Profiles of Health-Related Quality of Life and Their Relationships With Happiness, Physical Activity, and Fitness

Association of Socioeconomic Factors and Physical Activity with Health-Related Quality of Life in Italian Middle School Children: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) provides a broad assessment of an individual's well-being and can serve as a good prognosticator of life's outcomes later for children and adolescents. Understanding the factors associated with HRQoL is crucial for promoting better health and life satisfaction. This study investigated the cross-sectional association of socioeconomic status, cardio fitness, and physical activity levels with HRQoL in 224 Italian early adolescents attending secondary school in the Emilia-Romagna region located in Northern Italy. In a multivariate path regression model, younger students and females reported a higher quality of life (β = -0.139, p = 0.015, 95% CI: -0.254--0.023 and β = 0.142, p = 0.019, 95% CI: 0.011-0.273, respectively). Having both parents employed and having a higher familiar educational status were also associated with a higher quality of life (β = 0.142, p = 0.013, 95% CI 0.027-0.257 and β = 0.133, p = 0.017, 95% CI 0.022-0.244, respectively). Greater engagement in routine physical activity levels from moderate to vigorous intensity was positively associated with quality of life (β = 0.429, p < 0.001, 95% CI: 0.304-0.554). Endurance (speed) was positively associated with quality of life (β = 0.221, p = 0.001, 95% CI: 0.087-0.355), and students with longer times on the shuttle run reported less quality of life (β = -0.207, p = 0.002, 95% CI: -0.337--0.077). These relations remained intact even when controlling for socioeconomic factors. The current findings reinforce the importance of promoting regular physical activity among younger children and also addressing socioeconomic status disparities to improve children's well-being. Future studies may want to consider expanding the array of measures used to assess physical activity and include additional measures assessing nutrition, cultural factors, and family functioning, all of which can influence a child's willingness to engage in physical activity and their well-being. The emphasis on fitness and physical activity and their contribution to a child's well-being should be the prime focus for stakeholders who work in the education, public health, and health policy sectors.

Clinical features of children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa and problematic physical activity

PURPOSE

Problematic physical activity (PPA) is a symptom commonly present in patients suffering from anorexia nervosa (AN). This study aims to refine the clinical description of children with early-onset AN and adolescents with standard-onset AN and associated PPA, in order to better understand their associated features, and to offer them adapted care and physical activity programs.

METHODS

107 participants treated at the Salvator University Hospital Centre of Marseille for AN were retrospectively evaluated by the Exercise Dependence Scale Revised concerning PPA. Other self-report questionnaires were used to evaluate eating disorder, anxiety and depressive symptoms, quality of life, emotions, sleep, and attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity.

RESULTS

In the entire sample, the presence of PPA was associated with significantly higher levels of eating disorder (EDI-2: p = 0.001) and body image concerns (p = 0.002), anxiety (STAI-Y-trait: p = 0.013) and depression (p = 0.006), as well as significantly lower psychological well-being (p < 0.001) and quality of life (p < 0.001) and impaired sleep (PSQI: p = 0.008). The early-onset group showed a lower prevalence of PPA than the standard-onset group (p < 0.05) but their clinical symptomatology, when this symptom was present, was significantly more severe (EDI-2: p < 0.01; BSQ: p < 0.05; CDI: p < 0.05; STAI-Y-trait: p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

PPA appears to be associated with more severe features in patients with early-onset AN, which seems to differ from standard-onset. It seems necessary to refine our knowledge on the involvement of PPA in the severity of AN, especially in patients with early-onset AN who remain little studied so far.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level V, descriptive study (evaluation data retrospectively studied).

Reliability and validity of the Healthy Fitness Measurement Scale Version 1.0 (HFMS V1.0) in Chinese people

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the reliability and validity of Healthy Fitness Measurement Scale Version 1.0 (HFMS V1.0) for different population cohorts in the city of Guangzhou, Guangdong, China and to provide evidence and tools for further evaluation of healthy fitness of Chinese population and related factors.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Urban neighbourhood and Medical University.

PARTICIPANTS

Elderly people (n=393; mean age 68.27±6.38 years; 53.18% male), university students (n=390; mean age 19.29±1.29 years; 38.21% male) and urban residents (n=393; mean age 32.23±9.41 years; 44.78% male).

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcomes were evaluated the reliability and validity of HFMS V1.0 by internal consistency evaluation, split-half reliability, test-retest reliability, convergent and discriminant construct validity, and factor analysis.

RESULTS

The Cronbach's α coefficients for HFMS V1.0 were all greater than 0.85 for overall scale of total samples and three individual groups, and the split-half reliability and intragroup correlation coefficients were both greater than 0.70 (p<0.01). The correlation of each item, dimension and subscales ranged from 0.52 to 0.91 (p < 0.01). A total of 10 factors were screened by exploratory factor analysis with the cumulative contribution rate of 61.40%, basically consistent with the theoretical structure of scale. The confirmatory factor analysis indicated good fit: CMIN/DF=3.45, root mean square error of approximation=0.05, GFI=0.91, AGFI=0.90, IFI=0.90, comparative fit index=0.90.

CONCLUSION

HFMS V1.0 showed acceptable reliability and validity in the test of healthy fitness of general population in Guangzhou. This scale could be a reliable measurement tool for evaluation of healthy fitness and potential risk factors.

The Mediating Effect of Coping Style on Physical Activity and Negative Affect Caused by Public Health Emergencies: Evidence from Chinese College Students

In this study, we explored the relationship between physical activity (PA), coping style (CS) and negative affect caused by public health emergencies (PHENA), to examine if CS can play a mediating role between PA and PHENA, and analyzed the different effects of positive coping (PC) and negative coping (NC). Using the method of random sampling, 700 students from four universities in Beijing and Shanghai were recruited to complete questionnaires about PA, CS and PHENA. Data collection was conducted through online and offline questionnaires. Firstly, there is a significant correlation between PA, CS and PHENA. Secondly, PA can negatively predict PHENA, and PA has positive impact on PC and negative impact on NC. Thirdly, the mediating role of NC related to PHENA is significant, the mediating role of PC related to PHENA is not significant. College students’ participation in physical activity can reduce the probability of adopting negative coping mechanisms, thereby alleviating the PHENA.

Impact of a Series of Educational Talks Taught by Health Professionals to Promote Healthy Snack Choices among Children

BACKGROUND

One of the great challenges facing today's society is the need to combat overweight and obesity in schoolchildren. This study aimed to analyze the impact of a cycle of didactic talks-given to families by a specialist in pediatrics, a specialist in nutrition and dietetics and a specialist in physical exercise-on childrens' snack choices and nutrition quality.

METHODS

A longitudinal, quasi-experimental and quantitative investigation was designed, working with a total sample of 50 students divided into control and experimental groups. The nutritional quality of daily snacks was recorded during the month before and the month after the cycle of talks given by health experts.

RESULTS

An increase in the nutritional quality of the snacks was observed in the days after the talk-but, after a week, values returned to normal.

CONCLUSIONS

The giving of educational talks to promote healthy habits may have a positive impact on the nutritional quality of school snacks in the days immediately following the talks. However, some forgetfulness was detected over time, which reduced the nutritional quality of the snacks once more. For future work, it is recommended that researchers measure the impact produced by giving regular talks.