Elementary After School Programs

Child Obesity Can Be Reduced With Vigorous Activity Rather Than Restriction of Energy Intake

Moderate and vigorous leisure time physical activity in older adults and Alzheimer's disease-related mortality in the USA: a dose–response, population-based study

Question order might affect self-reported regular physical activity (PA) measured with items from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) PA module. A telephone survey was conducted using 2 forms (N = 1004, N = 212) with varying PA question order. The standard form presented moderate-PA, vigorous-PA, and walking questions, in that order, whereas the alternate form presented walking questions, followed by moderate-PA, and then vigorous-PA questions. Weighted, adjusted rates of vigorous PA, walking, meeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendation for moderate or vigorous PA, and moderate PA from each form were compared. Vigorous PA and walking were similar regardless of question order. Meeting the CDC recommendation for moderate or vigorous PA was reported less often with the alternate form among 18- to 34-year-olds. Less moderate PA was reported with the alternate form overall and among 18- to 34-year-olds, women, whites, and those with a high school education or less. Estimating PA and walking across sociodemographic strata with differing patterns of PA requires asking moderate-PA and vigorous-PA questions before walking questions. Asking walking questions first might lead to bias, especially for moderate PA. Walking, added to a survey with BRFSS moderate and vigorous PA items, should be placed after moderate and vigorous PA. Walking questions first may cause bias, especially for moderate PA.

Association of physical activity with mortality in the US dialysis population

1788 PURPOSE: The physical health benefits of regular physical activity have been consistently demonstrated in the literature. This study explores the pre-admission patterns of physical activity in a sample of female juvenile detainees and compares them to the 2001 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) sample of female high school students. METHODS: As part of a larger study, we surveyed 149 detained females ages 14–18 years old. Subjects were administered a 50-minute, anonymous questionnaire. This paper focuses on 11 items measuring sociodemographics; detention specific-information; and participation in vigorous physical activity, moderate physical activity, strengthening exercises, and participation on sports teams. RESULTS: White female detainees were significantly less likely than white female students to report sufficient vigorous physical activity (45.3% vs. 58.1%, p = 0.038) and sports team participation (25.0% vs. 53.2%, p<0.001).). White female detainees were more likely to engage in sufficient moderate physical activity (40.6% vs. 25.1%, p = 0.004). No significant differences between white female detainees and white female students were found in the prevalence of reported no vigorous or moderate physical activity (10.9% vs. 10.3%, p = 0.867) or strengthening exercises (45.3% vs. 44.4%, p = 0.883). Black female detainees were significantly more likely than black female students to report sufficient moderate physical activity (31.8% vs. 16.3%, p<0.001) and no vigorous or moderate physical activity (27.1% vs. 18.4%, p = 0.039). No significant differences were found in the prevalence of reported sufficient vigorous physical activity (45.9% vs. 43.9%, p = 0.713), strengthening exercises (28.6% vs. 30.7%, p = 0.672) or sports team participation (47.1% vs. 41.0%, p = 0.256) for black female detainees compared to black female students. CONCLUSIONS: Detained females engaged in more moderate physical activity than students and were closer to meeting the Healthy People 2010 target of 35 % of adolescents engaging in moderate physical activity than YRBS students. Both detained and non-detained females need to increase vigorous physical activity to reach Healthy People 2010's target of 85 % of youth engaging in vigorous physical activity. Racial/ethnic differences found across levels of intensity (vigorous or moderate physical activity) and type of participation (i.e., sports team participation), suggest different mechanisms may be at work between groups.

BackgroundModerate physical activity (PA) is considered one of the main protective factors for the risk of dementia. It is estimated that 1.6% of dementia cases worldwide could be prevented with increases in physical activity. However, there is little evidence of the association between vigorous physical activity and cognitive performance. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between moderate and vigorous physical activity and cognitive performance in older adults from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSI‐Brasil).MethodThe sample included 9,412 adults 50 years or older from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging. Cognitive performance evaluated the memory, temporal orientation, and verbal fluency domains. A global composite z‐score was derived from the tests. PA was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. We used linear regression models to verify the association of moderate and vigorous physical activity with cognitive performance.ResultAfter exclusions, a total of 7,954 participants remained. Mean age was 61.8±9,2 years, 61.8% were women, 44.3% were mixed, 36.4% practiced at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity, and 21.1% practiced at least 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity (Table 1). Compared to participants who did not meet the guideline for moderate PA (less than 150 minutes/week), those who met the guidelines (150 to 299 min/week) and those who performed more than 2x the recommended amount of moderate PA (300 minutes or more/week) had better global cognitive performance (β = 0.174, 95% CI = 0.097;0.250, p&lt;0.001; β = 0.196, 95% CI = 0.124;0.268, p&lt;0.001, respectively) (Figure 1). We found no association between vigorous PA and cognitive performance (Figure 1).ConclusionWhile performing 150 minutes/week or more of moderate PA was associated with better cognitive performance, there was no additional benefit of vigorous PA for cognitive performance.

Today's high school students often engage in sedentary behavior by choosing passive activities during leisure time. Increasing research shows that regular physical activity (PA) provides benefits beyond physical health, especially important during childhood and adolescence. Our study investigated the association between physical activity levels and academic performance (AP) in Serbian adolescents. We selected a sample of 836 fourth-grade high school students (avg. 17.9 ± 0.7 years old) who completed the IPAQ (short-version) and the Academic Performance Scale. Data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS 21.0. Due to non-normal data distribution, Spearman's correlation was used and hierarchical regression analysis to assess the association between PA and AP. The findings revealed significant correlations between vigorous, moderate and light PA, as well as overall units of metabolic equivalent of task (METs), with AP (p-values: 0.000, 0.005, 0.021, 0.004, respectively), although with weak correlation coefficients (0.127, 0.098, 0.080, 0.181, respectively). Vigorous PA influenced AP by 10.1%, moderate PA by 8.2%, and light PA by 11.4%. These results suggest that adolescents engaging in higher PA levels tend to have better AP. This finding indicates a substantial association between PA levels and AP, with both moderate and vigorous PA showing a positive correlation and influence. Further investigation is necessary to comprehensively grasp the link between light PA and AP.

Evaluate the effect of an after-school intervention on physical activity program changes and individual behaviors among children. A quasi-experimental evaluation of a YMCA-driven environmental change intervention with 16 intervention and 16 control sites in four metropolitan areas in the United States. Intervention sites participated in learning collaboratives designed to promote physical activity and nutrition through environmental change, educational activities, and parent engagement. Behavioral foci included increasing overall physical activity levels as well as combined moderate and vigorous physical activity and vigorous physical activity. Outcomes were assessed longitudinally using preintervention and follow-up surveys of program implementation and accelerometer measures of physical activity. ActiGraph accelerometer data were collected from a sample of 212 children, ages 5-11 yr, attending the programs. On average, 3 d of data were gathered per child. Reliability of the accelerometer counts averaged 0.78. Multivariate regression models were used to control for potential confounding variables and to account for clustering of observations. Data indicate greater physical activity increases in children in intervention versus control sites after modest intervention implementation. Controlling for baseline covariates, children in intervention sites showed greater increases in average physical activity level than in control sites (76 counts per minute, P = 0.037, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 8.1-144) and more minutes of moderate and vigorous physical activity (10.5 min·d(-1), P = 0.017, 95% CI = 1.5-18.6), minutes of moderate physical activity (5.6 min·d(-1), P = 0.020, 95% CI = 0.99-10.2), and minutes of vigorous physical activity (5.1 min·d(-1), P = 0.051, 95% CI = 0.21-9.93). Results indicate significant increases in daily physical activity among children in intervention versus control sites. This study documents the effectiveness of an environmental change approach in an applied setting.

BackgroundElevated systemic inflammation is associated with poorer cognitive function, while vigorous physical activity enhances cognition.ObjectiveThis study examines whether physical activity moderates the relationship between systemic inflammation and cognitive performance.MethodsWe analyzed 24,661 adults (50+) from the Dutch Lifelines cohort across two waves. Cognitive performance was assessed via a validated composite score from the Cogstate Brief Battery, with higher scores indicating lower cognitive performance. Leukocyte count (3–11 × 109 cells/liter) served as a systemic inflammation biomarker, categorized as low (<6.5 × 109 cells/liter) or high (≥6.5 × 109 cells/liter). We used the Short Questionnaire to Assess Health-Enhancing Physical Activity to define moderate (0, 1–149, 150+ minutes) and vigorous (0, 1–74, 75+ minutes) physical activity. We performed linear regression models to examine the effect of inflammation and vigorous physical activity on cognition, adjusting for moderate physical activity and covariates. An interaction effect analyzed the potential moderation of vigorous physical activity.ResultsIndividuals with high systemic inflammation (SI) levels in both waves exhibited significantly longer reaction times (b = 0.062 [95% confidence interval: 0.002; 0.122]) compared to those with low SI levels in both waves. Individuals who engaged in 1–74 min or 75+ minutes of vigorous physical activity had significantly faster reaction times (1–74: b = −0.114 [−0.193; −0.034], 75+: b = −0.160 [−0.210; −0.111]) than those who did not. The interaction term was insignificant.ConclusionsAlthough vigorous physical activity is protective, it cannot mitigate the negative association between systemic inflammation and cognition. Nevertheless, promoting vigorous physical activity in an ageing population can be an effective strategy for preventing or delaying cognitive decline.

Many adolescents do not meet national guidelines for participation in regular moderate or vigorous physical activity (PA); limitations on sedentary behaviors; or dietary intake of fruits and vegetables, fiber, or total dietary fat. This study evaluated a health care-based intervention to improve these behaviors. Randomized controlled trial. Primary care with follow-up at home. Eight hundred seventy-eight adolescent girls and boys aged 11 to 15 years. Two experimental conditions: (1) Primary care, office-based, computer-assisted diet and PA assessment and stage-based goal setting followed by brief health care provider counseling and 12 months of monthly mail and telephone counseling and (2) a comparison condition addressing sun exposure protection. Minutes per week of moderate plus vigorous PA measured by self-report and accelerometer; self-report of days per week of PA and sedentary behaviors; and percentage of energy from fat and servings per day of fruits and vegetables measured by three 24-hour diet recalls. Body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) was a secondary outcome. Compared with adolescents in the sun protection condition, girls and boys in the diet and PA intervention significantly reduced sedentary behaviors (intervention vs control change, 4.3 to 3.4 h/d vs 4.2 to 4.4 h/d for girls, respectively [P = .001]; 4.2 to 3.2 h/d vs 4.2 to 4.3 h/d for boys, respectively [P = .001]). Boys reported more active days per week (intervention vs control change: 4.1 to 4.4 d/wk vs 3.8 to 3.8 d/w, respectively [P = .01]), and the number of servings of fruits and vegetables for girls approached significance (intervention vs control change, 3.5 to 4.2 servings/d vs 3.5 to 3.9 servings/d, respectively [P = .07]). No intervention effects were seen with percentage of calories from fat or minutes of PA per week. Percentage of adolescents meeting recommended health guidelines was significantly improved for girls for consumption of saturated fat (intervention vs control change, 23.4% to 41.0% vs 18.5% to 31%, respectively [relative risk, 1.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.68]) and for boys' participation in d/wk of PA (intervention vs control change, 45.3% to 55.4% vs 41.9% to 38.0%, respectively [relative risk, 1.47; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-1.75]). No between-group differences were seen in body mass index. Improvements in some diet, PA, and sedentary behaviors in adolescents can be enabled through the use of a 1-year, integrated intervention using the computer, health provider counseling, mail, and telephone. The amount of intervention received may contribute to its efficacy.

To examine the reliability and convergent validity of self-reported questionnaires (SRQs) to measure physical activity (PA). Systematic review with meta-analysis. The validity and reliability of SRQs to assess PA in people with mental disorders (January 20, 2020). Random-effects meta-analyses were performed pooling (1)test-retest correlations or (2)the convergent validity between the SRQs and objective measures (eg,accelerometry). Associations were provided in r values with the 95% confidence interval. Methodological quality was assessed. A total of 9 unique studies (N = 1344; 40.5% females) were included. The authors found a moderate correlation test-retest reliability for PA SRQs in the assessment of vigorous PA (r = .69 [.38 to .85]; P = .001), moderate to vigorous PA (r = .63 [.25 to .84]; P = .003), moderate PA (r = .63 [.39 to .79]; P = .001), and good correlation total PA (r = .75 [.37 to .92]; P = .001). The SRQs have moderate correlations with objective measures for moderate to vigorous PA (r = .25 [.18 to .32]; P = .0001) and total PA (r = .47 [.28 to .62]; P = .005), a poor correlation for moderate PA (r = .18 [.03 to .36]; P = .047), and no correlation with vigorous PA (r = .06 [-.10 to .22]; P = .440). Current evidence indicates that SRQs are reliable over time to assess moderate, vigorous, and total PA levels and valid when assessing moderate PA.

Comparing a recommendation for self-paced versus moderate intensity physical activity for midlife adults: Rationale and design

Latinas are more likely to be inactive than non-Hispanic white women. Although 74% of Latinas report no leisure-time activity, few interventions have been designed to promote physical activity among these women. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of the California WISEWOMAN program on low-income Latinas's readiness to change physical activity and on self-reported physical activity behaviors. We screened 1,332 women for cardiovascular disease risk factors and randomly assigned 1,093 women to 2 groups: an enhanced intervention (n = 552) or usual care (n = 541). The enhanced intervention was delivered by community health workers in one-on-one counseling sessions. We examined self-reported readiness to change and physical activity at baseline and 12-month follow-up among participants who completed both assessments (n = 868). Mean age of participants was 52 years (standard deviation, 6 y); most (65%) were Mexican or Mexican American, and most (81%) were not high school graduates. A higher percentage (67%) of the enhanced intervention group was in the action/maintenance stage for vigorous physical activity at follow-up compared with baseline (47%). We found no such change among women in usual care (52%, baseline; 58%, follow-up). A higher percentage of the enhanced intervention group also reported significant increases in moderate (71%, baseline; 84%, follow-up) and vigorous (13% to 33%) physical activity at follow-up than at baseline. Women in usual care reported no changes. A culturally tailored adaptation of the WISEWOMAN program that used community health workers significantly improved both self-reported readiness to engage in physical activity and vigorous physical activity among low-income Latinas.

The magnitude and direction of the association between sedentary time, physical activity (PA) of various intensities and weight status remain unclear. PURPOSE:The purpose of this study was to examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal effects of replacing sedentary time with light PA, moderate PA or vigorous PA on BMI in a large representative sample of adults and older adults. METHODS: We conducted cross-sectional (n=5013) and longitudinal (n=1823) analyses in a prospective cohort study in which PA was measured objectively by accelerometry (ActiGraph GT1M and GT3X+) for 7 days at both baseline (year 2008/09) and after 5 years. Exposure variables were daily time spent sedentary (below 100 cpm), and daily minutes spent performing light (100-2019 cpm), moderate (2020-5999 cpm) and vigorous intensity PA (6000 cpm and up). Outcome variable was BMI (kg/m2) derived from self-reported height and weight. Isotemporal substitution modelling was performed to convey the effects of replacing sedentary time with active behaviours on participant`s BMI. RESULTS: The isotemporal substitution models showed that replacing 10 minutes/day of sedentary time with an equal amount of time of either moderate PA (B=-0.2 95% CI: -0.2 to -0.1) or vigorous intensity PA (B=-1.0; 95% CI: -1.2 to -0.7) were associated with estimated beneficial effects on BMI after adjustments for age and socio-economic status in both genders. For men, replacing sedentary time with light intensity PA also showed small but significant beneficial associations with BMI (B=-0.1; 95% CI: -0.17 to -0.03). There were no longitudinal associations when replacing sedentary time with any of the PA intensities, after adjusting for baseline BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Replacing sedentary time with active behaviours is associated with BMI in cross-sectional but not prospective analyses. This may suggest that substituting sedentary time with PA at one point in time may not predict gain in BMI over time.

BackgroundPrevious studies indicate that juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients have lower levels of physical activity (PA), spend more time in sedentary PA and less time in moderate and vigorous PA...