The effect of outdoor activities on the medical expenditure of older people: multiple chain mediating effects of health benefits.

BACKGROUND: With the global aging population, attention to the health and medical issues of older adults is increasing. By analyzing the relationship between older people's participation in outdoor activities and medical expenditure, this study aims to provide a scientific basis for improving their quality of life and reducing the medical burden. METHODS: Data on outdoor activity participation, medical expenditures, and relevant variables were collected through questionnaires and databases. A multi-chain mediation effect model was established to analyze the impact of outdoor activities on the medical expenditure of older people, considering mediation effects and heterogeneity. RESULTS: Results revealed that increased participation in outdoor activities among older adults correlated with lower medical expenditures. Outdoor activities positively influenced their health by improving mental health, cognition, eating habits, and activities of daily living, resulting in reduced medical expenditures. Robustness tests confirmed the consistent effect of outdoor activities on older people's medical expenditure. CONCLUSION: These findings contribute to understanding the relationship between outdoor activities, health, and medical expenditure in older people, guiding policy formulation and interventions. Encouraging and supporting older adults in outdoor activities can enhance their quality of life and alleviate medical resource strain. The study's conclusions can also inform health promotion measures for other populations and serve as a basis for future research in this area.

Built and natural environment correlates of physical activity of adults living in rural areas: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: According to social-ecological models, the built and natural environment has the potential to facilitate or hinder physical activity (PA). While this potential is well researched in urban areas, a current systematic review of how the built and natural environment is related to PA in rural areas is lacking. METHODS: We searched five databases and included studies for adults (18-65 years) living in rural areas. We included quantitative studies investigating the association between any self-reported or objectively measured characteristic of the built or natural environment and any type of self-reported or objectively measured PA, and qualitative studies that reported on features of the built or natural environment perceived as barriers to or facilitators of PA by the participants. Screening for eligibility and quality assessment (using the Standard Quality Assessment Criteria for Evaluating Primary Research Papers from a Variety of Fields) were done in duplicate. We used a narrative approach to synthesize the results. RESULTS: Of 2432 non-duplicate records, 51 quantitative and 19 qualitative studies were included. Convincing positive relationships were found between the availability and accessibility of places for exercise and recreation and leisure-time PA as well as between the overall environment and leisure-time PA. Possible positive associations were found between the overall environment and total and transport-related PA, between greenness/natural environment and total PA, between cycling infrastructure and aesthetics and MVPA, and between pedestrian infrastructure and total walking. A possible negative relationship was found between safety and security and total walking. Qualitative studies complemented several environmental facilitators (facilities for exercise and recreation, sidewalks or streets with low traffic, attractive natural environment) and barriers (lack of facilities and destinations, lack of sidewalks, speeding traffic and high traffic volumes, lack of street lighting). CONCLUSIONS: Research investigating the relationship between the built and natural environment and PA behaviors of adults living in rural areas is still limited and there is a need for more high-quality and longitudinal studies. However, our most positive findings indicate that investing in places for exercise and recreation, a safe infrastructure for active transport, and nature-based activities are possible strategies that should be considered to address low levels of PA in rural adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO: CRD42021283508.

Understanding mental health promotion in organized leisure communities for young people: a realist review.

Introduction: A large proportion of young people reports poor mental health, which is a major public health concern. Positive mental health is important for young people's development, quality of life, functioning in everyday life, and long-term possibilities. Thus, there is a great need to develop and implement mental health-promoting initiatives and activities in young people's lives. Participating in organized leisure communities has a positive impact on mental health and wellbeing. However, more knowledge is still needed about why and how participating in organized leisure communities targeting young people can promote mental health. The aim of this study was to gain knowledge about the mental health-promoting potential of organized leisure communities for young people by exploring the active ingredients that contribute to mental health promotion. Method: Given the complexity of the subject, this study implemented a realist review approach to explore the interaction between context, mechanism, and outcome. The study follows Pawsons' five key steps for conducting a realist review: (1) clarify scope, (2) search for evidence, (3) study selection criteria, and procedures, (4) data extraction, and (5) data synthesis and analysis. The literature was systematically searched in the four databases PsycINFO, Scopus, Embase, and SocIndex. Results: In the literature search, a total of 11,249 studies were identified, of which 52 studies met the inclusion criteria. Based on the 52 studies, seven different contexts i.e., types of organized leisure communities for young peoples were identified. Across the seven different types of organized leisure communities, five active ingredients that promoted the mental health of young people were identified: social connectedness, development of skills, development of self-confidence, pleasure-driven participation, and safety and trust. Conclusion: This review contributes important knowledge about how to promote young people's mental health when participating in organized leisure communities. Moving forward, an important task consists of establishing and maintaining the five active ingredients in organized leisure communities through e.g., education and training that strengthens the skills and knowledge of those responsible for facilitating the leisure communities, such as sports coaches or music teachers, as these adults play a central role in supporting the active ingredients.

The bi-directional relationships between diversified leisure activity participation and cognitive function in older adults in China: separating between-person effects from within-person effects.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the bi-directorial association between diversified leisure activity participation and cognitive function over a 7-year period. METHODS: Data analyzed was from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), a large-scale longitudinal national study. The baseline survey was conducted in 2011 with follow-up every three years. We traced a total of 2718 participants over a period of 7 years. We used adjusted random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs) to examine the bi-directorial associations between diversified leisure activity participation and cognitive function. RESULTS: We observed bi-directorial associations between diversity of leisure activity and cognitive function across waves at the between-person and within-person levels. The adjusted random intercept cross-lagged panel models fitted the data appropriately, and the 3-year cross-lagged effects of prior diversified leisure activity participation on cognitive function (ß = 0.058, p < 0.01) and cognitive function on subsequent diversified leisure activity participation (ß = 0.047, p < 0.05) were significant. The results remained after adjusting the model for baseline sex, age, educational level, marital status and current residence, the number of chronic diseases, ADL, depressive symptoms, sleep quality, smoking, and drinking. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that a reciprocal causality relationship between diversified leisure activity participation and cognitive function, indicating a "positive circle" that further promotes cognition over time.

Initiatives to facilitate the social inclusion of people with intellectual disability in physical activities with others in community-based sporting, recreation and leisure activities: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: While barriers to participation in physical activity are well documented, there is no consolidated evidence on strategies promoting participation of people with intellectual disability in physical activities. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review to examine initiatives used to facilitate the inclusion of people with intellectual disability in community-based sporting and recreation activities. We searched Medline, Embase, CINAHL+ and PsycINFO for articles published in English between 2000 and 2022. RESULTS: Eight articles were included. Initiatives included: (1) building knowledge, awareness and attitudinal change (2) organisational alliances/partnerships (3) relationship-building (4) modifications/adaptions to activities/environment (5) organisational policy (6) engagement with people with disability. Initiatives were implemented through international collaborations, in local fitness/recreational facilities and public spaces, and targeted athletes, coaches, volunteers and organisational leaders. CONCLUSION: While some increase in awareness and inclusion of people with intellectual disability was reported, no longitudinal data reported on the impact of initiatives on sustained social inclusion for people with intellectual disability.

Tiredness after work associates with less leisure-time physical activity.

Physical activities and sedentary behaviors take place in different contexts. This study aimed to determine if the context, total score, and leisure-time MET-index assessed by the Baecke questionnaire associate with each other or with sedentary behavior and physical activity outcomes from a 4-week accelerometer measurement in physically inactive adults with overweight. The item "After working I am tired" correlated negatively with items related to leisure-time physical activity and sports participation. The total Baecke Score showed weak but significant correlations with accelerometer-measured sedentary behavior, physical activity, daily steps, and mean activity intensity of the day (r = - 0.33, 0.41, 0.35, and 0.41, respectively). The associations strengthened when the Sport Index was omitted from the Score. The leisure-time MET-Index did not correlate with accelerometer-measured sedentary behavior or physical activity. Tiredness after working associated with less self-reported physical activity during leisure time. This suggests that better recovery from work-related stress could increase leisure-time physical activity, or increasing leisure-time physical activity could reduce tiredness after working. Moreover, among self-reportedly inactive adults with overweight, focusing the questionnaire on work and non-sport leisure time instead of total time might give more accurate estimates of sedentary behavior and physical activity when compared to accelerometry.The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03101228, 05/04/2017).

Originalarbeiten / Original Articles. Die Bedeutung der Freizeitgestaltung für die Suizidalität bei Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen.

The Importance of Leisure Activities for Suicidality in Adolescents and Young Adults Leisure time is important for the development of adolescents. It influences adolescents' psychological well-being and psychosocial development. It may also have a protective effect on suicidality. This study investigates how adolescents' leisure time is related to suicidality, distinguishing between general aspects and various specific leisure time activities. Data from adolescents in counseling (n = 25) and the general population (n = 57) were analyzed. Adolescents who spend most of their leisure time alone are more suicidal than adolescents who spend their leisure time with others. General aspects of leisure activities were related to suicidality; among specific activities, only sports activities were found to be significant.The strongest association with suicidality was shared activities with others. Based on these results, it can be shown that leisure time activities could be effective as a preventive measure. In particular, social activities in leisure time should be encouraged.

Determinants of the happiness of adolescents: A leisure perspective.

Leisure plays a key role in the happiness of youth. Studies have shown that various factors of leisure, such as the type, the time, the cost, and the space, have an influence on the adolescents' happiness. However, little is known about which of these factors is a major factor in youth's happiness. The purpose of this study is to explore the leisure factors that determine happiness in adolescents by examining the relationship between happiness and various leisure factors. The study used the method of machine learning to analyze national statistical data, National Leisure Activity Survey. The data used in this study were from the National Leisure Activity Survey 2019, which is a national statistic produced by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in the Republic of Korea. The analysis found that leisure perceptions, academic and leisure balance, and public leisure space have a very important impact on the adolescents' well-being. The findings of this research may contribute to a better understanding of leisure and happiness in adolescents, and will also help adolescents make better use of their leisure time, leading to better leisure lives, and ultimately contribute to raising their level of happiness.

Change in general and domain-specific physical activity during the transition from primary to secondary education: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge of changes in the domains of physical activity (PA) during the transition period from primary to secondary education and the factors associated with these changes, are prerequisites for the design of effective PA promotion strategies. Therefore, the first aim of this study was to systematically review changes in general, leisure-time, school, transport, work, and home PA across the transition from primary to secondary education. The second aim was to systematically review the individual, social, and physical environmental factors that were associated with these changes. METHODS: Records published up until September 2023 were retrieved from five electronic databases. We included longitudinal and cross-sectional studies that investigated general or domain-specific PA from 2 years before to 2 years after the transition from primary to secondary education. Information on source, study characteristics, sample characteristics, PA, and factors were extracted from the papers included. We reported the direction of change in general and domain-specific PA and the direction of association of the factors with change in general and domain-specific PA. RESULTS: Forty-eight papers were included in the study. The evidence on changes in PA and associated factors was greatest for general PA. A limited number of the studies investigated the separate domains of leisure-time, school, and transport. Most studies on general and school PA reported a decline in PA, but there were no consistent results for the domains of leisure-time and transport. With respect to the associated factors, evidence was predominantly found for individual factors and to a lesser degree for physical environmental and social environmental factors. None of the factors were consistently associated with changes in general or domain-specific PA during the school transition. CONCLUSIONS: For the design of targeted PA promotion strategies, further studies are warranted to explore changes in the specific domains of PA across the transition from primary to secondary education, especially in the domains of leisure-time, transport, home, and work PA. In addition, the interactions between factors at different socioecological levels to influence changes in PA need to be addressed more in the future. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42020190204.

Leisure-time and occupational physical activity and risk of cardiovascular disease incidence: a systematic-review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Physical activity has benefits for the cardiovascular system, however, what levels and types of activity provide optimal cardiovascular health is unclear. We aimed to determine the level of physical activity that has the most benefits against cardiovascular diseases (CVD). METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for prospective cohort studies on leisure-time (LTPA) or occupational physical activity (OPA) as the exposure and major types of CVD (total CVD, coronary heart disease [CHD], stroke, and atrial fibrillation [AF]) incidence as the outcome. Risk of bias of studies was evaluated using the ROBINS-I tool. Summary hazard ratios (HR) were calculated using random-effects pairwise model. RESULTS: A total of 103 studies were included in the analysis. The highest versus the lowest LTPA was associated with a lower risk of overall CVD (HR = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.77-0.86), CHD (HR = 0.83; 0.79-0.88), and stroke (HR = 0.83; 0.79-0.88), but not AF (HR = 0.98; 0.92-1.05). Linear dose-response analyses showed a 10%, 12%, 9%, and 8% risk reduction in CVD, CHD, stroke, and AF incidence, respectively, for every 20 MET-hours/week increase in LTPA. In nonlinear dose-response analyses, there were inverse associations up to 20 MET-hours/week with 19% and 20% reduction in CVD and CHD risk, and up to 25 MET-hours/week with 22% reduction in stroke, with no further risk reduction at higher LTPA levels. For AF, there was a U-shaped nonlinear association with the maximum 8% risk reduction at 10 MET-hours/week of LTPA. Higher levels of OPA were not associated with risk of CVD, CHD, stroke, or AF. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, results showed an inverse dose-response relationship between LTPA and risk of CVD, CHD, stroke, and AF. Running was the most beneficial LTPA but the risk was similar among various LTPA intensities. OPA showed no benefits in total or any type of CVD.

The relationship between participation in leisure activities and incidence of falls in residential aged care.

BACKGROUND: Active engagement in leisure activities has positive effects on individuals' health outcomes and social functioning; however, there is limited understanding of the link between participation in leisure activities, particularly non-exercise activities, and falls in older adults. This study aimed to determine the relationship between participation in leisure activities and the incidence of falls, and the variation of this relationship by dementia status in residential aged care facilities (RACFs). METHODS: A retrospective longitudinal cohort study utilising routinely collected data (January 2021-August 2022) from 25 RACFs in Sydney, Australia, was conducted. The cohort included 3,024 older permanent residents (1,493 with dementia and 1,531 without) aged ≥65 and with a stay of ≥1 week. The level of participation in leisure activities was measured using the number of leisure activities per 1,000 resident days and divided into quartiles. Outcome measures were the incidence rate of all falls and injurious falls (i.e., number of falls per 1,000 resident days). We used multilevel negative binary regression to examine the relationship between leisure participation and fall incidence. RESULTS: For the whole sample, leisure participation was significantly inversely associated with the incidence rate of all falls and injurious falls. For example, residents in the high leisure participation group were 26% less likely to experience a fall compared to those in the low leisure participation group after controlling for confounders (incidence rate ratio = 0.74, 95% confidence interval = 0.60, 0.91). Such inverse relationship was observed in both exercise and non-exercise activities and was stronger among residents without dementia. CONCLUSIONS: Leisure participation is associated with a lower rate of falls, a key quality indicator by which RACFs are benchmarked and funded in Australia and many other countries. More recognition and attention are needed for the currently underfunded leisure activities in RACFs in future funding arrangement.

Longitudinal leisure-time physical activity profiles throughout adulthood and related characteristics: a 36-year follow-up study of the older Finnish Twin Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Personalized interventions aiming to increase physical activity in individuals are effective. However, from a public health perspective, it would be important to stimulate physical activity in larger groups of people who share the vulnerability to be physically inactive throughout adulthood. To find these high-risk groups, we identified 36-year leisure-time physical activity profiles from young adulthood to late midlife in females and males. Moreover, we uncovered which anthropometric-, demographic-, lifestyle-, and health-related characteristics were associated with these physical activity profiles. METHODS: We included 2,778 females and 1,938 males from the population-based older Finnish Twin Cohort Study, who responded to health and behavior surveys at the mean ages of 24, 30, 40 and 60. Latent profile analysis was used to identify longitudinal leisure-time physical activity profiles. RESULTS: We found five longitudinal leisure-time physical activity profiles for both females and males. Females' profiles were: 1) Low increasing moderate (29%), 2) Moderate stable (23%), 3) Very low increasing low (20%), 4) Low stable (20%) and 5) High increasing high (9%). Males' profiles were: 1) Low increasing moderate (29%), 2) Low stable very low (26%), 3) Moderate decreasing low (21%), 4) High fluctuating high (17%) and 5) Very low stable (8%). In both females and males, lower leisure-time physical activity profiles were associated with lower education, higher body mass index, smoking, poorer perceived health, higher sedentary time, high blood pressure, and a higher risk for type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, lower leisure-time physical activity was linked to a higher risk of depression in females. CONCLUSIONS: We found several longitudinal leisure-time physical activity profiles with unique changes in both sexes. Fewer profiles in females than in males remained or became low physically active during the 36-year follow-up. We observed that lower education, higher body mass index, and more smoking already in young adulthood were associated with low leisure-time physical activity profiles. However, the fact that several longitudinal profiles demonstrated a change in their physical activity behavior over time implies the potential for public health interventions to improve leisure-time physical activity levels.

University students' free time management and quality of life: the mediating role of leisure satisfaction.

The impact of free time management and leisure satisfaction on quality of life is distinct, however, the role of satisfaction in enhancing quality of life through free time management remains uncertain. Hence, the objective of this research is to explore how leisure satisfaction acts as a mediator between free time management and the levels of quality of life among university students. Additionally, this study aims to analyse these concepts in relation to gender, age and the number of days of activity participation. Within this particular framework, a total of 213 university students willingly participated in the survey, which included the administration of the "Free Time Management Scale," "Leisure Satisfaction Scale," and "Quality of Life Scale." The analyses employed the Independent T-Test, Pearson Correlation, and Linear Regression methods. The mediating effect was analysed using Structural Equation Modelling. The study found significant relationships between gender, free time management, and life quality. There was a significant relationship between free time management, leisure satisfaction, and quality of life (p < 0.05). Leisure satisfaction partially mediated the quality of life-free time management relationship. As age and physical activity grow, males have a higher standard of living, and time allocation and quality of life improve. Furthermore, it was found that students who effectively managed their time experienced an enhanced quality of life, as evidenced by their increased satisfaction with leisure activities. Notably, the level of satisfaction with well-managed time was identified as a crucial factor in this association.

NHANES-based analysis of the correlation between leisure-time physical activity, serum cotinine levels and periodontitis risk.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of leisure-time physical activity and serum cotinine levels with the risk of periodontitis in the general population and to further analyze the interaction between leisure-time physical activity and serum cotinine levels on the risk of periodontitis. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study, extracting data from 9605 (56.19%) participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database from 2009 to 2014, and analyzing the relationship and interaction effects of serum cotinine level, leisure time physical activity, and risk of periodontitis by weighted univariate logistic modeling; Effect sizes were determined using ratio of ratios (OR), 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). RESULTS: 5,397 (56.19%) of 9,605 participants had periodontitis; an increased risk of periodontitis was found in those in the leisure time physical activity intensity < 750 MET × min/week group (OR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.17-1.78). Serum cotinine levels ≥ 0.05 ng/ml were associated with an increased risk of periodontitis (OR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.69-2.33). The group with low leisure physical activity and serum cotinine levels ≥ 0.05 ng/ml had an increased risk of periodontitis compared to the group with high leisure physical activity and serum cotinine levels < 0.05 ng/ml (OR = 2.48, 95% CI: 1.88-3.27). Interaction metrics RERI = 0.90 (95% CI: 0.44-1.36) and API = 0.36 (95% CI: 0.18-0.55); CI for SI = 2.55 (95% CI: 1.03-6.28). for API 0.36. CONCLUSION: Leisure time physical activity intensity interacted with smoking exposure on periodontitis risk and may provide the general population with the opportunity to Increasing leisure-time physical activity and smoking cessation may provide recommendations for the general population.

Assessing the causal role of physical activity and leisure sedentary behaviours with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a Mendelian randomisation study.

BACKGROUND: Observational studies show that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) tend to be sedentary during leisure time. Physical activity (PA) may reduce the risk of COPD, but the causal relationship is unclear. We used a Mendelian randomisation (MR) method to elucidate the association of leisure sedentary behaviours (LSB) and PA with lung function and COPD. METHODS: Data on LSB (n=422 218), PA (n=608 595), COPD (n=299 929) and lung function (n=79 055) were obtained from the large-scale genome-wide association study. Causal inference used inverse variance-weighted, MR-Egger and weighted median. Sensitivity analysis was performed to assess heterogeneity and pleiotropy, and radial MR was used to distinguish outliers. The primary outcome was analysed by multifactorial MR adjusted for daily smoking. RESULTS: The inverse variance weighted analysis indicated that increased moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) is associated with higher levels of forced vital capacity (FVC) (beta=0.27, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.42; p=3.51×10-4). For each increment of 2.8 hours in television watching, the odds of COPD were 2.25 times greater (OR=2.25; 95% CI 1.84 to 2.75; p=2.38×10-15). For early-onset COPD, the odds were 2.11 times greater (OR=2.11; 95% CI 1.56 to 2.85; p=1.06×10-6), and for late-onset COPD, the odds were 2.16 times greater (OR=2.16; 95% CI 1.64 to 2.84; p=3.12×10-8). Similarly, the odds of hospitalisation for COPD were 2.02 times greater with increased television watching (OR=2.02; 95% CI 1.59 to 2.55; p=4.68×10-9). Television watching was associated with lower FVC (beta=-0.19, 95% CI -0.28 to -0.10; p=1.54×10-5) and forced expiratory volume in the 1 s (FEV1) (beta=-0.16, 95% CI -0.25 to -0.08; p=1.21×10-4) levels. The results remained significant after adjustment for smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests a potential association with LSB, particularly television watching, is associated with higher odds of COPD and lower indices of lung function as measured continuously, including FEV1 and FVC. Conversely, an increase in MVPA is associated with higher indices of lung function, particularly reflected in increased FVC levels.

Moderating role of depression in the association between leisure activity and cognitive function among the disabled older people.

Background: This study delves into the complex interaction between leisure activities and cognitive function in older people with disabilities, with a particular emphasis on the moderating influence of depression. Despite the well-documented cognitive benefits of leisure activities among the older people, the intricate relationship between depression and the association between leisure activities and cognitive function in this specific demographic has been rarely reported. Methods: Drawing on data from the 2017-2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), this study meticulously examined a cohort of 713 participants aged 65-89 years. We constructed a moderation model to examine the impact of leisure activity on cognitive function in older people with disabilities, with depression levels as a moderating variable. Results: We found a positive association between engagement in leisure activities and cognitive function, highlighting the potential cognitive advantages associated with leisure engagement among disabled older people. However, the present analysis also reveals a significant moderation effect of depression on this relationship, shedding light on the nuanced nature of this association. Specifically, elevated levels of depression emerge as a critical moderator, attenuating the otherwise favorable impact of leisure activities on cognitive function among older people contending with disabilities. Conclusion: In conclusion, the findings provide a compelling rationale for tailored interventions that comprehensively target both leisure activity engagement and concurrent depression management, effectively fostering improvements in cognitive function among the cohort of disabled older people.

Exploring the Relationship of Leisure Travel with Loneliness, Depression, and Cognitive Function in Older Adults.

Loneliness, depression, and cognitive decline are pressing concerns among older adults. This study examines the association between leisure travel participation and these health outcomes in older adults, aiming to provide further evidence of the benefits of leisure travel. Using nationally representative historical data from the 2006 household survey of the Health and Retirement Study, this study conducted a series of regression analyses to investigate the relationship between traveling and the three health outcomes, adjusting for age, sex, race, marital status, education, total wealth, annual income, and difficulty with daily activities. The results reveal that travel patterns in terms of distance are significantly associated with loneliness, depression, and cognitive function. Long-distance travel is positively related to higher cognitive function and a reduction in depressive symptoms, along with lower levels of loneliness, reinforcing the notion that leisure travel can potentially act as a catalyst for improved cognitive and mental health by offering opportunities for enhancing social connections and forming new relationships. The findings on the relationships between participation in leisure travel and mental and cognitive health contribute to the body of evidence supporting the therapeutic value of leisure travel in promoting healthy aging and enhancing the overall well-being in older adults.

Impact of leisure physical activity and resistance exercise on the prevalence of depressive symptoms in Korean adults: Analysis of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BACKGROUND: Various physical activity (PA) guidelines recommend leisure PA and resistance exercise (RE). However, the impact of PA and RE on the prevalence of depressive symptoms remains unclear. We investigated whether meeting PA and RE guidelines is associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms using nationally representative samples. METHODS: We analyzed data from 11,829 (5111 male and 6718 female) participants aged 19+ years in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016 and 2018). Those with doctor's diagnosis of depression or with a cut-off score of ≥11 on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 were defined as having depressive symptoms. PA and RE were measured using a validated Global PA Questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between participating in leisure PA, simultaneously meeting RE guidelines, and experiencing depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Those who participated in leisure PA and met RE guidelines had a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms than those who did not (p for trend <0.001). After adjusting for covariates, those who participated in leisure PA and met RE guideline were significantly less likely to have depressive symptoms in male (OR = 0.52, 95 % CI 0.32-0.84) and female (OR = 0.71, 95 % CI 0.48-1.06), compared with those who did not participate in leisure PA but also did not meet RE guideline. LIMITATIONS: The cross-sectional nature of the data prevented causal claims. CONCLUSIONS: Participation in leisure PA and RE was associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms. This suggests both leisure PA and RE should be encouraged as effective means for preventing depression.

Potential causal associations between leisure sedentary behaviors, physical activity, sleep traits, and myopia: a Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: Myopia is the most prevalent refractive error and a growing global health concern that significantly affects visual function. Researchers have recently emphasized considerably on the influence of lifestyle on myopia incidence and development. This study investigates the relationship between leisure sedentary behaviors (LSB)/physical activity (PA)/sleep traits and myopia. METHODS: LSB, PA, and sleep trait-associated genetic variants were used as instrument variables in a Mendelian randomization (MR) study to examine their causal effects on myopia. Summary genome-wide association studies (GWASs) statistical data for LSB and PA were obtained from UK Biobank, and the data of sleep traits was obtained from UK Biobank, UK Biobank and 23andMe, and FinnGen. We used summary statistics data for myopia from MRC IEU. The MR analyses was performed using the inverse variance-weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, weighted median, and MR Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier methods. RESULTS: Computer use was genetically predicted to increase the myopia risk [IVW odds ratio (OR) = 1.057; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.038-1.078; P = 7.04 × 10- 9]. The self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (IVW OR = 0.962; 95% CI, 0.932-0.993; P = 1.57 × 10- 2) and television watching (IVW OR = 0.973; 95% CI, 0.961-0.985, P = 1.93 × 10- 5) were significantly associated with a lower myopia risk. However, genetically predicted sleep traits or accelerometer-measured physical activity had no significant associations with myopia. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that computer use is a risk factor for myopia, whereas television watching and MVPA may protect against myopia. These findings shed new light on possible strategies for reducing the prevalence of myopia.

The longitudinal relationship between leisure activities and depressive symptoms among older Chinese adults: an autoregressive cross-lagged analysis approach.

BACKGROUND: Existing studies have shown a correlation between leisure activities and depressive symptoms in older adults, but the direction of the longitudinal relationship is inconsistent. This study used an autoregressive cross-lagged model to examine the longitudinal relationship between leisure activity participation and geriatric depression. METHODS: A total of 7,138 participants aged 60 years or older from the 2nd to the 4th wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were analysed. RESULTS: First, present depressive symptoms were significantly associated with future depressive symptoms (ß2013-2015 = .893, p < .001; ß2015-2018 = .946, p < .001), and the same rule applied to leisure activities (ß2013-2015 = .402, p < .001; ß2015-2018 = .404, p < .001). Second, current depressive symptoms negatively predicted future leisure activities (ß2013-2015 = -.071, p < .001; ß2015-2018 = -.085, p < .001), but the inverse relationship was not statistically significant (ß2013-2015 = -.003, p > .05; ß2015-2018 = -.003, p > .05). CONCLUSION: These findings underscore the importance of interventions targeting depressive symptoms to potentially enhance engagement in leisure activities among older adults. The results contribute to the understanding of the complex dynamics between mental health and lifestyle choices in older populations, highlighting the potential of proactive mental health interventions to improve overall well-being.