Intuitive Eating and Biomarkers Related to Cardiovascular Disease in Older Adults.

OBJECTIVE: Examine whether exercise and diet motivation are associated with 4 biomarkers related to cardiovascular disease. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis. Data collection involved questionnaires, blood draws, body composition assessments, and accelerometry. SETTING: Small, midwestern college town. PARTICIPANTS: Community older adults (≥ 58 years of age; n = 79) recruited through convenience sampling; the sample was representative of the population of interest for some demographic characteristics (eg, age and sex) but not representative of other characteristics (eg, level of activity). VARIABLES MEASURED: Independent variables comprised self-reported intrinsic exercise motivation (Behavioral Regulation for Exercise Questionnaire-3) and intuitive eating (Intuitive Eating Scale-2). Dependent variables included inflammatory proteins (C-reactive protein and interleukin-6) and lipid levels (low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein and triglycerides) quantified from blood samples. Covariates included age, body mass index, sex, and objective physical activity measured by accelerometers worn for 7 days. ANALYSIS: Multiple linear regression was used to assess the association between diet and exercise motivation and biomarker outcomes; we analyzed 4 regression models (1 for each biomarker). Significance level P < 0.05. RESULTS: Greater intuitive eating was associated with a lower low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein ratio (ß = -0.45, P = 0.001) and lower triglycerides (ß = -0.37, P = 0.003). Intrinsic exercise motivation was not associated with the biomarkers. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Intuitive eating may be a key determinant of certain biomarkers and could be a viable target for interventions to help decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease among older adults.

Moving adolescents for a lifetime of physical activity: shifting to interventions aligned with the third health revolution.

Public health advocates have been calling for an intensified focus on early, middle, and late adolescence health behaviours due to both the short- and long-term health consequences. Hence, both the health-risk (e.g., alcohol consumption) and health-promoting (e.g., physical activity) behaviours of adolescents have been widely studied to better understand the underlying causes or determinants with an eye towards implementing more effective interventions. The success of these interventions, typically grounded in a risk-reduction/prevention-oriented intervention approach has been modest, especially those focused on health-promoting behaviours, such as physical activity. The purposes of this paper are to (1) conduct a conceptual critique of the risk-reduction/prevention-oriented approach underlying traditional adolescent physical activity interventions, and (2) examine the potential usefulness of an emerging person-based, development-oriented (PBDO) approach for enhancing the motivation and sustainability of adolescent physical activity. Within this PBDO perspective, emphasis is on adolescent growth and development as the starting point for initiating and sustaining physical activity. Implications of the PBDO approach for adolescent physical activity interventions are presented.