Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity Data Sets (Global Physical Activity Data Set Catalogue) That Include Markers of Cardiometabolic Health: Systematic Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease accounts for 17.9 million deaths globally each year. Many research study data sets have been collected to answer questions regarding the relationship between cardiometabolic health and accelerometer-measured physical activity. This scoping review aimed to map the available data sets that have collected accelerometer-measured physical activity and cardiometabolic health markers. These data were then used to inform the development of a publicly available resource, the Global Physical Activity Data set (GPAD) catalogue. OBJECTIVE: This review aimed to systematically identify data sets that have measured physical activity using accelerometers and cardiometabolic health markers using either an observational or interventional study design. METHODS: Databases, trial registries, and gray literature (inception until February 2021; updated search from February 2021 to September 2022) were systematically searched to identify studies that analyzed data sets of physical activity and cardiometabolic health outcomes. To be eligible for inclusion, data sets must have measured physical activity using an accelerometric device in adults aged ≥18 years; a sample size >400 participants (unless recruited participants in a low- and middle-income country where a sample size threshold was reduced to 100); used an observational, longitudinal, or trial-based study design; and collected at least 1 cardiometabolic health marker (unless only body mass was measured). Two reviewers screened the search results to identify eligible studies, and from these, the unique names of each data set were recorded, and characteristics about each data set were extracted from several sources. RESULTS: A total of 17,391 study reports were identified, and after screening, 319 were eligible, with 122 unique data sets in these study reports meeting the review inclusion criteria. Data sets were found in 49 countries across 5 continents, with the most developed in Europe (n=53) and the least in Africa and Oceania (n=4 and n=3, respectively). The most common accelerometric brand and device wear location was Actigraph and the waist, respectively. Height and body mass were the most frequently measured cardiometabolic health markers in the data sets (119/122, 97.5% data sets), followed by blood pressure (82/122, 67.2% data sets). The number of participants in the included data sets ranged from 103,712 to 120. Once the review processes had been completed, the GPAD catalogue was developed to house all the identified data sets. CONCLUSIONS: This review identified and mapped the contents of data sets from around the world that have collected potentially harmonizable accelerometer-measured physical activity and cardiometabolic health markers. The GPAD catalogue is a web-based open-source resource developed from the results of this review, which aims to facilitate the harmonization of data sets to produce evidence that will reduce the burden of disease from physical inactivity.

Development of a Mobile Health Snacktivity App to Promote Physical Activity in Inactive Adults (SnackApp): Intervention Mapping and User Testing Study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the unequivocal evidence demonstrating the benefits of being physically active, many people do not meet the recommended guidelines of at least 150 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity per week. This can be changed with the development and implementation of innovative interventions. The use of mobile health (mHealth) technologies has been suggested as a mechanism to offer people innovative health behavior change interventions. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to outline the systematic, theory-driven processes and user testing applied to the development of a smartphone-based physical activity app (SnackApp) to promote participation in a novel physical activity intervention called Snacktivity. The acceptability of the app was explored and reported. METHODS: Intervention mapping involves a 6-step process, the first 4 of which were presented in this study. These steps were used to develop the SnackApp for use within the Snacktivity intervention. The first step involved a needs assessment, which included composing an expert planning group, patient and public involvement group, and gathering the views of the public on Snacktivity and the public perception of the use of wearable technology to support Snacktivity. This first step aimed to determine the overall purpose of the Snacktivity intervention. Steps 2 to 4 involved determining the intervention objectives, the behavior change theory and techniques on which the intervention is based, and the development of the intervention resources (ie, SnackApp). After the completion of steps 1 to 3 of the intervention mapping process, the SnackApp was developed and linked to a commercial physical activity tracker (Fitbit Versa Lite) for the automated capture of physical activity. SnackApp includes provisions for goal setting, activity planning, and social support. Stage 4 involved users (inactive adults, N=15) testing the SnackApp for 28 days. App engagement (mobile app use analytics) was analyzed to determine app use and to inform the further development of SnackApp. RESULTS: Over the study period (step 4), participants engaged with SnackApp an average of 77 (SD 80) times. On average, participants used the SnackApp for 12.6 (SD 47) minutes per week, with most of the time spent on the SnackApp dashboard and engaging, on average, 14 (SD 12.1) times, lasting 7 to 8 minutes per week. Overall, male participants used the SnackApp more than female participants did. The app rating score was 3.5 (SD 0.6) out of 5, suggesting that SnackApp was rated as fair to good. CONCLUSIONS: This study outlines and reports data regarding the development of an innovative mHealth app using a systematic, theory-driven framework. This approach can guide the development of future mHealth programs. User testing of the SnackApp suggested that physically inactive adults will engage with the SnackApp, indicating its applicability of use in the Snacktivity physical activity intervention.

Effectiveness of physical activity interventions delivered or prompted by health professionals in primary care settings: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of physical activity interventions delivered or prompted by primary care health professionals for increasing moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) in adult patients. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. DATA SOURCES: Databases (Medline and Medline in progress, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, Sports Medicine and Education Index, ASSIA, PEDro, Bibliomap, Science Citation Index, Conference Proceedings Citation Index), trial registries (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov, TRoPHI), and grey literature (OpenGrey) sources were searched (from inception to September 2020). ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: Randomised controlled trials of aerobic based physical activity interventions delivered or prompted by health professionals in primary care with a usual care control group or another control group that did not involve physical activity. STUDY SELECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two independent reviewers screened the search results, extracted data from eligible trials and assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane risk of bias tool (version 2). Inverse variance meta-analyses using random effects models examined the primary outcome of difference between the groups in MVPA (min/week) from baseline to final follow-up. The odds of meeting the guidelines for MVPA at follow-up were also analysed. RESULTS: 14 566 unique reports were identified and 46 randomised controlled trials with a range of follow-ups (3-60 months) were included in the meta-analysis (n=16 198 participants). Physical activity interventions delivered or prompted by health professionals in primary care increased MVPA by 14 min/week (95% confidence interval 4.2 to 24.6, P=0.006). Heterogeneity was substantial (I2=91%, P<0.001). Limiting analyses to trials that used a device to measure physical activity showed no significant group difference in MVPA (mean difference 4.1 min/week, 95% confidence interval -1.7 to 9.9, P=0.17; I2=56%, P=0.008). Trials that used self-report measures showed that intervention participants achieved 24 min/week more MVPA than controls (95% confidence interval 6.3 to 41.8, P=0.008; I2=72%, P<0.001). Additionally, interventions increased the odds of patients meeting guidelines for MVPA by 33% (95% confidence interval 1.17 to 1.50, P<0.001; I2=25%, P=0.11) versus controls. 14 of 46 studies were at high risk of bias but sensitivity analyses excluding these studies did not alter the results. CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity interventions delivered or prompted by health professionals in primary care appear effective at increasing participation in self-reported MVPA. Such interventions should be considered for routine implementation to increase levels of physical activity and improve health outcomes in the population. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42021209484.

A Christmas themed physical activity intervention to increase participation in physical activity during Advent: pilot randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the recruitment, retention, and preliminary effects of a Christmas themed physical activity intervention designed to increase participation in physical activity and decrease sedentary behaviour in inactive adults. DESIGN: Pilot randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Recruitment from social medial platforms, workplaces, and community groups in the UK. PARTICIPANTS: 107 inactive adults (who did not meet the UK guidelines for physical activity) aged 18-75 years. INTERVENTIONS: The intervention consisted of an email sent to participants each day of Advent (1-24 December 2021), which contained a Christmas themed physical activity idea to be completed that day. Each physical activity idea was presented in three intensity formats, including Easy Elf (light intensity), Moderate Mrs Claus (moderate intensity), and Strenuous Santa (vigorous intensity). The comparator group received a leaflet about healthy living on the 1 December. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants were randomly assigned (2:1) to either the intervention or control and were masked to group allocation before randomisation. Primary outcomes were recruitment rate, retention, and weekly minutes of participation in self-reported moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity by use of the exercise vital signs questionnaire. Primary analysis compared change in minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity from baseline to weeks one, two, and three during the Active Advent intervention. Secondary outcomes were participation in muscle strengthening based physical activity (days per week), accelerometer measured moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity, light intensity physical activity, total physical activity, and sedentary time (minutes per day), and enjoyment of and adherence to the intervention. RESULTS: 323 individuals expressed interest in participating in the trial and 107 were randomly assigned to the intervention (n=71) or the comparator (n=36) group. The recruitment target (n=105) was reached within 19 days of starting recruitment. 23 (21%) of 107 participants were lost to follow-up. On average, the groups reported participation in similar minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity in weeks one and two. At week three, the adjusted mean difference between groups was 20.6 minutes of participation in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity per week (95% confidence interval -29.7 to 70.9) in favour of the intervention group. Accelerometer data showed that the intervention group spent fewer minutes sedentary per day than comparators (mean difference -58.6 (-113.5 to -3.8)). Overall, 42 (70%) of 60 participants in the intervention group reported that they liked the intervention and 41 (69%) of 59 reported that they completed the Active Advent intervention ideas each day. CONCLUSIONS: The public were interested to participate in a Christmas themed physical activity intervention during Advent, which might increase physical activity and reduce time sedentary. Enjoyment of, and adherence to the intervention shows the potential benefit that Christmas themed physical activity campaigns/initiatives might have for improving public health. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN12415556.