Wireless physical activity monitor use among adults living with HIV in a community-based exercise intervention study: a quantitative, longitudinal, observational study.

OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to examine wireless physical activity monitor (WPAM) use and its associations with contextual factors (age, highest education level, social support and mental health) among adults living with HIV engaged in a community-based exercise (CBE) intervention. DESIGN: Quantitative, longitudinal, observational study. SETTING: Toronto YMCA, Ontario, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty adults living with HIV who initiated the CBE intervention. INTERVENTION: Participants received a WPAM to track physical activity during a 25-week CBE intervention involving thrice-weekly exercise, supervised weekly (phase 1) and a 32-week follow-up involving thrice-weekly exercise with no supervision (phase 2), completed in December 2018. OUTCOME MEASURES: Uptake was measured as participants who consented to WPAM use at initation of the intervention. Usage was defined as the proportion of days each participant had greater than 0 steps out of the total number of days in the study. We measured contextual factors using a baseline demographic questionnaire (age, highest education level), and median scores from the bimonthly administered Medical Outcomes Study-Social Support Scale and Patient Health Questionnaire (mental health), where higher scores indicated greater social support and mental health concerns, respectively. We calculated Spearman correlations between WPAM usage and contextual factors. RESULTS: Seventy-six of 80 participants (95%) consented to WPAM use. In phase 1, 66% of participants (n=76) and in phase 2, 61% of participants (n=64) used the WPAM at least 1 day. In phase 1, median WPAM usage was 50% (25th, 75th percentile: 0%, 87%; n=76) of days enrolled and in phase 2, 23% (0%, 76%; n=64) of days. Correlation coefficients with WPAM usage ranged from weak for age (ρ=0.26) and mental health scores (ρ=-0.25) to no correlation (highest education level, social support). CONCLUSIONS: Most adults living with HIV consented to WPAM use, however, usage declined over time from phase 1 to phase 2. Future implementation of WPAMs should consider factors to promote sustained usage by adults living with HIV. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02794415.

The impact of the 24-h movement spectrum on vascular remodeling in older men and women: a review.

Aging is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, which are preceded by early, negative remodeling of the vasculature. Low physical activity is a well-established risk factor associated with the incidence and development of disease. However, recent physical activity literature indicates the importance of considering the 24-h movement spectrum. Therefore, the purpose of this review was to examine the impact of the 24-h movement spectrum, specifically physical activity (aerobic and resistance training), sedentary behavior, and sleep, on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular outcomes in older adults, with a focus on recent evidence (<10 yr) and sex-based considerations. The review identifies that both aerobic training and being physically active (compared with sedentary) are associated with improvements in endothelial function, arterial stiffness, and cerebrovascular function. Additionally, there is evidence of sex-based differences in endothelial function: a blunted improvement in aerobic training in postmenopausal women compared with men. While minimal research has been conducted in older adults, resistance training does not appear to influence arterial stiffness. Poor sleep quantity or quality are associated with both impaired endothelial function and increased arterial stiffness. Finally, the review highlights mechanistic pathways involved in the regulation of vascular and cerebrovascular function, specifically the balance between pro- and antiatherogenic factors, which mediate the relationship between the 24-h movement spectrum and vascular outcomes. Finally, this review proposes future research directions: examining the role of duration and intensity of training, combining aerobic and resistance training, and exploration of sex-based differences in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular outcomes.