Objective Estimates of Physical Activity and Sedentary Time among Young Adults

Cross-sectional association between 24-hour movement guidelines and depressive symptoms in Chinese university students

Background

The world's first 24-h movement guidelines for adults were released on 15 October 2020 in Canada, though evidence of their associations with health indicators in young adults is sparse. This study aimed to report the prevalence of meeting the 24-h movement guidelines and associations with depressive symptoms in a sample of Chinese university students.

Methods

Cross-sectional data from 1,793 Chinese university students (mean age = 20.7 years, 63.6% female) were used. Sociodemographic information, movement behaviors (physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep duration), and depressive symptoms were collected using a self-reported questionnaire.

Results

The prevalence of meeting the 24-h movement guidelines was 27.8% in Chinese university students. Logistic regression results show that compared to those who met the 24-h movement guidelines, odds ratio (OR) for depressive symptoms in those who met fewer recommendations contained in the 24-h movement guidelines were significantly higher (OR for none = 3.4, 95% CI [2.1-5.5], p < 0.001; OR for one = 2.7, 95% CI [2.0-3.8], p < 0.001; OR for two = 1.5, 95% CI [1.1-2.1], p = 0.013).

Conclusion

The prevalence of meeting the 24-h movement guidelines in Chinese university students was relatively low and should be enhanced through multiple strategies. Meeting the 24-h movement guidelines was associated with lower risk for depression in Chinese young adults. It is suggested that moving more, sitting less and sleeping well in this population may reduce the occurrence of depression.

Weight gain prevention interventions in the Study of Novel Approaches to Weight Gain Prevention (SNAP) trial promote ideal cardiovascular health in young adults

OBJECTIVE

Cardiovascular health (CVH) declines in young adulthood. This study assessed whether weight gain prevention interventions promoted ideal CVH.

METHODS

Young adults (n = 599; age 18-35 years; BMI: 21.0-30.9 kg/m2 ) from a randomized controlled trial comparing two weight gain prevention interventions (self-regulation with large or small changes) and a self-guided control group completed anthropometric and clinical assessments at baseline and 2 years. CVH was quantified via the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 (LS7) number of ideal components met.

RESULTS

Both interventions showed significant improvements in the average number of ideal LS7 components met at 2 years compared with control (pre- to post-treatment means; large change: 0.24, small change: 0.34, control: -0.2, p < 0.05). Moreover, a greater percentage of participants in both interventions improved by ≥1 ideal component (large change: 35%, small change: 37%, control: 29%) and a smaller percentage declined by ≥1 ideal component (large change: 16%, small change: 20%, control: 30%) compared with control. For individual LS7 components, the odds of having an ideal BMI and glucose varied by treatment condition at 2 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Two weight gain prevention interventions led to improvements in ideal CVH at 2 years. Interventions explicitly focused on a broader constellation of LS7 domains might lead to even greater changes in CVH.

Machine Learning on Prediction of Relative Physical Activity Intensity Using Medical Radar Sensor and 3D Accelerometer

BACKGROUND

One of the most critical topics in sports safety today is the reduction in injury risks through controlled fatigue using non-invasive athlete monitoring. Due to the risk of injuries, it is prohibited to use accelerometer-based smart trackers, activity measurement bracelets, and smart watches for recording health parameters during performance sports activities. This study analyzes the synergy feasibility of medical radar sensors and tri-axial acceleration sensor data to predict physical activity key performance indexes in performance sports by using machine learning (ML). The novelty of this method is that it uses a 24 GHz Doppler radar sensor to detect vital signs such as the heartbeat and breathing without touching the person and to predict the intensity of physical activity, combined with the acceleration data from 3D accelerometers.

METHODS

This study is based on the data collected from professional athletes and freely available datasets created for research purposes. A combination of sensor data management was used: a medical radar sensor with no-contact remote sensing to measure the heart rate (HR) and 3D acceleration to measure the velocity of the activity. Various advanced ML methods and models were employed on the top of sensors to analyze the vital parameters and predict the health activity key performance indexes. three-axial acceleration, heart rate data, age, as well as activity level variances.

RESULTS

The ML models recognized the physical activity intensity and estimated the energy expenditure on a realistic level. Leave-one-out (LOO) cross-validation (CV), as well as out-of-sample testing (OST) methods, have been used to evaluate the level of accuracy in activity intensity prediction. The energy expenditure prediction with three-axial accelerometer sensors by using linear regression provided 97-99% accuracy on selected sports (cycling, running, and soccer). The ML-based RPE results using medical radar sensors on a time-series heart rate (HR) dataset varied between 90 and 96% accuracy. The expected level of accuracy was examined with different models. The average accuracy for all the models (RPE and METs) and setups was higher than 90%.

CONCLUSIONS

The ML models that classify the rating of the perceived exertion and the metabolic equivalent of tasks perform consistently.

The Role of Physical Activity in Long-term Weight Loss: 36-month Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Physical activity (PA) may promote long-term weight loss, but facilitating high levels of PA in behavioral weight loss programs is challenging.

PURPOSE

This study reports the 36-month follow-up of a behavioral weight loss trial that tested the efficacy of increasing the emphasis on PA during treatment and using traditional or acceptance-based therapy (ABT) for this purpose. We also examined the extent to which long-term weight loss differed by PA pattern and tested if individual differences in eating behavior moderated this relationship.

METHODS

Participants (N = 320) were randomized to (1) standard behavioral weight loss treatment (BT), (2) BT with a focus on PA, or (3) ABT with a focus on PA. Weight loss and PA were measured at 24- and 36-month follow-up.

RESULTS

There were no differences between conditions in weight loss or PA at 24 or 36 months. Participants consistently engaging in high PA experienced the greatest weight losses. The positive impact of PA on weight loss was more pronounced among those with low emotional eating and those who believed that exercise did not affect their appetite.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings emphasize the difficulty of improving long-term PA among adults with overweight/obesity beyond what standard behavioral weight loss treatment achieves. This study highlights the need to develop new PA treatment strategies, and suggests that ABT for weight loss may be more effective when applied to eating behavior versus PA. Results also demonstrate the importance of addressing problematic eating behavior and cognitions to fully realize the benefits of PA for weight loss.

CLINICAL TRIAL INFORMATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02363010.

Body weight perception and physical activity among young adults: Analysis from the national longitudinal study of adolescent to adult health

ObjectiveTo identify the young adults' perception of their weight and examine the associations between young adults' weight perception and physical activities. Participants: A total of 4,882 participants' responses were derived from the Add Health, Wave III. Method: Chi-square tests were used to examine the weight perception and multinomial logistic regression used to assess the association between weight perception and physical activities. Results: Perceived weight and weight management among male participants were significantly different from female participants (p<.001, p<.001, respectively). Young adults with self-perception of being "slightly overweight" and "very overweight" were more likely of participating in physical activities such as gymnastic/weight lift/strength (OR = 0.91, p <.001 and OR = 0.77, p<.001) and walking (OR = 1.08, p<.001 and OR = 1.13, p<.001). Conclusion: The study showed that physical activities significantly increased the probability of accurate perceived weight. Steps should be taken to implement interventions that increase accurate weight perception and promote physical activity among young adults.

The Multi-Caregiver Role and Its Relationship to Behavioral Adherence and Weight Among Treatment Engaged Black Women

PURPOSE

To examine the relationship between the multiple caregiver role and its perceived barriers to self-care on behavioral adherence in a weight loss intervention.

DESIGN

A secondary analysis of data from a behavioral weight loss intervention.

SETTING

The study was conducted in two cohorts from March 2016 to February 2017 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

SUBJECTS

Eighty-one Black women with overweight/obesity (age = 48.4 ± 10.9 years [M ± SD], BMI = 36.4 ± 4.5 kg/m² [M ± SD]).

MEASURES

Identification with the multiple caregiver role and barriers was assessed with the Multiple Caregiving Measurement Instrument. Weight was measured with a digital scale and height with a stadiometer. The Block food frequency questionnaire evaluated dietary intake. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was measured objectively with an accelerometer. Study adherence was measured by session attendance, self-weighing, and self-monitoring (diet and physical activity) frequency.

ANALYSIS

Generalized linear models were used to examine the relationship between the multiple caregiver scales and the outcomes of interest, controlling for study arm, cohort, and income. Chi-square tests tested correlations.

RESULTS

Greater identification with the multiple caregiver role was associated with decreased session attendance (β = -.56 [SE = .27], P < .05) and a trend towards weight gain (β = .36, [SE = .19], P = .07). Greater multiple caregiver barriers score predicted a decrease in fruit/vegetable intake (β = -.17 [SE = .07], P < .05). All regression results are unstandardized. Negative correlations between multiple caregiver barriers and MVPA (r = -.24, P = .06) and daily self-weighing (r = -.19, P = .10) approached significance.

CONCLUSIONS

Participants' identification with multiple caregiving role and barriers can reduce adherence, behavior and weight change. Interventions to address Black women's multiple roles and barriers during weight loss are needed to maximize outcomes.

Momentary affective response to bouts of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity predicts changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior during behavioral weight loss

BACKGROUND

Affective responses are posited to be key predictors of the uptake and maintenance of health behaviors. However, few studies have examined how individuals' affective response to physical activity, as well as the degree to which their affect response changes, may predict changes in physical activity and sedentary time during behavioral weight loss treatment.

PURPOSE

The current study examined how baseline momentary affective response (i.e., stress and anxiety) to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and the degree of pre--post intervention change in this response predicted change in daily sedentary, light, and MVPA time during a three-month internet-based weight loss program.

METHODS

Women with overweight/obesity (final N=37) completed 14-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocols with objective measurement of physical activity (i.e., bout-related MVPA time) before and after the intervention.

RESULTS

Women who had more reinforcing responses to MVPA (i.e., greater reductions in anxiety and stress response following MVPA bouts) at baseline had greater increases in overall MVPA at the end of the intervention. Those who had greater anxiety reductions after MVPA bouts at baseline also evidenced less sedentary time at the end of the intervention. Changes in affective responses across the intervention were not related to changes in physical activity levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest initial levels of affective reinforcement from MVPA bouts predict future change in MVPA and sedentary time during behavioral weight loss. Future work is needed to examine the utility of more precisely targeting affective responses to physical activity to optimize intervention approaches.

An Exploration of Domain-Specific Sedentary Behaviors in College Students by Lifestyle Factors and Sociodemographics

College students exhibit high levels of sedentary time and/or poor lifestyle factors (e.g., poor sleep, stress, physical inactivity). It is unknown; however, in what domains college students spend their sedentary time and whether there are associations between sedentary time and these lifestyle factors. This study examined sedentary behavior of college students by domains, current lifestyle factors and sociodemographics. Undergraduates (n = 272, M age = 20 years, 79% female) self-reported their sedentary behavior, sleep, stress, physical activity, anthropometrics and sociodemographics. Sedentary time was categorized as: total, recreational screen, education and social. Students reported spending > 12 h of their day sedentary on average, with over a third of this time spent in recreational screen time. All categories of sedentary time were significantly correlated with body mass index, and both total sedentary time and screen time were significantly correlated with sleep score, with poorer sleep quality associated with greater sedentary time. Physical activity was negatively correlated with social sedentary time only. Subgroups with elevated sedentary time included minority students, those with low parental education and students with overweight/obesity. Given the negative health impacts of sedentary behavior, college students would likely benefit from interventions tailored to this population which target reducing sedentary time, particularly recreational screen time.

Sedentary behavior moderates the relationship between physical activity and cardiometabolic risk in young Latino children

This study investigated the role of objectively measured moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behavior on cardiometabolic risk factors of young Latino children. We hypothesized that MVPA would be associated with lower cardiometabolic risk when sedentary behavior is low. We studied 86 primarily low-income, Latino children using a cross-sectional study design. The study sample consisted of 51 girls and 35 boys, with mean age 5.6 (SD = .53) years. Physical activity was measured by accelerometry, anthropometric measures obtained, and fasting blood samples were used to measure cardiometabolic risk factors. Greater levels of sedentary behavior were associated with increased waist circumference (rs = .24, p < .05) and metabolic risks. MVPA, however, had significant beneficial associations with all cardiometabolic risk factors (rs-range = -.20 to -.45, p < .05) with the exception of plasma insulin. MVPA predicted latent variables representing anthropometric risk (β = -.57, p < .01), cardiac risk (β = -.74, p < .01), and metabolic risk (β = -.88, p < .01). Sedentary behavior significantly moderated the effect of MVPA on anthropometric (β-interaction = .49, p < .01), cardiac (β-interaction = .45, p < .01), and metabolic risk (β-interaction = .77, p < .01), such that more MVPA was associated with better health outcomes under conditions of lower sedentary behavior. The model explained 13%, 22%, and 45% variance in anthropometric, cardiac, and metabolic risk factors, respectively. Increased MVPA is associated with decreased cardiometabolic risk in young Latino children, particularly when sedentary behavior is low.

Body Image Quality of Life Related to Light Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior among Young Adults with Overweight/Obesity

Sedentary behaviors, low levels of physical activity (PA), and low body image quality of life have been identified during college years and associated with poor health outcomes. Public health efforts have recently focused on decreasing sedentary time by increasing light physical activity, both of which have been associated with body image quality of life, though mainly through self-report. In this cross-sectional study, we examined objective actigraphy and survey data from 404 of 459 young adults with overweight and obesity (mean age 23.3 ± 4.4 years, 78.4% female, 55.4% white). PA was measured using an accelerometer worn during waking hours for >10 h/day for four days. Body image quality of life was assessed using the Body Image Quality of Life Inventory Scale. Body image was positively correlated with light PA (r = 0.15) and inversely correlated with BMI (Pearson's r = -0.20) and sedentary time (r = -0.10), but not moderate PA, vigorous PA, or MVPA. Light PA and sedentary time were significantly inversely correlated (r = -0.38). When controlling for covariates, higher body image quality of life was significantly associated with higher levels of light PA (β = 0.39; p < 0.01) and lower sedentary time (β = -0.39; p = 0.02). Participants with lower body image quality of life enrolled in weight loss interventions may benefit from prescriptions of light PA in conjunction with decreasing sedentary behaviors.

Youth Leisure-Time Sedentary Behavior Questionnaire (YLSBQ): Reliability and Validity in Colombian University Students

Sedentary behavior (SB) is influenced by variations in social, cultural and economic contexts. This study assesses the test–retest reliability and validity of the Youth Leisure-time Sedentary Behavior Questionnaire (YLSBQ), a self-report tool that examines total and domain-specific SB in a cohort of young adults from Colombia. A cross-sectional validation study was conducted among 447 Colombian college students (52.8% men; mean (± standard deviation) age of 19.55 ± 2.54 years). To assess the reliability of the YLSBQ, Kappa statistics (k) were used. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to determine validity. The Cronbach alpha for the 12 behaviors of the YLSBQ showed a good-to-excellent internal consistency (0.867, ranging from 0.715–0.935). Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) indicated that 10 items (83.0%) and two items (17.0%) showed excellent and good reliability, respectively. Furthermore, ICC between the total sedentary time was 0.926 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.912 − 0.939), which was interpreted as excellent. The goodness-of-fit tests provided evidence that overall, a four-factor solution was an adequate fit with the time scores. In conclusion, the YLSBQ could be considered a reliable, valid and usable tool for the assessment of SB in young adults in a Latin American country. We found that the psychometric properties of the questionnaire were similar to those of the original Spanish validation study.

A Comparison of Sedentary Behavior as Measured by the Fitbit and ActivPAL in College Students

Previous studies have examined the ability of the Fitbit to measure physical activity compared to research-grade accelerometers. However, few have examined whether Fitbits accurately measure sedentary behavior. This study examined whether the Fitbit Charge 3 adequately quantifies sedentary behavior compared to the gold standard in objectively measured sedentary behavior assessment, the activPAL. Eleven adults wore a Fitbit Charge 3 and activPAL device for 14 days and self-reported their sedentary behavior each week. ActivPAL epoch data were summed into minute-by-minute data and processed with two cutpoints (activPAL_Half and activPAL_Full) to compare to Fitbit data. Paired t-tests were used to examine differences between the two devices for sedentary behavior variables. Intraclass correlations were used to examine device agreement. There was no significant difference in sedentary time between activPAL_Half and Fitbit data, but activPAL_Full estimated significantly lower sedentary time than Fitbit. Intraclass correlations showed high agreement. We suggest that Fitbit could replace activPAL when measuring total sedentary time.

Early Physical Activity Adoption Predicts Longer-Term Physical Activity Among Individuals Inactive at Baseline

BACKGROUND

To examine the relationship between early physical activity (PA) adoption (2, 3, and 4 mo) and longer-term PA adherence (1 y) among individuals who were inactive at baseline and received a lifestyle intervention.

METHODS

Participants (n = 637) received weekly behavioral weight loss sessions, calorie reduction, and PA goals (50-175 min/wk progression). PA was assessed via self-reported measures at baseline, months 2 to 4, and 1 year.

RESULTS

PA at months 2 to 4 was significantly correlated with PA at 1 year (rs = .29-.35, P < .01). At all early time points, those failing to meet the prescribed PA goal (early nonadopters) engaged in significantly less PA at 1 year than those meeting the early PA goal (initial adopters). For example, using 2-month criteria, initial adopters engaged in 108.3 minutes per week more at 1 year compared with early nonadopters (P < .01) and had 2.8 times the odds (95% confidence interval, 1.9-4.2) of meeting the 1-year PA goal (≥175 min/wk, P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

Failure to achieve PA goals at 2, 3, or 4 months results in less overall PA at 1 year. Thus, PA observed as early as month 2 may be a useful indicator for identifying at-risk individuals who may benefit from more intensive PA intervention strategies.

A systematic review of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and substance use in adolescents and emerging adults

The transition from adolescence into emerging adulthood is marked by changes in both physical activity and substance use. This systematic review characterized associations between movement behaviors (physical activity, sedentary behavior) and frequently used substances (alcohol, cannabis) among adolescents and emerging adults to inform lifestyle interventions that target multiple behavior change outcomes. This systematic review was guided by PRISMA. Electronic databases of PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched from inception through June 25, 2019. The search was designed to identify empirical studies reporting an association between physical activity or sedentary behavior and alcohol or cannabis, with search criteria determining eligibility based on several sampling characteristics (e.g., participants under 25 years of age). After identifying and screening 5,610 studies, data were extracted from 97 studies. Physical activity was positively associated with alcohol use among emerging adults, but the literature was mixed among adolescents. Sedentary behavior was positively associated with alcohol and cannabis use among adolescents, but evidence was limited among emerging adults. Self-report measures were used in all but one study to assess these behaviors. Physical activity is linked to greater alcohol use among emerging adults. Whereas existing studies demonstrate that sedentary behavior might serve as a risk marker for alcohol and cannabis use among adolescents, additional primary research is needed to explore these associations in emerging adults. Future work should also use device-based measures to account for timing of and contextual features surrounding activity and substance use in these populations.

Health behaviours associated with video gaming in adolescent men: a cross-sectional population-based MOPO study

BACKGROUND

Playing video games, a form of sedentary behaviour, is associated with poor well-being and increased risk of morbidity due to chronic disease. However, the association between health behaviours and video gaming is poorly understood. The purpose of this population-based study was to reveal the differences in dietary habits and physical activity for adolescent men with high amount of video games on weekdays, as compared to their peers who play less often.

METHODS

Seven hundred ninety-six adolescent men (age: mean = 17.8, SD = 0.6) attended compulsory conscription for military service in 2013 and completed a questionnaire regarding the amount and frequency of their video gaming. They also participated in a medical examination and underwent physiological measurements. The participants who played video games more than 3 h/d on weekdays were compared with those who played 3h/d or less. The association between health behaviours and the amount of playing video gaming was analysed using multivariable logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

24.1% (n = 192) of the participants reported video gaming in excess of 3 h/d. This group had higher incidence of having low physical fitness, having poor eating habits, and being obese. No differences were found in smoking or alcohol drinking habits. Other factors, including low leisure-time physical activity (OR = 1.94; 95% CI, 1.29-2.91), low consumption of vegetables and fruits (OR = 0.83; 95% CI, 0.72-0.97), high consumption of sweetened soft drinks (OR = 1.28; 95% CI, 1.06-1.55) and high amount of sitting time (OR = 1.40; 95% CI, 1.28-1.52), explained one-fourth of the difference.

CONCLUSION

In this population-based study, adolescent men who played video games a lot on weekdays had lower physical fitness, were more often obese, and had poorer dietary habits, as compared to their peers who played less often. Because playing video games typically adds to a person's total sedentary time, this activity may be associated with adverse health outcomes at a very young age- especially in combination with poor health behaviours. The results of this study can be utilized to promote health interventions targeted at adolescent men so as to raise their awareness of the disadvantages of excessive video gaming.

A comparison of self-reported and device measured sedentary behaviour in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Sedentary behaviour (SB) is a risk factor for chronic disease and premature mortality. While many individual studies have examined the reliability and validity of various self-report measures for assessing SB, it is not clear, in general, how self-reported SB (e.g., questionnaires, logs, ecological momentary assessments (EMAs)) compares to device measures (e.g., accelerometers, inclinometers).

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of this systematic review was to compare self-report versus device measures of SB in adults.

METHODS

Six bibliographic databases were searched to identify all studies which included a comparable self-report and device measure of SB in adults. Risk of bias within and across studies was assessed. Results were synthesized using meta-analyses.

RESULTS

The review included 185 unique studies. A total of 123 studies comprising 173 comparisons and data from 55,199 participants were used to examine general criterion validity. The average mean difference was -105.19 minutes/day (95% CI: -127.21, -83.17); self-report underestimated sedentary time by ~1.74 hours/day compared to device measures. Self-reported time spent sedentary at work was ~40 minutes higher than when assessed by devices. Single item measures performed more poorly than multi-item questionnaires, EMAs and logs/diaries. On average, when compared to inclinometers, multi-item questionnaires, EMAs and logs/diaries were not significantly different, but had substantial amount of variability (up to 6 hours/day within individual studies) with approximately half over-reporting and half under-reporting. A total of 54 studies provided an assessment of reliability of a self-report measure, on average the reliability was good (ICC = 0.66).

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence from this review suggests that single-item self-report measures generally underestimate sedentary time when compared to device measures. For accuracy, multi-item questionnaires, EMAs and logs/diaries with a shorter recall period should be encouraged above single item questions and longer recall periods if sedentary time is a primary outcome of study. Users should also be aware of the high degree of variability between and within tools. Studies should exert caution when comparing associations between different self-report and device measures with health outcomes.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42019118755.

Comparative effectiveness of a standard behavioral and physical activity enhanced behavioral weight loss intervention in Black women

Black women typically lose small amounts of weight in behavioral weight loss interventions, partially due to low engagement in physical activity. Culturally relevant enhancement of the physical activity component may improve weight loss. This study compared the effectiveness of a culturally-relevant, physical activity-enhanced behavioral weight loss intervention to a standard behavioral weight loss intervention in Black women (n = 85) over 6 months. The study was conducted in two cohorts from March 2016 to February 2017 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Participants had an average age of 48.30 ± 11.02 years with an average body mass index of 36.46 ± 4.50 kg/m². Standard and enhanced groups' weight change (-2.83 kg and -2.08 kg, respectively) and change in physical activity (43.93 min/ week and 15.29 min/week, respectively) did not differ between groups. Significantly more standard group participants lost 5% of baseline weight compared to enhanced group participants. This study produced typical weight loss results in Black women. Behavioral weight loss treatment remains moderately effective for Black women. Strategies to increase attendance and self-monitoring, and the inclusion of cultural contexts to weight-related behaviors are needed to improve outcomes.

Access to and availability of exercise facilities in Madrid: an equity perspective

BACKGROUND

Identifying socioeconomic determinants that are associated with access to and availability of exercise facilities is fundamental to supporting physical activity engagement in urban populations, which in turn, may reduce health inequities. This study analysed the relationship between area-level socioeconomic status (SES) and access to, and availability of, exercise facilities in Madrid, Spain.

METHODS

Area-level SES was measured using a composite index based on seven sociodemographic indicators. Exercise facilities were geocoded using Google Maps and classified into four types: public, private, low-cost and sessional. Accessibility was operationalized as the street network distance to the nearest exercise facility from each of the 125,427 residential building entrances (i.e. portals) in Madrid. Availability was defined as the count of exercise facilities in a 1000 m street network buffer around each portal. We used a multilevel linear regression and a zero inflated Poisson regression analyses to assess the association between area-level SES and exercise facility accessibility and availability.

RESULTS

Lower SES areas had a lower average distance to the closest facility, especially for public and low-cost facilities. Higher SES areas had higher availability of exercise facilities, especially for private and seasonal facilities.

CONCLUSION

Public and low-cost exercise facilities were more proximate in low SES areas, but the overall number of facilities was lower in these areas compared with higher SES areas. Increasing the number of exercise facilities in lower SES areas may be an intervention to improve health equity.

Are Sedentary Behaviors Associated with Sleep Duration? A Cross-Sectional Case from Croatia

Although both sedentary behavior and sleep duration are risk factors for obesity, little evidence is provided regarding their mutual associations in young adults, who are at extreme risk of spending more time sitting and having irregular sleeping hygiene. Thus, the main purpose of the present study was to explore the associations between different sedentary behaviors and sleep duration. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 2100 university students from the city of Zagreb. To assess sedentary behaviors and sleep duration, we used validated questionnaires. The associations between sedentary behaviors and sleep duration were analyzed using logistic regression analyses and were adjusted for sex, body-mass index, self-rated health, socioeconomic status, smoking status, binge drinking, psychological distress and chronic disease/s. Participants being in the third (OR = 1.45; 95% CI 1.05 to 2.01) and fourth (OR = 1.82; 95% CI 1.26 to 2.61) quartile of the screen-time, in the third (OR = 1.49; 95% CI 1.05 to 2.13) and fourth (OR = 1.72; 95% CI 1.22 to 2.42) quartile of the leisure-time sedentary behavior and in the fourth (OR = 1.45; 95% CI 1.04 to 2.02) quartile of the total sedentary behavior were more likely to be ‘short’ sleepers (<7 h). Also, participants being in the third (OR = 1.63; 95% CI 1.16 to 2.30) and fourth (OR = 1.93; 95% CI 1.33 to 2.81) quartile of the screen-time and in the fourth (OR = 1.45; 95% CI 1.05 to 2.00) quartile of the total sedentary behavior were more likely to be ‘long’ sleepers (>9 h). Our study shows that sedentary behavior in screen-time and total sedentary behavior are associated with both ‘short’ and ‘long’ sleep duration.

Weight gain prevention buffers the impact of CETP rs3764261 on high density lipoprotein cholesterol in young adulthood: The Study of Novel Approaches to Weight Gain Prevention (SNAP)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Two weight gain prevention strategies, one targeting small changes to diet and physical activity and a second targeting large changes, significantly reduced weight gain in young adulthood. We examined whether weight gain prevention blunts genetic risk for body weight increase and/or high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) lowering over two years.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Participants were 524 male and female young adults (mean age = 28.2, SD = 4.3; mean BMI = 25.5, SD = 2.6). Obesity-related SNPs accounting for ≥ 0.04% of the variance were genotyped and combined into a genetic risk score. For HDL-C, SNPs within CETP, LIPC and FADS2 were genotyped. The obesity-related genetic risk score did not predict change in BMI independently or in interaction with treatment arm. However, consistent with the prior literature, each copy of the HDL-C risk, C, allele at CETP rs3764261 was associated with lower HDL-C at baseline. Moreover, significant interaction between SNP and treatment arm for change in HDL-C was observed (p = 0.02). In the control group, HDL-C change was dependent upon rs3764261 (p = 0.004) with C allele carriers showing a continued reduction in HDL-C. In contrast, within the two intervention groups, HDL-C increased on average with no differential effect of rs3764261 (p > 0.24). Notably, even among carriers of the CC genotype, small and large change arms were associated with increased HDL-C and the control arm a reduction (p = 0.013).

CONCLUSIONS

The C allele at CETP rs3764261 is a strong risk factor for low HDL-C in young adulthood but weight gain prevention may mitigate this risk. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY NUMBER AND WEBSITE: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01183689, https://clinicaltrials.gov/.

Changes in sedentary time are associated with changes in mental wellbeing over 1 year in young adults

Excessive sedentary time is related to poor mental health. However, much of the current literature uses cross-sectional data and/or self-reported sedentary time, and does not assess factors such as sedentary bout length. To address these limitations, the influence of objectively measured sedentary time including sedentary bout length (i.e. <30 min, ≥30 min) on mood, stress, and sleep, was assessed in 271 healthy adults (49% women; age 27.8 ± 3.7) across a 1-year period between 2011 and 2013 in Columbia, SC. Participants completed the Profile of Mood States and the Perceived Stress Scale, and wore a Sensewear Armband to assess sedentary time, physical activity, and sleep for ten days at baseline and one year. A series of fixed-effects regressions was used to determine the influence of both baseline levels and changes in daily sedentary time (total and in bouts) and physical activity on changes in mood, stress, and sleep over one year. Results showed that across the year, decreases in total sedentary time, and time in both short and long bouts, were associated with improvements in mood, stress and sleep (p < 0.05). Increases in physical activity were only significantly predictive of increases in sleep duration (p < 0.05). Thus, reductions in sedentary time, regardless of bout length, positively influenced mental wellbeing. Specifically, these results suggest that decreasing daily sedentary time by 60 min may significantly attenuate the negative effects of high levels of pre-existing sedentary time on mental wellbeing. Interventions manipulating sedentary behavior are needed to determine a causal link with wellbeing and further inform recommendations.

Interplay between circulating nitric oxide and interleukin-17 in elderly outpatients with non-inflammatory conditions

Nitric oxide (NOx) availability in biological systems is associated with either favorable or unfavorable outcomes. In this sense, several studies bring about evidence that unbalanced NOx production may be underlying to the pathophysiology of vascular disorders. Our study investigated the possible association of clinical, biochemical and inflammatory variables with total circulating levels of NOx in elderly patients devoid of major inflammatory conditions. Clinical (demographics, lifestyle, anthropometry, pressoric traits) and biochemical characteristics (lipemic, glycemic and hormonal profiles) were assessed from 168 geriatrics outpatients eligible for primary care for age-related disorders. Furthermore, circulating levels of 10 inflammatory mediators and of NOx were measured. Correlation tests analyzed categorical or continuous traits according to serum NOx and found no association between NOx and any of the clinical or laboratory data but a negative correlation between plasma NOx concentrations and levels of the immune mediator IL17a (r = -0.236; P = 0.004). Evidence for a correlation between circulating NOx and IL17 is already present in the literature, mostly from studies conducted under inflammatory conditions. Our hypothesis is that such negative correlation can be attributed to an endogenous homeostatic system that IL17 production by the constitutively produced NOx from the vascular endothelium.