Long-Term Physical Activity Participation and Subsequent Incident Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Population-Based Cohort Study

BackgroundUncertainty remains concerning association between long-term physical activity and incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). We intended to evaluate physical activity participation over a 6-year span and assess association with subsequent 10-year incident DM risk, as well as examine mediation role by obesity.MethodsA total of 9757 community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 50 years in England were included in the population-based cohort. Physical activity participation, including trajectories and cumulative participation were assessed using weighted Z score over a 6-year span from wave 1 (2002–2003) to wave 4 (2008–2009). Incident DM recorded over a 10-year span from wave 4 (2008–2009) to wave 9 (2018–2019) was outcome.Results5 distinct activity trajectories were identified, including persistently low (N=3037, incident DM=282), initially low then improving (1868, 90), initially high then declining (325, 20), persistently moderate (2489, 170), and persistently high (2038, 108). Compared with persistently low, participants of initially low then improving, persistently moderate and high were associated with lower incident DM risk, with multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) of 0.41 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.32 to 0.53, P<0.001), 0.70 (95% CI: 0.56 to 0.89, P=0.004) and 0.49 (95% CI: 0.37 to 0.65, P <0.001), respectively. Elevated cumulative activity was also associated with lower DM risk, with each quintile increment in cumulative weighted Z score corresponding to HR of 0.76 (95% CI: 0.71 to 0.82, P <0.001). Mediation analysis found that body mass index, waist circumference and change in body mass index mediate 10% (P <0.001), 17% (P <0.001) and 9% (P <0.001) of the observed association between activity and incident DM, respectively.ConclusionsFor middle aged and older adults, both gradually improved and persistently active participation in physical activity were associated with subsequent lower risk of incident DM, with obesity playing a potential mediator. Strategies focusing on improving and maintaining active participation in physical activity might be beneficial from DM prevention perspective.

Physical Activity Participation and Psychological Wellbeing in University Office Workers in China and Australia: An Online Survey

Background and purpose: Physical inactivity and prolonged sitting have associations with adverse health. University office workers are at a high risk of psychological and pain issues. This study aimed to explore the differences in sitting time, levels of physical activity participation, stress, depression, anxiety, and pain among university office workers in China and Australia. Methods: Online surveys were distributed to university office workers over 55 years at two universities in China and Australia, respectively. Results: A total of 185 participants completed the online survey (119 in China and 66 in Australia). Significant differences were found in sitting time during workdays between the two countries (p < 0.05) with a longer sitting time in the Australian respondents (7.5 h/day) than those in China (4.6 h/day). Additionally, there were also significant differences in terms of levels of depression and pain symptoms within the two countries (p < 0.05). The Australian respondents reported high levels of depression and pain (M = 7.38, SD = 5.86 and M = 3.65, SD = 2.21, respectively) than those in China (M = 5.71, SD = 4.87 and M = 1.89, SD = 1.89, respectively). The gender, education level, and sitting time of participants were found to be associated with pain scores (p < 0.05). A significant association between marital status and pain scores was found among the Australian respondents (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Future studies with a larger population are needed to validate the results and to further explore the association between physical activity participation and psychological wellbeing among university office workers.

Predictors of school students’ leisure-time physical activity: An extended trans-contextual model using Bayesian path analysis

The present study aimed to examine effects of motivational and social cognition constructs on children’s leisure-time physical activity participation alongside constructs representing implicit processes using an extended trans-contextual model. The study adopted a correlational prospective design. Secondary-school students (N = 502) completed self-report measures of perceived autonomy support from physical education (PE) teachers, autonomous motivation in PE and leisure-time contexts, and social cognition constructs (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control), intentions, trait self-control, habits, and past behavior in a leisure-time physical activity context. Five weeks later, students (N = 298) self-reported their leisure-time physical activity participation. Bayesian path analyses supported two key premises of the model: perceived autonomy support was related to autonomous motivation in PE, and autonomous motivation in PE was related to autonomous motivation in leisure time. Indirect effects indicated that both forms of autonomous motivation were related to social cognition constructs and intentions. However, intention was not related to leisure-time physical activity participation, so model variables reflecting motivational processes did not account for substantive variance in physical activity participation. Self-control, attitudes, and past behavior were direct predictors of intentions and leisure-time physical activity participation. There were indirect effects of autonomous motivation in leisure time on intentions and physical activity participation mediated by self-control. Specifying informative priors for key model relations using Bayesian analysis yielded greater precision for some model effects. Findings raise some questions on the predictive validity of constructs from the original trans-contextual model in the current sample, but highlight the value of extending the model to incorporate additional constructs representing non-conscious processes.