Differences in salient beliefs associated with voluntary exercise training among South Korean firefighters before and after COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Participating in voluntary exercise training is important to meet occupational requirements as well as firefighters' health and safety. The purpose of this study is to identify salient beliefs associated with voluntary exercise training among firefighters in the pandemic era by comparing outcomes with those from a previous elicitation study, which was carried out before the COVID-19 outbreak. METHODS: A total of 57 firefighters are recruited to participate in an elicitation study. Participants are requested to respond to six open-ended questions related to voluntary exercise training. Content analysis is used to create categories that combine similar factors in each belief. Beliefs mentioned by more than 30% of participants are used for comparison with the results of the previous research. RESULTS: "Improves my physical ability" (n = 44) and "cause injury" (n = 17) are identified as behavioral beliefs in the present study, whereas "makes me tired" and "takes too much time" were also elicited in Lee's study. Normative beliefs are "family members" (n = 45) and "colleagues" (n = 27) and these results are consistent with those in Lee's study. "Lack of time" (n = 28), "exercise facilities" (n = 19), and "COVID-19" (n = 19) are elicited as control beliefs in the present study, whereas "physical condition" (n = 21) and "exercise partners" (n = 14) were elicited as other control beliefs, and "COVID-19" was not mentioned in Lee's study. CONCLUSION: This study can contribute valuable information about salient beliefs associated with exercise training behavior among firefighters, particularly under pandemic conditions. Future researchers should develop tailored exercise training programs for firefighters based on current elicited beliefs.

The effects of dopamine receptor genes on the trajectories of sport participation from adolescence through young adulthood.

Background: Although previous studies suggest that dopamine receptor genes partially affect physical activity-related behaviours, all of these studies were cross-sectional studies that examined the effects of dopamine receptor genes on physical activity-related behaviours at some point in time. Therefore, the nature and extent of this relationship across the lifespan are even more uncertain.Aim: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of dopamine receptor genes (i.e. DRD2, DRD4 and DRD5) on sport participation trajectories from adolescence to young adulthood.Subjects and methods: This study used the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health data (wave 1-4). Group-based trajectory modelling was used to investigate the effect of dopamine receptor genes on the probability of being in each sport participation trajectory group.Results: A three-group model was the best fitting model for men whereas a two-group model was the best fitting model for women. The more participants possess the A1 allele of the DRD2, the less likely they are to be in the "high-decreasing group" rather than the "low-stable group" in both men and women. In male participants, the more participants carry the A1 allele of the DRD2, the more likely they are to be in the "high-stable group" rather than the "high-decreasing group" (coefficient = 0.206, p<.05).Conclusions: These results can contribute to the literature by providing important information on the effects of dopamine receptor genes on sport participation trajectories from adolescence through young adulthood.

Results from South Korea's 2018 Report Card on physical activity for children and youth.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: South Korea's 2018 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth is the second comprehensive evaluation of physical activity and the sources of influence based on the 10 core indicators provided by the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance. It will serve as an advocacy tool to promote physical activity among children and youth. METHODS: Three national surveillance data (i.e., 2017 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, 2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2016 Physical Activity Promotion System) were used as main sources to evaluate the indicators. Descriptive statistics were performed to obtain prevalence estimates of physical activity-related indicators. In addition, expert opinions as well as the most recently available published or unpublished relevant sources were synthesized. RESULTS: South Korea's 2018 Report Card, compared to the 2016 Report Card, showed favourable changes in the Active Transportation (B+), Organized Sports Participation (C), Sedentary Behaviours (D), and School (D+) indicators, while unfavourable changes were shown in Overall Physical Activity (F) and Government (D). Physical Fitness was graded as D+. In parallel with the 2016 Report Card, Active Play, Family and Peers, and Community and Environment remain ungraded due to insufficient data. CONCLUSIONS: Successes as well as gaps and research needs were identified in the 2018 Report Card. Though some indicators have shown improvement, most children and youth continue to be insufficiently physically active with overall poor grades (Average of D+). To achieve substantial improvement in all grades in future Report Cards, more institutional and governmental support and investment is needed to promote physical activity. Furthermore, effort should be made to generate data pertaining to the indicators that were ungraded.

Does the Relationship Between Cigarette Smoking and Other Key Health Behaviors Vary by Geographic Area Among US Young Adults? A Multilevel Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Although researchers and practitioners have long been aware of interdependence among health behaviors, they tend to compartmentalize health behaviors in research and practice. This kind of approach often fails to acknowledge the syndemic nature of health behaviors. PURPOSE: This study investigated differences in the relationship between cigarette smoking and other key health behaviors, such as vigorous physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, and binge drinking among young adults (ages 18 to 30 years) across 180 metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas (MMSAs) in the USA. METHOD: A total of 19,027 young adults in the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data were analyzed using multilevel logistic regression models. RESULTS: Both vigorous physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption were negatively associated with cigarette smoking, whereas binge drinking was positively associated with smoking. There were significant differences in the relation of smoking with vigorous physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, and binge drinking across the 180 MMSAs. These differences were associated with the prevalence of cigarette smoking and binge drinking for each MMSA. CONCLUSION: As indicated by the social learning theory, geographic area-specific prevalence of health behaviors appears to reflect group norms regarding those behaviors which, in turn, affect the clustering of health behaviors in the respective area.

Relationship between Change in Physical Activity and Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: This study investigates the relationship between changes in physical activity levels and risk of metabolic syndrome. Methods: This study examined 1,686 adults aged 40 to 69 years from a community-based cohort study with complete 1st to 4th follow-up data between 2011 and 2020. Changes in physical activity were evaluated through baseline and follow-up surveys using physical activity questionnaires. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed according to the International Diabetes Federation criteria. A survival analysis was conducted using a multivariate extended Cox regression model with a significance level set at P<0.05. Results: Participants were divided into groups according to physical activity levels. The newly inactive group (vigorous physical activity ≤150 minutes at first follow-up) had a 36% increase in the hazard ratio (HR) for metabolic syndrome compared with the consistently inactive group (≤150 minutes at both baseline and first follow-up) (HR, 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04 to 1.79). The newly active group (walking ≤420 minutes per week at baseline and >420 minutes per week at first follow-up) had a 25% decrease in the HR for metabolic syndrome compared with the consistently inactive group (walking ≤420 minutes per week at both baseline and first follow-up) (HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.57 to 0.98). Conclusion: Changes in physical activity levels are associated with risk of metabolic syndrome. These results provide important insights for future investigations into the link between physical activity changes and disease occurrence.

Improving Cardiorespiratory and Muscular Function of Korean Firefighters: A Kinect-Based Mixed Reality Device Exercise Intervention Randomized Control Trial.

OBJECTIVE: This study addresses declining physical fitness among Korean firefighters due to a low exercise participation rate caused by the absence of exercise instructors. The research explores Virtual Mate (VM), a Kinect-based mixed reality device, as a potential solution, but its capacity to replace training instructors in enhancing physical fitness remains uncertain. METHODS: Twenty Korean male firefighters were divided into two groups: the exercise group received an 8-week intervention using VM, while the control group maintained regular physical activity. Cardiopulmonary function and muscle function were measured. RESULTS: After 8 weeks, the exercise group demonstrated a significant improvement in VO 2peak . Furthermore, there were notable enhancements in the strength and endurance of most knee, shoulder, and trunk flexors and extensors. CONCLUSIONS: Integrating VM into an exercise program can effectively improve cardiorespiratory and muscular function in Korean firefighters.

The effect of perceived body weight on suicidal ideation among a representative sample of US adolescents.

There is no published report on the sex differences in the prospective influence of perceived body weight on suicidal ideation in adolescents. To examine sex differences in the longitudinal relationship between perceived body weight and suicidal ideation among a representative sample of US middle and high school students. Two waves of longitudinal data from 7th-12th grade US adolescents (N = 4,717) in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were analyzed using hierarchical multivariable logistic regression for suicidal ideation 1 year after perceived body weight was measured. Overweight perception significantly increased the risk for suicidal ideation in girls (adjusted odds ratio in the full model = 1.41, p < .05) but not in boys after controlling for previously well-documented risk factors of suicidal ideation. Overweight perception appears to increase the risk for suicidal ideation in girls. It is important to address perceived body weight among girls in suicide prevention interventions.

How disability severity is associated with changes in physical activity and inactivity from adolescence to young adulthood.

BACKGROUND: Disabilities may play a different role in determining people's physical activity (PA) and physical inactivity (PI) levels when they go through multiple lifetime transitions (e.g., graduation, marriage) between adolescence and young adulthood. This study investigates how disability severity is associated with changes in PA and PI engagement levels, focusing on adolescence and young adulthood, when the patterns of PA and PI are usually formed. METHODS: The study employed data from Waves 1 (adolescence) and 4 (young adulthood) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, which covers a total of 15,701 subjects. We first categorized subjects into 4 disability groups: no, minimal, mild, or moderate/severe disability and/or limitation. We then calculated the differences in PA and PI engagement levels between Waves 1 and 4 at the individual level to measure how much the PA and PI levels of individuals changed between adolescence and young adulthood. Finally, we used two separate multinomial logistic regression models for PA and PI to investigate the relationships between disability severity and the changes in PA and PI engagement levels between the two periods after controlling for multiple demographic (age, race, sex) and socioeconomic (household income level, education level) variables. RESULTS: We showed that individuals with minimal disabilities were more likely to decrease their PA levels during transitions from adolescence to young adulthood than those without disabilities. Our findings also revealed that individuals with moderate to severe disabilities tended to have higher PI levels than individuals without disabilities when they were young adults. Furthermore, we found that people above the poverty level were more likely to increase their PA levels to a certain degree compared to people in the group below or near the poverty level. CONCLUSIONS: Our study partially indicates that individuals with disabilities are more vulnerable to unhealthy lifestyles due to a lack of PA engagement and increased PI time compared to people without disabilities. We recommend that health agencies at the state and federal levels allocate more resources for individuals with disabilities to mitigate health disparities between those with and without disabilities.

Genome-wide assessment reveals a significant association between ACSS3 and physical activity.

Recent genetic studies have identified physical activity (PA)-susceptible loci in European ancestry subjects; however, due to considerable genetic differences, these findings are not likely extendable to East Asian populations. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify significantly associated PA-susceptible loci using genome-wide association studies (GWASs) with East Asian (EAS) subjects and to generalize the findings to European (EUR) ancestries. The mRNA levels of genes located near the genome-wide significantly associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were compared under PA and control conditions. Rs74937256, located in ACSS3 (chromosome 12), which primarily functions in skeletal muscle tissues, was identified as a genome-wide significant variant (P = 6.06 × 10-9 ) in EAS. Additionally, the rs2525840, also in ACSS3 satisfied the Bonferroni corrected significance (P = 3.77 × 10-5 ) in EUR. We found that rs74937256 is an expressed trait locus of ACSS3 (P = 10-4 ), and ACSS3 mRNA expression significantly differs after PA, based on PrediXcan (P = 7 × 10-8 ) and the gene expression omnibus database (P = 0.043).

Identification and evaluation of beliefs about sport participation among South Korean university students.

Objective: To identify and evaluate salient beliefs about sport participation among South Korean university students. Participants: Total 234 undergraduate students were recruited in the main study from one university located in Seoul, South Korea. Methods: An elicitation study was conducted to identify salient beliefs about sport participation. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the effects of the elicited salient beliefs on intention to participate in sports and sport participation behavior. Results: Four of ten salient beliefs identified from the elicitation study (i.e., "builds social relationship," "makes me tired," "takes too much time," and "friends") indirectly affected sport participation behavior through intention. Conclusion: The four salient beliefs may play a critical role in developing effective interventions or policies for promoting sport participation.

Development of the Korean Firefighter Performance Battery: Job-Related Physical Fitness Assessment.

OBJECTIVE: The Candidate Physical Capability Test (CPAT) has been used in many countries to assess the fitness levels of firefighters, but it requires a special facility with a space of at least 900 square m 2 and expensive equipment. Because it can be difficult to have both money and space at smaller gas stations, we have developed the Korean Firefighter Performance Battery (KFPB). METHODS: To verify the validity and reliability of the developed KFPB, this study consists of three parts, a validation test, reliability test, and evaluation criterion. RESULTS: As a result of the analysis, the KFPB met all of the criteria as a valid evaluation. Furthermore, the KFPB seems to compensate for the shortcomings of CPAT. CONCLUSIONS: In locations where the CPAT is difficult to administer, the KFPB is expected to be used as a firefighting job-related physical fitness evaluation.

A comparison of factors associated with physical inactivity among East Asian college students.

BACKGROUND: Little is known on the level of physical inactivity and its behavioral and cultural correlates among East Asian college students. PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to examine and compare the level and behavioral and cultural correlates of physical inactivity among college students in Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia. METHOD: Data were collected from a representative sample of college students (N = 12,137) in five East Asian economies during the 2008-2009 academic year. The stratified random sampling (stratum: geographic region) was used to select participating institutions. The overall response rate was 77%. RESULTS: The percentage of physically inactive students was 7.2% for Singapore, 8.0% for Malaysia, 13.5% for Taiwan, 16.8% for Hong Kong, and 28.5% for South Korea. When gender, age, and body mass index were controlled, fruit and vegetable consumptions were significant correlates for physical inactivity across all the five economies. In Hong Kong, Korea, and Taiwan, those who engaged in binge drinking at least once during the past 2 weeks were less likely to be physically inactive than those who did not. Religion and military experience did not independently predict physical inactivity in any of the five economies. CONCLUSION: Physical inactivity varies greatly across different economies in East Asia that are usually grouped together and considered a single homogeneous entity by some researchers. However, in terms of correlates of physical inactivity, findings of the current study indicate that the transversal value of physical activity might be transformed into a universal.

Effect of NUTRI-SCORE labeling on sales of food items in stores at sports and non-sports facilities.

NUTRI-SCORE is a front-of-pack labeling method that relies of the computation of a nutrient profiling system by reconstructing and presenting nutritional information about food items. In particular, different scores are assigned to harmful (energy, sugars, saturated fatty acids, and salt) and beneficial (proteins, fibers, fruits, vegetables, nuts, rapeseed oil, walnut oil, and olive oil) nutrients. These scores are combined to assign a final five different 'NUTRI-SCORE' to the food item from healthiest A to most harmful E. This study examined the effect of NUTRI-SCORE labeling on the sales of food items in stores at sports and non-sports facilities. The NUTRI-SCORE label was attached to the price tag of food items sold in two food stores of Seoul National University (sports-related and non-sports-related facilities) for 5 weeks. Baseline sales data from the previous 2 years were obtained from the food stores. The predicted data based on baseline sales were compared to the new sales data during the study period. The data trends were analyzed using interrupted time-series analysis, which showed significant group differences. In the sports-facility store, sales were higher for relatively healthy food items than for less-healthy food items. Conversely, mixed results were observed for sales in the non-sports-facility store. First, sales of Grade A foods decreased but sales of Grade B and Grade E foods increased. Therefore, the results imply that NUTRI-SCORE labeling positively affected sales of healthy foods only in the sports facilities because few people in non-sports facilities sought to purchase healthy foods. These results will help to improve the nutrition-related behavior of food consumers and point to the differences in cognitive consumption patterns between consumers at sports and non-sports facilities.

Long-term effects of adolescent sport experience, DRD2 and COMT genes, and their interaction on sport participation in adulthood.

BACKGROUND: The present study investigated the joint impact of adolescent sport experience and dopamine-related genes (i.e., DRD2 and COMT genes) on sport participation in adulthood. METHODS: Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) data, the hierarchical multivariable logistic regression models for predicting sport participation in wave 3 (around 20 years of age) and wave 4 (around 30 years of age) were conducted separately by gender (male and female) and gene (DRD2 and COMT genes). RESULTS: Adolescent sport experience significantly interacted with the number of DRD2 A1 alleles and COMT Met alleles in affecting wave 3 sport participation among male adults. The interaction between adolescent sport experience and DRD2 gene significantly affected wave 4 sport participation in opposite direction to that affected wave 3 sport participation among male participants. Among female participants, there were no significant interaction effects between dopamine-related genes and adolescent sport experience on sport participation in both wave 3 and 4. CONCLUSIONS: Since adult sport participation is most likely to be influenced by the joint impact of environmental and genetic factors, it is important to consider gene-by-environment interactions when designing policies or programs to promote adult sport participation.

Process and Outcome Evaluations of Interventions to Promote Voluntary Exercise Training Among South Korean Firefighters.

The main aim of the present study is to evaluate reach, dose, fidelity, and outcomes of the interventions for promoting voluntary exercise training among South Korean firefighters. Four interventions for promoting voluntary exercise training among firefighters (i.e., virtual reality exercise system intervention, poster intervention, monitor intervention, and wearable health device intervention) were performed in a fire station located in Seoul, South Korea. To evaluate reach and dose received related to each intervention, participants were asked to answer several simple questions. Three process evaluators completed a 20-item survey to share their impressions related to the quality of intervention delivery. Paired t test was used to examine mean changes in primary (i.e., mean minutes of exercise training per week) and secondary outcomes (i.e., beliefs and intention) between pre- and postinterventions. More than 60% of participants experienced monitor and wearable health device interventions. Process evaluators tend not to agree with a statement saying that the number of the virtual reality exercise equipment was appropriate. Among firefighters who participated in exercise training less than 150 min per week at 1-month follow-up, mean minutes of exercise training per week increased by 67.95 min after interventions. Future studies need to examine whether the monitor and wearable health device interventions effectively increase exercise training participation among firefighters in other fire stations located in Seoul, South Korea.

The Role of Dopamine Receptor D2 in Bridging the Intention-Behavior Gap in Sport Participation.

Previous studies have identified that a behavior can occur through the strongest predictor intention, but there is a gap between intention and behavior. Dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) is known to account for a variance in sporting behaviors in human and animal subjects. However, the relationship between DRD2 and sport participation has been poorly studied, and the limited available reports are inconsistent. The present study was performed to examine the impact of DRD2 on sport participation among Korean university students based on the integrated behavioral model (IBM). Data were collected from enrolled university students in Seoul (N = 45). Participants answered survey questions first, and then they gave investigators their hair to provide DNA information (i.e., the A1 allele of DRD2). DRD2 had a significant effect on sport participation, but only in male students. Male students who carried the A1 allele of DRD2 significantly participated in 105.10 min more sporting activities than male students who did not. Moreover, the effect of intention on sport participation was significantly decreased when considering DRD2. Despite the small sample size, the results of this study could be a preliminary case for a larger study and indicate the direction of future research. Our results suggest that DRD2 may have played an important role as the "actual skill" shown in the IBM.

Sex and racial/ethnic differences in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among U.S. college students, 2011-2015.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate sex and racial/ethnic differences in overweight and obesity in college students. Participants: A nationally representative sample of 319,342 U.S. college students (mean age = 20.4 years; 67.7% female) from Fall 2011 to Spring 2015. Methods: A secondary data analysis of multi-year cross-sectional data was performed. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine factors (e.g. cumulative grade average, year in school, and living place) associated with overweight and obesity determined from BMI calculated by self-reported height and weight. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was significantly higher for both sexes in Spring 2015 than in Fall 2011. Significant differences were found in overweight and obesity by sex and race/ethnicity. Higher adjusted odds ratios for overweight and obesity were observed for men, blacks, and Hispanics (compared to whites). Asians had the lowest adjusted odds of overweight and obesity. Conclusions: Intervention strategies for the prevention and management of overweight and obesity in U.S. college students should consider sex and racial/ethnic inequalities.

Longitudinal analysis of Socioecological obesogenic factors in a National Sample of U.S. children.

BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity is a serious public health threat. Although many researchers conducted research on socioecological determinants of childhood obesity, their longitudinal effects remain inconclusive especially among young children. This study examined socioecological factors and associated transitions of children's body mass index (BMI) status throughout children's kindergarten to elementary school years, using data from a national longitudinal sample. METHODS: The baseline sample of this study included 1264 children (weighted N = 379,297) extracted from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (baseline mean age: 5.24 years). The socioecological framework guided selection of socioecological obesogenic variables (e.g., family activity and parental involvement). Longitudinal ordered logistic regressions were performed to determine the associations between socioecological obesogenic variables and unhealthy/healthy changes in BMI status that captured transitions between healthy and unhealthy weight status (i.e., overweight, obesity, and severe obesity). RESULTS: Children with Hispanic ethnicity and nonwhite, less socioeconomic and environmental support, and living in households with fewer family members were more likely than their counterparts to have unhealthy BMI status changes over time (all ps < 0.05). Over the study period, girls were less likely than boys to experience transitions to unhealthy BMI status (all ps < 0.05). CONCLUSION: As hypothesized a priori, the findings of the current affirmed multiple dimensions of how sociological obesogenic factors may influence children's BMI status changes in a longitudinal setting. In order to maintain children's long-term healthy weight, more attention should be paid to socioeconomic obesogenic factors surrounding children as well as individual determinants of obesity (e.g., being physically active and having well-balanced nutrition).

The Impact of Parental Incarceration on Sport Participation Trajectories from Adolescence to Young Adulthood.

Given the potential negative effects of parental incarceration on millions of people, it is critical to examine the possible short- and long-term effects of parental incarceration on individuals. This study examines the effect of parental incarceration on the sports participation trajectories of children ranging from adolescence to young adulthood. Group-based trajectory models were set up using SAS analytics software to examine how parental incarceration affects the sports participation trajectories of children from adolescence to young adulthood. Data were drawn from the first four waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health in the United States (N = 6504). Neither paternal nor maternal incarceration had any significant effect on the trajectories of male participants. On the other hand, females who experienced father incarceration were more likely to be in the low-stable versus high-decreasing group (coefficient = -0.721, p < 0.05). Based on the results of this study, we conclude that programs promoting sports participation are needed for females who have experienced paternal incarceration. The results of this study also suggest that group-based trajectory modeling is a useful technique to examine the trajectories of sports participation from adolescence through to young adulthood.