[Correlates of sedentary behaviors in Chile: evidence from the National Health Survey 2009-2010]. / Factores asociados a sedentarismo en Chile: evidencia de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud 2009-2010.

BACKGROUND: Sedentary behaviors are one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. AIM: To identify factors associated with high sedentary behaviors in the Chilean population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We included 5,040 participants from the Chilean National Health Survey 2009-2010. Physical activity level and sedentary behavior (sitting time) were measured using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ v2). Highly sedentary behaviors were determined as > 4 hours per day of sitting time. Logistic regression was used to identify correlates of highly sedentary behavior. RESULTS: Forty seven percent of the study population reported spending more than 4 hours per day sitting. The prevalence was higher in women. The main factors associated with high sedentary behavior were: high income levels (Odds ratio (OR):1.91 [95% Confidence intervals (CI:1.61-2.27]); being woman (OR:1.39 [95% CI:1.24-1.56]): having central obesity (OR:1.15 [95% CI:1.02-1.30]), being physically inactive (OR:2.35 [95% CI:2.06-2.68]), and living in an urban area (OR:1.92 [95% CI:1.63-2.26]). Other factors associates with high sedentary behavior were: being smoker, having a television set, computer and private car at their homes. Participants reporting a poor self-reported health and wellbeing and those with diabetes or metabolic syndrome were more likely to be highly sedentary. CONCLUSIONS: The main factors associated with high levels of sedentary behavior are socio-demographic issues, lifestyles and health status.

Factores asociados a sedentarismo en Chile: evidencia de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud 2009-2010 / Correlates of sedentary behaviors in Chile: evidence from the National Health Survey 2009-2010

Background: Sedentary behaviors are one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Aim: To identify factors associated with high sedentary behaviors in the Chilean population. Material and Methods: We included 5,040 participants from the Chilean National Health Survey 2009-2010. Physical activity level and sedentary behavior (sitting time) were measured using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ v2). Highly sedentary behaviors were determined as > 4 hours per day of sitting time. Logistic regression was used to identify correlates of highly sedentary behavior. Results: Forty seven percent of the study population reported spending more than 4 hours per day sitting. The prevalence was higher in women. The main factors associated with high sedentary behavior were: high income levels (Odds ratio (OR):1.91 [95% Confidence intervals (CI:1.61-2.27]); being woman (OR:1.39 [95% CI:1.24-1.56]): having central obesity (OR:1.15 [95% CI:1.02-1.30]), being physically inactive (OR:2.35 [95% CI:2.06-2.68]), and living in an urban area (OR:1.92 [95% CI:1.63-2.26]). Other factors associates with high sedentary behavior were: being smoker, having a television set, computer and private car at their homes. Participants reporting a poor self-reported health and wellbeing and those with diabetes or metabolic syndrome were more likely to be highly sedentary. Conclusions: The main factors associated with high levels of sedentary behavior are socio-demographic issues, lifestyles and health status.

Whole-body vibration training increases physical fitness measures without alteration of inflammatory markers in older adults.

This study investigated in older adults whether whole-body vibration (WBV) training results in significant increases of physical fitness measures without alterations in markers of inflammation. Sixteen volunteers completed a WBV programme 3 d.wk(-1) during 9 weeks. The programme consisted of lower and upper-body unloaded static and dynamic exercises. Training improved significantly several tests which evaluate physical fitness, such as 30-s chair stand, arm curl or chair sit and reach test. There was a significant increase in maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) between pre- and post-training conditions. Muscle power values, reached at 20, 40 and 60% MVIC, were also significantly greater after training. However, mRNA or protein levels for C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, interleukin-1ß, tumour necrosis factor-α and interleukin-10 did not significantly differ from basal values. Our data confirm the usefulness of WBV training for counteracting the loss of muscle strength associated with sarcopenia in older adults and show that WBV training could be a safe training method which induces no inflammatory effects.