Lifestyle, Maternal Nutrition and Healthy Pregnancy

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 132-140
Author(s):  
Alfonso Mate ◽  
Claudia Reyes-Goya ◽  
Álvaro Santana-Garrido ◽  
Carmen M. Vázquez
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Maternal Nutrition ◽  
Muscle Tone ◽  
Maternal Diet ◽  
Perinatal Outcomes ◽  
Psychosocial Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
Large For Gestational Age ◽  
Moderate Physical Activity ◽  
Healthy Pregnancy

: Healthy lifestyle habits spanning from preconception to postpartum are considered as a major safeguard for achieving successful pregnancies and for the prevention of gestational diseases. Among preconception priorities established by the World Health Organization (WHO) are healthy diet and nutrition, weight management, physical activity, planned pregnancy and physical, mental and psychosocial health. Most studies covering the topic of healthy pregnancies focus on maternal diet because obesity increases the risks for adverse perinatal outcomes, including gestational diabetes mellitus, large for gestational age newborns, or preeclampsia. Thus, foods rich in vegetables, essential and polyunsaturated fats and fibre-rich carbohydrates should be promoted especially in overweight, obese or diabetic women. An adequate intake of micronutrients (e.g. iron, calcium, folate, vitamin D and carotenoids) is also crucial to support pregnancy and breastfeeding. Moderate physical activity throughout pregnancy improves muscle tone and function, besides decreasing the risk of preeclampsia, gestational diabesity (i.e. diabetes associated with obesity) and postpartum overweight. Intervention studies claim that an average of 30 min of exercise/day contributes to long-term benefits for maternal overall health and wellbeing. Other factors such as microbiome modulation, behavioural strategies (e.g. smoking cessation, anxiety/stress reduction and sleep quality), maternal genetics and age, social class and education might also influence the maternal quality of life. These factors contribute to ensure a healthy pregnancy, or at least to reduce the risk of adverse maternal and foetal outcomes during pregnancy and later in life.

Concurrent Validity Between Electronically Administered Physical Activity Questionnaires and Objectively Measured Physical Activity in Danish Community-Dwelling Older Adults

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Rasmus T. Larsen ◽  
Christoffer B. Korfitsen ◽  
Carsten B. Juhl ◽  
Henning Boje Andersen ◽  
Henning Langberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Concurrent Validity ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
World Health ◽  
Moderate Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Activity Questionnaire ◽  
Objectively Measured ◽  
Activity Questionnaire

Aim: To investigate the concurrent validity of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-short form (IPAQ-SF) and the Nordic Physical Activity Questionnaire-short (NPAQ-short) when compared with objectively measured daily steps among older adults. Methods: Spearman’s ρ between IPAQ-SF and NPAQ-short and objectively measured steps using Garmin Vivofit 3 physical activity monitors. Results: A total of 54 participants were included. The IPAQ-SF subscales’ moderate physical activity (PA), moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA), and sedentary time showed little or no correlation with daily steps. The NPAQ-short subscales’ vigorous PA, moderate PA, and MVPA showed little or no correlation. The IPAQ-SF subscales’ vigorous PA and walking showed fair correlation. Only the IPAQ-SF metabolic equivalent of task minutes showed moderate to good correlation with daily steps. The IPAQ-SF categories and NPAQ-short categorization of World Health Organization compliance were significantly different, but the magnitudes were small and distributions indicated problems with the categorization. Conclusion: The concurrent validity is low, as the scores did not reflect objectively measured daily steps.

scholarly journals How to be physically active while social distancing? You need to exercise!

2021 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-162
Author(s):  
Leonardo Gomes de Oliveira Luz ◽  
Marcos de Sá Rego Fortes ◽  
Geraldo de Albuquerque Maranhão Neto
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Exercise ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
World Health ◽  
Moderate Physical Activity ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Insufficient Physical Activity ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: A coronavirus epidemic began in November 2019 (COVID-19) in the Chinese city of Wuhan. However, the current scenario shows the coexistence of other pandemics, the insufficient physical activity level and obesity, the effect of this combination tends to enhance the complications attributed to coronavirus infection. In this scenario, among other strategies to combat COVID-19, social distancing, and active lifestyle compatible with a healthy immune function are recommended. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of COVID-19 pandemic over the populational habitual physical activity and recommend the inclusion of a physical exercise routine in your daily life. Conclusion: Moderate physical activity is indicated in order to meet the recent recommendations of the World Health Organization and to optimize the immune response. Therefore, the daily physical exercise should be included, especially at home in longer periods of social distancing.

scholarly journals Benefits of physical activity on elderly

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (18) ◽  
pp. 25-33
Author(s):  
Esther Lizbeth Islas-Cruz
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Muscle Tone ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
World Health ◽  
Health Organization

Introduction: The increase in the Elderly population as the main characteristic of the demographic transition brings with it multiple challenges for public health. As part of the public politics of the World Health Organization (WHO) on healthy aging, Physical Activity (PA) is relevant, being the subject of multiple studies about its benefits on the quality of life of older people. The adoption of a healthy lifestyle at an early age and even in old age, which includes PA, favors the quality of life of the subjects and a healthy aging. Method: This article is a systematic review of the Pubmed, Google Schoolar, Elsevier, Scielo and Redalyc index. Using the keywords, 132 related articles were found, however, according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 120 articles were discarded, leaving 12 studies for review. Results: 72% of the studies showed benefits at a physical level: PA in old age improves strength, balance, flexibility and muscle tone. It is also related to a significant reduction in arterial stiffness. 11% of the investigations refer to improvements in the psychoemotional sphere: PA generates positive feelings such as happiness or good self-perception. And 17% of the articles focused on quality of life: PA favors the perception of better quality of life. Conclusion: Physical activity improves health in the physical, mental and social spheres of older adults, improving their quality of life and promoting healthy aging.

Overcoming weight bias: promoting physical activity and psychosocial health

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 187-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patti Lou Watkins ◽  
Vicki Ebbeck ◽  
Susan S. Levy
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Weight Loss ◽  
Psychosocial Health ◽  
Weight Bias ◽  
Moderate Physical Activity ◽  
Obese Women ◽  
Fat Percentage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Body Attractiveness ◽  
Quasi Experimental

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate Feel WonderFull Fitness (FWF), a program adhering to the Health At Every SizeTM (HAES) paradigm, on larger women's physical activity and psychosocial health. FWF was tailored to overcome barriers based on weight bias. Design/methodology/approach – The study compared “overweight” and “obese” women in FWF to those not currently enrolled in formal exercise programs. Controls were divided into low physical activity (LPA) and moderate physical activity (MPA) conditions based on pretest exercise level. Outcome measures were collected at pretest and three months later at posttest. Findings – FWF participants had the greatest gains in physical activity and demonstrated significantly greater improvements in depression than the LPA group. FWF and the MPA group showed more improved scores on perceived body attractiveness than the LPA group. Scores on an eating disorders measure improved for all groups, but somewhat more so for the FWF group. Improvements occurred in the absence of weight loss or decreases in body mass index and body fat percentage. Research limitation – The study was based on a small, homogenous sample using a quasi-experimental design. Practical implications – The study illustrates HAES strategies that practitioners might incorporate into various health and fitness settings. Social implications – The study highlights weight bias as a social justice issue and as a barrier to physical activity participation for larger women. Originality/value – The study adds to a growing body of literature evaluating HAES approaches, with HAES representing a novel alternative to weight-loss interventions for improving psychosocial health among larger women. It also contributes to the literature on weight bias that has been understudied relative to bias based on other areas of difference.

Possible Effects of Social Media Use on Adolescent Health Behaviors and Perceptions

2020 ◽  
pp. 003329412092248
Author(s):  
Greta Buda ◽  
Justė Lukoševičiūtė ◽  
Laura Šalčiūnaitė ◽  
Kastytis Šmigelskas
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Health Behaviors ◽  
Media Use ◽  
World Health ◽  
Health Perceptions ◽  
Moderate Physical Activity ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Problematic Social Media Use

Social media use is one of the most popular leisure activities among adolescents. Concomitant to this is a growing concern regarding problematic social media use and its relationship with health behaviors. To further increase the body of research into this phenomenon, our study explored the relationship between problematic social media use and physical activity levels, sleep peculiarities, and life satisfaction in Lithuanian children and adolescents. The study was conducted in April to June 2018 during the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey in Lithuania, a collaborative project of the World Health Organization. The sample comprised 4,191 school children (mean age 13.9 ± 1.69 years). The findings show that problematic social media use associates with about two times higher odds for worse sleep quality and lower life satisfaction. Problematic social media use was related to lower levels of vigorous physical activity in girls, but the possible effect on moderate physical activity was in boys and was inverse—boys with problematic social media use reported higher levels of moderate physical activity. Overall, in our study, girls with problematic social media use tended to have more negative health perceptions than boys. The results suggest that problematic social media use is an independent risk factor for negative health behaviors. This study adds to the accumulating knowledge that problematic social media use among adolescents may lead to worse health perceptions and, likely, further negative health outcomes.

Levels of Physical Activity Among Older Adults in the European Union

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Ángel Luis Clemente Remón ◽  
Víctor Jiménez Díaz-Benito ◽  
José Emilio Jiménez Beatty ◽  
José Antonio Santacruz Lozano
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
European Union ◽  
Older People ◽  
World Health ◽  
Moderate Physical Activity ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The North ◽  
Highly Active ◽  
Metabolic Equivalents ◽  
Health Organization

The study aimed to ascertain the levels of older European people’s physical activity according to sociodemographic variables. The sample size was 7,893 citizens aged 65 and over from the European Union. The participants were classified as physically inactive, adequately active, or highly active, according to the World Health Organization. The total metabolic equivalents of task minutes per week were also calculated. In the results, 55.5% of older people were adequately active, and 43.8% were highly active, especially in the North and West. The average metabolic equivalents of task minutes per week was 1,313 metabolic equivalents of task minutes, with walking as the main activity, followed by moderate physical activity and vigorous activity. Male older people of a lower age from the North and West, with a higher level of education and less difficulty in paying bills, were more likely to be physically active. As a conclusion, only slightly more than half the population were adequately active. These sociodemographic inequalities show the necessity of implementing specific measures.

scholarly journals COVID-19 and home confinement: data on physical activity

2021 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-40
Author(s):  
J Fernández-Rio ◽  
JA Cecchini ◽  
A Méndez-Giménez ◽  
A Carriedo
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Vigorous Physical Activity ◽  
World Health ◽  
Moderate Physical Activity ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Anthropometric Parameters ◽  
Insufficient Physical Activity ◽  
On Line ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
At Home

In March 14th 2020, the Spanish Government declared the “State of Emergency” due to the pandemic caused by the COVID-19 and all the population was forced to “shelter-at-home” for two weeks. Citizens had less than 24 hours to prepare for the selfquarantine. The goal of the present was to assess Spanish citizens’ physical activity practice at the end of the first week of the home quarantine. A total of 1858 Spanish citizens, 674 males and 1184 females (M = 40.18, SD = 15.84 years) agreed to participate. The study is descriptive in nature, based on an on-line questionnaire conducted seven days after the mandatory shelter-at-home health order issued by the Spanish Government. It included The International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Anthropometric parameters, Sociometric and COVID-19 information. Global results showed that the vast majority of the confined population was below the World Health Organization recommendations on Vigorous Physical Activity, Moderate Physical Activity or a combination. Physical activity practice was dependent on personal factors such as gender, age or weight, but also on contextual factors such as living with a dependent person or the type of house (square meters, having a balcony or a backyard). Insufficient physical activity has been considered a prominent risk factor for non-communicable diseases, mental health and, consequently, quality of life. Mandatory shelter-at home orders like the ones issued due to COVID-19 could be repeated in the future. National authorities should consider the findings from the present study to prevent citizens from putting their health at jeopardy while in confinement.

Obesity and Gestational Diabetes in Pregnant Care and Clinical Practice

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-164
Author(s):  
José Andrés Poblete ◽  
Pablo Olmos
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Gestational Diabetes ◽  
Gestational Age ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Nutrition Therapy ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Large For Gestational Age ◽  
Moderate Physical Activity ◽  
Increased Risk

: Obesity and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) are the most frequent pathologies affecting mothers and offspring during pregnancy. Both conditions have shown a sustained increase in their prevalence in recent years, and they worsen the outcome of pregnancy and the long-term health of mothers. Obesity increases the risk of GDM and pre-eclampsia during pregnancy and elevates the risk of developing metabolic syndrome in later life. Offspring of obese mothers have an increased risk of obstetric morbidity and mortality and, consistent with the developmental origins of health and disease, a long term risk of childhood obesity and metabolic dysfunction. On the other hand, GDM also increases the risk of pre-eclampsia, caesarean section, and up to 50% of women will develop type 2 diabetes later in life. From a fetal point of view, it increases the risk of macrosomia, large-for-gestational-age fetuses, shoulder dystocia and birth trauma. The insulin resistance and inflammatory mediators released by a hypoxic trophoblast are mainly responsible for the poor pregnancy outcome in obese or GDM patients. The adequate management of both pathologies includes modifications in the diet and physical activity. Drug therapy should be considered when medical nutrition therapy and moderate physical activity fail to achieve treatment goals. The antenatal prediction of macrosomia is a challenge for physicians. The timing and the route of delivery should consider adequate metabolic control, gestational age, and optimal conditions for a vaginal birth. The best management of these pathologies includes pre-conception planning to reduce the risks during pregnancy and improve the quality of life of these patients.

scholarly journals Body Image Dissatisfaction Is Increased in Male and Overweight/Obese Adolescents in Botswana

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Malete ◽  
K. Motlhoiwa ◽  
S. Shaibu ◽  
B. H. Wrotniak ◽  
S. D. Maruapula ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Body Image ◽  
Private School ◽  
Muscle Tone ◽  
Body Image Dissatisfaction ◽  
The Body ◽  
World Health ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
School Students ◽  
Cross Sectional

Introduction. The purpose of this study was to examine linkages between obesity, physical activity, and body image dissatisfaction, with consideration of socioeconomic status (SES) and urbanization in adolescents in Botswana.Materials and Methods. A nationally representative, cross-sectional survey in 707 secondary school students included measured height and weight to determine overweight (OW) or obesity (OB) using World Health Organization standards; physical activity (PA) using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire; and body image satisfaction using the Body Ideals Questionnaire. SES was described by private school versus public school attendance.Results and Discussion. OW/OB students felt farther from ideal and greater dissatisfaction with their weight and body proportions than optimal weight students. Boys felt greater difference from ideal and more dissatisfaction with muscle tone, chest size, and strength than girls. Lower SES students and those from rural villages had more minutes of PA than higher SES or urban students. In this rapidly developing African country, these trends reflect the nutrition transition and offer opportunity to motivate OW/OB students and boys for PA as a health promotion obesity prevention behavior.Conclusions. As urbanization and improved SES are desirable and likely to continue, the public health system will be challenged to prevent obesity while preserving a healthy body image.

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