Year-round effects of a four-week randomized controlled trial using different types of feedback on employees' physical activity.

BACKGROUND: This follow-up study investigated the year-round effects of a four-week randomized controlled trial using different types of feedback on employees' physical activity, including a need-supportive coach intervention. METHODS: Participants (n = 227) were randomly assigned to a Minimal Intervention Group (MIG; no feedback), a Pedometer Group (PG; feedback on daily steps only), a Display Group (DG; feedback on daily steps, on daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [MVPA] and on total energy expenditure [EE]), or a Coaching Group (CoachG; same as DG with need supportive coaching). Daily physical activity level (PAL; Metabolic Equivalent of Task [MET]), number of daily steps, daily minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), active daily EE (EE > 3 METs) and total daily EE were measured at five time points: before the start of the 4-week intervention, one week after the intervention, and 3, 6, and 12 months after the intervention. RESULTS: For minutes of MVPA, MIG showed higher mean change scores compared with the DG. For steps and daily minutes of MVPA, significantly lower mean change scores emerged for MIG compared with the PG. Participants of the CoachG showed significantly higher change scores in PAL, steps, minutes of MVPA, active EE, total EE compared with the MIG. As hypothesized, participants of the CoachG had significantly higher mean change scores in PAL and total EE compared with groups that only received feedback. However, no significant differences were found for steps, minutes of MVPA and active EE between CoachG and PG. CONCLUSIONS: Receiving additional need-supportive coaching resulted in a higher PAL and active EE compared with measurement (display) feedback only. These findings suggest to combine feedback on physical activity with personal coaching in order to facilitate long-term behavioral change. When it comes to increasing steps, minutes of MVPA or active EE, a pedometer constitutes a sufficient tool. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trails.gov NCT01432327 . Date registered: 12 September 2011.

Substituting Sedentary Time With Light and Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity is Associated With Better Cardiometabolic Health.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the current study was to apply a more novel approach to systematically examine (1) associations of clustered cardiometabolic risk and cardiometabolic risk factors and (2) theoretical substitution of sedentary time with either sleep, light physical activity (LPA), or moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and substituting LPA with MVPA. METHODS: Physical activity and sleep were objectively measured in 410 Flemish adults [55.5 (9.6) y, 64% men] with a SenseWear Pro 3 Armband. Cardiometabolic risk factors (obesity, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and hypertension) and cardiorespiratory fitness were objectively measured. Isotemporal substitution analyses were performed to assess the associations between substituting time from a potentially negative behavior into another potentially positive behavior. RESULTS: Theoretical substitution of sedentary time with MVPA was associated with decreased clustered cardiometabolic risk, b = -0.06 (-0.08 to -0.04), and substituting LPA with MVPA was associated with a decrease in clustered cardiometabolic risk, b = -0.08 (-0.11 to -0.04). Substituting sedentary time with LPA or sleep improved high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and waist circumference. CONCLUSION: Theoretical replacement of sedentary time with either sleep, LPA, or MVPA was positively associated with improved cardiometabolic risk factor status. Interventions for increasing cardiometabolic health can focus on replacing sedentary time with either sleep, LPA, or MVPA depending on the risk parameters that need to be targeted.

Associations Between Objectively Assessed Components of Physical Activity and Health-Related Fitness in 10- to 14-Year-Old Children.

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to investigate the association between different components of physical activity (PA) and health-related fitness in 10-to 14-year-old children. METHODS: 241 children were recruited from 15 primary and 15 secondary schools. PA was assessed using the SenseWear Mini and an electronic diary. Health-related fitness was assessed using Eurofit and translated into indicators of body fatness, cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular fitness. Associations between PA intensity and physical fitness components were determined using multiple linear regression models adjusted for possible confounders and the contribution of PA domains per intensity categories was calculated. RESULTS: Associations between PA intensities and body fatness were low to moderate (|ß| = 0.09 to 0.44), explaining up to 6% of the variance in boys and 17% in girls. For cardiorespiratory fitness, associations were higher (|ß| = 0.17 to 0.56), with PA explaining up to 6% of the variance in boys and 31% in girls. Low-tomoderate associations (|ß| = 0.06 to 0.43) were found for muscular fitness, with PA explaining up to 7% in boys and 13% in girls. Stronger associations were found for sedentary and light activities. CONCLUSIONS: Low-to-moderate associations between PA and fitness components were observed, with higher associations in girls. Sedentary and light intensity activity showed the strongest link with body fatness, cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular fitness.

Temporal patterns of physical activity and sedentary behavior in 10-14 year-old children on weekdays.

BACKGROUND: An important but often ignored aspect of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) is the chronological succession of activities, or temporal pattern. The main purposes of this study were (1) to investigate when certain types of PA and SB compete against each other during the course of the day and (2) compare intensity- and domain-specific activity levels during different day-segments. METHODS: The study sample consists of 211 children aged 10-14, recruited from 15 primary and 15 secondary schools. PA was assessed combining the SenseWear Mini Armband (SWM) with an electronic activity diary. The intensity- and domain-specific temporal patterns were plotted and PA differences between different day-segments (i.e., morning, school, early evening and late evening) were examined using repeated-measures ANCOVA models. RESULTS: Physical activity level (PAL) was highest during the early evening (2.51 METSWM) and school hours (2.49 METSWM); the late evening segment was significantly less active (2.21 METSWM) and showed the highest proportion of sedentary time (54 % of total time-use). Throughout the different day-segments, several domains of PA and SB competed with each other. During the critical early-evening segment, screentime (12 % of time-use) and homework (10 %) were dominant compared to activity domains of sports (4 %) and active leisure (3 %). The domain of active travel competed directly with motor travel during the morning (5 % and 6 % respectively) and early-evening segment (both 8 %). CONCLUSIONS: Throughout the day, different aspects of PA and SB go in competition with each other, especially during the time period immediately after school. Detailed information on the temporal patterns of PA and SB of children could help health professionals to develop more effective PA interventions and promotion strategies. By making adaptations to the typical day schedule of children (e.g., through the introduction of extra-curricular PA after school hours), their daily activity levels might improve.

Intensity- and Domain-Specific Levels of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in 10- to 14-Year-Old Children.

BACKGROUND: to investigate levels of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) in 10- to 14-year-olds and to determine PA differences between week-weekend days, genders and school stages. METHODS: 241 children were recruited from 15 primary and 15 secondary schools. PA was assessed for 7 days using the SenseWear Mini Armband and an electronic diary. Week-weekend and gender differences were determined using 2-way repeated-measures ANOVA. Combined intensity- and domain-specific PA differences between genders and school stages were examined using 2-way ANOVA. RESULTS: Weekdays were more active compared with weekend days. Physical activity level (PAL) of boys was higher compared with girls. Boys showed more moderate (+15 min/day) and vigorous PA (+9 min/day), no differences were found for SB and light PA. Secondary school children showed more SB (+111 min/day), moderate (+8 min/day) and vigorous (+9 min/day) PA and less light PA (-66 min/day) compared with primary school children. No difference was found for PAL. The results of the combined intensity- and domain-specific parameters revealed more nuanced differences between genders and school stages. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate the complexity of PA and SB behavior of children, indicating the need for a multidimensional and differentiated approach in PA promotion.