Physical activity and wellbeing of 8–9 year old children from social disadvantage: An all-Ireland approach to health

BackgroundPhysical activity (PA) has been shown to improve psychological wellbeing in adults, however less is known about this relationship in children. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between PA and wellbeing in children for the first time across Ireland and to explore potential differences by gender, jurisdiction (Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland) and region of Ireland.MethodA sample of 673 8–9 year olds attending school in socially disadvantaged areas took part. Participants completed a measure of PA and the KIDSCREEN-27 quality of life questionnaire.Results18% of children accumulated the recommended 60 min of MVPA per day for health, with 18% of boys (n = 63) and 17% girls (n = 55) achieving this level. Children in Northern Ireland reported higher wellbeing scores than those in Republic of Ireland. Children achieving the recommended level of MVPA scored significantly higher on measures of wellbeing than less active children. Gender differences in wellbeing were found for perceived parental, social and school support with girls scoring higher than boys.ConclusionsChildren who meet the recommended MVPA guidelines and those who live in Northern Ireland report a higher level of wellbeing than their peers who live in the Republic of Ireland.     

Friendship groups and physical activity: qualitative findings on how physical activity is initiated and maintained among 10–11 year old children

Background  

Many youth physical activity interventions have minimal effect. To design better interventions we need to understand more about the factors that influence youth activity. Application of self-determination theory to youth physical activity, particularly the relatedness and competence, might suggest that friends and friendship groups influence the initiation and maintenance of youth physical activity. In this study we examined this issue.     

Factors associated with objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time of 5–6-year-old children in the STEPS Study

Background: The factors associated with preschool-aged children’s physical activity (PA) remains unclear. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine how different factors were associated with preschool-aged children’s objectively measured PA and sedentary time. Methods: The study population was 5–6-year-old children (n?=?140) and their parents (n?=?138) from the STEPS Study in Turku in Southwest Finland in 2013–2014. PA and sedentary time were measured objectively by accelerometers from children and parents and body mass index with Tanita scale. Other factors (siblings, day care, organized PA and parents’ education) were collected with questionnaires. Linear models were conducted. Results: Child’s PA was positively associated with mother’s PA and day care attendance. Child’s sedentary time was positively associated with mother’s sedentary time. Father’s PA and sedentary time were associated with respective variables in children, but only among fathers with high education. Conclusion: Parental role modelling is essential in developing child’s physically active and less sedentary lifestyle.     

Parent and child physical activity and sedentary time: Do active parents foster active children?

Background  

Physical activity has many positive effects on children's health while TV viewing has been associated with adverse health outcomes. Many children do not meet physical activity recommendations and exceed TV viewing guidelines. Parents are likely to be an important influence on their children's behaviour. There is an absence of information about the associations between parents' and children's physical activity and TV viewing.     

Independent mobility in relation to weekday and weekend physical activity in children aged 10–11 years: The PEACH Project

Background  

Children's independent mobility has fallen in recent years and may in part explain reported declines in physical activity in young people. This cross-sectional study investigated whether independent mobility in boys and girls was related to objectively measured physical activity.     

Does work-related and commuting physical activity predict changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior during the transition to retirement? GPS and accelerometer study

We examined how GPS and accelerometer measured work-related and commuting physical activity contribute to changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior during the retirement transition in the Finnish Retirement and Aging study (n = 118). Lower work-related activity was associated with a decrease in sedentary time and an increase in light physical activity during retirement. Conversely, higher work-related activity was associated with an increase in sedentary time and a decrease in light physical activity, except among those active workers who also were active commuters. Thus, both work-related and commuting physical activity predict changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior when retiring.     

Do changes in physical activity lead to dietary changes in middle and old age?

INTRODUCTION: Research examining the relationship between dietary factors and physical activity patterns has yielded conflicting findings. Few prospective studies have examined whether individuals who change their level of physical activity make corresponding changes in their diet. METHODS: The current study examined, in two randomized clinical trials of physical activity, whether self-report of dietary factors changed over a 1-year period, whether these changes differed by gender or exercise-intervention group, and whether changes in physical activity led to changes in dietary factors. Participants included 268 men and women aged 50-65 years who participated in the Stanford-Sunnyvale Health Improvement Project I (SSHIP-I) and 103 men and women aged 65-82 years who participated in SSHIP-II. In both trials we recruited participants through random-digit telephone dialing and citywide promotion. RESULTS: Overall, participants adopted healthier diets over the 1-year period. The SSHIP-I participants decreased their consumption of total calories, total fat, saturated fat, protein, and cholesterol. The SSHIP-II participants decreased their consumption of high-fat, high-cholesterol foods. The SSHIP-I women were more likely than men to decrease their intake of total fat and protein (p < 0.01), as well as total calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol (p < 0.05). However, we found that changes in physical activity were not associated with changes in self-report measures of dietary habits. CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence to support the idea that changes in physical activity are a gateway for changes in dietary factors in middle-aged and older adults.     

Association of physical activity to cardiovascular fitness and fatness in 12–13-year-old boys in different weight status

Aim

The aim was to examine the associations between physical activity (PA) and cardiovascular fitness (CVF) and fatness in boys (age 12.04?±?0.77 year) and to assess if weight status influences these associations.

Subjects and methods

Two hundred sixty-five boys participated in the study. PA was measured by accelerometry. Body fatness estimators included body mass index (BMI), body fat%, sum of five skinfolds and waist circumference. CVF was directly measured during stepwise incremental exercise test and expressed in peak oxygen uptake (VO_2peak) and maximal power output (W _max).

Results

All measured PA levels (except vigorous PA in obese boys) were significant predictors of W _max per kilogram of body mass in normal weight and obese boys. Vigorous PA, moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), total PA in normal weight and vigorous PA in obese boys were significant predictors of W _max. Variation in VO_2peak per kilogram of body mass was significantly explained by moderate PA, vigorous PA, MVPA and total PA in normal weight only. For those of normal weight, vigorous PA, MVPA and total PA were negatively associated with body fat% and sum of five skinfolds. In obese boys, moderate PA and MVPA were negatively associated with BMI.

Conclusions

Time spent in vigorous PA and MVPA was associated with fatness parameters in normal weight and obese boys and with CVF parameters only in normal weight boys. Normal weight boys spent more time in vigorous PA and MVPA than overweight and obese boys and had high values in VO_2peak, VO_2peak per kilogram of body mass and W _max per kilogram of body mass.

     

Increasing weight-bearing physical activity and calcium-rich foods to promote bone mass gains among 9–11 year old girls: outcomes of the Cal-Girls study

Background  

A two-year, community-based, group-randomized trial to promote bone mass gains among 9–11 year-old girls through increased intake of calcium-rich foods and weight-bearing physical activity was evaluated.     

"Get off the sofa and go and play": Family and socioeconomic influences on the physical activity of 10–11 year old children

Background  

Physical activity declines as children approach puberty. Research has focussed on psychosocial, environmental, and demographic determinants. This paper explores how family and socioeconomic factors are related to children's physical activity.     

Effect of a school-based intervention to promote healthy lifestyles in 7–11 year old children

Background  

Physical inactivity is recognised as a public health concern within children and interventions to increase physical activity are needed. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effect of a school-based healthy lifestyles intervention on physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, body composition, knowledge, and psychological variables.     

Well-woman visit of mothers and human papillomavirus vaccine intent and uptake among their 9–17 year old children

Objective

To examine the association between attending a well-woman clinic in the prior 2 years and obtaining the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for their 9–17-year-old child.

Methods

Women (n = 1256) who attended reproductive health clinics during September 2011 to February 2013 and had ≥1 children 9–17 years of age were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire containing questions on demographic characteristics, prior well-woman visits, HPV awareness, and HPV vaccine intent and uptake among their adolescent children.

Results

Nearly 78% of women reported having undergone a well-woman visit during the past 2 years. Bivariate analysis showed that the HPV vaccine initiation (23.9% vs. 14.0%, P = .004) and completion (13.6% vs. 6.7%, P = .011) among 9–17 daughters differed between mothers who did or did not have a well-woman visit during the past 2 years. However, intent to vaccinate them (47.2% vs. 53.3%, P = .173) did not differ between these two groups. With regard to 9–17 year old sons, vaccine initiation (10.1% vs. 9.6%, P = .871), completion (4.6% vs. 2.4%, P = .273) and intent to vaccinate (47.3% vs. 52.1%, P = .311) did not differ between these two groups. Multivariable logistic regression analyses confirmed the findings of these bivariate analyses after adjusting for confounder variables.

Conclusion

The well-woman visit may be a missed opportunity for physicians to educate their patients about the benefits of HPV vaccination for their adolescent children in general and sons in particular. Intervention studies are warranted to assess the benefits of using this setting to improve HPV vaccine uptake in the US.     

Parental safety concerns – a barrier to sport and physical activity in children?

OBJECTIVE: To examine the extent to which parents and carers perceive injury and safety risks as serious enough to prevent or discourage their children, aged 5-12 years, from participating in sports/physical activity and to identify factors that influence these perceptions. METHODS: An analysis of the 2001 New South Wales Child Health Survey. RESULTS: More than one-quarter of parents/ carers of active children aged 5-12 years reported discouraging or preventing children from playing a particular sport (34.7% for boys and 16.6% for girls) because of injury and safety concerns. In boys, the most frequently discouraged sport was rugby league (23.2%), followed by rugby union (7.5%) and Australian rules football (2.8%). Among girls, the most frequently discouraged activities were rollerblading (2.7%), rugby league (2.3%) and soccer (2.1%). Multivariate analysis shows that factors independently associated with parents' decision to prevent/discourage their child from engaging in sport/physical activity include their child's age and gender, language spoken at home, presence of disability, and the respondent's relation to the child. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Efforts need to be made to modify some sports/ activities, such as football codes, in order to minimise injury and to ensure that children continue enjoying their favourite activity well into adulthood. Guidelines designed to promote physical activity among children and young adolescents need to take into account parental concerns regarding the associated risk of injury.     

Changes in physical activity and heart rate variability in chronic neck–shoulder pain: monitoring during work and leisure time

Objectives

Neck–shoulder pain (NSP) is a common work-related musculoskeletal disorder with unclear mechanisms. Changes in physical activity and autonomic nervous system regulation may be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic NSP. The aim of the current study was to investigate autonomic regulation in relation to physical activity and perceived symptoms during work and leisure time among workers with chronic NSP (n = 29) as compared to a healthy control group (CON, n = 27).

Methods

Physical activity was objectively monitored for 7 days using accelerometry. Beat-to-beat heart rate was collected continuously for 72 h, with simultaneous momentary ratings of pain, stress, and fatigue. Duration of sitting/lying, standing and walking, number of steps, and energy expenditure were used as measures of physical activity. Heart rate variability (HRV) indices were extracted in time and frequency domains as reflecting autonomic regulation. Data were divided into work hours, leisure time, and sleep.

Results

The NSP group rated higher levels of stress and fatigue at work and leisure, and reduced sleep quality as compared to CON. Elevated heart rate and reduced HRV were found in NSP compared with CON, especially during sleep. The NSP group demonstrated a different pattern of physical activity than CON, with a lower activity level in leisure time. Higher physical activity was associated with increased HRV in both groups.

Conclusion

Changes in HRV reflected an autonomic imbalance in workers with chronic musculoskeletal pain. This can be explained by reduced physical activity in leisure time. Intervention studies aimed at increasing physical activity may shed further light on the association between autonomic regulation and physical activity in work-related NSP.