scholarly journals Results of a culturally relevant, physical activity-based wellness program for urban Indigenous women in Alberta, Canada

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-204
Author(s):  
Sonja Wicklum ◽  
Megan Sampson ◽  
Rita Henderson ◽  
Shelley Wiart ◽  
Grace Perez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Skill Acquisition ◽  
Support Systems ◽  
Vegetable Consumption ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Indigenous Women ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Wellness Program ◽  
Positive Health ◽  
The Impact

Increasing physical activity and improving nutrition is challenging for Indigenous women. Their lives are complex and influenced by sociopolitical structures and racism that have yielded family breakdown, socioeconomic inequality, and high levels of poor health. Women Warriors (WW), an eight-week physical activity-based wellness program, was designed to support Indigenous women in their efforts to increase physical activity levels, improve nutrition, and develop support systems to produce good health. To evaluate the impact of the program, we completed a mixed method pre/post evaluation of four program sessions, from January to December 2016. The WW program resulted in increased weekly pedometer step counts, increased nutrition skill acquisition, and improved confidence in exercising as a group and increasing fruit and vegetable consumption. It also produced demonstrable improvements in anthropometrics. Participants developed positive social support systems and learned about the health and social resources available to them in their community. They appreciated that the program motivated them by keeping them accountable and offered opportunity to share their experiences in the context of the sharing circle. The program identified barriers to health change, including lack of resources that support physical activity, healthy eating, and personal stress management. Participants recommended that future programs increase in duration and intensity and offer enhanced nutrition and health education, increased avenues for support system development, and opportunities to network outside of the program. The WW program was well received and shows promise as a practical, community-based method to provide support to Indigenous women interested in increasing positive health behaviours.

Forms of physical activity of the elderly

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 221-228
Author(s):  
Piotr Czarnecki ◽  
◽  
Justyna Podgórska-Bednarz ◽  
Lidia Perenc ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Elderly People ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Good Health ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Polish Society ◽  
Central Statistical ◽  
Key Phrases ◽  
The Impact

Introduction. Physical activity is known to be an important factor influencing health throughout human life. This issue has become crucial for public health due to the aging of the population in both developed and developing countries. Aim. is to present a literature review on the forms of physical activity undertaken by the elderly, as well as on issues related to physical activity and the population aging. Material and methods. The study was prepared on the basis of a review of Polish and foreign literature. The following databases and data sources were used: EBSCO, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar. An additional source of data were the websites of the Central Statistical Office. Strictly defined key phrases were used during the collection of literature. The work has been divided into thematic subsections on the aging of the society, the impact of physical activity on health and the main topic, i.e. forms of physical activity selected by the elderly. Analysis of the literature. The number of elderly people in Polish society has increased by almost 3.7 million over three decades. Therefore, an important topic is prophylaxis aimed at increasing the number of days in good health, largely covering the broadly understood activation of the elderly. The available data indicate that only 12% of elderly people undertake physical activity once a week. The most common form of spending free time actively is walking (as many as 73% of people in this population declare this form of physical activity in one of the presented studies). Conclusion. Organized forms of physical activity are undertaken much less frequently by the analyzed age group mainly due to financial limitations and limited availability of sports infrastructure.

scholarly journals The Impact of Isolation Due to COVID-19 on Physical Activity Levels in Adult Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 446
Author(s):  
Anna Rutkowska ◽  
Katarzyna Kacperak ◽  
Sebastian Rutkowski ◽  
Luisa Cacciante ◽  
Pawel Kiper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Adult Students ◽  
International Physical Activity Questionnaire ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Metabolic Equivalent ◽  
Free Mobility ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Sport And Recreation ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Activity Questionnaire

The lockdown with a prohibition of free mobility introduced in many countries has affected restrictions in physical activity (PA). The purpose of the study was to compare PA during restrictions and the “unfreezing” stage. The study group consisted of 89 healthy adult students. To assess the level of PA, a long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used. The first evaluation was carried out in the period from 16 to 20 April 2020 at the time of the lockdown and the second in the period from 11 to 14 May 2020 during the so-called “unfreezing”. The average total PA rate during the first measurement was 8640 metabolic equivalent (MET)-min/week and in the second, 10,560 MET-min/week. The analysis of total energy expenditure showed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.029). The establishment of “unfreezing” laws for sport and recreation and the reduction of restrictions have significantly contributed to an increase in the overall level of PA. Based on our outcomes, we recommend students follow the scientific guidelines for undertaking PA (i.e., WHO) during the pandemic in order to maintain an appropriate pro-healthy dose of exercise.

scholarly journals Effect of physical activity levels on oncological breast surgery recovery: a prospective cohort study

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ifat Klein ◽  
Leonid Kalichman ◽  
Noy Chen ◽  
Sergio Susmallian
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Breast Cancer Surgery ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Axillary Web Syndrome ◽  
Function Range ◽  
A Prospective Study ◽  
The Impact

AbstractAfter breast cancer (BC) surgery, women may experience a physical decline. The effect of physical activity (PA) on the course of recovery after BC surgery has not yet been thoroughly examined. To analyze the impact of physical activity performed by women undergoing breast cancer surgery on measures of function, range of motion, and self-efficacy. A prospective study was carried out in 157 patients who underwent surgery for BC between October 2018 and April 2019, divided into four groups according to the intensity of PA with 6 months follow-up. 50 sedentary patients and 107 active patients were enrolled; the mean age was 52.6. Women who performed physical activity, moderate to vigorous, demonstrated lower function disabilities (QuickDASH 2.22) compared with inactivity or light physical activity (QuickDASH 7.0, p < 0.001), with better shoulder flexion (159.0° vs. 150.7°, p = 0.007) and abduction (159.5° vs. 152.2°, p = 0.008). Higher PA levels, displayed in higher self-efficacy reports (9.5 vs. 8.8, p = 0.002), and return to prior job status (0.005). The PA level does not influence pain at one, three and 6 months postoperatively (p = 0.278, p = 0.304 and p = 0.304 respectively). High PA levels increase the risk of axillary web syndrome (p = 0.041), although, it reduces the incidence of chronic pain (p = 0.007). Women who practice physical activity recover better from BC surgery than sedentary women. The higher the intensity and frequency of training, the better the results. Vigorous activity cause axillary web syndrome, despite, it has a beneficial effect on lowering the rate of chronic pain.

scholarly journals Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity and Its Impact on Sleep Quality in Persons Suffering From Restless Legs Syndrome

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Reimers ◽  
Verena Heidenreich ◽  
Hans-Joachim Bittermann ◽  
Guido Knapp ◽  
Carl-Detlev Reimers
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Negative Correlation ◽  
Restless Legs Syndrome ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Moderate Physical Activity ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Restless Legs ◽  
Physical Activity Levels ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: Main symptoms of the restless legs syndrome (RLS) are sleep onset insomnia and difficulty to maintain sleep. Previous studies showed that regular physical activity can reduce the risk of developing RLS. However, the relationships of physical activity on sleep quality parameters in subjects suffering from RLS have not been investigated by applying accelerometry. Thus, the present study investigates the impact of physical activity during the day (7-12 h, 12-18 h, 18-23 h) on sleep quality in subject suffering from idiopathic RLS as well as their intensity and extent of physical activity by applying a real-time approach.Methods: In a sample of 47 participants suffering from idiopathic RLS, physical activity and sleep quality were captured over one week by using accelerometers. For data analysis physical activity levels and step counts during three periods of a day (morning, afternoon, evening) were correlated with sleep quality parameters of the following night.Results: In this observational study, significant correlations of physical activity with the sleep parameters were rarely confirmed (exception: negative correlation of steps in the morning with periodic leg movements in sleep and negative correlation of physical activity in the evening and total sleep period). However, the physical activity levels of the participants were unexpectedly high compared to population-level data and variance in physical activity was low. The average activity was 13,817 (SD=4,086) steps and 347 (SD=117) minutes of moderate physical activity per day in females and 10,636 (SD=3,748) steps and 269 (SD=69) minutes of moderate physical activity in males, respectively. However, the participants conducted no vigorous physical activity.Conclusions: To investigate the effects of daily physical activity and RLS symptoms interventional studies with different intensities of physical activities at different points of time during the day are needed.

scholarly journals Is the impact of adiposity on taste perceptions moderated by chronic physical activity? An overview of the data from NHANES 2013-2014.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre-Charles Gauthier ◽  
Marie-Eve Mathieu
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Body Fat ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
Body Fat Percentage ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Fat Percentage ◽  
Active Lifestyle ◽  
Physical Activity Levels ◽  
Tip Test ◽  
The Impact

Introduction Taste is a key sensory modulator of eating behaviour and thus energy intake. The effects of acute exercise has recently been confirmed especially regarding sweet and salty tastes. Physical activity is a safe and effective countermeasure to certain types of chemosensory losses, especially in older populations. Knowing that taste can be impaired with increased adiposity, it is unknown if the adoption of an active lifestyle on a regular basis can mitigate such impairments. Methods Data were extracted from NHANES 2013-2014 database. Perception of salt and bitter tastes for Tongue Tip Test and Whole Mouth Test, physical activity levels over an 8-9-day period and adiposity were analyzed. Moderation analyses were used to study the impact of adiposity on taste perceptions, with physical activity level as the moderator. Results The 197 participants (130 males) included in this project had a mean+/-standard deviation age of 49.1+/-5.2 years, a mean body fat percentage of 31.7+/-7.6% and mean daily physical activity levels of 11 084+/-3531 Monitor-Independent Movement Summary unit (MIMS). The positive association between adiposity and both bitter Tongue Tip Test and overall result (salt+bitter) of Tongue Tip Test were moderated by the adoption of an active lifestyle, with better taste scores observed in individuals achieving higher physical activity levels. When moderation analysis were stratified by gender, the effect of physical activity was no longer significant. Perspectives This study is the first to evaluate the influence of an active lifestyle on the preservation of some taste perceptions across a wide range of adiposity levels. While differences in taste can be observed regarding body fat percentage, physical activity moderates that relation only when men and women are analysed together.

scholarly journals A framework to foster analysis skill for self-directed activities in data-rich environment

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuanyuan Yang ◽  
Rwitajit Majumdar ◽  
Huiyong Li ◽  
Gökhan Akçapinar ◽  
Brendan Flanagan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Skill Acquisition ◽  
Learning System ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Context Analysis ◽  
Activity Data ◽  
Actual Usage ◽  
Goal System

AbstractSelf-direction skill is considered a vital skill for twenty-first-century learners in both the learning context and physical activity context. Analysis skill for self-directed activities requires the students to analyze their own activity data for understanding their status in that activity. It is an important phase that determines whether an appropriate plan can be set or not. This research presents a framework designed to foster students’ analysis skill in self-directed activities, which aims (1) to build a technology-enabled learning system allowing students to practice analyzing data from their own daily contexts, (2) to propose an approach to model student’s analysis skill acquisition level and process, and (3) to provide automated support and feedback for analysis skill development tasks. The analysis module based on the proposed framework was implemented in the GOAL system which synchronized data from learners’ physical and reading activities. A study was conducted with 51 undergraduate students to find reliable indicators for the model to then measure students’ analysis skills. By further analyzing students’ actual usage of the GOAL system, we found the actual activity levels and their preferences regarding analysis varied for the chosen contexts (learning and physical activity). The different context preference groups were almost equal, highlighting the utility of a system that integrates data from multiple contexts. Such a system can potentially respond to students’ individual preferences to execute and acquire self-direction skill.

Curricular Physical Activity and Academic Performance

1997 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy J. Shephard
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Psychomotor Development ◽  
Release Time ◽  
Positive Health ◽  
School Students ◽  
The Impact

Advocates of quality daily physical education for prepubescent children frequently encounter the argument that such initiatives will harm academic progress. The impact of daily physical education upon the academic performance of primary school students is thus reviewed with particular reference to studies conducted in Vanves (France), Australia, and Trois Rivières (Québec). When a substantial proportion of curricular time (14–26%) is allocated to physical activity, learning seems to proceed more rapidly per unit of classroom time, so that academic performance matches, and may even exceed, that of control students. Children receiving additional physical education show an acceleration of their psychomotor development, and this could provide a mechanism for accelerated learning of academic skills. Other potential mechanisms include increased cerebral blood flow, greater arousal, changes in hormone levels, enhanced nutrient intake, changes in body build, and increased self esteem. Academic teachers may also favor the enhanced physical education program, creating “halo” effects, and the resulting release time may enhance their academic teaching. Irrespective of mechanisms, the implication for public policy is that daily required physical education can be introduced when a child enters primary school without compromising academic development. Given the importance of establishing positive health habits from an early age, school boards should be encouraged to follow a policy of required daily physical activity in primary schools. Evidence of specific benefit in students with learning disabilities remains less convincing.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity practice of people with disabilities

2021 ◽  
pp. 240-251
Author(s):  
Márcia Greguol ◽  
Cristiana Conti ◽  
Bruno Marson Malagodi ◽  
Bruna Barboza Seron ◽  
Elaine Cappellazzo Souto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
World Population ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Healthy Habits ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
The Impact

The global pandemic caused by the COVID-19 has profoundly changed the daily life of most of the world population. People with disabilities have been particularly affected by these changes, which often have accentuated their isolation and marginalization also due to greater difficulties in accessing healthcare services. People with disabilities have also been impacted in relation to their ability to participate in physical activity with even more adverse consequences for their quality of life and health. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity practice of people with disabilities and to understand the changes that caregivers have perceived for the participation in physical activity of this specific population. It emerged that, regardless of the type of disability, people with this condition experienced drastic reductions in their physical activity levels during the pandemic and in most cases did not have access to any type of remote guidance. Furthermore, a higher prevalence of sedentary behavior and negative changes in eating habits have been reported by the caregivers, highlighting the need for specific strategies and initiatives for people with disabilities to maintain healthy habits and a physically active lifestyle.

scholarly journals Dietary education provision within a cardiac rehabilitation programme in the UK: a pilot study

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Chelsea E Moore ◽  
Costas Tsakirides ◽  
Zoe Rutherford ◽  
Michelle G Swainson ◽  
Karen M Birch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Cardiac Rehabilitation ◽  
Rehabilitation Programme ◽  
Habitual Physical Activity ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Nutrient Intakes ◽  
Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme ◽  
Physical Activity Levels ◽  
Dietary Education ◽  
The Impact

Background/aims The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of two 30-minute dietary education sessions, within cardiac rehabilitation, as a means to optimise nutrient and energy intakes. A secondary aim was to evaluate patients' habitual physical activity levels. Methods Thirty patients (males: n=24, 61.8±11.2 years; females: n=6, 66.7±8.5 years) attended a 6-week early outpatient cardiac rehabilitation programme in the UK and received two 30-minute dietary education sessions emphasising Mediterranean diet principles. Energy intakes and nutrient intakes were measured through completion of 3-day food diaries in weeks one and six (before and after the dietary education sessions) to assess the impact of these sessions on nutrient intakes. At the same time-points, a sub-group (n=13) of patients had their physical activity levels assessed via accelerometery to assess the impact of the cardiac rehabilitation programme on physical activity. Results Estimated energy requirements at week one (1988±366 kcal d−1) were not matched by actual energy intakes (1785±561 kcal d−1) (P=0.047, d=−0.36). Energy intakes reduced to 1655±470 kcal d−1 at week six (P=0.66, d=−0.33) whereas estimated energy requirements increased as a function of increased activity (cardiac rehabilitation sessions). Nutrient intakes remained suboptimal, while no significant increases were observed in healthy fats and fibre, which are core elements of a Mediterranean diet. Statistically significant increases were not observed in physical activity; however, patients decreased sedentary time by 11±12% in week six compared with week one (P=0.009; d=−0.54). Conclusions The present study findings suggest that two 30-minute dietary education sessions did not positively influence energy intakes and nutrient intakes, while habitual physical activity levels were not significantly increased as a result of the cardiac rehabilitation programme. Future research should explore means of optimising nutrition and habitual physical activity within UK cardiac rehabilitation.

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