Physical activity and sedentary behaviour of female adolescents in Indonesia: A multi-method study on duration, pattern and context.

Background/Objective: Exploring comprehensive information on the duration, pattern and context of physical activity and sedentary behaviour is important to develop effective policies and interventions. Especially in lower- and middle-income countries, our understanding of these health-behaviours is limited. Our study aimed to investigate physical activity and sedentary behaviour of female Indonesian adolescents by using a multi-method approach. Methods: Female adolescents (n = 5; 13-15 years old) from Yogyakarta, Indonesia wore accelerometers and automated wearable cameras for four days, and completed diaries, and interviews between February and March 2020. Results: Participants' activity, especially on non-school days, was dominated by light-intensity physical activity. Four of the 5 participants did not meet the physical activity guidelines. Participants spent a great proportion of time on screen-based sedentary behaviour (school days: 83.2% of wear time; non-school days: 75.7% of wear time). During school days, most physical activity and sedentary behaviour was done at school. Screen time was mainly done on the school day evenings and weekend mornings. Participants mostly used smartphones in the bedroom and living room in a solitary environment. Interviews suggest that the high amount of screen time seemed to be influenced by a lack of awareness of current guidelines, the feeling of urgency to check information, and the lack of parental supervision. Non-screen-based sedentary behaviour comprised just over 10% of total camera images. Conclusion: The use of a multi-method approach facilitated a rich understanding of the duration, patterns, and contexts of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in participants. Future studies might consider using similar methods in a larger sample.

Assessment of muscle-strengthening exercise in public health surveillance for adults: A systematic review.

There is strong scientific evidence that muscle-strengthening exercise (i.e. use of weight machines, push-ups, sit-ups) is independently associated with a reduced risk of multiple chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease). However, prevalence rates for meeting the muscle-strengthening exercise guideline (≥2 times/week) are significantly lower (~20%) than those reported to meet the aerobic physical activity guideline (e.g. walking, jogging, cycling) (~50%). It is therefore important to understand public health surveillance approaches to assess muscle-strengthening exercise. The aim of this review was to describe muscle-strengthening exercise assessment in public health surveillance. Informed by the PRISMA guidelines, an extensive keyword search was undertaken across 7 electronic data bases. We identified 86,672 possible articles and following screening (n = 1140 in full-text) against specific inclusion criteria (adults aged ≥18 years, English, studies containing <1000 participants), extracted data from 156 manuscripts. Fifty-eight different survey systems were identified across 17 countries. Muscle-strengthening exercise frequency (85.3%), duration (23.7%) and intensity (1.3%) were recorded. Muscle-strengthening exercise questions varied significantly, with some (11.5%) requiring a singular 'yes' vs 'no' response, while others (7.7%) sought specific details (e.g. muscle groups targeted). Assessments of duration and intensity were inconsistent. Very few studies measured the validity (0.6%) and reliability (1.3%) of muscle-strengthening exercise questions. Discrepancy exists within the current assessment systems/surveys used to assess muscle-strengthening exercise in public health surveillance. This is likely to impede efforts to identify at risk groups and trends within physical activity surveillance, and to accurately assess associations between muscle-strengthening exercise and health-related outcomes.

Is all activity equal? Associations between different domains of physical activity and depressive symptom severity among 261,121 European adults.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity is often associated with better mental health. However, there is evidence that the domain of physical activity influences the strength and direction of this association. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the associations between different domains of physical activity and depression among a large sample of adults living in the European Union. METHODS: Cross-sectional analyses were conducted on 261,121 adults, recruited in the European Health Interview Survey (wave 2). Validated items were used to assess physical activity domains (i.e., work-related, transport-related, leisure-time aerobic, and muscle-strengthening) and depression symptom severity (8-item personal health questionnaire). Generalized linear models with Poisson regressions provided adjusted prevalence ratios (APR) of depressive symptom severity categories across the physical activity domains. RESULTS: Compared to doing no physical activity, any physical effort at work (APR: 0.82-0.86), moderate, high, and very high levels of transport-related (APR: 0.69-0.83) and aerobic leisure-time activity (APR: 0.78-0.87), and 3 days/week of muscle-strengthening (APR: 0.93) were associated with a lower prevalence of mild depressive symptom severity. Moreover, doing any level of physical activity in any domain was mostly associated with a lower prevalence of moderate (APR: 0.43-0.80), moderate-severe (APR: 0.34-0.82), and severe (APR: 0.26-0.56) depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Favorable associations were seen between any domain (leisure-time, transport- and work-related) of physical activity and depressive symptom severity. The more severe the symptoms, the stronger the associations. Both modalities of leisure-time physical activity (aerobic and muscle-strengthening) demonstrated beneficial associations with depression, but slightly more so for aerobic physical activity.

The epidemiology of muscle-strengthening and aerobic physical activity guideline adherence among 24,016 German adults.

Despite the 2016 German "National Recommendations for Physical Activity and Physical Activity Promotion" stating that adults (≥18 years) should engage in: [a] ≥150 minutes of aerobic moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity/week (MVPA); and [b] ≥2 days/week of muscle-strengthening exercise (MSE), there is limited research on the descriptive epidemiology on the adherence to these guidelines among German adults. This study describes the prevalence and correlates of physical activity guideline adherence among a nationally representative sample of German adults. Data were drawn from the 2014 German Health Update survey, collected via a combination of web-based and mail surveys. Self-reported physical activity levels were assessed using the previously validated European Health Interview Survey Physical Activity Questionnaire. Weighted prevalence levels of the sample meeting the aerobic MVPA (≥150 minutes/week), MSE (≥2 times/week), and combined MVPA-MSE guidelines were calculated. Poisson regressions were used to assess prevalence ratios for physical activity guideline adherence categories across sociodemographic and lifestyle-related variables. Out of 24,016 participants (response rate = 27.6%), aged ≥ 18 years, 45.3% (95% CI: 44.5%-46.0%), 29.4% (95% CI: 28.7%-30.1%), and 22.6% (95% CI: 21.9%-23.2%) met the aerobic MVPA, MSE, and combined guidelines, respectively. Population sub-groups less likely to meet the combined guidelines included those with poor self-rated health, being unemployed, low socioeconomic status, being a current smoker, and those being overweight or obese. Since ~ 80% of German adults do not meet the nationally recommended combined aerobic MVPA-MSE physical activity guidelines, there is a necessity for large-scale public health interventions promoting both aerobic MVPA and MSE.

Adolescents' physical activity and sedentary behaviour in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study of mothers' perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Socio-behavioural adaptations during the COVID-19 pandemic may have significantly affected adolescents' lifestyle. This study aimed to explore possible reasons affecting changes in physical activity and sedentary behaviour in Indonesian adolescents during the pandemic based on mothers' perspectives. METHODS: We recruited parents (n = 20) from the Yogyakarta region of Indonesia (July-August 2020) using purposive and snowball sampling. Individual interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and anonymised. Data were imported into NVivo software for a reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: The interviews lasted between 38 and 113 min (M = 65 min). Participants' age ranged between 36 and 54 years (M = 42.6 years). Participants' children ranged in age from 12 to 15 years (M = 13.7 years, female: 9, male: 11). Themes related to changes in physical activity during the pandemic were 1) self-determination and enjoyment, 2) supports from others, and 3) physical activity facilities and equipment. Themes related to changes in sedentary behaviour during the pandemic included 1) educational demands, 2) psychological effects due to the pandemic, 3) devices and internet availability, 4) parental control, and 5) social facilitators. CONCLUSIONS: During the pandemic, mothers perceived their children to be less active and using more screen-based devices, either for educational or recreational purposes, compared to before. The present themes might be useful when developing interventions and policies promoting physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviour in adolescents. Interventions could, for example, consider increasing parents' and adolescents' awareness on current activity guidelines, providing education on healthier recreational screen time, and involving parents, peers, and teachers. Increasing the accessibility of physical activity facilities and equipment, making use of adolescents' favourite program and social media for interventions, and providing activities that are fun and enjoyable may also important.

Is device-based total and domain-specific sedentary behaviour associated with psychological distress in Flemish workers?

BACKGROUND: There is increasing interest in the association between psychological distress and time spent in sedentary behaviour (e.g. sitting), a highly prevalent behaviour in modern society. The limited evidence is mixed and mainly based on studies using self-reported sedentary time. Few studies have investigated device-based total sedentary time in its association with distress. None, however, have examined device-based domain-specific sedentary time in relation to psychological distress. The aim of this study was to investigate whether device-based total and domain-specific sedentary behaviour were associated with psychological distress. METHODS: Flemish employees (n = 401; 20-64 years; 42.6% male; 83.6% had a 'physically active occupation') of seven organizations in service and production sectors participated. Sedentary behaviour (exposure) was assessed by two Axivity AX3 accelerometers (one placed on the thigh and one placed between the shoulders) for two to four consecutive working days. Based on diary completion, domain-specific sedentary behaviour (leisure vs. work) was assessed. The 12-item General Health Questionnaire was used to assess psychological distress (outcome). Adjusted hierarchical multiple regression models were conducted to report on the associations between total and domain-specific sedentary behaviour and psychological distress. RESULTS: About 35% of the sample had high levels of distress and average total sedentary time was 7.2 h/day. Device-based total sedentary behaviour [B = -0.009, 95% confidence interval (CI), -0.087 to 0.068], leisure-time (B = 0.001, 95% CI, -0.017 to 0.018) and work-related (B = 0.004, 95% CI, -0.006 to 0.015) sedentary behaviour were not significantly associated with psychological distress. CONCLUSION: This cross-sectional study examining the association between device-based total and domain-specific sedentary behaviour and psychological distress among employees showed a lack of significant findings.

Exploring contemporary screen time in Australian adolescents: A qualitative study.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Screen time, a highly prevalent behaviour, can be detrimental to adolescent health. To better understand this health-related behaviour, this study explores the nature of adolescents' contemporary screen engagement, adding to the currently limited body of qualitative research in this area. METHODS: Sixteen adolescents (9 girls and 7 boys) aged 13-17 years from a secondary school in Queensland, Australia participated in semi-structured one-on-one interviews. All interviews were transcribed verbatim, anonymised and thematically analysed using an inductive approach. RESULTS: Smartphone use was ubiquitous, occurring mostly at home, after school, and typically used for social, entertainment and functional activities. Binge-watching and multi-screening emerged as common sedentary patterns of contemporary screen engagement, often performed solitary. Screen time appeared to be an important aspect of adolescents' social lives, while there were also some psychological, physical and behavioural concerns. Family and friends were thought to influence adolescents' screen time either directly (co-participation) or indirectly (modelling), while social smartphone notifications were said to prompt habitual, frequent and prolonged screen engagement. CONCLUSION: This study provided several new insights into the nature, functions, patterns, and benefits and concerns of adolescents' contemporary screen engagement. On the whole, adolescents engaged in a wide variety of screen-viewing practices, including newer digital media, mostly as a function to connect with friends and family. SO WHAT?: It might be desirable for screen time reduction interventions and policies to take into account the underlying social and psychological factors, and habitual nature of contemporary screen engagement among adolescents.

Adherence to aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercise guidelines and associations with psychological distress: A cross-sectional study of 14,050 English adults.

Physical activity (PA) is beneficial for the prevention and management of psychological distress. However, no studies have investigated which combination/s of PA prescribed in the current global guidelines (i.e. aerobic moderate-to-vigorous PA [MVPA] and muscle-strengthening exercise [MSE]) are most strongly linked to reduced psychological distress. This study aimed to examine how PA guidelines adherence is associated with psychological distress. Using cross-sectional data of adults (n = 14,050) who participated in the 2012-2016 Health Survey for England, four categories of self-reported PA guidelines adherence were created: meeting none, only MSE, only aerobic MVPA, meeting both (exposure variables). Psychological distress (outcome) was measured using the General Health Questionnaire-12. The likelihood of experiencing high levels of psychological distress (cut-point of ≥4) across guidelines adherence categories was examined using logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. About 17% of adults experienced high levels of psychological distress; 37.5% did not adhere to any PA guidelines (category 1), 1.3% met only MSE (category 2), 35.5% met only aerobic MVPA (category 3), and 25.7% met both guidelines (category 4). Compared to category 1, the likelihood of experiencing high psychological distress was lowest in category 4 (OR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.54-0.77) followed by category 3 (OR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.67-0.90), while it did not differ in category 2 (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 0.75-2.05). This is the first study to identify the association between PA guidelines adherence and psychological distress in a large population sample. Findings suggest that meeting both aerobic MVPA and MSE guidelines might be most beneficial for mental health.

Screen-based behaviors in Australian adolescents: Longitudinal trends from a 4-year follow-up study.

The longitudinal trends of screen time, a highly prevalent behavior in adolescents, are relatively unknown. This study examined longitudinal trends in screen time among a large sample of Australian primary school-aged children transitioning into secondary school-aged adolescence. Data were derived from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). In 2010, 2179 children (49.7% boys; 10.3 ± 1.1 years) completed a time-use diary, recording their main activities during waking hours. This was repeated with the same sample in 2012 (12.4 ± 0.5 years) and 2014 (14.4 ± 0.5 years). Data were analyzed for time spent in TV viewing, computer use, electronic gaming, and social networking and online communication. Repeated-measures MANCOVA tests were performed to analyze trends in screen time. Trends were also analyzed by sex. Total screen time significantly increased (+85.9 min/day) over four years (ηp2 = 0.010, P < .001), but differed by sex, with a larger increase in boys (boys: +41.6, girls: +22.7 min/day). Electronic gaming increased in boys (+43.2 min/day) and decreased in girls (-16.8 min/day). In contrast, girls reported larger increases in TV viewing (boys: +0.4, girls: +29.1 min/day), computer use (boys: +24.8, girls: +34.3 min/day) and time communicating online and social networking (boys: +4.3, girls: +15.2 min/day). To conclude, screen time among adolescents increases between the ages of 10 and 14 years, but differs by sex and screen time domain. Future screen time reduction interventions may choose to focus on recreational computer use and electronic gaming in boys and TV viewing and time spent communicating online and social networking for girls.

Joint and dose-dependent associations between aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity with depression: A cross-sectional study of 1.48 million adults between 2011 and 2017.

BACKGROUND: Research has shown that regular physical activity is key for the prevention and/or treatment of depression. However, epidemiological studies describing the associations between different physical activity modes (i.e., aerobic vs. muscle-strengthening exercise) with depression are limited. METHODS: Cross-sectional analyses were conducted on pooled data from four U.S. health surveillance surveys (2011-2017). Validated survey items assessed self-reported moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) and muscle-strengthening activity (MSA). Twenty groups were created, ranging from (a) "inactive" (0 MVPA min/week & MSA 0 times/week) to (xx) "most active" (≥300 MVPA min/week & MSA ≥4 times/week). Poisson regression with a robust error variance was used to assess prevalence ratios (PRs) of self-reported clinically diagnosed depression (outcome variable) across physical activity groups (exposure variables). RESULTS: The sample contained 1,477,981 adults (≥18 years), of which 286,325 (18.0%) had depression. Compared to the reference group (i.e., no MVPA and no MSA), almost all physical activity combinations were associated with lower depression prevalence. Lowest prevalence of depression was shown for those combining sufficient MVPA-MSA (MVPA ≧300 min/week and MSA ≥2 times/week; adjusted prevalence ratio range: 0.54-0.63). All associations remained after stratification and/or adjustment for sociodemographic (age, sex, income, education), lifestyle characteristics (body mass index, self-rated health, smoking, alcohol), comorbidities (e.g., arthritis, diabetes, hypertension), and year of survey. CONCLUSIONS: A physical activity routine that includes both aerobic and MSA is likely to be optimal for the prevention of depression. Public health approaches targeting depression should endorse joint aerobic and MSA as key lifestyle modification strategy.

The epidemiology of aerobic physical activity and muscle-strengthening activity guideline adherence among 383,928 U.S. adults.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization's 'Global Recommendations on Physical Activity for Health' state that adults should engage in regular moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity (MVPA; e.g. walking, running, cycling) and muscle-strengthening activity (MSA; e.g. strength/resistance training). However, assessment of both MVPA and MSA is rare in physical activity surveillance. The aim of this study is to describe the prevalence, correlates and chronic health conditions associated with meeting the combined MVPA-MSA guidelines among a population representative sample of U.S. adults. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, data were drawn from the U.S. 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. During telephone interviews, MVPA and MSA were assessed using validated questionnaires. We calculated the proportions meeting both the global MVPA and MSA physical activity guidelines (MVPA ≥150 min/week and MSA ≥2 sessions/week). Poisson regressions with a robust error variance were used to assess: (i) prevalence ratios (PR) for meeting both guidelines across sociodemographic factors (e.g. age, sex, education, income, race/ethnicity); and (ii) PRs of 12 common chronic health conditions (e.g. diabetes, coronary heart disease, hypertension, depression) across different categories of physical activity guideline adherence (met neither [reference]; MSA only; MVPA only; met both). RESULTS: Among 383,928 adults (aged 18-80 years), 23.5% (95% CI: 20.1, 20.6%) met the combined MVPA-MSA guidelines. Those with poorer self-rated health, older adults, women, lower education/income and current smokers were less likely to meet the combined guidelines. After adjustment for covariates (e.g. age, self-rated health, income, smoking) compared with meeting neither guidelines, MSA only and MVPA only, meeting the combined MVPA-MSA guidelines was associated with the lowest PRs for all health conditions (APR range: 0.44-0.76), and the clustering of ≥6 chronic health conditions (APR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.31-0.35). CONCLUSIONS: Eight out of ten U.S. adults do not meet the global physical activity guidelines. This study supports the need for comprehensive health promotion strategies to increase the uptake and adherence of MVPA-MSA among U.S. adults. Large-scale interventions should target specific population sub-groups including older adults, women, those with poorer health and lower education/income.

Associations between aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercise with depressive symptom severity among 17,839 U.S. adults.

For the prevention and management of chronic diseases, global physical activity guidelines state that an adult should engage in regular moderate-to-vigorous aerobic physical activity (MVPA; e.g. walking, cycling, running) and muscle-strengthening exercise (MSE; e.g. strength/resistance training). However, the associations between combined MVPA-MSE with chronic health conditions are rarely examined in large population studies. In particular, little is known associations between combined MVPA-MSE with depressive disorders, one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. The aim of this study is to describe the associations between MVPA and MSE with depressive symptom severity among a large sample of U.S. adults. Data were drawn from the U.S. 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. During phone interviews, MVPA, MSE and depressive symptom severity were assessed by validated questionnaires. Poisson regression with a robust error or variance were used to assess prevalence ratios (PR) of depressive symptom severity (mild, moderate, moderately severe/severe) across categories of physical activity guideline adherence (met neither [reference]; MSE only; MVPA only; met both), adjusting for a set of potential cofounders. Data were available on 17,839 adults (18-85 years). When compared with those meeting neither guideline, for mild, moderate and moderately severe/severe depressive symptoms, the PRs were lowest among meeting both guidelines (range: 0.26-0.54), followed by MVPA only (range: 0.36-0.62) and MSE only (range: 0.49-0.84). Among a large sample of U.S. adults, compared to other guideline adherence categories, meeting both MVPA-MSE guidelines was associated with a lowest likelihood of reporting depressive symptoms.

What factors explain socioeconomic inequalities in adults' television-related sitting time?

BACKGROUND: There are considerable socioeconomic inequalities in television-related sitting time, but there is little evidence for the explanatory mechanisms. We used a cohort of Belgian adults (25-60 years) and older adults (≥65 years) to examine the social cognitive, home environmental and health-related factors contributing to socioeconomic differences in television-related sitting. METHODS: We included 301 adults and 258 older adults (total n = 559). Linear regression analyses were used to examine the associations of education and occupational status with television-related sitting time, adjusted for age and gender. We assessed the explanatory power of social cognitive, home environmental and health-related factors using the traditional 'change-in-estimation method'. RESULTS: Those with low and medium education, respectively, engaged in 54 and 28 minutes per day more television-related sitting time than those with high education. We found no association between occupational status and television-related sitting time. Social cognitive factors explained 54% of the difference in television-related sitting time between those with low and high education, while home environmental factors only explained 6%, and health-related variables explained 10% of these differences. CONCLUSION: We found no occupational inequalities in television-related sitting time. Social cognitive variables such as attitude and modelling of the partner explained a large part of the educational inequalities in television-related sitting time. If confirmed by future studies, a focus on social cognition may help reduce sedentary behaviours in low-educated adults and diminish inequalities in sedentary behaviours.

Citizen Science to Communicate about Public Health Messages: The Reach of a Playful Online Survey on Sitting Time and Physical Activity.

There is a lack of research on how to communicate public health guidelines. Citizen science (CS) has been an effective way to involve the public in research. This study analyses the reach of a well-established CS experiment, launched during an annual national science event, to understand if it could be used as communication strategy for public health issues. A short playful online survey contained tailored health-related messages associated to an "animal totem" profile, based on the combination of sitting and physical activity levels (koala: high sitting, low activity; gorilla: high sitting, high activity; zebra: low sitting, low activity; bee: low sitting, high activity). Tweets, radio interviews, radio and online advertisements, press articles, and a press conference were used to promote the CS experiment. Google Analytics and Facebook Graph API (application programming interface) (use and spread of experiment) and descriptive statistics (attributes of adults completing the experiment) were used. A total of 6,246 adults completed the experiment, with a peak of views (n = 5,103) and completions (n = 1,209) a couple of days before the event. Completers were mostly female (65.8%), on average 37.5 years old, and had a healthy body mass index (23.8 kg/m2). Nearly half (46.4%) had the most beneficial profile ("bee"), 26.5% had the least healthy profile ("koala"). CS as part of a national science event is a good platform for health communication as 1 in 1,000 Flemish adults were reached. However, those completing the experiment were not representative of the general Flemish adult population and reported to be more physically active. Abbreviations: API: application programming interface; BMI: body mass index; CVD: cardiovascular disease; METs: metabolic equivalents.

How does light-intensity physical activity associate with adult cardiometabolic health and mortality? Systematic review with meta-analysis of experimental and observational studies.

AIM: To assess the relationship between time spent in light physical activity and cardiometabolic health and mortality in adults. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: Searches in Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, CINAHL and three rounds of hand searches. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: Experimental (including acute mechanistic studies and physical activity intervention programme) and observational studies (excluding case and case-control studies) conducted in adults (aged ≥18 years) published in English before February 2018 and reporting on the relationship between light physical activity (<3 metabolic equivalents) and cardiometabolic health outcomes or all-cause mortality. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS: Study quality appraisal with QUALSYST tool and random effects inverse variance meta-analysis. RESULTS: Seventy-two studies were eligible including 27 experimental studies (and 45 observational studies). Mechanistic experimental studies showed that short but frequent bouts of light-intensity activity throughout the day reduced postprandial glucose (-17.5%; 95% CI -26.2 to -8.7) and insulin (-25.1%; 95% CI -31.8 to -18.3) levels compared with continuous sitting, but there was very limited evidence for it affecting other cardiometabolic markers. Three light physical activity programme intervention studies (n ranging from 12 to 58) reduced adiposity, improved blood pressure and lipidaemia; the programmes consisted of activity of >150 min/week for at least 12 weeks. Six out of eight prospective observational studies that were entered in the meta-analysis reported that more time spent in daily light activity reduced risk of all-cause mortality (pooled HR 0.71; 95% CI 0.62 to 0.83). CONCLUSIONS: Light-intensity physical activity could play a role in improving adult cardiometabolic health and reducing mortality risk. Frequent short bouts of light activity improve glycaemic control. Nevertheless, the modest volume of the prospective epidemiological evidence base and the moderate consistency between observational and laboratory evidence inhibits definitive conclusions.

Sitting Time in Adults 65 Years and Over: Behavior, Knowledge, and Intentions to Change.

This study examined sitting time, knowledge, and intentions to change sitting time in older adults. An online survey was completed by 494 Australians aged 65+. Average daily sitting was high (9.0 hr). Daily sitting time was the highest during TV (3.3 hr), computer (2.1 hr), and leisure (1.7 hr). A regression analysis demonstrated that women were more knowledgeable about the health risks of sitting compared to men. The percentage of older adults intending to sit less were the highest for TV (24%), leisure (24%), and computer (19%) sitting time. Regression analyses demonstrated that intentions varied by gender (for TV sitting), education (leisure and work sitting), body mass index (computer, leisure, and transport sitting), and physical activity (TV, computer, and leisure sitting). Interventions should target older adults' TV, computer, and leisure time sitting, with a focus on intentions in older males and older adults with low education, those who are active, and those with a normal weight.

Objectively measured physical environmental neighbourhood factors are not associated with accelerometer-determined total sedentary time in adults.

BACKGROUND: The physical neighbourhood environment may influence adults' sedentary behaviour. Yet, most studies examining the association between the physical neighbourhood environment and sedentary behaviour rely on self-reported data of either the physical neighbourhood environment and/or sedentary behaviour. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between objectively measured physical environmental neighbourhood factors and accelerometer-determined total sedentary time in adults. METHODS: In total, 219 Dutch and 128 Belgian adults (mean age ± SD: 55.8 ± 15.4 years) were recruited between March and August 2014 as part of the European SPOTLIGHT project. Physical environmental neighbourhood factors, grouped into eight domains, i.e. walking, cycling, public transport, aesthetics, land use mix, grocery stores, food outlets and recreational facilities, were assessed using the SPOTLIGHT Virtual Audit Tool. Sedentary time was collected using ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometers. General linear mixed models were conducted to examine associations between physical environmental neighbourhood factors and total sedentary time. RESULTS: Participants were sedentary, on average, for 542.9 min/day (SD: 84.3), or 9.1 h/day. None of the examined physical environmental neighbourhood factors were significantly related to total sedentary time. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings do not support associations of objectively measured physical environmental neighbourhood factors with adults' objectively sedentary time in Dutch and Belgian adults. More research on sedentary behaviours in settings such as the home and work setting is needed to examine the influence of more specific physical environmental factors on these context-specific sedentary behaviours.

What are the working mechanisms of a web-based workplace sitting intervention targeting psychosocial factors and action planning?

BACKGROUND: Office workers demonstrate high levels of sitting on workdays. As sitting is positively associated with adverse health risks in adults, a theory-driven web-based computer-tailored intervention to influence workplace sitting, named 'Start to Stand,' was developed. The intervention was found to be effective in reducing self-reported workplace sitting among Flemish employees. The aim of this study was to investigate through which mechanisms the web-based computer-tailored intervention influenced self-reported workplace sitting. METHODS: Employees (n = 155) participated in a clustered randomised controlled trial and reported socio-demographics (age, gender, education), work-related (hours at work, employment duration), health-related (weight and height, workplace sitting and physical activity) and psychosocial (knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, social support, intention regarding (changing) sitting behaviours) variables at baseline and 1-month follow-up. The product-of-coefficients test of MacKinnon based on multiple linear regression analyses was conducted to examine the mediating role of five psychosocial factors (knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, social support, intention). The influence of one self-regulation skill (action planning) in the association between the intervention and self-reported workplace sitting time was investigated via moderation analyses. RESULTS: The intervention had a positive influence on knowledge (p = 0.040), but none of the psychosocial variables did mediate the intervention effect on self-reported workplace sitting. Action planning was found to be a significant moderator (p < 0.001) as the decrease in self-reported workplace sitting only occurred in the group completing an action plan. CONCLUSIONS: Future interventions aimed at reducing employees' workplace sitting are suggested to focus on self-regulatory skills and promote action planning when using web-based computer-tailored advice. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02672215 ; (Archived by WebCite at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02672215 ).

Views of policy makers and health promotion professionals on factors facilitating implementation and maintenance of interventions and policies promoting physical activity and healthy eating: results of the DEDIPAC project.

BACKGROUND: The uptake, implementation, and maintenance of effective interventions promoting physical activity (PA) and a healthy diet and the implementation of policies targeting these behaviors are processes not well understood. We aimed to gain a better understanding of what health promotion professionals and policy makers think are important factors facilitating adoption, implementation, and maintenance of multi-level interventions and policies promoting healthy eating and PA in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Norway, and Poland. METHODS: Six interventions and six policies were identified based on pre-defined criteria. Forty semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders from various sectors to elicit information on factors impacting adoption, implementation, and maintenance of these interventions and policies. All interview transcripts were coded in NVivo, using a common categorization matrix. Coding in the respective countries was done by one researcher and validated by a second researcher. RESULTS: Active involvement of relevant stakeholders and good communication between coordinating organizations were described as important factors contributing to successful adoption and implementation of both interventions and policies. Additional facilitating factors included sufficient training of staff and tailoring of materials to match needs of various target groups. The respondents indicated that maintenance of implemented interventions/policies depended on whether they were embedded in existing or newly created organizational structures in different settings and whether continued funding was secured. CONCLUSIONS: Despite considerable heterogeneity of interventions and health policies in the five countries, stakeholders across these countries identify similar factors facilitating adoption, implementation, and maintenance of these interventions and policies.

Opinions Toward Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Interventions to Stimulate Active Living During Early Retirement: A Qualitative Study in Recently Retired Adults.

This study aimed to obtain qualitative information about physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviors (SB)and their determinants, and about recently retired adults' needs regarding PA interventions. Four focus group interviews were organized. The most commonly reported PA types were walking, cycling, swimming and fitness. The most commonly reported SB were reading, TV viewing, and computer use. Car use was limited. Most adults agreed their habits had changed during retirement. The most striking PA determinant was the feeling of being a 'forgotten group' and therefore having too few tailored PA initiatives available. Furthermore, participants were not aware of the negative health effects of SB and not motivated to decrease their SB. Concerning new PA interventions, very diverse ideas were put forward, reflecting the diversity of the target group. It seems that a dynamic intervention in which participants can choose which PA type they want to increase is preferable for recently retired adults.