A favorable built environment is associated with better physical fitness in European adolescents

The longitudinal association between asthma severity and physical fitness by neighborhood factors among New York City public school youth

PURPOSE

This paper aims to examine the association between asthma severity and one-year lagged fitness in New York City Public school youth by neighborhood opportunity.

METHODS

Using the Child Opportunity Index 2.0 and individual-level repeated measures NYC Office of School Health (OSH) fitness surveillance data (2010-2018), we ran multilevel mixed models stratified by neighborhood opportunity, adjusting for sex, race/ethnicity, grade level, poverty status, and time. Asthma severity was based on a physician-completed Asthma Medication Administration Form (MAF) from each school year and drawn from the Automated Student Health Record (ASHR).

RESULTS

Across all youth in grades 4-12 (n = 939,598; 51.7 % male; 29.9 % non-Hispanic Black, 39.3 % Hispanic; 70.0 % high poverty), lower neighborhood opportunity was associated with lower subsequent fitness. Youth with severe asthma and very low and low neighborhood opportunity had the lowest 1-year lagged fitness z-scores - 0.24 (95 % CI, -0.34 to -0.14) and - 0.26 (95 % CI, -0.32 to -0.20), respectively, relative to youth with no asthma and very high opportunity.

CONCLUSIONS

An inverse longitudinal relationship between asthma severity and subsequent fitness was observed. Study findings have implications for public health practitioners to promote physical activity and improved health equity for youth with asthma, taking neighborhood factors into account.

The longitudinal association between asthma severity and physical fitness among new York City public school youth

Severe persistent childhood asthma is associated with low physical activity and may be associated with poor physical fitness. Research on the asthma severity-fitness association longitudinally and across sociodemographic subgroups is needed to inform fitness interventions targeting youth with asthma. We evaluated the relationship between asthma severity (categorized as severe, mild, or no asthma) and subsequent fitness in New York City (NYC) public school youth enrolled in grades 4-12 using the NYC Fitnessgram dataset (2010-2018). Longitudinal mixed models with random intercepts were fit to test the association between asthma severity and one-year lagged fitness z-scores by clustering repeated annual observations at the student level. Models were adjusted for sex, race/ethnicity, grade level, poverty status, time, and stratified by sociodemographic factors. The analytic sample included 663,137 students (51% male; 31% non-Hispanic Black, 40% Hispanic; 55% in grades 4-8, 70% high poverty; 87%, 11% and 1% with no, mild, and severe asthma, respectively). Students with severe asthma and mild asthma demonstrated -0.19 (95% CI, -0.20 to -0.17) and - 0.10 (95% CI, -0.11 to -0.10), respectively, lower fitness z-scores in the subsequent year relative to students without asthma. After stratifying by demographics, the magnitude of the asthma severity-fitness relationship was highest for non-Hispanic white vs. all other racial/ethnic subgroups, and was similar across sex, grade level, and household poverty status. Overall, we observed an inverse longitudinal relationship between asthma severity and subsequent fitness among urban youth, particularly non-Hispanic Whites. Future research should examine how neighborhood-level factors impact the asthma severity-fitness relationship across racial/ethnic subgroups.

Spatial Heterogeneity and Regional Clustering of Factors Influencing Chinese Adolescents' Physical Fitness

There is often significant spatial heterogeneity in the factors influencing physical fitness in adolescents, yet less attention has been paid to this in established studies. Based on the 2018 Chinese National Student Physical Fitness Standard Test data, this study uses a multi-scale, geographically weighted regression (MGWR) model combined with a K-means clustering algorithm to construct a spatial regression model of the factors influencing adolescent physical fitness, and to investigate the degree of spatial variation in the physical fitness of Chinese adolescents from a socio-ecological perspective of health promotion. The following conclusions were drawn: the performance of the youth physical fitness regression model was significantly improved after taking spatial scale and heterogeneity into account. At the provincial scale, the non-farm output, average altitude, and precipitation of each region were strongly related to youth physical fitness, and each influencing factor generally showed a banded spatial heterogeneity pattern, which can be summarized into four types: N-S, E-W, NE-SW, and SE-NW. From the perspective of youth physical fitness, China can be divided into three regions of influence: the socio-economic-influenced region, mainly including the eastern region and some of the central provinces of China; the natural-environment-influenced region, which mainly includes the northwestern part of China and some provinces in the highland region; and the multi-factor joint-influenced region, which mainly includes the provinces in the central and northeastern regions of China. Finally, this study provides syndemic suggestions for physical fitness and health promotion for youths in each region.

Physical fitness in children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease: protocol for a case-control study

INTRODUCTION

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disorder of the gastrointestinal tract, associated with adverse health consequences that may adversely influence physical activity and body composition in youth. These effects may lead to changes in physical fitness, which is positively associated with health-related outcomes. The aim is to assess health-related physical fitness levels in paediatric patients with IBD and to compare these levels with those in healthy matched controls.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This trial is a bicentric case-control study. Fifty paediatric patients with IBD and 50 matched healthy controls will be recruited (1:1), and physical fitness levels (cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, speed/agility and flexibility) will be assessed. The primary outcome is cardiorespiratory fitness, which will be compared between children and adolescents with IBD and healthy controls matched for age, sex and body mass index class. We will assess whether the two groups differ with respect to other physical fitness components and cardiovascular risk in adulthood according to sex-specific cut-offs for a healthy cardiorespiratory fitness level in adolescents. We will identify relationships between physical fitness and characteristics of IBD, quality of life and daily physical activity.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee (Comité de Protection des Personnes, Centre-Ouest I, Tours, France; No 2019-A02651-56) and was declared to the Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertés. All procedures will be performed according to the ethical standards of the 1975 Declaration of Helsinki, as revised in 2008, and the European Union's Guidelines for Good Clinical Practice. Written informed consent will be obtained from the youths and their parents. Research findings will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and scientific meetings, as well as in social media and IBD family support groups.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT04647578.

GPS-based activity space exposure to greenness and walkability is associated with increased accelerometer-based physical activity

INTRODUCTION

Built and natural environments may provide opportunities for physical activity. However, studies are limited by primarily using residential addresses to define exposure and self-report to measure physical activity. We quantified associations between global positioning systems (GPS)-based activity space measures of environmental exposure and accelerometer-based physical activity.

METHODS

Using a nationwide sample of working female adults (N = 354), we obtained seven days of GPS and accelerometry data. We created Daily Path Area activity spaces using GPS data and linked these activity spaces to spatial datasets on walkability (EPA Smart Location Database at the Census block group level) and greenness (satellite vegetation at 250 m resolution). We utilized generalized additive models to examine nonlinear associations between activity space exposures and accelerometer-derived physical activity outcomes adjusted for demographic characteristics, socioeconomic factors, and self-rated health.

RESULTS

Higher activity space walkability was associated with higher levels of moderate-vigorous physical activity, and higher activity space greenness was associated with greater numbers of steps per week. No strong relationships were observed for sedentary behavior or light physical activity. Highest levels of moderate-vigorous physical activity were observed for participants with both high walkability and high greenness in their activity spaces.

CONCLUSION

This study contributes evidence that higher levels of physical activity occur in environments with more dense, diverse, and well-connected built environments, and with higher amounts of vegetation. These data suggest that urban planners, landscape architects, and policy makers should implement and evaluate environmental interventions to encourage higher levels of physical activity.

Correlation between Campus-Built Environment and Physical Fitness in College Students in Xi’an—A GIS Approach

Background: This research aimed to investigate the correlation between students’ physical fitness and campus-built environment, which could put forward some suggestions for the construction of a campus environment. Method: Four colleges in Xi’an were regarded as special “semi-closed” spaces. Combined with ArcGIS and SPSS, the correlation between the built environment of colleges and the students’ physical fitness test results in 2019 was analyzed (n = 1498). Results: regarding the men questioned in this research, there was a significant correlation between street connectivity and vital capacity, grip strength, 50 m running, 1000 m running, a significant correlation between land use mix and vital capacity, sit-and-reach, pull-up, grip strength, a significant correlation between green space per capita and vital capacity, grip strength, 50 m running, and a significant correlation between walk score and vital capacity, pull-up, grip strength, and 50 m running. Regarding the women questioned in this research, there was a significant correlation between street connectivity and vital capacity, grip strength, 50 m running, 800 m running, curl-up, a significant correlation between land use mix and vital capacity, sit-and-reach, curl-up, grip strength, 800 m running, a significant correlation between green space per capita and vital capacity, grip strength, curl-up, sit-and-reach, and a significant correlation between walk score and vital capacity, curl-up, grip strength, and 800 m running. Conclusion: the built environment on campus can indirectly affect the physical fitness of college students. Increasing the number of intersections and short connections of campus streets, ensuring that the green space of the campus meets the standards, and reasonably arranging the site selection of buildings are conducive to improving the physical fitness of students.

Students Living in the Islands are Heavier and have Lower Fitness Levels Compared to their Mainland Counterparts; Results from the National Action for Children's Health (EYZHN) Program

Few studies have examined variations in obesity by geographic location in youth and its relation with fitness levels. The present study investigated the association between geographic status (islands versus mainland), excess of body weight and fitness levels among 335.810 schoolchildren (male: 51.3%, 6-18 y, during the school year 2014-2015). Students' anthropometric parameters and fitness levels - accessed via the Euro-fit test - were measured by trained physical education teachers and evaluated according to published norms. Prevalence of overweight (23.0 Vs 21.8%) and obese (10.1 Vs 8.0%) was significantly higher for students living in the islands contrary to their mainland counterparts. A significant difference was also observed for centrally obese children (33.5 Vs 28.2%). Except for speed test .408), in all other four fitness tests, the students from the islands presented significantly lower performance (≤25^th percentile of published age- and sex-specific normative values) versus their mainland counterparts. Boys and girls living in the islands had 48% and 37% increased odds of low physical fitness (as a total), respectively, compared to their mainland counterparts. Likewise, children living in islands presented increased odds of being overweight or obese by 19% and 15% in boys and girls, respectively, as compared to those living in the mainland. Increased general and abdominal adiposity have a direct negative impact on students' performance in Physical Fitness tests. Our data highlight the problem of excessive body weight that children living in rural areas, face.

Traffic-related environmental factors and childhood obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis

A growing body of research links traffic-related environmental factors to childhood obesity; however, the evidence is still inconclusive. This review aims to fill this important research gap by systematically reviewing existing research on the relationship between traffic-related environmental factors and childhood obesity. Based on the inclusion criteria, 39 studies are selected with environmental factors of interest, including traffic flow, traffic pollution, traffic noise, and traffic safety. Weight-related behaviours include active travel/transport, physical activity (PA), and intake of a high trans-fat diet or stress symptoms; weight-related outcomes are mainly body mass index (BMI) or BMI z-scores and overweight/obesity. Of 16 studies of weight-related behaviours, significant associations are reported in 11 out of 12 studies on traffic flow (two positively and nine negatively associated with PA), five out of six studies on traffic safety (four positively and one negatively associated with PA), one study on traffic pollution (positively with unhealthy food consumption), and one study on traffic noise (negatively associated with PA). Among 23 studies of weight-related outcomes, significant associations are reported in six out of 14 studies on traffic flow (five positively and one negatively associated with obesity outcome), seven out of 10 studies on traffic pollution (all positively associated with obesity outcome), and two out of five on traffic noise (all positively associated with obesity outcome). Our findings show that long-term traffic pollution is weakly positively associated with children's BMI growth, and traffic flow, pollution, and noise could affect weight-related behaviours. Associations between traffic density and noise and weight status are rather inconclusive.

[Determinants of health in adolescence: cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition]

Introduction

Introduction: cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition are determining indicators of health status during adolescence. The objective of the study was to analyze the relationship of both parameters with indicators of mental and psychosocial health, lifestyle habits, and sociodemographic variables, establishing their predictive factors. Method: a cross-sectional study was conducted with a representative sample of 761 students (14.51 ± 1.63 years old) from 25 educational centers in a northern region of Spain. Body mass index, maximum oxygen uptake, health-related quality of life, self-esteem, hours of nightly sleep, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, physical activity engagement, academic performance, and different sociodemographic factors were analyzed for all participants. Results: the results determined that being a boy, being younger, sleeping fewer hours at night, and presenting a lower academic performance were predictors of suffering from obesity, while being younger and being a migrant were predictors of being overweight. On the other hand, lower physical activity engagement, poorer academic performance, being a migrant, and not practicing extracurricular sports activities were predictive factors of cardiorespiratory fitness in the risk zone. In addition, the environment for performing physical activity and socioeconomic level also showed associations with cardiorespiratory fitness. Conclusions: given the influence of body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness on the physical and psychosocial health of adolescents, promotion strategies are required that take into account the identified predictors, with special attention to promoting healthy lifestyles.

Association of Built Environment with Physical Activity and Physical Fitness in Men and Women Living inside the City Wall of Xi'an, China

This study was to investigate the association of built environment (BE) with physical activity (PA) and physical fitness of residents inside the city wall of Xi'an, one of the most historic cities in China. The cross-sectional study was conducted among 728 adults in this area. BE and PA were measured by Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale and International Physical Activity Questionnaire, respectively. Body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, blood pressure (BP), lung capacity, curl up, sit and reach, reaction time, balance, and grip strength were also measured. The results showed, for men, aesthetics was positively associated with total and leisure-time PA, and curl-up tests, respectively. Walking/cycling facilities were positively associated with leisure-time PA. Street connectivity was negatively associated with leisure-time PA and BMI. Residential density was positively correlated with BMI. Access to service was positively associated with lung capacity. Crime safety was negatively correlated with reaction time. For women, residential density was negatively associated with transportation PA and BP. Street connectivity was positively associated with curl-up test. The results suggest some BE attributes are positively related to PA and physical fitness in this population. Creating more PA-supportive BEs is recommended in this historic area along with urban conservation.

The effects of student, school and neighborhood poverty on the association between fitness and absenteeism in New York City middle school youth

Recent research demonstrates that youth fitness improvements are associated with lower absenteeism. This study assessed whether the effects of poverty on the longitudinal fitness-absenteeism relationship are consistent across poverty measures at the student, school, and neighborhood levels and across sex in New York City (NYC) public school youth individually followed over 4 years. Negative binomial longitudinal mixed models with random-intercepts were developed stratified by five dichotomized student, school and neighborhood poverty measures and sex to test the change in fitness-lagged absenteeism relationship in six cohorts of NYC middle school students (2006/7-2012/13). Models were adjusted for individual-level race/ethnicity, place of birth, change in obesity status, grade, time, and school size. The sample included 360,743 students (51% male, 39% Hispanic, 28% non-Hispanic black, 69% qualifying for free/reduced price school meals). Adjusted estimates showed an inverse dose-response fitness-absenteeism relationship in high poverty youth across all poverty measures, including the student, school and neighborhood levels. For example, in girls exposed to high poverty based on school neighborhood, absenteeism decreased by 11.3% (IRR = -0.12, 95% CI: -0.20, -0.04), 10.4% (IRR = -0.11, 95% CI: -0.21, -0.02), 6.8% (IRR = -0.07, 95% CI: -0.14, 0.00) and 4.9% (IRR = -0.05, 95% CI: -0.15, 0.04) for students who had a >20% increase, 10-20% increase, <10% change, and 10-20% decrease in fitness from the prior year, respectively, relative to the reference group (>20% decrease in fitness). Future research should explore the impact of tailored interventions for youth that aim to promote youth physical activity at each of the individual, school and neighborhood levels, and particularly among high poverty subgroups.

The Importance of Pedestrian Network Connectivity for Adolescent Health: A Cross-sectional Examination of Associations between Neighbourhood Built Environments and Metabolic Health in the Pacific Islands Families Birth Cohort Study

The research aim was to investigate associations between objectively-assessed built environment attributes and metabolic risk in adolescents of Pacific Islands ethnicity, and to consider the possible mediating effect of physical activity and sedentary time. Youth (n = 204) undertook a suite of physical assessments including body composition, blood sampling, and blood pressure measurements, and seven day accelerometry. Objective measures of the neighbourhood built environment were generated around individual addresses. Logistic regression and linear modelling were used to assess associations between environment measures and metabolic health, accounting for physical activity behaviours. Higher pedestrian connectivity was associated with an increase in the chance of having any International Diabetes Federation metabolic risk factors for males only. Pedestrian connectivity was related to fat free mass in males in unadjusted analyses only. This study provides evidence for the importance of pedestrian network connectivity for health in adolescent males. Future research is required to expand the limited evidence in neighbourhood environments and adolescent metabolic health.

Profile Resemblance in Health-Related Markers: The Portuguese Sibling Study on Growth, Fitness, Lifestyle, and Health

The co-occurrence of health-related markers and their associations with individual, family, and environmental characteristics have not yet been widely explored in siblings. We aimed to identify multivariate profiles of health-related markers, analyze their associations with biological, sociodemographic, and built environment characteristics, and estimate sibling resemblance in these profiles. The sample includes 736 biological siblings aged 9–20 years. Body fat was measured with a portable bioelectrical impedance scale; biological maturation was assessed with the maturity offset; handgrip strength, standing long jump, one-mile run, and shuttle run were used to mark physical fitness. Health behaviors, sociodemographic, and built environmental characteristics were recorded by questionnaire. Latent profile analysis and multilevel logistic regression models were used; sibling resemblance was estimated with the intraclass correlation (ρ). Two multivariate profiles emerged: “P1 = fit, lower fat and poorer diet” (86.7%) and “P2 = higher fat and lower fit, but better diet” (13.3%). Siblings whose fathers were less qualified in their occupation were more likely to belong to P2 (OR = 1.24, p = 0.04); those whose fathers with Grade 12 and university level education were more likely to fit in P2 compared to peers living with fathers having an educational level below Grade 12 (OR = 3.18, p = 0.03, and OR = 6.40, p = 0.02, Grade 12 and university level, respectively). A moderate sibling profile resemblance was found (0.46 ≤ ρ ≤ 0.55). In conclusion, youth health-related markers present substantial differences linked with their body composition, physical fitness and unhealthy diet. Furthermore, only father socio-demographic characteristics were associated with profile membership. Sibling´s profile resemblance mirrors the effects of genetics and shared characteristics.

Social Status and Adolescent Physical Activity: Expanding the Insurance Hypothesis to Incorporate Energy Expenditure

Low social status (SS) is a determinant of poor health status and is associated with increased disease burden. Obesity affects 20.6% of American adolescents, most of whom are from low-SS families. Contributors to the development of obesity among adolescents include sedentary behavior and low levels of physical activity. Environmental determinants-infrastructure, policy, and social relationships-influence engagement in physical activity and are affected by SS. Significant declines in physical activity have been documented during adolescence, and adolescents of low SS engage in significantly less physical activity per week than those with high SS. This article briefly reviews the literature on the relationship between SS and physical activity in adolescents and introduces a proposed biological mechanism that may explain that relationship. Characterizing the effects that SS can have on physical activity may help tailor clinical interventions and public health campaigns seeking to improve adolescent physical activity and weight management, thus increasing their effectiveness. This may be particularly beneficial for underserved populations.

Environmental perceptions and its associations with physical fitness and body composition in adolescents: longitudinal results from the LabMed Physical Activity Study

Background The environmental correlates have been extensively studied in the last years, but most associations with physical fitness (PF) and body composition have been cross-sectional in nature. Objective This study aimed to determine if adolescents' environmental perceptions associated with PF and body composition in a 2-year follow-up. Subjects Participants were 583 adolescents aged 12-18 years (299 girls) from the LabMed Physical Activity Study. Methods PF and body composition were assessed with the protocols of the ALPHA health-related fitness battery and environmental perceptions with the ALPHA environmental questionnaire. Linear regression models were used to determine the associations between environmental perceptions at baseline and PF and anthropometric measures at follow-up. Results Results showed that perceptions of distant facilities at baseline were associated with lower fitness at follow-up in boys. Also, boys' lower study environment perceptions at baseline were associated with higher body composition at follow-up. Positive perceptions of a pleasant environment at baseline were associated with better fitness at follow-up in boys. Additionally, girls' positive bike lanes availability and esthetics perceptions at baseline were associated with better body composition at follow-up. Conclusion Positive environmental perceptions at baseline are associated with better PF and body composition at follow-up.

Relationship between Recreational Resources in the School Neighborhood and Changes in Fitness in New York City Public School Students

Physical fitness in children has many beneficial effects, including the maintenance of a healthy weight. The built environment may influence youths' physical fitness by encouraging physical activity. This paper assessed whether higher density of parks, playgrounds, and sports facilities around a school is related to improvements in fitness in middle school boys and girls. Fitness scores and other student covariates collected as part of NYC FITNESSGRAM between the 2006-2007 and 2010-2011 school years were linked with school neighborhood data on characteristics of the built environment for NYC public school students in grades 6-8. Data were analyzed in 2015. Medium, but not high, density of recreational resources in the area surrounding a school was associated with greater annual improvements in fitness for both boys and girls. This association appeared to be driven mainly by the presence of parks. Findings for sports facilities and playgrounds were inconsistent. Overall, few associations were observed between recreational resources near a school and changes in student fitness. Future studies of school influences on student fitness should consider the influence of school resources and the home neighborhood.

[From the influence of genes to the influence of family and urban environment on the nutritional status, activity, and physical condition of european urban adolescents]

HELENA was a cross-sectional study carried out from 2006 to 2007 in more than 3500 adolescents aged from 12.5 to 17.5 years old through 10 Europeans towns from 9 countries. Its objective was to assess adolescent nutritional status including: body composition, biological markers, physical activity and fitness. This study shown the high impact of socio-economic condition, life style and personal and collective environment, dietary pattern (including breastfeeding), some genetic mutations involved in adiposity and metabolism, physical activity level and fitness on adolescent nutritional status.

European Code against Cancer 4th Edition: Physical activity and cancer

Physical activity is a complex, multidimensional behavior, the precise measurement of which is challenging in free-living individuals. Nonetheless, representative survey data show that 35% of the European adult population is physically inactive. Inadequate levels of physical activity are disconcerting given substantial epidemiologic evidence showing that physical activity is associated with decreased risks of colon, endometrial, and breast cancers. For example, insufficient physical activity levels are thought to cause 9% of breast cancer cases and 10% of colon cancer cases in Europe. By comparison, the evidence for a beneficial effect of physical activity is less consistent for cancers of the lung, pancreas, ovary, prostate, kidney, and stomach. The biologic pathways underlying the association between physical activity and cancer risk are incompletely defined, but potential etiologic pathways include insulin resistance, growth factors, adipocytokines, steroid hormones, and immune function. In recent years, sedentary behavior has emerged as a potential independent determinant of cancer risk. In cancer survivors, physical activity has shown positive effects on body composition, physical fitness, quality of life, anxiety, and self-esteem. Physical activity may also carry benefits regarding cancer survival, but more evidence linking increased physical activity to prolonged cancer survival is needed. Future studies using new technologies - such as accelerometers and e-tools - will contribute to improved assessments of physical activity. Such advancements in physical activity measurement will help clarify the relationship between physical activity and cancer risk and survival. Taking the overall existing evidence into account, the fourth edition of the European Code against Cancer recommends that people be physically active in everyday life and limit the time spent sitting.

Housing and Neighborhood Characteristics and Latino Farmworker Family Well-Being

Housing quality and neighborhood characteristics affect individual health and family well-being. This analysis describes characteristics of farmworker housing and neighborhoods and delineates the associations of housing and local neighborhood with indicators of family well-being. Mothers in North Carolina farmworker families (n = 248) completed interviews in 2011-2012. Family well-being measures included stress, family conflict, and outward orientation. Housing measures included ownership and facilities, and neighborhood measures included heavy traffic and driving time to grocery stores. Families experienced elevated stress and conflict, and limited outward orientation. Few owned their homes, which were generally crowded. Few had enclosed play spaces for their children. For many, traffic made it difficult to walk on the street. Housing and neighborhood characteristics were related to increased stress and limited outward orientation. Housing and neighborhood characteristics are important for research on the health of families in vulnerable populations, such as farmworker families.

Nutrition and lifestyle in european adolescents: the HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) study

Adolescence is a critical period, because major physical and psychologic changes occur during a very short period of time. Changes in dietary habits may induce different types of nutritional disorders and are likely to track into adulthood. The aim of this review is to describe the key findings related to nutritional status in European adolescents participating in the HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) study. We performed a cross-sectional study in 3528 (1845 females) adolescents aged 12.5–17.5 y. Birth weight was negatively associated with abdominal fat mass in adolescents and serum leptin concentrations (in female adolescents), providing additional evidence for a programming effect of birth weight on energy homeostasis control. Breakfast consumption was associated with lower body fat content and healthier cardiovascular profile. Adolescents eat half of the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables and less than two-thirds of the recommended amount of milk and milk products but consume more meat and meat products, fats, and sweets than recommended. For beverage consumption, sugar-sweetened beverages, sweetened milk, low-fat milk, and fruit juice provided the highest amount of energy. Although the intakes of saturated fatty acids (FAs) and salt were high, the intake of polyunsaturated FAs was low. Adolescents spent, on average, 9 h/d of their waking time (66–71% and 70–73% of the registered time in boys and girls, respectively) in sedentary activities. Factors associated with adolescents’ sedentary behavior included the following: 1) age; 2) media availability in the bedroom; 3) sleeping time; 4) breakfast consumption; and 5) season. Sedentary time was also associated with cardiovascular risk factors and bone mineral content. In European adolescents, deficient concentrations were identified for plasma folate (15%), vitamin D (15%), pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (5%), β-carotene (25%), and vitamin E (5%). Scientists and public health authorities should raise awareness of the importance of a healthy and sustainable lifestyle as a foundation of the health of the European population, now and in the future.

Bicycles gathering dust rather than raising dust--Prevalence and predictors of cycling among Australian schoolchildren

OBJECTIVES

To examine social and physical environmental correlates of cycling regularly (i.e. at least once per week) among school-aged children.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study of 430 primary (48% boys; 72% urban) and 258 secondary school-aged children (52% boys; 51.6% urban) in Victoria, Australia.

METHODS

Children survey-reported their frequency of cycling during a typical week. Parents survey-reported on traffic concern, social trust and whether their child was allowed to cycle alone on main roads. Using a Geographic Information System each child's home was mapped along with bike paths, sports/recreational facilities and shops within 800 m and 5000 m (using pedestrian/cyclist network buffers). Logistic regression analyses examined associations between these explanatory variables and the odds of cycling at least once per week.

RESULTS

Factors associated with reduced odds of cycling at least once per week were: being a girl rather than a boy (odds ratio=0.53, 95% confidence interval 0.38-0.74); and the number of types of sports facilities located with 5000 m of home (odds ratio=0.87; 95% confidence interval 0.78-0.97). Factors associated with increased odds of this were: bike path provision (top tertile) within 5000 m of home (odds ratio=1.70; 95% confidence interval 1.11-2.61) and being allowed to cycle alone on main roads (odds ratio=1.75, 95% confidence interval 1.22-2.52).

CONCLUSIONS

Further research is required to inform interventions to promote children's cycling, e.g. by skill-building so that parents feel comfortable allowing their child to cycle without adult accompaniment. Natural experiments are also needed to evaluate the impact of new cycling infrastructure on rates of cycling among children and the broader population.