Physical Activity and Physical Competence in Overweight and Obese Children: An Intervention Study

With the current obesity epidemic and the decline of fitness among school-aged children, the importance of obesity interventions to promote physical activity and healthy habits has become indisputable. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of a school-based multicomponent intervention in increasing physical activity (PA) levels, actual physical abilities, and perceived physical abilities in clinical and nonclinical samples of overweight/obese boys and girls aged 10–12 years. The clinical intervention group (n = 35) participated in a 7-month after-school program in addition to curricular physical education lessons, while the nonclinical control group (n = 29) received usual curricular lessons. Measures included levels of PA and fitness and individual’s perceptions of physical ability. After treatment, the intervention group showed improved PA levels, perceived physical ability, and throwing and jumping task performances compared to the control group. Results indicate that a multicomponent program can improve levels of PA, fitness, and perceived competence of overweight participants. Findings highlight the importance of a comprehensive healthy lifestyle program that includes physical, psychosocial, and behavioral factors and suggest practical implications for educators, trainers, and teachers in identifying best practices targeting childhood obesity.

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A 10-Month Physical Activity Intervention Improves Body Composition in Young Black Boys

Journal of Obesity ◽

10.1155/2011/358581 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2011 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Cheryl A. Howe ◽

Ryan A. Harris ◽

Bernard Gutin

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Body Composition ◽

Physical Activity Intervention ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Skills Development ◽

After School ◽

Control Group ◽

Black Boys ◽

X Ray ◽

Group A

Objective. To determine if a 10-month after-school physical activity (PA) intervention could prevent deleterious changes in body composition and cardiovascular (CV) fitness in young black boys.Methods. Following baseline measures, 106 boys (8–12 yrs) were randomized to either a control group or an intervention group, further divided into attenders (ATT) and nonattenders (NATT), participating in ≥60% or <60% of the intervention, respectively. The daily intervention consisted of skills development (25 min), vigorous PA (VPA, 35 min), and strengthening/stretching (20 min) components. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.Results. Following the intervention, the ATT exhibited an increase in moderate-to-vigorous PA and a significant reduction in BMI, fat mass, and %BF compared to the control group. A significant association among the intervention energy expenditure and changes in body composition and CV fitness was observed only in the ATT group.Conclusion. An after-school PA program of sufficient length and intensity can promote healthy changes in body composition and fitness levels in black boys who attend at least 3 days/week.

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Changes in diet and physical activity resulting from the Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities randomized cardiovascular disease risk reduction multilevel intervention trial

International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity ◽

10.1186/s12966-019-0852-z ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Sara C. Folta ◽

Lynn Paul ◽

Miriam E. Nelson ◽

David Strogatz ◽

Meredith Graham ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Healthy Lifestyle ◽

Disease Risk ◽

Cardiovascular Disease Risk ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Self Report ◽

Group Differences ◽

Control Group ◽

Activity Data ◽

Diet And Physical Activity

Abstract Background Women living in rural areas face unique challenges in achieving a heart-healthy lifestyle that are related to multiple levels of the social-ecological framework. The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in diet and physical activity, which are secondary outcomes of a community-based, multilevel cardiovascular disease risk reduction intervention designed for women in rural communities. Methods Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities was a six-month, community-randomized trial conducted in 16 rural towns in Montana and New York, USA. Sedentary women aged 40 and older with overweight and obesity were recruited. Intervention participants (eight towns) attended twice weekly exercise and nutrition classes for 24 weeks (48 total). Individual-level components included aerobic exercise, progressive strength training, and healthy eating practices; a civic engagement component was designed to address social and built environment factors to support healthy lifestyles. The control group (eight towns) attended didactic healthy lifestyle classes monthly (six total). Dietary and physical activity data were collected at baseline and post-intervention. Dietary data were collected using automated self-administered 24-h dietary recalls, and physical activity data were collected by accelerometry and self-report. Data were analyzed using multilevel linear regression models with town as a random effect. Results At baseline, both groups fell short of meeting many recommendations for cardiovascular health. Compared to the control group, the intervention group realized significant improvements in intake of fruit and vegetables combined (difference: 0.6 cup equivalents per day, 95% CI 0.1 to 1.1, p = .026) and in vegetables alone (difference: 0.3 cup equivalents per day, 95% CI 0.1 to 0.6, p = .016). For physical activity, there were no statistically significant between-group differences based on accelerometry. By self-report, the intervention group experienced a greater increase in walking MET minutes per week (difference: 113.5 MET-minutes per week, 95% CI 12.8 to 214.2, p = .027). Conclusions Between-group differences in dietary and physical activity behaviors measured in this study were minimal. Future studies should consider how to bolster behavioral outcomes in rural settings and may also continue to explore the value of components designed to enact social and environmental change. Trial registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02499731. Registered 16 July 2015.

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Effect of Healthy Lifestyle Interventions in Schools of Jazan City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A Quasi-experimental Study

Arab Journal of Nutrition and Exercise (AJNE) ◽

10.18502/ajne.v5i1.6911 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Fatima Awad Elkarim Elfaki ◽

Husam Eldin Elsawi Khalafalla ◽

Abdelrahim Mutwakel Gaffar ◽

Mohamed E Moukhyer ◽

Ibrahim A Bani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Experimental Study ◽

Dietary Habits ◽

Healthy Lifestyle ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Control Group ◽

Lifestyle Interventions ◽

Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Healthy Lifestyle Interventions

Background Unhealthy dietary habits and lifestyle among adolescents is considered as a risk factor for nutrition-related diseases in adulthood. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a healthy lifestyle intervention—including physical activity (PA) and eating habits (EH)—among female students in Jizan City, southwest Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods A representative sample of 565 school students aged 12–15 years was randomly selected from four schools in Jizan, KSA. The PA and EH were assessed using a validated self-administered questionnaire. A pre-post quasi-experimental study was implemented in three phases. Results Following the intervention, the school children in the intervention groups showed a significant improvement in their EH and PA. These improvements were documented in increased physical walking measured by the number of students walking daily, the number of days walked, and the time spent on vigorous activities (54.11 ± 54.89 to 63.24 ± 76.16). Fruits and vegetables had a similar consumption frequency in both the intervention and control groups. The snacks were frequently consumed among intervention group with a significant increase in the mean number from 1.64 ± 0.93 to 1.96 ± 1.13 (p = 0.000) and fast food were less frequently consumed among intervention group than the control group (p = 0.000). The prevalence of obesity in the intervention group was reduced from 16.3% to 12.9%, while it was significantly increased from 17.6% to 19.0% in the control group (p = 0.0148). Weight decreased by 0.37 kg in the intervention group, while it increased by 0.07 kg in the control group, but with no statistically significant increase. Conclusion: In conclusion, healthy lifestyle interventions can improve short- and long-term outcomes in school children. When examining the health benefits of healthy lifestyle, the importance of dietary and PA behaviors should be considered. Keywords: lifestyle, dietary habits, physical activity, chronic diseases, Jazan-KSA

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Use of the Healthy Lifestyle Coaching Chatbot App to Promote Stair-Climbing Habits Among Office Workers: Exploratory Randomized Controlled Trial

JMIR mhealth and uhealth ◽

10.2196/15085 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (5) ◽

pp. e15085 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Meihua Piao ◽

Hyeongju Ryu ◽

Hyeongsuk Lee ◽

Jeongeun Kim

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Habit Formation ◽

Healthy Lifestyle ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Self Report ◽

Office Workers ◽

Stair Climbing ◽

Control Group ◽

Intrinsic Rewards ◽

Significant Difference

Background Lack of time for exercise is common among office workers given their busy lives. Because of occupational restrictions and difficulty in taking time off, it is necessary to suggest effective ways for workers to exercise regularly. Sustaining lifestyle habits that increase nonexercise activity in daily life can solve the issue of lack of exercise time. Healthy Lifestyle Coaching Chatbot is a messenger app based on the habit formation model that can be used as a tool to provide a health behavior intervention that emphasizes the importance of sustainability and involvement. Objective This study aimed to assess the efficacy of the Healthy Lifestyle Coaching Chatbot intervention presented via a messenger app aimed at stair-climbing habit formation for office workers. Methods From February 1, 2018, to April 30, 2018, a total of 106 people participated in the trial after online recruitment. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n=57) or the control group (n=49). The intervention group received cues and intrinsic and extrinsic rewards for the entire 12 weeks. However, the control group did not receive intrinsic rewards for the first 4 weeks and only received all rewards as in the intervention group from the fifth to twelfth week. The Self-Report Habit Index (SRHI) of participants was evaluated every week, and the level of physical activity was measured at the beginning and end of the trial. SPSS Statistics version 21 (IBM Corp) was used for statistical analysis. Results After 4 weeks of intervention without providing the intrinsic rewards in the control group, the change in SRHI scores was 13.54 (SD 14.99) in the intervention group and 6.42 (SD 9.42) in the control group, indicating a significant difference between the groups (P=.04). When all rewards were given to both groups, from the fifth to twelfth week, the change in SRHI scores of the intervention and control groups was comparable at 12.08 (SD 10.87) and 15.88 (SD 13.29), respectively (P=.21). However, the level of physical activity showed a significant difference between the groups after 12 weeks of intervention (P=.045). Conclusions This study provides evidence that intrinsic rewards are important to enhance the sustainability and effectiveness of an intervention. The Healthy Lifestyle Coaching Chatbot program can be a cost-effective method for healthy habit formation. Trial Registration Clinical Research Information Service KCT0004009; https://tinyurl.com/w4oo7md

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DAILY MOTIVATION THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA DURING PANDEMIC HAS A GOOD IMPACT ON STUDENTS' LIFESTYLES, HBA1C, AND LIPID PROFILES

Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine ◽

10.37268/mjphm/vol.21/no.2/art.1011 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 294-305

Author(s):

Irfannuddin Irfannuddin ◽

Eka Febri Zulissetiana ◽

Tyas Hestiningsih ◽

Indra Franajaya ◽

Subandrate ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Social Media ◽

Healthy Lifestyle ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Lipid Profiles ◽

Calorie Intake ◽

Control Group ◽

Positive Effects ◽

And Control

A school activity has been limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Learning from home can lead to a sedentary lifestyle. An innovative program is needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle among students at home. A study to give daily motivation via social media has been conducted to improve students' lifestyles. At once, the study measured its impact on indicators of metabolic syndrome. The overweight and obese students (n=160) were divided into intervention and control groups. Both of them received brief education and motivation to live a healthy lifestyle. Furthermore, the intervention group was given daily supportive motivation messages through the social media group, which was not given to the control group. Lifestyle indicators were measured by step count application, physical activity questionnaire, and the semi-quantitative-food frequency questionnaire. Body Mass Index, HbA1c, and lipid profile measurements were also conducted. An ANCOVA test showed that the intervention group had more daily steps and physical activity than the control (p<0.05). Calorie intake was also lower in the intervention group (p<0.05). The intervention group also had better BMI, HbA1c, and all lipid profiles (p<0.05). Daily motivation should be given to students to improve their lifestyles so that it results in positive effects on metabolic syndrome indicators.

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Cost-effectiveness of physical activity intervention in children – results based on the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children (PANIC) study

International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity ◽

10.1186/s12966-021-01181-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Virpi Kuvaja-Köllner ◽

Niina Lintu ◽

Virpi Lindi ◽

Elisa Rissanen ◽

Aino-Maija Eloranta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Cost Effectiveness ◽

Willingness To Pay ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Primary School Children ◽

After School ◽

Control Group ◽

Family Based ◽

Intervention Costs ◽

The Cost

Abstract Background We assessed the cost-effectiveness of a 2-year physical activity (PA) intervention combining family-based PA counselling and after-school exercise clubs in primary-school children compared to no intervention from an extended service payer’s perspective. Methods The participants included 506 children (245 girls, 261 boys) allocated to an intervention group (306 children, 60 %) and a control group (200 children, 40 %). The children and their parents in the intervention group had six PA counselling visits, and the children also had the opportunity to participate in after-school exercise clubs. The control group received verbal and written advice on health-improving PA at baseline. A change in total PA over two years was used as the outcome measure. Intervention costs included those related to the family-based PA counselling, the after-school exercise clubs, and the parents’ taking time off to travel to and participate in the counselling. The cost-effectiveness analyses were performed using the intention-to-treat principle. The costs per increased PA hour (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, ICER) were based on net monetary benefit (NMB) regression adjusted for baseline PA and background variables. The results are presented with NMB and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves. Results Over two years, total PA increased on average by 108 h in the intervention group (95 % confidence interval [CI] from 95 to 121, p < 0.001) and decreased by 65.5 h (95 % CI from 81.7 to 48.3, p < 0.001) in the control group, the difference being 173.7 h. the incremental effectiveness was 87 (173/2) hours. For two years, the intervention costs were €619 without parents’ time use costs and €860 with these costs. The costs per increased PA hour were €6.21 without and €8.62 with these costs. The willingness to pay required for 95 % probability of cost-effectiveness was €14 and €19 with these costs. The sensitivity analyses revealed that the ICER without assuming this linear change in PA were €3.10 and €4.31. Conclusions The PA intervention would be cost-effective compared to no intervention among children if the service payer’s willingness-to-pay for a 1-hour increase in PA is €8.62 with parents’ time costs. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01803776. Registered 4 March 2013 - Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?cond=&term=01803776&cntry=&state=&city=&dist=.

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Effect of Mini-Trampoline Physical Activity on Executive Functions in Preschool Children

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2018/2712803 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Xu Wen ◽

Ying Zhang ◽

Zan Gao ◽

Wei Zhao ◽

Jiang Jie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Preschool Children ◽

Executive Functions ◽

Memory Span ◽

Care Service ◽

Intervention Group ◽

After School ◽

Future Research ◽

Control Group ◽

Before And After

The study investigated the effect of mini-trampoline physical activity on the development of executive functions (EF) in Chinese preschool children. Fifty-seven children aged 3–5 were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n=29) and a control group (n=28). The children in the intervention and control group had the same classes and care service in the preschool, but children in the intervention group had an extra 20 min of trampoline training after school for 5 school days per week in the 10-week intervention. Spatial conflict arrow (SCA), animal Go/NoGo (GNG), working memory span (WMS), and flexible item selection (FIS) were used to assess children’s EF before and after the intervention. Results revealed that no significant differences emerged in the SCA, GNG, WMS, and FIS tests between two groups postintervention. Findings indicated that a 10-week trampoline PA training may not be sufficient to trigger the improvement of preschool children’s EF. Future research with larger representative samples is warranted to discern the dose-response evidence in enhancing young children’s EF through physical activity.

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Use of the Healthy Lifestyle Coaching Chatbot App to Promote Stair-Climbing Habits Among Office Workers: Exploratory Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.15085 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Meihua Piao ◽

Hyeongju Ryu ◽

Hyeongsuk Lee ◽

Jeongeun Kim

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Habit Formation ◽

Healthy Lifestyle ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Self Report ◽

Office Workers ◽

Stair Climbing ◽

Control Group ◽

Intrinsic Rewards ◽

Significant Difference

BACKGROUND Lack of time for exercise is common among office workers given their busy lives. Because of occupational restrictions and difficulty in taking time off, it is necessary to suggest effective ways for workers to exercise regularly. Sustaining lifestyle habits that increase nonexercise activity in daily life can solve the issue of lack of exercise time. Healthy Lifestyle Coaching Chatbot is a messenger app based on the habit formation model that can be used as a tool to provide a health behavior intervention that emphasizes the importance of sustainability and involvement. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess the efficacy of the Healthy Lifestyle Coaching Chatbot intervention presented via a messenger app aimed at stair-climbing habit formation for office workers. METHODS From February 1, 2018, to April 30, 2018, a total of 106 people participated in the trial after online recruitment. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n=57) or the control group (n=49). The intervention group received cues and intrinsic and extrinsic rewards for the entire 12 weeks. However, the control group did not receive intrinsic rewards for the first 4 weeks and only received all rewards as in the intervention group from the fifth to twelfth week. The Self-Report Habit Index (SRHI) of participants was evaluated every week, and the level of physical activity was measured at the beginning and end of the trial. SPSS Statistics version 21 (IBM Corp) was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS After 4 weeks of intervention without providing the intrinsic rewards in the control group, the change in SRHI scores was 13.54 (SD 14.99) in the intervention group and 6.42 (SD 9.42) in the control group, indicating a significant difference between the groups (P=.04). When all rewards were given to both groups, from the fifth to twelfth week, the change in SRHI scores of the intervention and control groups was comparable at 12.08 (SD 10.87) and 15.88 (SD 13.29), respectively (P=.21). However, the level of physical activity showed a significant difference between the groups after 12 weeks of intervention (P=.045). CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence that intrinsic rewards are important to enhance the sustainability and effectiveness of an intervention. The Healthy Lifestyle Coaching Chatbot program can be a cost-effective method for healthy habit formation. CLINICALTRIAL Clinical Research Information Service KCT0004009; https://tinyurl.com/w4oo7md

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Sustainability of the results of a non communicable diseases prevention program among youth in the region of Sousse, Tunisia

International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health ◽

10.1515/ijamh-2016-0065 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Nawel Zammit ◽

Jihene Maatoug ◽

Rim Ghammam ◽

Kebaili Raoudha ◽

Boughammoura Lamia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Prevention Program ◽

Fast Food ◽

Healthy Lifestyle ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Group Versus ◽

Communicable Diseases ◽

Exposed Group ◽

Control Group ◽

Non Communicable Diseases

Abstract Introduction: Implementation of a healthy lifestyle at an early age is described as a successful intervention to prevent non communicable diseases. However, successful programs are not necessarily sustainable. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a 1-year sustainability of a 3-year comprehensive intervention conducted to promote a healthy lifestyle among schoolchildren. Materials and methods: A cohort study of 204 schoolchildren enrolled in middle schools was conducted after a quasi-experimental study in the region of Sousse, Tunisia. The survey lasted 1 year. An exposed group (n=105) was selected from the intervention group and the not-exposed group (n=99) was selected from the control group. The exposition was the intervention. The same questionnaire used at pre-intervention and post-intervention was self-administered to collect data about tobacco use, physical activity and eating habits. The biometric measurements were taken by trained medical doctors at schools. Results: After 1 year of follow-up, none of participants became smokers in the exposed group. However, in the not-exposed group five (5.1%) participants became smokers. The proportion of schoolchildren who experimented with tobacco for the first time increased insignificantly by 2.9% (p=0.77) in the exposed group versus a significant increase by 11.1% (p=0.001) in the not-exposed group. Concerning the recommended physical activity practice, fast food and fried food consumption and overweight, there were no significant changes in the two groups. Conclusion: A 3-year non communicable diseases prevention program has limited sustainable effects among schoolchildren in the short-term. Its repetition or a continued program through multisectoral actions is required.

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Cardiac Rehabilitation for the Elderly: Qi Gong and Group Discussions

European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention & Rehabilitation ◽

10.1177/204748730501200102 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 5-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Therese Stenlund ◽

Britta Lindström ◽

Marie Granlund ◽

Gunilla Burell

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Coronary Artery Disease ◽

Coronary Artery ◽

Elderly Patients ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Control Group ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Physical Ability ◽

Qi Gong ◽

Artery Disease

Background Over the last decade several studies have shown that patients with coronary artery disease even above the age of 70 can be successfully treated with advanced medical and surgical methods. Unfortunately, rehabilitation programmes for this group are rarely offered. It is important to develop forms of rehabilitation that are adapted to the specific needs of this increasing group of elderly patients. The aim of this randomized study was to investigate whether the combination of Qi Gong and group discussions would increase physical ability for elderly patients ≥ 73 years with coronary artery disease. Methods A total of 95 patients (66 men and 29 women), with documented coronary artery disease, were randomized to an intervention group (n = 48) mean age 77 ± 3 (73-82) or to a control group (n = 47) mean age 78 ± 3 (73-84). The intervention groups met weekly over 3 months. The control group got usual care. Physical ability was assessed at baseline and after the intervention. Results Patients in the intervention group increased their self-estimated level of physical activity (P = 0.011), and their performance in the one-leg stance test for the right leg (P = 0.029), co-ordination (P = 0.021) and the box-climbing test for right leg (P = 0.035). Conclusion A combination of Qi Gong and group discussions appear to be a promising rehabilitation for elderly cardiac patients in terms of improving self-reported physical activity, balance and co-ordination. This could be an option for elderly patients who do not participate in the ordinary cardiac rehabilitation. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil 12:5-11 © 2005 The European Society of Cardiology

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