Ethnic-specific suggestions for physical activity based on existing recreational physical activity preferences of New Zealand women.

OBJECTIVES: Recreational physical activities of New Zealand women were examined to develop ethnic-specific suggestions encouraging physical activity (PA) participation as a targeted approach to reduce obesity rates among different groups. METHODS: Healthy Maori, Pacific and European women (n=331; 16-45 years of age) completed an online Recent Physical Activity Questionnaire to assess recreational PA and adherence to PA guidelines. Existing PA preferences were tailored to make ethnic-specific suggestions aimed at increasing PA participation. RESULTS: Achievement of PA guidelines was: Maori 74%; Pacific 60%; European 70%. Highest participation across all women was for walking (Maori 72%, Pacific 60%, European 83%), followed by floor exercise (Maori 54%, Pacific 37%, European 56%). Gym-type activities (e.g. weights, aerobics) and jogging were also common across ethnic groups. Group/team activities (dance, netball, touch football) were among the top 10 activities for Maori and Pacific, but not European women. CONCLUSION: Obesity rates among specific ethnic groups of New Zealand women might be reduced by promoting activities that are: family/whanau-oriented (netball, touch), community-linked (hula, dance) and outdoor-based. Implications for public health: Tailoring existing PA preferences to develop ethnic-specific sets of activity suggestions could be important avenues to increase PA participation, improving the PA habits and subsequent health of New Zealand women and their communities.

Exploring the challenges in obtaining physical activity data from women using hip-worn accelerometers.

Quality objective physical activity data are required to inform physical activity-based health improvement initiatives, however, various challenges undermine acquisition of such data. We examined the efficacy and challenges of a hip-worn accelerometry protocol in women. Specific objectives included determining accelerometer-wear-compliance rates and understanding the barriers and acceptability of wearing accelerometers. Healthy New Zealand women (n = 406) of three ethnicities (Maori (indigenous New Zealander), Pacific, European) aged 16-45 years (30.9 ± 8.7 y) wore hip-mounted Actigraph wGT3X+ accelerometers for 7 consecutive days under a 24-h wear protocol. Post hoc, a sub-sample (n = 45; age: 29.4 ± 9.0 y) was interviewed to investigate comfort/convenience and burdens of accelerometer-wear. Wear-compliance (≥10 h/day, ≥4 day) was 86%. European women returned more valid data (92.7%, p < .04) than Pacific (73.0%) or Maori women (82.1%). Twenty-two participants (5.4%) had completely missing data; 13 due to lost accelerometers. Burden of accelerometer-wear was greatest during sleeping (66.7%) due to discomfort. Embarrassment of accelerometer visibility through clothing and consequent restricted clothing choices caused high burden in social settings (45.2%). Discomfort during sleeping, embarrassment due to perceived appearance in social settings and ethnicity are key factors affecting the efficacy of collecting physical activity data from women using hip-worn accelerometers. Refining accelerometer design to reduce size and subsequently participant burden should improve acceptability and wear-compliance. Increasing overall participant compliance by reducing burden and ensuring appropriate understanding of study aims and relevance should reduce attrition and improve wear-compliance and data quality when collecting accelerometry data from women of different ethnicities.

Predictors and risks of body fat profiles in young New Zealand European, Maori and Pacific women: study protocol for the women's EXPLORE study.

BACKGROUND: Body mass index (BMI) (kg/m(2)) is used internationally to assess body mass or adiposity. However, BMI does not discriminate body fat content or distribution and may vary among ethnicities. Many women with normal BMI are considered healthy, but may have an unidentified "hidden fat" profile associated with higher metabolic disease risk. If only BMI is used to indicate healthy body size, it may fail to predict underlying risks of diseases of lifestyle among population subgroups with normal BMI and different adiposity levels or distributions. Higher body fat levels are often attributed to excessive dietary intake and/or inadequate physical activity. These environmental influences regulate genes and proteins that alter energy expenditure/storage. Micro ribonucleic acid (miRNAs) can influence these genes and proteins, are sensitive to diet and exercise and may influence the varied metabolic responses observed between individuals. The study aims are to investigate associations between different body fat profiles and metabolic disease risk; dietary and physical activity patterns as predictors of body fat profiles; and whether these risk factors are associated with the expression of microRNAs related to energy expenditure or fat storage in young New Zealand women. Given the rising prevalence of obesity globally, this research will address a unique gap of knowledge in obesity research. METHODS/DESIGN: A cross-sectional design to investigate 675 NZ European, Maori, and Pacific women aged 16-45 years. Women are classified into three main body fat profiles (n = 225 per ethnicity; n = 75 per body fat profile): 1) normal BMI, normal body fat percentage (BF%); 2) normal BMI, high BF%; 3) high BMI, high BF%. Regional body composition, biomarkers of metabolic disease risk (i.e. fasting insulin, glucose, HbA1c, lipids), inflammation (i.e. IL-6, TNF-alpha, hs-CRP), associations between lifestyle factors (i.e. dietary intake, physical activity, taste perceptions) and microRNA expression will be investigated. DISCUSSION: This research targets post-menarcheal, premenopausal women, potentially exhibiting lifestyle behaviours resulting in excess body fat affecting metabolic health. These behaviours may be characterised by specific patterns of microRNA expression that will be explored in terms of tailored solutions specific to body fat profile groups and ethnicities. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ACTRN12613000714785.

Exploring knowledge and attitudes of taxi drivers with regard to obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome.

AIM: To examine the attitudes of taxi drivers towards symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS), and to determine whether these attitudes could influence their health and safety as a professional driver. METHOD: Qualitative research based on three focus groups conducted in Wellington, New Zealand. Participants were 27 taxi drivers who had a high pre-test risk for obstructive sleep apnoea. Assignment to focus groups was based on self-identification as being Maori and Pacific peoples, New Zealand European, or non-Maori and non-Pacific. RESULT: Participants described avoidance of health issues and dissatisfaction with their general practitioners. These attitudes were attributable to: (i) lack of knowledge, (ii) deliberate avoidance, and (iii) fear of loss of employment and income. CONCLUSIONS: The attitudes and level of knowledge of the focus group participants lead us to make the following recommendations. Drivers need systematic education about the effects of insufficient sleep and of OSAS on driving skills and safety. Taxi managers and drivers should cooperate to develop and implement safe driving policies to manage driver fatigue. Clear guidelines are need for drivers, managers, and healthcare professionals on the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders among drivers, and their potential consequences for driver licensing.

Sleep duration and quality in healthy nulliparous and multiparous women across pregnancy and post-partum.

BACKGROUND: Longitudinal studies of sleep during normal pregnancy and post-partum are rare, and interpretation of the findings is often hampered by methodological issues. Consequentially, there is still limited information on what constitutes normal sleep quality and quantity across pregnancy and early post-partum, for both nulliparous and multiparous women. AIMS: To quantify the change and variability in sleep duration and quality across pregnancy and post-partum for healthy nulliparous and multiparous women. METHODS: Nineteen women (eight nulliparous and 11 multiparous) wore an actigraph and completed a sleep diary to objectively measure sleep for seven nights during the second trimester, one week prior to delivery, and at one and six weeks post-partum. Mixed model analysis of variance and logistic regression were used to investigate changes in sleep across this timeframe. RESULTS: The largest changes in sleep occurred in the first week post-partum (1.5 h less sleep than during pregnancy, three times more sleep episodes in 24 h, 70% of women regularly napping during the day, and greatest day-to-day variability in sleep). Compared to multiparas, nulliparas generally had less efficient sleep, spent more time in bed and had greater wake after sleep onset in the second trimester, and spent less time in bed and had fewer sleep episodes a day at one week post-partum. CONCLUSIONS: These changes should be used to inform women about the extent of change in sleep, particularly early post-partum, and to help health-care providers identify women experiencing severe sleep loss and disruption and discuss possible coping strategies with them.