Changes in Life Situations during the SARS-CoV-2 Virus Pandemic and Their Impact on Eating Behaviors for Residents of Europe, Australia as Well as North and South America

Many people’s life situations are changing as a result of restrictions being imposed by national governments to limit the spread of the virus. These may be associated with additional factors (emotional or financial, for example) that influence eating behavior and physical activity levels. Therefore, the aim of this study was to show whether there is a relationship between a changing life situation during the pandemic and eating behavior as well as physical activity. An online survey was conducted between 28 April and 16 July 2020 with 921 participants from European countries and countries outside Europe (South and North America, Australia). An analysis of the obtained results showed an unfavorable relationship between a change in life situation during the pandemic and eating behavior as well as physical activity. This was observed mainly among students who returned to their family homes and respondents whose working hours increased. Students were more likely to snack between meals (51.13%, p < 0.001) and to consume more sweets (45.11%, p < 0.001) and savory snacks (30.83%, p < 0.001). Those whose working hours had increased, consumed morefast foods (13.57%, p < 0.05) during that time. On the other hand, the study results indicated that a change in life situation during the pandemic can also have a positive impact on eating behavior and physical activity. This was exhibited by individuals who transitioned to remote working. An improvement in the regularity of eating (38.86%, p < 0.001) was recorded for this group. The relationship between a change in life situation and eating behavior was further emphasized by the fact that people whose life situation had not changed were more likely to declare no change in the regularity of eating (62.86%, p < 0.001) and snacking (61.71%, p < 0.001). At the same time, they were less likely to exhibit a higher intake of sweets (22.29%, p < 0.01) and salty snacks (13.14%, p < 0.01). The study results indicated that a change in the nutritional situation during the pandemic may have had both negative and positive effects on eating behavior and physical activity. Finding these relationships may help identify groups that are particularly vulnerable to reduced diet quality and reduced levels of physical activity. Considering the immunomodulating effects of diets and the fact that physical activity is essential for maintaining good health, further research in this area is needed.

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379 Do Depressive Symptoms Mediate the Association Between Insomnia and Physical Activity?

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/zsab072.378 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. A150-A151

Author(s):

Jamie Walker ◽

Rebecca Campbell ◽

Ivan Vargas

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Online Survey ◽

Longitudinal Design ◽

Energy Levels ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Severity Index ◽

Future Research ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Insomnia Symptoms

Abstract Introduction Insomnia and depression are highly comorbid and have been shown to be independently associated with lower levels of physical activity. It is not clear, however, if being less physically active is a risk factor for or consequence of depression and insomnia. The factors that explain the associations between insomnia, depression, and physical activity are likely complex and overlapping. For example, insomnia may predict inactivity by impacting one’s energy levels, leaving them too tired to exercise. Insomnia may also interfere with one’s motivation to exercise due to low mood, as insomnia is associated with the development of depressive symptoms. The purpose of the present study was to explore whether depression mediated the link between insomnia and low levels of physical activity. Methods A national online survey was conducted from April-June 2020. Participants completed surveys to assess demographics, mood, sleep, and physical activity. Depressive symptoms were estimated with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Insomnia symptoms were estimated with the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Physical activity levels were estimated with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Analyses were conducted using multiple linear regression, with separate models for depression, insomnia, and the combination of the two, on levels of physical activity. Results 3,952 adults (Mage = 46.9 years) completed the survey. According to the unadjusted models, greater insomnia symptoms were associated with greater depressive symptoms (b = 0.4523, SE = 0.019593, p < .001), and lower levels of physical activity (b = -38.741, SE = 18.236, p = 0.0337). The relationship between insomnia and physical activity was no longer significant, however, when controlling for depression (b = -6.140, SE = 19.274, p = 0.75). According to the mediation analyses, there was an indirect effect of insomnia on physical activity that was explained by differences in depressive symptoms (Sobel Test = -4.895, SE = 6.518, p < .001). Conclusion Our findings support previous research indicating associations between symptoms of insomnia and depression and physical activity. Future research should examine if these same results hold using a longitudinal design. Support (if any) Vargas: K23HL141581

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Features of Physical Activity of Russian and Foreign Students: Motivators, Barriers, Self-Esteem

Engineering Technologies and Systems ◽

10.15507/2413-1407.113.028.202004.843-865 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 28 (4) ◽

pp. 843-865

Author(s):

Evgeni L. Nikolaev ◽

Igor E. Poverinov

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Foreign Students ◽

Online Survey ◽

Leisure Time Physical Activity ◽

Young Men ◽

Good Health ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Optimal Level ◽

Chi Square ◽

Regional University

Introduction. Intense physical activity is associated with good health and wellbeing of an individual, and its manifestations in students can have gender and socio-cultural features. The purpose of the study is to identify the features of physical activity of Russian and foreign students of a regional university through the assessment of its motivators, barriers and interrelation with self-esteem indicators, the knowledge of which can be used as the basis for creating personalized preventive health promotion programs. Materials and Methods. An online survey among 423 Russian and foreign students of a regional university was conducted using the Godin-Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire using the Ashton Motivators and Barriers Scale and the modified method of Dembo – Rubinstein. The data obtained were statistically processed with the calculation of Student’s t-test, chi-square, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results. It has been revealed that two-thirds of the respondents have an optimal level of physical activity, and its motivators (the desire to improve health, physical shape, and body) and barriers (lack of time) are universal. Russian female university students surpass foreign ones in terms of the duration of physical activities, and foreign girls are inferior to foreign young men in terms of the frequency of classes. Barriers specific to Russian girls have been identified: Inappropriate weather and the belief that physical activity is not a right occupation for women. Russian young men have mentioned the lack of conditions for training as a barrier. The difference between Russian young men and foreign ones is that foreigners find positive correlation between physical activity, confidence, and physical attractiveness. Discussion and Conclusion. The results obtained may be useful for teaching personnel of university departments of physical education, medical and psychological services, and student self-government organizations. It is recommended that university prevention programs be gender-specific, culturally oriented, aimed at neutralizing the system of internal and social barriers to attending classes, and based on the student's self-esteem potential.

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Parents’ and Early Childhood Educators’ Perceptions on Movement and Learning Program Implementation

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph182211913 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (22) ◽

pp. 11913

Author(s):

Myrto F. Mavilidi ◽

Sue Bennett ◽

Fred Paas ◽

Anthony D. Okely ◽

Spyridoula Vazou

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Early Childhood ◽

Program Implementation ◽

Online Survey ◽

Early Childhood Educators ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Learning Program ◽

Home Based ◽

Potential Benefits ◽

Program Components

There is currently limited evidence on parents’ and early childhood educators’ perspectives on implementing programs that combine cognitive and motor tasks in early childhood. An online survey was distributed across Australia through social network platforms and emails at preschool centres, asking 65 parents of preschool children and early childhood educators about their preferences on program delivery, duration, and mode. Responses from the survey were evaluated in order to develop and pilot a 4 week home-based (n = 5 parents) and a 6 week school-based program (n = 5 educators) including cognitively engaging physical activity, requesting parents’ and educators’ perspectives, respectively, about the program components. Results from the online survey showed a preference for programs with online (e.g., video-based) compared to traditional delivery (e.g., books), emphasising the potential benefits on children’s physical activity levels, sleep, and cognitive function. However, after piloting the program, educators preferred to use the book version instead of the video. This program has the potential to become part of daily regular practice. Barriers reported include logistics issues (i.e., book size), connectivity issues with internet, and the need for varying activities.

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The Influence of Tool Composite's Structure During Process of Diamond Grinding of Ceramic Materials

Management and Production Engineering Review ◽

10.2478/mper-2014-0031 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

pp. 9-17

Author(s):

Józef Gawlik ◽

Magdalena Niemczewska-Wójcik ◽

Joanna Krajewska ◽

Serghej V. Sokhan ◽

E.A. Paščenko ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Surface Roughness ◽

Vibration Amplitude ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Subsurface Layer ◽

Ceramic Materials ◽

Grinding Process ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Study Results ◽

Polycrystalline Ceramics ◽

The Coefficient Of Friction

Abstract This paper presents the results of the tests performed during the grinding process of the ceramic materials: – polycrystalline ceramics (Zirconium ZrO2) and mono-crystalline ceramics (sapphire α-Al2O3) by the diamond tools. Studies have shown that the concentration (thickening) of the tool composite changes the tool's pore structure when using suitable wetted adamantine additives. Such modified composite has positive impact on tribological properties of the subsurface layer of the machined components. This is manifested by the reduction of the surface roughness and reduction of the vibration amplitude of the coefficient of friction. The possibilities of the positive effects when using wetted additives on the tool's composite during the pressing (briquetting) stage confirm the study results.

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Mindsets Predict Physical Activity and Relate to Chosen Management Strategies in Individuals with Knee Osteoarthritis

10.1101/2021.03.31.21254737 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Melissa A. Boswell ◽

Kris M. Evans ◽

Sean R. Zion ◽

Danielle Z. Boles ◽

Jennifer L. Hicks ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Knee Osteoarthritis ◽

Online Survey ◽

Management Strategies ◽

The Elderly ◽

Activity Level ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Group A ◽

Test Retest Reliability ◽

The Relationship

Objectives. We compared mindsets about physical activity among those with and without knee osteoarthritis and investigated if these mindsets relate to physical activity level and symptom management. Methods. Participants with (n=150) and without (n=152) knee osteoarthritis completed an online survey at study enrollment (T1). Participants with knee osteoarthritis repeated the survey three weeks later (T2; n=62). The mindset questionnaire, scored from 1-4, assessed the extent to which individuals associate the process of exercising with less appeal-focused qualities (e.g., boring, painful, isolating, and depriving) vs. appeal-focused (e.g., fun, pleasurable, social, and indulgent) versus. Using linear regression, we examined the relationship between mindset and having knee osteoarthritis, and, in the subgroup of participants with knee osteoarthritis, the relationship between mindset at T1 and physical activity (via the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly) at T2. We also compared mindsets between those who use medication for management and those who use exercise. Results. A less appeal-focused mindset regarding physical activity was marginally associated with having knee osteoarthritis (β=-0.125, P=0.096). Within the knee osteoarthritis group, a more appeal-focused mindset predicted higher future physical activity (β=20.68, P=0.039), controlling for current physical activity, demographics, and health. Individuals that used exercise with or without pain medication or injections had more appeal-focused process mindsets than those who used medication or injections without exercise (P<0.001). Further, the process mindset inventory demonstrated strong internal consistency (α=0.92 at T1 for n=150 and α=0.92 at T2 for n=62) and test-retest reliability (ICC>0.841, P<0.001) within the knee osteoarthritis population. Conclusion. In individuals with knee osteoarthritis, mindsets predict future physical activity levels and relate to an individual's management strategy. Mindsets are a reliable and malleable construct and may be a valuable target for increasing physical activity and improving adherence to rehabilitation strategies involving exercise among individuals with knee osteoarthritis.

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The role of perceived social media agility in customer engagement

Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing ◽

10.1108/jrim-12-2019-0196 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

David Gligor ◽

Sıddık Bozkurt

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Online Survey ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Customer Engagement ◽

Measurement Scale ◽

Content Type ◽

Study Results ◽

Seeking Behavior ◽

The Impact

Purpose The concept of agility has been applied to several domains to help firms develop the capability to quickly adjust their operations to cope and thrive in environments characterized by frequent changes. Despite the soaring number of social media users and the benefits associated with agility in other domains, the application of agility in a social media context has yet to be explored. Further, little is known about how agility in a social media context impacts desirable customer-related attributes, such as customer engagement and customer-based brand equity (CBBE). This paper aims to address this gap by adapting the construct to social media (i.e. perceived social media agility) and exploring its impact on customer engagement and CBBE. Design/methodology/approach This paper conducted an online survey with 200 adult subjects. This paper used multivariate regression analyzes to empirically test a scale for perceived social media agility and explore its impact on CBBE and customer engagement, along with the moderating role of customer change-seeking behavior. Findings The study results show that perceived social media agility directly and indirectly (through customer engagement) positively influences CBBE. Also, results show that the positive impact of perceived social media agility on CBBE is further magnified for customers high on change-seeking. However, customer change-seeking does not affect the strength or direction of the impact of perceived social media agility on customer engagement. Originality/value This paper contributes to social media literature by adapting and testing a measurement scale for the construct of perceived social media agility and exploring its role in enhancing customer engagement and CBBE.

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An Examination of the Factors Affecting Employee Motivation in the Higher Education Sector

Asia-Pacific Journal of Management Research and Innovation ◽

10.1177/2319510x18810626 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 14 (1-2) ◽

pp. 22-31 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jalal Rajeh Hanaysha ◽

Suhaidah Hussain

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Online Survey ◽

Public Universities ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Employee Training ◽

Employee Motivation ◽

Northern Region ◽

Employee Empowerment ◽

Survey Method ◽

Positive Effects

This study aims to examine the effect of employee empowerment, employee training and teamwork on employee motivation at Malaysian public universities. Based on the review of published literature, it is evident that there are limited studies on employee motivation in the Asian context, particularly in higher education. Therefore, this study intends to provide empirical evidence towards the link between the selected variables. The data were obtained from the participants using an online survey method from a total of 242 academic and administrative staff at public universities in the northern region of Malaysia. For ease of data collection, convenience sampling approach was adopted. The findings indicated that employee empowerment has a significant positive impact on employee motivation. The outcomes also showed that employee training and teamwork have significant positive effects on employee motivation.

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Physical Activity, Eating Behaviour and Well-Being During a COVID-19 Period Among Greek Adolescents

10.20944/preprints202103.0495.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ioannis D. Morres ◽

Evangelos Galanis ◽

Antonis Hatzigeorgiadis ◽

Odysseas Androutsos ◽

Yannis Theodorakis

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Eating Behavior ◽

Eating Behaviors ◽

Eating Behaviour ◽

Well Being ◽

Hierarchical Regression ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Healthy Eating Behavior ◽

Sport Activities ◽

Insufficient Physical Activity

Adolescents’ daily life has dramatically changed during the COVID-19 era due to the social restrictions that have been imposed, including closures of schools, leisure centers and sport facilities. The purpose of this study was to examine levels of well-being and mood and their relations with physical (in)-activity and eating behaviors in adolescents during a lockdown period in Greece. A total of 950 adolescents (Mean Age = 14.41years ± 1.63) participated in a web-based survey while education was online and organized sport activities were interrupted. Participants showed poor well-being, insufficient physical activity levels and moderate scores of healthy eating behavior. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that, after controlling for the effect of gender and body mass index, increased physical activity and healthier eating behavior predicted better well-being, whereas sedentariness predicted worse well-being. Furthermore, it was revealed that days of physical activity per week was a stronger predictor of well-being than minutes of physical activity per week, and that both in-house and out-of-house physical activity were beneficial. Considering that well-being was below the threshold recommended by the WHO as indicative of possible depressive symptoms, measures to increase physical activity and improve eating behavior should become a priority for communities and policy makers.

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Being active during lockdown: the recovery potential of physical activity for well-being

10.31236/osf.io/6pgqx ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Clément Ginoux ◽

Sandrine Isoard-Gautheur ◽

Claudia Teran-Escobar ◽

Cyril Forestier ◽

Aïna Chalabaev ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Latent Variable ◽

Online Survey ◽

Well Being ◽

Psychological Needs ◽

Need Satisfaction ◽

Basic Psychological Needs ◽

Subjective Vitality ◽

Study Results ◽

Recovery Experiences

Objective. To examine the indirect relationships between physical activity, and well-being (i.e., need satisfaction, subjective vitality, and stress) of individuals, through recovery experiences (i.e., detachment from lockdown, relaxation, mastery and control over leisure time) during the spring 2020 COVID-19 lockdown.Design. Cross-sectional.Methods. 405 participants answered an online survey including questions on physical activity, recovery experiences, subjective vitality, perceived stress and basic psychological needs satisfaction. Structural equation modelling tested a full-mediated model in which physical activity predicted recovery experience, which in turn predicted well-being.Results. Physical activity was positively related to a latent variable representing recovery experiences, which in turn was positively related to a latent variable representing well-being.Conclusions. Physical activity carried out regularly during the COVID-19 lockdown predicted positively well-being through recovery experiences. The study results highlight the importance of maintaining or increasing physical activity during periods when recovery experiences and well-being may be threatened.

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Physical Activity Level and Factors Affecting Exercise Participation among Nigerian Adults with and Without Diabetes

European Medical Journal ◽

10.33590/emj/20-00214 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ezema Charles Ikechukwu ◽

Mgbeojedo Ukamaka Gloria ◽

Uchenwoke Chigozie Ikenna ◽

Ugwueze Vitalis Chinonso ◽

Uduonu Ekezie Mmanwanne ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Physical Activity Level ◽

Activity Level ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Exercise Participation ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Physical Activity Levels ◽

Patients With Diabetes

Background: Diabetes presents a multifaceted challenge to health systems in Nigeria and beyond. Physical activity is a cornerstone of diabetes management but is often underutilised. Despite the positive effects of physical activity on different dimensions of health to patients with diabetes, most fail to maintain long-term adherence to physical activity programmes. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the physical activity level and factors affecting exercise participation among patients with and without diabetes. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 400 participants recruited by convenience sampling. International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and Exercise Benefit and Barrier Scale (EBBS) questionnaires were used to measure physical activity and perceived benefits and barriers to exercise, respectively. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics of percentages and frequency, mean and standard deviation, and independent t-test. The level of significance was set at p<0.05. Results: The majority of the patients with diabetes (71%) had low physical activity levels while 52% of the nondiabetic group were moderately active. There was a significant difference between physical activity levels of patients with diabetes and the nondiabetic group (p<0.05). Physical exertion was reported by both patients with and without diabetes as the greatest barrier to exercise participation. Conclusion: Patients with diabetes in Nigeria have a low level of physical activity and are also faced with certain barriers which limit their participation in exercise programmes. Exercise barrier identification and public awareness on the health benefits of exercise and physical activity in the prevention and management of diabetes should thus be encouraged.

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