Associations of the 'weekend warrior' physical activity pattern with all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality: the Mexico City Prospective Study.

OBJECTIVES: The objective was to investigate the benefits of the 'weekend warrior' physical activity pattern in Latin America, where many people take part in high levels of non-exercise physical activity. METHODS: Participants in the Mexico City Prospective Study were surveyed from 1998 to 2004 and resurveyed from 2015 to 2019. Those who exercised up to once or twice per week were termed weekend warriors. Those who exercised more often were termed regularly active. Analyses were adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: The main analysis included 26 006 deaths in 154 882 adults (67% female) aged 52±13 years followed for 18±4 years (mean±SD). Compared with those who reported no exercise, the HR (95% CI) was 0.88 (0.83 to 0.93) in the weekend warriors and 0.88 (0.84 to 0.91) in the regularly active. Similar results were observed for cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality, but associations were weaker. Stratified analyses showed that substantial reductions in all-cause mortality risk only occurred when the duration of exercise sessions was at least 30-60 min. The repeated-measures analysis included 843 deaths in 10 023 adults followed for 20±2 years. Compared with being inactive or becoming inactive, the HR was 0.86 (95% CI 0.65 to 1.12) when being a weekend warrior or becoming a weekend warrior and 0.85 (95% CI 0.70 to 1.03) when being regularly active or becoming regularly active. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first prospective study to investigate the benefits of the weekend warrior physical activity pattern in Latin America. The results suggest that even busy adults could benefit from taking part in one or two sessions of exercise per week.

The burden of mild cognitive impairment attributable to physical inactivity in Colombia.

BACKGROUND: Mild cognitive impairment often precedes dementia. The purpose of this analysis was to estimate the population attributable fraction for physical activity in Colombia, which is the reduction in cases that would occur if all participants were physically active. METHODS: The sample included 20,174 men and women aged 70.04 ± 7.68 years (mean ± SD) from the National Survey of Health, Wellbeing and Ageing. Trained interviewers administered a shorter version of the mini-mental state examination and mild cognitive impairment was defined as a score of 12 or less out of 19. Logistic regression models were fitted and population attributable fractions for physical activity were calculated. All analyses were adjusted for age, sex, height, education, income, civil status, smoking, and alcohol drinking. RESULTS: The prevalence of physical activity was approximately 50% when defined as walking between 9 and 20 blocks at least three times per week. Theoretically, 19% of cases of mild cognitive impairment would be eliminated if all adults were to walk (95% confidence interval: 16%, 22%). The prevalence was approximately 20% when defined as taking part in vigorous sport or exercise at least three times per week. Theoretically, 23% of cases of mild cognitive impairment would be eliminated if all adults were to take part in vigorous sport or exercise (16%, 30%). Similar results were observed after removing those who reported mental health problems. CONCLUSION: Physical activity, whether walking or vigorous sport and exercise, has the potential to substantially reduce the burden of mild cognitive impairment in Colombia.

Risk Factors for Problematic Drinking in One's Thirties and Forties: A Longitudinal Analysis of the 1970 British Cohort Study.

Alcohol drinking and risk factors for problematic drinking may vary across a lifespan. The objective of this study was to identify risk factors for problematic drinking in men and women in their thirties and forties. Alcohol drinking and potential risk factors for problematic drinking were assessed at ages 30, 34, 42, and 46 in the 1970 British Cohort Study. Multilevel models included 10,079 observations in 3880 men and 9241 observations in 3716 women. In men, formerly smoking, currently smoking, having a degree, having malaise, and having a mother who drank while pregnant were independently associated with increased risk of problematic drinking. In women, formerly smoking, currently smoking, being physically active in one's leisure time, having a degree, having a managerial or professional occupation, having malaise, and having a mother who drank while pregnant were independently associated with increased risk of problematic drinking. In men and women, cohabiting as a couple was associated with decreased risk of problematic drinking. This study suggests that several risk factors may be associated with problematic drinking in men and women in their thirties and forties. Policy makers should consider the role of modifiable risk factors in the prevention of problematic drinking.

Education in early life markedly reduces the probability of cognitive impairment in later life in Colombia.

The objective of this study was to investigate associations between education in early life and cognitive impairment in later life in Colombia. Participants were community-dwelling adults aged 60 years or older from the National Study of Health, Wellbeing and Ageing. Trained interviewers administered a shorter version of the mini-mental state examination. Cognitive impairment was defined as the lowest tertile in the main analysis and as a score of 12 or less out of 19 in the sensitivity analysis. Logistic regression models were adjusted for education, other early life characteristics, and later life characteristics. The prevalence of cognitive impairment was 17.93% in the main analysis (n = 16,505). Compared with participants with no education, the fully adjusted odds ratio for cognitive impairment was 0.57 (95% confidence interval: 0.52, 0.63) in those with some primary education and 0.29 (95% confidence interval: 0.25, 0.34) in those with some secondary education or more. The population attributable fraction for education suggests that at least 10% of cases of cognitive impairment would be eliminated if all children received an education. Similar results were observed in the sensitivity analysis (n = 20,174). This study suggests that education in early life markedly reduces the probability of cognitive impairment in late life in Colombia.

Active Video Games in Schools and Effects on Physical Activity and Health: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the quality of evidence for the effects of school active video game (AVG) use on physical activity and health outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Online databases (ERIC, PsycINFO, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science) and gray literature were searched. Inclusion criteria were the use of AVGs in school settings as an intervention; assessment of at least 1 health or physical activity outcome; and comparison of outcomes with either a control group or comparison phase. Studies featuring AVGs within complex interventions were excluded. Study quality was assessed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project tool. RESULTS: Twenty-two reports were identified: 11 assessed physical activity outcomes only, 5 assessed motor skill outcomes only, and 6 assessed both physical activity and health outcomes. Nine out of 14 studies found greater physical activity in AVG sessions compared with controls; mostly assessed by objective measures in school time only. Motor skills were found to improve with AVGs vs controls in all studies but not compared with other motor skill interventions. Effects of AVGs on body composition were mixed. Study quality was low in 16 studies and moderate in the remaining 6, with insufficient detail given on blinding, participation rates, and confounding variables. CONCLUSIONS: There is currently insufficient evidence to recommend AVGs as efficacious health interventions within schools. Higher quality AVG research utilizing randomized controlled trial designs, larger sample sizes, and validated activity measurements beyond the school day is needed.

Utilidad del monitoreo electrocardiográfico transtelefónico en investigación y en clínica cardiológica / Utility of transtelephonic ECG monitoring in research and patient care

Se describe el método y los distintos tipos de monitoreo transtelefónico. Se analiza la información que brinda y se explican las indicaciones en pacientes con arritmias, en portadores de marcapasos o defibriladores implantables y en la rehabilitación cardíaca

Utilidad del monitoreo electrocardiográfico transtelefónico en investigación y en clínica cardiológica / Utility of transtelephonic ECG monitoring in research and patient care

Se describe el método y los distintos tipos de monitoreo transtelefónico. Se analiza la información que brinda y se explican las indicaciones en pacientes con arritmias, en portadores de marcapasos o defibriladores implantables y en la rehabilitación cardíaca (AU)