Multidimensional Factors Can Explain the Clinical Worsening in People With Parkinson's Disease During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Trial

Background: Self-reported clinical worsening by people with Parkinson's disease (PD) during social distancing may be aggravated in Brazil, where the e/tele-health system is precarious.Objectives: This study aims to investigate self-reported changes in motor and non-motor aspects during social distancing in people with PD living in Brazil and to investigate the factors that might explain these changes.Methods: In this multicenter cross-sectional trial, 478 people with a diagnosis of idiopathic PD (mean age = 67, SD = 9.5; 167 female) were recruited from 14 centers distributed throughout the five geographical regions of Brazil. The evaluators from each center applied a questionnaire by telephone, which included questions (previous and current period of social distancing) about the motor and non-motor experiences of daily living, quality of life, daily routine, and physical activity volume.Results: Self-reported clinical worsening in non-motor and motor aspects of daily life experiences (Movement Disorder Society-Unified PD Rating Scale—parts IB and II—emotional and mental health, and fear of falling) and in the quality of life was observed. Only 31% of the participants reported a guided home-based physical activity with distance supervision. Perceived changes in the quality of life, freezing of gait, decreased physical activity volume, daily routine, and fear of falling explained the self-reported clinical worsening (P < 0.05).Conclusions: Self-reported clinical worsening in people with PD living in Brazil during social distancing can also be aggravated by the precarious e/tele-health system, as perception of decreased physical activity volume and impoverishment in daily routine were some of the explanatory factors. Considering the multifaceted worsening, the implementation of a remote multi-professional support for these people is urgent.

The Effect of College Students’ Physical Activity Level on Depression and Personal Relationships

Background: Physical activity greatly affects human physical and mental health. This study investigated the effect of college students’ physical activity levels on depression and personal relationships. Methods: Participants were 525 college students from five Korean cities. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Beck’s Depression Inventory, and Leary’s interpersonal orientation paper test measured physical activity volume, depression, and interpersonal relationships, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson’s correlation analysis. Results: The results revealed significant differences among emotional, cognitive, and synchronous symptoms of depression across activity level groups. Regarding interpersonal relationships according to physical activity, for the sociometric disposition, there were differences between groups in the sympathetic-acceptable and sociable-friendliness factors and, for the expressive disposition, in the competitive-aggressive and rebellious-distrustful factors. Conclusions: There were statistical correlations between the physical activity volume and depression and the physical activity and interpersonal relationships. Subsequent research should examine college students’ physical activities and causal relationships among various psychological variables.

Seasons, weather, and device-measured movement behaviors: a scoping review from 2006 to 2020

Background This scoping review summarized research on (a) seasonal differences in physical activity and sedentary behavior, and (b) specific weather indices associated with those behaviors. Methods PubMed, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus were searched to identify relevant studies. After identifying and screening 1459 articles, data were extracted from 110 articles with 118,189 participants from 30 countries (almost exclusively high-income countries) on five continents. Results Both physical activity volume and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were greater in summer than winter. Sedentary behavior was greater in winter than either spring or summer, and insufficient evidence existed to draw conclusions about seasonal differences in light physical activity. Physical activity volume and MVPA duration were positively associated with both the photoperiod and temperature, and negatively associated with precipitation. Sedentary behavior was negatively associated with photoperiod and positively associated with precipitation. Insufficient evidence existed to draw conclusions about light physical activity and specific weather indices. Many weather indices have been neglected in this literature (e.g., air quality, barometric pressure, cloud coverage, humidity, snow, visibility, windchill). Conclusions The natural environment can influence health by facilitating or inhibiting physical activity. Behavioral interventions should be sensitive to potential weather impacts. Extreme weather conditions brought about by climate change may compromise health-enhancing physical activity in the short term and, over longer periods of time, stimulate human migration in search of more suitable environmental niches.

Device-measured sedentary behaviour and anxiety symptoms during adolescence: a 6-year prospective cohort study

Background Sedentary behaviour is potentially a modifiable risk factor for anxiety disorders, a major source of global disability that typically starts during adolescence. This is the first prospective study of associations between repeated, device-based measures of sedentary behaviour and anxiety symptoms in adolescents. Methods A UK cohort with 4257 adolescents aged 12 at baseline (56% female). Main exposures were sedentary behaviour and physical activity measured using accelerometers for 7-days at ages 12, 14, and 16. Primary outcome was anxiety symptom scores at age 18 from a Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised. We used adjusted negative binomial regression and iso-temporal substitution methods to analyse the data. Results We found a positive association between sedentary behaviour at ages 12, 14, and 16, with anxiety symptoms at age 18, independent of total physical activity volume. Theoretically replacing an hour of daily sedentary behaviour for light activity at ages 12, 14, and 16, was associated with lower anxiety symptoms by age 18 by 15.9% (95% CI 8.7–22.4), 12.1% (95% CI 3.4–20.1), and 14.7% (95% CI 4–24.2), respectively. Whereas, theoretically replacing an hour of sedentary behaviour with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was not associated with differences in anxiety symptoms. These results were robust to a series of sensitivity analyses. Conclusion Sedentary behaviour is a possible risk factor for increasing anxiety symptoms during adolescence, independent of total physical activity volume. Instead of focusing on moderate-to-vigorous activity, replacing daily sedentary behaviour with light activity during adolescence could be a more suitable method of reducing future anxiety symptoms.

The relationship between physical activity, mental wellbeing and symptoms of mental health disorder in adolescents: a cohort study

Background Mental illness is a worldwide public health concern. In the UK, there is a high prevalence of mental illness and poor mental wellbeing among young people. The aim of this study was to investigate whether physical activity is associated with better mental wellbeing and reduced symptoms of mental health disorder in adolescents. Methods A cohort of 928 12–13 year olds (Year 8) from six secondary schools in England, who had participated in the AHEAD trial, ‘Activity and Healthy Eating in Adolescence’, were followed up three years later (when 15–16 years old, Year 11). At baseline, physical activity was measured using accelerometers. At follow-up, mental wellbeing was measured using the ‘Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale’ (WEMWBS) and symptoms of mental health disorder using the ‘Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire’ (SDQ). Multivariable linear regression analyses were used to investigate associations between physical activity and both mental wellbeing and symptoms of mental health disorder. Results 794 (86%) of the eligible 928 young people provided valid accelerometer data at baseline. 668 (72%) provided complete mental wellbeing data and 673 (73%) provided complete symptoms of mental health disorder data at follow-up. The multivariable analyses showed no evidence of an association between physical activity volume (counts per minute (cpm)) or intensity (Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA)) and mental wellbeing (WEMWBS overall score) or overall symptoms of mental health disorder (SDQ Total Difficulties Score). However, higher levels of physical activity volume at age 12–13 years were associated with lower scores on the emotional problems subscale of the SDQ at age 15–16 years. Conclusions This cohort study found no strong evidence that physical activity is associated with better mental wellbeing or reduced symptoms of mental health disorder in adolescents. However, a protective association between physical activity and the emotional problems subscale of the SDQ was found. This suggests that physical activity has the potential to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety in adolescents. Future cohort study designs should allow for repeated measures to fully explore the temporal nature of any relationship.