that quality aspects of greenness affect people’s perception of the neighborhood in a way that relates to PA. The individual contributions of shade, trees, and the presence of nature in this association should be analyzed in future studies. Understanding the link between shade and trees and PA has implications for how to plan for walkability and sun safety at the neighborhood scale.


Author(s):  
Alexandra Rese ◽  
Lars Görmar ◽  
Alena Herbig

AbstractCoworking spaces (CWS) are open creative labs that provide a community-like environment and the necessary surroundings for their users to build and maintain networks with different actors inside and outside the CWS. With a wide variety of knowledge and skills available in trusted surroundings as well as similar value orientations, coworkers enjoy favorable conditions to establish their network-style. However, research has not investigated the benefit of coworkers’ social networks as far as their individual creativity is concerned so far. This paper takes several network characteristics into account: structure in terms of network size and centrality in the CWS, but also trusted and reciprocal relationships, supportiveness, diversity of knowledge exchanged, and the individual openness to core coworking values. Based on the literature on social networks and small group research, we developed a research model. We tested it to get deeper insights into the phenomenon by relying on 113 coworkers in 33 private German coworking spaces. The results show that a central position in the CWS allowing for direct exchange and high individual openness to core coworking values positively affects social involvement and the diversity of knowledge exchanged, and finally, a coworker’s individual creativity. Managerial implications include the vital role of a central position in the CWS for creativity and a somewhat balanced composition of coworkers working alone or in a team.


Author(s):  
Valerie Carson ◽  
Madison Predy ◽  
Stephen Hunter ◽  
Kate Storey ◽  
Anna P. Farmer ◽  
...  

AbstractThe objective was to conduct an environmental scan of existing Canadian childcare resources targeting nutrition, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and/or sleep. A comprehensive search plan was conducted that involved four search strategies: (1) grey literature databases, (2) customized Google search engines, (3) targeted websites, and (4) consultation with content experts. A resource (i.e., information, materials) must have been created by government or an organization/agency within Canada, available in English, intended for childcare educators or directors working with children ≤ 5 years of age, and focused on targeting improvements in nutrition, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and/or sleep. The quality of each included resource was assessed using a modified version of the Authority, Accuracy, Coverage, Objectivity, Date, Significance checklist. A total of 192 eligible resources were included. Most resources targeted only nutrition (n = 101) or physical activity (n = 60), and few resources targeted only sedentary behaviour (n = 2) or sleep (n = 1). The remaining 28 resources targeted more than one health behaviour. The 4 most common topics of resources were menu/meal planning (n = 55), healthy nutrition practices/environment (n = 37), physical activities/games (n = 33), and nutrition/food literacy (n = 20). Only 52 included resources cited evidence. One-third of the included resources (n = 64) were rated as high quality, including 55 that received a point for the significance criterion. Therefore, numerous high quality Canadian childcare resources exist for nutrition and physical activity. Future resource development is needed for sedentary behaviour and sleep. Findings can assist future intervention work and the database of resources can be utilized by relevant stakeholders to support other childcare initiatives.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1356336X2098263
Author(s):  
Sara Lahuerta-Contell ◽  
Javier Molina-García ◽  
Ana Queralt ◽  
María del Mar Bernabé-Villodre ◽  
Vladimir E Martínez-Bello

From an ecological perspective that understands health behaviours to be the result of interactions between personal, psychosocial and environmental factors, different authors have described patterns and correlations between physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviours (SB) in physical education (PE). However, to our knowledge there have been no systematic evaluations of the PA levels and patterns during structured movement sessions in preschool children in Spain. Therefore, the aims of this study were: (a) to identify the individual, social and environmental factors that influence PA levels and patterns during structured movement sessions; (b) to assess PA and SB levels during these sessions in a preschool population in our country; and (c) to validate the use of the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT) in Spanish preschoolers to assess PA and SB levels, using accelerometry as the reference method. Our major findings were that: (a) young children were physically active for more than 60% of the structured movement sessions; (b) boys were significantly more active than girls; (c) the lesson context of free play was associated with low levels of SB; (d) solitary and borderline interaction patterns during structured movement sessions significantly increased moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA; (e) social interaction was generally between the same gender; and (f) teachers spent most of the time observing. This study also provides an argument for reconsidering the responsibilities of early childhood education institutions and practitioners in developing structured PA opportunities in the framework of free exploration and communication.


2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Malgorzata Pogorzelska ◽  
Tomasz Frolowicz ◽  
Pawel Drobnik ◽  
Agnieszka Cybulska ◽  
Iwona Bonislawska ◽  
...  

AbstractBackground: The purpose of the research was to check opinions of students of various stages of education in the Pomeranian province about the attractiveness of Nordic Walking in comparison with other activities.Material/Methods: About 500 intentionally selected students participated in the survey. These were students of 11-18 years of age. Half of them participated in Nordic walking PE lessons. The researched students’ schools were localized in the Pomeranian province in Poland. Methods of a diagnostic survey using two questionnaires were applied. The first one was used to assess the level of students’ physical activity and was also used to research health behaviours of children and adolescents in Europe (HBSC). The second one - our own - was created to asses the attractiveness of Nordic walking. In the first part, the subjects ranked Nordic walking in comparison with other forms of physical activity. In the second part, they declared eagerness to attend such lessons.Results: The collected data imply a vast diversity of students’ opinions about the attractiveness of Nordic walking in comparison with other forms of physical activity and indicate the need to do research in the area of students’ preferences in planning PE lessons at school.Conclusions: It seems that in subsequent years of education, NW will gain followers among this group because it is a natural form of movement, whose health effects are starting to be seen not only by teachers but also by students


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 386-393
Author(s):  
L. M. Gunina ◽  
◽  
Kazys Mylashyus ◽  
Voitenko V. L. ◽  
◽  
...  

Under high-intensity loads, the athlete's bodies take place a number of biochemical reactions and physiological processes that can lead to hyperbilirubinemia. The factors that can initiate the onset of this phenomenon include the syndrome of micro-damage muscle, violation of the integrity of erythrocyte membranes, decreased blood pH, malnutrition and increase oxygen demand of the body. Degree of expression of manifestations of physiological bilirubinemia depends on the level of adaptation of the athlete to the physical activities offered. Hyperbilirubinemia in athletes can be one of the components of the deterioration of the functional state, forming the symptoms of endogenous intoxication. The relevance of this problem in sport lies in the relatively low detection rate of hyperbilirubinemia due to the lack of regular screening studies. However, in drawing up a plan of nutritional- metabolic support for training and competitive activity and recovery measures, must not only the individual reaction of the athlete body to physical activity, but also the severity of shifts in the indicators of bilirubin metabolism and their ratio. The article describes the reasons for the increase in bilirubin levels, which can be caused by both the effect of physical activity and by the presence of pathological processes in athletes. The factors influencing the blood serum’s bilirubin content are also highlighted, which include the state of erythrocyte cell membranes and the rate of hemoglobin destruction, the functional state of the liver, the specifics of physical loads and the use of ergogenic pharmacological agents by athletes. Particular accent has been placed on the illumination of hereditary hyperbilirubinemias, which may have been detected at the stage of selection of athletes. The most common phenomenon is Gilbert's syndrome, which occurs in 2-5% of cases in the general population, is characterized in the clinic by a benign flow and is manifested by episodes of jaundice and an increase in total bilirubin content to moderate values due to indirect. The frequency of detection of hyperbilirubinemias in the population of athletes is 4.68%, among which Gilbert's disease accounts for almost half (48.7%). Conclusion. The work highlighted the pathogenesis and diagnostic algorithm of Gilbert's disease, and also emphasized that its drug prevention and correction in athletes to maintain functional and physical fitness should be carried out taking into account anti-doping rules, which requires upon diagnosis timely receipt of a therapeutic exclusion


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riana Brown ◽  
Sam G. B. Roberts ◽  
Thomas V. Pollet

Personality factors affect the properties of ‘offline’ social networks, but how they are associated with the structural properties of online networks is still unclear. We investigated how the six HEXACO personality factors (Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness and Openness to Experience) relate to Facebook use and three objectively measured Facebook network characteristics - network size, density, and number of clusters. Participants (n = 107, mean age = 20.6, 66% female) extracted their Facebook networks using the GetNet app, completed the 60-item HEXACO questionnaire and the Facebook Usage Questionnaire. Users high in Openness to Experience spent less time on Facebook. Extraversion was positively associated with network size and the number of network clusters (but not after controlling for size). These findings suggest that personality factors are associated with Facebook use and the size and structure of Facebook networks, and that personality is an important influence on both online and offline sociality.


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