scholarly journals Cross-Cultural Variation in BMI, Sedentary Behavior, and Physical Activity in International School Girls Residing in Saudi Arabia

Author(s):  
Adel A. Alhusaini ◽  
Ganeswara Rao Melam ◽  
Syamala Buragadda

Background: The current study was done to assess the cross-cultural difference in physical activity and sedentary behavior among girls from culturally, environmentally, and geographically diverse countries residing in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This was a comparative cross-sectional study conducted among expatriate girls (N = 275), aged 9–16 years. Participants were from India (n = 65), Pakistan (n = 88), Egypt (n = 50), Sudan (n = 49), and other nationals (n = 23). They were randomly selected from different schools in Riyadh and their Body Mass Index (BMI) and screen time was assessed. Physical activity (PA) and leisure-time activity was assessed using Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) and the Godin-Shephard Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GSLTPAQ) respectively. Results: Out of 275, 65.8% were active and 34.2% were insufficiently active as per the GSLTPAQ, and half of them were moderately active and only 22.2% were extremely active as per PAQ-C. No statistical significant differences in their BMI status, screen time, or the levels of PA among expatriate girls. Conclusions: This study shows that the expatriate female school children in Saudi Arabia demonstrated a similar pattern in their BMI, sedentary time spent, and PA levels.

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 205031211982708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco José Gondim Pitanga ◽  
Sheila Maria Alvim Matos ◽  
Maria da Conceição C. Almeida ◽  
Ana Luísa Patrão ◽  
Maria del Carmen Bisi Molina ◽  
...  

Objectives: To assess associations, both individually and in combination, between leisure-time physical activity and sedentary behavior, and cardiometabolic health. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 13,931 civil servants participating in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). Leisure-time physical activity was analyzed using the leisure-time domain of the long-form International Physical Activity Questionnaire, while questions related to cumulative sitting time and leisure-based screen time on a weekday and on one day on the weekend were used to establish sedentary behavior. Data analysis was performed using multivariate logistic regression. Results: Following adjustment for confounding variables, high levels of leisure-time physical activity and low levels of sedentary behavior were both associated with favorable cardiometabolic health markers in both genders. When these two factors were analyzed in conjunction, taking the combination of low levels of leisure-time physical activity and high levels of sedentary behavior as the reference, the inverse associations with cardiometabolic variables became even more significant. Conclusion: High levels of leisure-time physical activity and low levels of sedentary behavior were both inversely associated with the cardiometabolic variables analyzed; however, the two variables when evaluated in conjunction appear to produce more consistent associations, particularly when sedentary behavior is evaluated according to leisure-based screen time.


2021 ◽  
pp. 089011712098583
Author(s):  
Mats Hallgren ◽  
Davy Vancampfort ◽  
Thi-Thuy-Dung Nguyen ◽  
Elin Ekblom-Bak ◽  
Peter Wallin ◽  
...  

Purpose: To describe physical activity habits, sedentary behavior, and cardiorespiratory fitness levels among alcohol abstainers, hazardous and non-hazardous drinkers. Design: Cross-sectional study with data collected between 2017-19. Setting: Sweden. Subjects: Adults aged 18-65 years (n = 47,559; 59.4% male). Measures: During a routine health assessment, participants answered validated single-item questions regarding: habitual physical activity, structured exercise, and the percentage of time spent sedentary during leisure-time (past 30 days), and completed a 6-minute cycle ergometer test (V02max) to determine cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). Participants were categorized as alcohol abstainers, non-hazardous drinkers or hazardous drinkers (low/high) based on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C) cut-points for men and women. Analysis: Logistic regression models stratified by sex and age. Results: Compared to non-hazardous drinkers, the heaviest drinkers were less physically active (males: OR = 1.38, CI = 1.13-1.67, p = .001; females: OR = 1.41, CI = 1.01-1.97, p = .040) and more sedentary during leisure time (males: OR = 1.94, CI = 1.62-2.32, p = .000; females: OR = 1.62, CI = 1.21-2.16, p = .001). Apart from young females, the heaviest drinkers also did less structured exercise than non-hazardous drinkers (males: OR = 1.22, CI = 1.15-1.51, p = .000; females: OR = 1.43, CI = 1.15-1.78, p = .001). The strongest associations were seen among adults aged 40-65 years (shown here). High-hazardous drinking was associated with low CRF among older males only (OR = 1.19, CI = 1.00-1.41). Conclusion: Middle-aged adults with AUDIT-C scores of ≥6 (women) and ≥7 (men) were less physically active and more sedentary during leisure time and may be appropriate targets for physical activity interventions.


Author(s):  
Jacob Meyer ◽  
Cillian McDowell ◽  
Jeni Lansing ◽  
Cassandra Brower ◽  
Lee Smith ◽  
...  

The COVID-19 pandemic altered many facets of life. We aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19-related public health guidelines on physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior, mental health, and their interrelations. Cross-sectional data were collected from 3052 US adults 3–8 April 2020 (from all 50 states). Participants self-reported pre- and post-COVID-19 levels of moderate and vigorous PA, sitting, and screen time. Currently-followed public health guidelines, stress, loneliness, positive mental health (PMH), social connectedness, and depressive and anxiety symptoms were self-reported. Participants were grouped by meeting US PA guidelines, reporting ≥8 h/day of sitting, or ≥8 h/day of screen time, pre- and post-COVID-19. Overall, 62% of participants were female, with age ranging from 18–24 (16.6% of sample) to 75+ (9.3%). Self-reported PA was lower post-COVID among participants reporting being previously active (mean change: −32.3% [95% CI: −36.3%, −28.1%]) but largely unchanged among previously inactive participants (+2.3% [−3.5%, +8.1%]). No longer meeting PA guidelines and increased screen time were associated with worse depression, loneliness, stress, and PMH (p < 0.001). Self-isolation/quarantine was associated with higher depressive and anxiety symptoms compared to social distancing (p < 0.001). Maintaining and enhancing physical activity participation and limiting screen time increases during abrupt societal changes may mitigate the mental health consequences.


2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corneel Vandelanotte ◽  
Camille Short ◽  
Matthew Rockloff ◽  
Lee Di Millia ◽  
Kevin Ronan ◽  
...  

Background:A better understanding of how occupational indicators influence physical activity levels will aid the design of workplace interventions.Methods:Cross-sectional data were collected from 1194 participants through a telephone interview in Queensland, Australia. The IPAQ-long was used to measure physical activity. Multiple logistic regression was applied to examine associations.Results:Of participants, 77.9% were employed full-time, 32.3% had professional jobs, 35.7% were engaged in shift work, 39.5% had physically-demanding jobs, and 66.1% had high physical activity levels. Participants with a physicallydemanding job were less likely to have low total (OR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.17 to 0.38) and occupational (OR = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.12 to 0.25) physical activity. Technical and trade workers were less likely to report low total physical activity (OR = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.20 to 0.97) compared with white-collar workers. Part-time (OR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.15 to 2.64) and shift workers (OR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.21 to 2.88) were more likely to report low leisure-time activity.Conclusions:Overall, the impact of different occupational indicators on physical activity was not strong. As expected, the greatest proportion of total physical activity was derived from occupational physical activity. No evidence was found for compensation effects whereby physically-demanding occupations lead to less leisure-time physical activity or vice versa. This study demonstrates that workplaces are important settings to intervene, and that there is scope to increase leisure-time physical activity irrespective of occupational background.


Circulation ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 127 (suppl_12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luisa Soares-Miranda ◽  
Fumiaki Imamura ◽  
David S Siscovick ◽  
Nancy Swords Jenny ◽  
Annette L Fitzpatrick ◽  
...  

Background The influence of physical activity (PA) and fitness (PF) at older ages on changes in telomere length (TL), repetitive DNA sequences that may mark biologic aging, are not well established. Prior studies in older adults were cross-sectional, and few evaluated PF. Aim To investigate both cross-sectional and prospective associations of PA and PF with Leukocyte TL in older adults. Methods Among 582 adults age 73±5 y at baseline in CHS having serial LTL measures (leucocyte mean terminal restriction length) in 1992 and 1997, PA (walking pace, blocks, combined walking score; leisure time activity) and PF (15-ft walk, chair stands, grip strength) were assessed multiple times from 1989 to 1997. Cross-sectional associations were assessed using multivariable repeated-measures regression of cumulative average serial PA and PF measures from 1989 to 1992 against LTL in 1992; and cumulative averaged PA and PF from 1993 to 1997 against LTL in 1997. Longitudinal analyses assessed cumulative averaged PA and PF from 1989-92 against later changes in LTL from 1992-97; and changes in cumulative averaged PA and PF from 1989-92 to 1993-97 against changes in LTL from 1992-97. We evaluated all subjects, those without poor/fair self-reported health, and those without limited ADLs. Results Cross-sectionally, greater walking distance and chair test performance, but not other PA and PF measures, each associated with longer LTL ( P trend 0.007, 0.04 respectively). Lab measures of DNA integrity suggested measurable degradation that markedly attenuates ability to detect differences in LTL changes over time, especially over only 5 y. For example, baseline PA and PF from 1989-92 were unassociated with later changes in LTL. In contrast, changes in leisure time activity and chair test performance from 1992-97 were each inversely associated with LTL shortening. Conclusions Even late in life, certain PA and PF metrics are associated with longer LTL cross-sectionally and, even with likely substantial measurement error, with less LTL shortening over time.


2010 ◽  
Vol 197 (5) ◽  
pp. 357-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel B. Harvey ◽  
Matthew Hotopf ◽  
Simon Øverland ◽  
Arnstein Mykletun

BackgroundPrevious studies have suggested that physical activity may have antidepressant and/or anti-anxiety effects.AimsTo examine the bidirectional relationship between physical activity and common mental disorders and establish the importance of context, type and intensity of activity undertaken.MethodA clinical examination of 40 401 residents of Norway was undertaken. Participants answered questions relating to the frequency and intensity of both leisure-time and workplace activity. Depression and anxiety were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Biological and social data were also collected.ResultsThere was an inverse relationship between the amount of leisure-time physical activity and case-level symptoms of depression. This cross-sectional association was only present with leisure-time (as opposed to workplace) activity and was not dependent on the intensity of activities undertaken. Higher levels of social support and social engagement were important in explaining the relationship between leisure activity and depression. Biological changes such as alterations to parasympathetic vagal tone (resting pulse) and changes to metabolic markers had a less important role.ConclusionsIndividuals who engage in regular leisure-time activity of any intensity are less likely to have symptoms of depression. The context and social benefits of exercise are important in explaining this relationship.


2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (8) ◽  
pp. 1309-1317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik Sigmund ◽  
Dagmar Sigmundová ◽  
Petr Badura

Abstract Objectives The main aim of this study was to bridge the research gap in the countries of Central Europe using the family dyad approach to examine the associations of parents’ overweight/obesity, physical activity (PA), and screen time (ST) with excessive body weight in their offspring. Methods The cross-sectional study included 1101 parent–child dyads (648/453 mother/father–child aged 4–16) selected by two-stage stratified random sampling with complete data on body weight categories, weekly PA (Yamax pedometer), ST (family logbook) collected over a regular school/working week during the spring and autumn seasons between 2013 and 2019. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to identify which of parents’ lifestyle indicators were associated with the overweight/obesity of their offspring. Results The mother’s overweight/obesity significantly increases her children’s odds of overweight/obesity. Concerning fathers, active participation in organized leisure-time PA and reaching 10,000 steps per day significantly reduce the odds of overweight/obesity in their children and adolescent offspring. Conclusions The cumulative effect of parental participation in organized leisure-time PA with their own family-related PA can be a natural means of preventing the development of overweight/obesity in their offspring.


2008 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 841-848 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Camões ◽  
Carla Lopes

AbstractObjectiveTo describe the relationship between dietary intake and different levels and types of physical activity (PA).DesignCross-sectional evaluation of the EPIPorto study. Energy expenditure (metabolic energy equivalent tasks) and dietary intake during the past year were assessed using a PA questionnaire and a semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire, respectively.SettingRepresentative sample of adults in Porto, Portugal.SubjectsData were analysed for 2404 Portuguese Caucasian adults, aged between 18 and 92 years.ResultsFor total PA, males who were active had significantly higher mean intake of energy (10·76 (2570·7) vs. 9·78 (2336·9) MJ/d (kcal/d), P < 0·001) and lower level of protein consumption (16·9 vs. 17·6 % of energy, P < 0·001) compared with sedentary males. In males, the association between total PA and energy intake remained after adjustment for age, education and body mass index. Similar results were observed when occupational activity was analysed. Concerning the energy expended in leisure time, in both genders, after adjustment for the previously described variables, a significant positive association was found between PA and intake of vitamin C (g/d): β = 0·12, 99 % confidence interval (CI) 0·02, 0·21 for females and β = 0·13, 99 % CI 0·03, 0·22 for males. Leisure-time activity in females was also positively associated with intakes of fibre, vitamin E, folate, calcium and magnesium, and negatively associated with saturated fat.ConclusionsHigher levels of PA in leisure time were associated with higher intakes of micronutrients and lower intakes of saturated fat, particularly in females. For total and occupational PA, similar nutrient intake was observed between active and sedentary individuals.


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