Risk activities and pre-travel health seeking practices of notified cases of imported infectious diseases in Australia Patterns, predictors and effects of texting intervention on physical activity in CHD – insights from the TEXT ME randomized clinical trial Determinants of car travel on daily journeys to school: cross sectional survey of primary school children Physically Active Lessons Improve Lesson Activity and On-Task Behavior: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial of the “Virtual Traveller” Intervention Active8! Technology-Based Intervention to Promote Physical Activity in Hospital Employees Cross-sectional and prospective associations between sleep, screen time, active school travel, sports/exercise participation and physical activity in children and adolescents Increasing active travel to school: are we on the right track? A cluster randomised controlled trial from Sydney, Australia. Normal weight children have higher cognitive performance – Independent of physical activity, sleep, and diet Randomised controlled trial of site specific advice on school travel patterns Nonspecific back pain in children. A search for associated factors in 14-year-old schoolchildren. Mobility difficulties and physical activity as predictors of mortality and loss of independence in the community-living older population. MVPA Is Associated with Lower Weight Gain in 8–10 Year Old Children: A Prospective Study with 1 Year Follow-Up The relationship between school physical activity policy and objectively measured physical activity of elementary school students: a multilevel model analysis Compliance with the Australian national physical activity guidelines for children: relationship to overweight status. What are the most effective behaviour change techniques to promote physical activity and/or reduce sedentary behaviour in inactive adults? A systematic review protocol Assessing mobility in older adults: the UAB Study of Aging Life-Space Assessment. Study protocol: the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of an employer-led intervention to increase walking during the daily commute: the Travel to Work randomised controlled trial Prevention of travellers' diarrhoea by Lactobacillus GG. Cross sectional analysis of the association between mode of school transportation and physical fitness in children and adolescents Physical activity and cause-specific mortality in men: Further evidence from the Whitehall study Effects of sleep hygiene and artificial bright light interventions on recovery from simulated international air travel Effectiveness of the new 'Mobile AED Map' to find and retrieve an AED: A randomised controlled trial. Physical activity in an ageing population.
Background Travellers are at risk of acquiring infectious diseases during travel , with risks differing by destination , travel and traveller characteristics . A pre-travel health consultation may minimize this risk . However , uptake of pre-travel health advice remains low . We investigated pre-travel health preparations and disease-specific risk behaviours among notified cases of selected travel-associated infectious diseases imported into Australia . Methods Prospect i ve enhanced surveillance of notified cases of typhoid , paratyphoid , measles , hepatitis A , hepatitis E , malaria and chikungunya was conducted in two Australian states between February 2013 and January 2014 . Details of pre-travel health preparation and disease-specific risk behaviours were collected . Results Among 180 cases associated with international travel , 28 % were < 18 years , 65 % were VFR travellers and 22 % were frequent travellers , having travelled ≥5 times in the past 5 years . 25 % had sought pre-travel advice from a healthcare provider , and 16 % reported a pre-travel vaccine . Seeking pre-travel health advice did not differ by immigrant status ( P = 0.22 ) or by reason for travel ( P = 0.13 ) but was more commonly sought by first time travellers ( P = 0.03 ) . Travellers visiting friends and relatives were more likely to report at-risk activities of brushing teeth with tap water ( P < 0.001 ) and eating uncooked food ( P = 0.03 ) during travel compared to other travellers . Conclusions Pre-travel health advice seeking practice s and vaccine uptake was suboptimal among cases of notified disease . The results of this study highlight the need for a better underst and ing of barriers to pre-travel health seeking , particularly among high risk travellers , to reduce the importation of infectious diseases into Australia Background Mobile phone text message interventions are used to support behaviour change including physical activity , but we have less insight into how these interventions work and what factors predict response . Aims To study the effect of TEXT ME ( Tobacco EXercise and dieT Messages ) text message intervention on physical activity domains , consistency of effects across sub-groups and its additive value in patients that received traditional cardiac rehabilitation programme . Methods This is a secondary analysis of the TEXT ME , a r and omized clinical trial of lifestyle-focused text message intervention compared with usual care in patients with coronary heart disease . A quarter of the messages were design ed specifically to encourage physical activity . Sedentary time and physical activity were assessed using the Global Physical Activity Question naire . Results At baseline , 85 % of the 710 participants reported low physical activity levels . At six months , compared with controls , the intervention arm reported higher recreational physical activity ( 471 vs. 307 metabolic equivalent-min/week , p = 0.001 ) and travel physical activity ( 230 vs. 128 MET-min/week , p = 0.002 ) , similar work-related physical activity and lower sedentary times ( 494 vs. 587 min , p < 0.001 ) . Male gender , high baseline physical activity , cardiac rehabilitation participation and text message intervention predicted physically active status at six months . Subjects that received both cardiac rehabilitation and text messaging intervention were more likely to achieve target physical activity levels compared with cardiac rehabilitation alone ( odds ratio 7.07 vs. 1.80 , p < 0.001 ) . Conclusions The TEXT ME intervention improved recreational and travel physical activity , reduced sedentary times but had no effects on work-related physical activity . It had incremental benefits at achieving target physical activity levels even in patients participating in the traditional cardiac rehabilitation programme The annual distance walked by children  has fallen 28 % since 1972 , partly because car travel has replaced walking on many school journeys.1 Increasing car use has been linked with obesity , adverse health effects in later life , limitations on children 's independence , traffic congestion , and pollution . 2 3 To inform the development of strategies to reduce school related car travel , we surveyed the travel patterns of urban primary school children . The survey was conducted in the inner London boroughs of Camden and Islington . The question naire — based partly on published surveys 4 5 and prepared in English , Bengali , Turkish , Greek , and Cantonese ( first language s of 85 % of eligible pupils)—asked about that day 's school journey , children 's independent travel , and parental concerns . From the sampling frame of all primary schools ( excluding pilot , boarding , and special schools ) , 31 of the 100 eligible schools were r and omly selected . We weighted sampling probability by combined class sizes in year 2 ( ages 6 - 7 years ) and year Background . Physically active lessons have not often been assessed with r and omized controlled trials . Aims . Evaluate the effects of the “ Virtual Traveller ” ( VT ) intervention delivered using classroom interactive whiteboards on physical activity , on-task behavior , and student engagement . Methods . Participants were 219 children aged 8 to 9 years from 10 schools in Greater London , assessed in a cluster-r and omized controlled trial between March 2015 and May 2016 . For 6 weeks , intervention children received 10-minute VT sessions three times a week during math and English lessons ( VT group : n = 113 ) . Children in control schools received regular teaching ( COM group : n = 106 ) . Outcomes were school-day , weekend-day , and lesson-time sedentary behavior ( SB ) , light physical activity ( LPA ) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) , and on-task behavior and student engagement , assessed at baseline ( T0 ) , 2 weeks ( T1 ) , and 4 weeks ( T2 ) during the VT intervention and 1 week ( T3 ) and 3 months ( T4 ) postintervention using multilevel modeling . Results . VT pupils engaged in significantly more school-day MVPA at T1 only , with no other significant differences between groups in overall school-day or weekend-day activity . VT pupils engaged in significantly less SB and more MVPA during lesson time than COM pupils . More on-task behavior was shown in VT pupils than COM pupils but there was no difference in student engagement . Discussion . VT  reduced sedentary behavior and increased physical activity during lesson time but not across overall school or weekend days . VT improved on-task behavior but had no effect on student engagement . Conclusion . Physical activity can be integrated into teaching using interactive whiteboards with no detriment to educational outcomes Purpose . Increase physical activity in health care employees using health messaging , and compare e-mail with mobile phone short-message service ( SMS ) as delivery channels . Design . R and omized controlled trial Setting . U.K. hospital workplace . Subjects . Two hundred ninety-six employees ( 19–67 years , 53 % of study Web site visitors ) . Intervention . Twelve-week messaging intervention design ed to increase physical activity and delivered via SMS ( n = 147 ) or e-mail ( n = 149 ) ; content tailored using theory of planned behavior ( TPB ) and limited to 160 characters . Measures . Baseline and 6 , 12 , and 16 weeks . Online measures included TPB constructs , physical activity behavior on the Global Physical Activity Question naire , and health-related quality of life on the Short-Form 12 . Analysis . General linear models for repeated measures . Results . Increase in duration ( mean h/d ) of moderate work-related activity and moderate recreational activity from baseline to 16 weeks . Short-lived increase in frequency ( d/wk ) of vigorous recreational activity from baseline to 6 weeks . Increase in duration and frequency of active travel from baseline to 16 weeks . E-mails generated greater changes than SMS in active travel and moderate activity ( work and recreational ) . Conclusion . Minimal physical activity promotion delivered by SMS or e-mail can increase frequency and duration of active travel and duration of moderate intensity physical activity at work and for leisure , which is maintained up to 1 month after messaging ends . Both channels were useful platforms for health communication ; e-mails were particularly beneficial with hospital employees Background The aim of this study was to investigate how sleep , screen time , active school travel and sport and /or exercise participation associates with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) in nationally representative sample s of Norwegian 9- and 15-y-olds , and whether these four behaviors at age nine predict change in MVPA from age nine to 15 years . Method We pooled cross-sectional accelerometer and question naire data  from 9- ( n = 2366 ) and 15-y-olds ( n = 1554 ) that participated in the first ( 2005/06 ) and second ( 2011/12 ) wave of the Physical Activity among Norwegian Children Study to investigate cross-sectional associations . To investigate prospect i ve associations , we used data from a sub- sample that participated in both waves ( at age nine and 15 years , n = 517 ) . Results Cross-sectional analyses indicated a modest , inverse association between screen time and MVPA among 9- ( − 2.2 min/d ( 95 % CI : -3.1 , − 1.3 ) ) and 15-y-olds ( − 1.7 min/d ( 95 % CI : -2.7 , − 0.8 ) ) . Compared to their peers with 0–5 min/d of active travel to school , 9- and 15-y-olds with ≥16 min/d accumulated 7.2 ( 95 % CI : 4.0 , 10.4 ) and 9.0 ( 95 % CI : 3.8 , 14.1 ) more min/d of MVPA , respectively . Nine-y-old boys and 15-y-olds reporting ≥8 h/week of sports and /or exercise participation accumulated 14.7 ( 95 % CI : 8.2 , 21.3 ) and 17.9 ( 95 % CI : 14.0 , 21.8 ) more min/d of MVPA , respectively , than those reporting ≤2 h/week . We found no cross-sectional association between sleep duration and MVPA in either age group . None of the four behaviors predicted change in MVPA from age nine to 15 years ( p ≥ 0.102 ) . Conclusion Active travel to school and sport/exercise participation may be important targets for future interventions aim ed at increasing MVPA in children and adolescents . However , future studies are needed to determine causality OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of a program to increase walking to and from school . DESIGN A cluster r and omised controlled trial . SETTING 24 primary public schools in inner west Sydney , Australia . PARTICIPANTS 1996 students aged 10 - 12 years and their parents . INTERVENTION A two-year multi-component program included classroom activities , development of school Travel Access Guides , parent newsletters and improving environments with local councils . MEASURES Two measures were used : a survey completed by students on how they travelled to and from school over five days , and a survey completed by their parents on how their child travelled to and from school in a usual week . RESULTS The percentage of students who walked to and from school increased in both the intervention and control schools . Data from parent surveys found that 28.8 % of students in the intervention group increased their walking , compared with 19 % in the control group ( a net increase of 9.8 % , p=0.05 ) . However this effect was not evident in the student data . CONCLUSION The study produced a mixed result , with a high variation in travel patterns from school to school . Intervention research should address the complexity of multiple factors influencing student travel to school with a focus on changing local environments and parents ' travel to work BACKGROUND / OBJECTIVES Aside from the health consequences , observational studies indicate that being overweight may also negatively affect cognitive function . However , existing evidence has to a large extent not controlled for the possible confounding effect of having different lifestyles . Therefore , the objective was to examine the independent associations between weight status and lifestyle indicators with cognitive performance in 8 - 11year old Danish children . SUBJECTS/ METHODS The analyses included 828 children ( measured in 2011 - 2012 ) each having one to three measurement occasions separated by approximately 100days .  Dietary intake , physical activity , sedentary time , and sleep duration were measured using dietary records and accelerometers . The Children 's Sleep Habits Question naire was used to access sleep problems and the And ersen test was carried out to estimate cardio-respiratory fitness ( CRF ) . Weight status ( underweight , normal weight , and overweight/obese ) was defined according to body mass index and cognitive performance was assessed using the d2-test of attention , a reading test , and a math test . A linear mixed model including a number of fixed and r and om effects was used to test associations between lifestyle indicators as well as BMI category and cognitive performance . RESULTS After adjustment for demographics , socioeconomics , and multiple lifestyle indicators , normal weight children had higher cognitive test scores than overweight/obese and underweight children of up to 89 % and 48 % of expected learning within one school year ( P<0.05 ) . Daily breakfast consumption , fewer sleep problems , higher CRF , less total physical activity , more sedentary time , and less light physical activity were associated with higher cognitive performance independently of each other in at least one of the three cognitive tests ( P<0.05 ) . CONCLUSIONS Normal weight children had higher cognitive performance compared to overweight/obese as well as underweight children , independent of multiple lifestyle indicators Aims : To evaluate the effect of site specific advice from a school travel coordinator  on school travel patterns . Methods : Cluster r and omised controlled trial of children attending 21 primary schools in the London boroughs of Camden and Islington . A post-intervention survey measured the proportion of children walking , cycling , or using public transport for travel to school , and the proportion of parents/carers very or quite worried about traffic and abduction . The proportion of schools that developed and implemented travel plans was assessed . Results : One year post-intervention , nine of 11 intervention schools and none of 10 control schools had travel plans . Proportions of children walking , cycling , or using public transport on the school journey were similar in intervention and control schools . The proportion of parents who were very or quite worried about traffic danger was similar in the intervention ( 85 % ) and control groups ( 87 % ) . However , after adjusting for baseline and other potential confounding factors we could not exclude the possibility of a modest reduction in parental concern about traffic danger as a result of the intervention . Conclusions : Having a school travel coordinator increased the production of school travel plans but there was no evidence that this changed travel patterns or reduced parental fears . Given the uncertainty about effectiveness , the policy of providing school travel coordinators should only be implemented within the context of a r and omised controlled trial BACKGROUND Nonspecific back pain in children is nearly as common as in adults but is associated with a number of age-specific risk factors including female gender , a family history of low back pain , a high level of physical activity , and prolonged sitting . OBJECTIVE To investigate potential school-related risk factors for back pain in children , most notably schoolbag weight expressed as a percentage of body weight ( relative schoolbag weight ) , whether the schoolbag is carried by h and or by a shoulder harness , how the child travels to and from school , and sitting positions . PATIENTS AND METHODS 123 eighth- grade rs , 58 girls and 65 boys , with a mean age of 14 + /- 0.6 years , completed an anonymous self- question naire during a school day involving six hours of classes . Their schoolbag was weighed on the same day . RESULTS Most respondents traveled to and from school in a vehicle ( 70 % ) , made one trip in each direction each day ( 75 % ) , and carried their schoolbag by the shoulder harness ( 92 % ) . The prevalence of back pain on the study day was 27.6 % , whereas the cumulative prevalence for the last 12 months was 82.9 % with 16.3 % of respondents reporting a single episode of pain , 57.7 % recurrent pain , and 8.9 % chronic pain . A need for a physician visit for back pain was reported in 18.7 % of cases , and 14.6 % of respondents had missed school and /or sporting activities because of back pain . Female gender was associated with current back pain ( odds ratio [ OR ] , 2.7 ; 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] , 1.2 - 6.1 ) . A relative schoolbag weight of 20 % or more was associated with a history of back pain ( OR , 3.1 ; 95 % CI , 1.0 - 9.2 ) , and this effect was larger in children who traveled to and from school on foot and in those who carried their schoolbag in their h and . Sitting on the edge of the chair while completing the question naire was significantly associated with a history of a physician visit for back pain ( OR , 3.1 ; 95 % CI , 1.0 - 9.5 ) . Neither h and edness nor the position of the question naire on the table were significantly associated with back pain in our study population . CONCLUSIONS The findings from this cross-sectional study indicate a need for a longitudinal prospect i ve study design ed to identify etiologic and prognostic factors of back pain in adolescents , with the goal of devising preventive strategies likely to reduce the risk of low back pain in adulthood OBJECTIVE In older people , mobility impairments and physical inactivity are risk factors for further disability and death . We studied the interaction of physical activity and mobility impairment as a predictor of dependence and mortality . DESIGN A population -based , prospect i ve study . The data were collected in structured interviews in the year 1988 and 8 years later in the year 1996 as part of the Evergreen Project . PARTICIPANTS Subjects were 1109 independently living , at baseline 65- to 84-year-old people in the city of Jyvaskyla , in central Finl and . METHODS Participants were ranked into four groups : ( 1 ) Intact mobility and physically active ( Mobile-Active ) , ( 2 ) Intact mobility and sedentary ( Mobile-Sedentary ) , ( 3 ) Impaired mobility and physically active ( Impaired-Active ) , and ( 4 ) Impaired mobility and sedentary ( Impaired-Sedentary ) . The confounders adjusted for in the models included age , marital status , education , chronic conditions , smoking , and physical exercise earlier in life . RESULTS In men and women , the relative risk of death was two times greater in Impaired-Active and three times greater in Impaired-Sedentary groups than the risk of death in Mobile-Active groups . However , the risk of death did not differ between Mobile-Active and Mobile-Sedentary groups . The odds ratio for dependency ( 95 % confidence interval ) in Impaired-Sedentary men was 5.21 ( 1.44 - 18.70 ) and in Impaired-Sedentary women was 2.92 ( 1.52 - 5.60 ) compared to Mobile-Active groups . The risk of dependence did not differ significantly between Mobile-Active , Mobile-Sedentary , and Impaired-Active groups . CONCLUSIONS Mobility impairments predicted mortality and dependence . However , among people with impaired mobility , physical activity was associated with lower risks , whereas the risk did not differ according to activity level among those with intact mobility . Despite of their overall greater risk , mobility-impaired people may be able to prevent further disability and mortality by physical exercise Background Studies relating physical activity ( PA ) to  weight gain in children have produced mixed results , although there is some evidence for stronger associations with more intense physical activities . The present study tested the hypothesis that weight gain over one year in 8–10 year olds would be more strongly predicted by moderate and vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) than total physical activity ( total PA ) or sedentary behaviour . Methodology Participants were 280 children taking part in the Physical Exercise and Appetite in Children Study ( PEACHES ) .  Weight status was assessed using body mass index ( BMI ) , fat mass index ( FMI ) , and waist circumference ( WC ) in school Year 4 ( baseline ; age 8.7 yrs ) and Year 5 ( follow-up ; age 9.7 yrs ) .  Physical activity  was measured at baseline using the Actigraph GT1 M accelerometer to assess total PA ( mean accelerometers counts per minute ) , MVPA ; ≥4000 counts per minute ) and sedentary time  ( < 100 counts per minute ) . Principal Findings After adjustment for baseline BMI , SES , sex and ethnicity , MVPA  was significantly associated with follow – up BMI ( adjusted β = −0.07 ; p = 0.002 ) . This association was independent of total PA or sedentary time  . Similar results were observed for FMI ; again MVPA was significantly associated with follow up FMI ( β = −0.16 ; p = 0.001 ) independent  of total PA or sedentary time . The pattern was similar for WC ( β = −0.07 ) , but the association between MVPA and WC did not reach significance at p = 0.06 . Conclusion The results of this study strongly support promotion of MVPA in children Background There is evidence of school level variability in the physical activity of children and youth . Less is known about factors that may contribute to this variation . The purpose of this study was to examine if the school health environment ( Healthy Physical Environment , Instruction and Programs , Supportive Social Environment , and Community Partnerships ) is associated with objective ly measured time spent in light to vigorous physical activity among a sample of Toronto children . Methods The sample comprised 856 grade 5 and 6 students from 18 elementary schools in Toronto , Ontario .  Multilevel linear regression analyses were used to examine the impact of school physical activity policy on students ’ time spent in light-to-vigorous physical activity . Results Significant between-school r and om variation in objective ly measured time spent in light-to-vigorous physical activity was identified [ σ2μ0 = 0.067 ; p < 0.001 ] ; school-level differences accounted for 6.7 % of the variability in the time individual students spent in light-to-vigorous physical activity . Of the 22 school-level variables , students attending schools with support for active transportation to/from school and written policies/ practice s for physical activity , accumulated significantly more minutes of physical activity per school week than students who attended schools that did not . Conclusions School physical activity policy and support for active school travel is associated with objective ly measured time spent in light to vigorous physical activity . School physical activity policy might be a critical mechanism through which schools can impact the physical activity levels of their students Childhood obesity incidence has increased substantially and it has been argued that decreasing physical activity levels , coinciding with an increase in sedentary behaviours , are responsible . Australian guidelines were published in 2004 , recommending that children participate in a minimum of 60 min of physical activity daily and spend no more than 2h a day using electronic media for entertainment . We aim ed to compare compliance with these guidelines amongst children of differing weight status . The Childhood Injury Prevention Study ( CHIPS ) collected data from a r and omly selected sample of Brisbane primary and preschool children aged 5 - 12 years . The following data were available for 518 participants : age , gender , measured height and weight and estimated time per week from a parent-completed 7 days diary in physical activity out of school and sedentary leisure activities including television viewing and computer use . Using age st and ardised body mass index estimates , approximately 20 % of the cohort were overweight . Non-compliance with guidelines was 14.7 % for out of school physical activity participation , and 30.9 % for excess electronic media entertainment use . There was a 63 % increase in the odds of overweight status amongst children who were non-compliant with the electronic entertainment recommendations than those who were compliant ( adjusted odds ratio=1.63 ; 95 % CI=1.05 - 2.54 ) . Female gender and school level socioeconomic category were also independently associated with overweight status . Non-compliance with the minimal physical activity guideline increased the odds of being overweight by 28 % , however this difference was not statistically significant . One in seven children from the Greater Brisbane area are at risk for being insufficiently active whilst a third overuse electronic media . Given that overuse of electronic entertainment was positively associated with childhood obesity , these children should be the target of public health campaigns to promote alternative leisure time activities Introduction Large proportions of the population are not meeting recommended levels of physical activity and have increasingly sedentary lifestyles . Low levels of physical activity are predictive of poor health outcomes and time spent sedentary is related to a host of risk factors independently of physical activity levels . Building an evidence base of the best approaches to intervene in the lifestyles of inactive individuals is crucial in preventing long-term disease , disability and higher mortality rates . Methods and analysis Systematic search es will be conducted on all relevant data bases ( eg , PubMed , Scopus , CINAHL , PsycINFO ) . Studies will be included if they assess interventions aim ed at changing physical activity or sedentary behaviour levels in adults ( over 18 ) who are inactive and do not suffer from chronic conditions . Studies must also be r and omised controlled trials ( RCTs ) , have a primary outcome of physical activity or sedentary behaviour , and measure outcomes at least 6 months after intervention completion . Studies will be coded using the Behaviour Change Technique ( BCT ) taxonomy v1 and Template for Intervention Description and Replication ( TIDieR ) guidelines . 2 review ers will independently screen full-text articles and extract data on study characteristics , participants , BCTs , intervention features and outcome measures . Study quality will also be assessed independently by 2 review ers using the Cochrane risk of bias tool . A meta- analysis will be considered if there is sufficient homogeneity across outcomes . GRADE criteria will be used to assess quality of evidence . Dissemination This will be the first review to systematic ally appraise interventions aim ed at changing the physical activity or sedentary behaviour of inactive individuals using RCT design s with a 6-month follow-up post-intervention . This review will better inform intervention design ers targeting inactive population s and inform the design of a future complex intervention . Review registration number This protocol was registered with the International Prospect i ve Register of Systematic Review s ( PROSPERO ) on 17 October 2014 ( registration number : CRD42014014321 ) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The University of Alabama at Birmingham ( UAB ) Study of Aging Life-Space Assessment ( LSA ) is a relatively new instrument to measure mobility . The purpose of this report is to describe the relationships between LSA and traditional measures of physical function , sociodemographic characteristics , depression , and cognitive status . SUBJECTS Subjects were a stratified r and om sample of 998 Medicare beneficiaries aged > or = 65 years . The sample was 50 % African American , 50 % male , and 50 % from rural ( versus urban ) counties . METHODS In-home interviews were conducted . Mobility was measured using the LSA , which documents where and how often subjects  travel and any assistance needed during the 4 weeks prior to the assessment . Basic activities of daily living ( ADL ) and instrumental activities of daily living ( IADL ) , cognitive status , income level , presence of depressive symptoms , and transportation re sources were determined . The  Short Physical Performance Battery ( SPPB ) was used to assess physical performance . RESULTS Simple bivariate correlations indicated a significant relationship between LSA and all variables except residence ( rural versus urban ) . In a regression model , physical function ( ADL , IADL ) and physical performance ( SPPB ) accounted for 45.5 % of the variance in LSA scores . An additional 12.7 % of the variance was explained by sociodemographic variables , and less than 1 % was explained by cognition and depressive symptoms . DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION The LSA can be used to document patients ' mobility within their home and community . The LSA scores are associated with a person 's physical capacity and other factors that may limit mobility . These scores can be used in combination with other tests and measures to generate clinical hypotheses to explain mobility deficits and to plan appropriate interventions to address these deficits Background Physical inactivity increases the risk of many chronic diseases including coronary heart disease , type 2 diabetes and some cancers . It is recommended that adults should undertake at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity throughout the week but many adults do not achieve this . An opportunity for working adults to accumulate the recommended activity levels is through the daily commute . Methods Employees will be recruited from workplaces in south-west Engl and and south Wales . In the intervention arm ,  workplace Walk-to-Work promoters  will be recruited and trained . Participating employees will receive Walk-to-Work material  s and support will be provided through four contacts from the promoters over 10 weeks . Workplaces in the control arm will continue with their usual practice . The intervention will be evaluated by a cluster r and omized controlled trial including economic and process evaluations . The primary outcome is daily minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) . Secondary outcomes are : overall physical activity ; sedentary time ; modal shift away from private car use during the commute ; and physical activity/MVPA during the commute .  Accelerometers , GPS receivers and travel diaries will be used at baseline and one year follow-up . Question naires will be used at baseline , immediately post intervention , and one year follow-up . The process evaluation will examine the context , delivery and response to the intervention from the perspectives of employers , Walk-to-Work promoters and employees using question naires , descriptive statistics , fieldnotes and interviews . A cost-consequence study will include employer , employee and health service costs and outcomes . Time and consumables used in implementing the intervention will be measured . Journey time , household commuting costs and expenses will be recorded using travel diaries to estimate costs to employees . Presenteeism , absenteeism , employee wellbeing and health service use will be recorded . Discussion Compared with other forms of physical activity , walking is a popular , familiar and convenient , and the main option for increasing physical activity in sedentary population s. To our knowledge , this is the first full-scale r and omised controlled trial to objective ly measure ( using accelerometers and GPS receivers ) the effectiveness of a workplace intervention to promote walking during the commute to and from work . Trial registration IS RCT N15009100 ( 10 December 2014 ) A placebo-controlled double-blind study was conducted on the efficacy of Lactobacillus GG in preventing  travellers ' diarrhoea . Altogether 820 persons travelling on holiday to southern Turkey to two destinations were r and omized into two groups receiving either Lactobacillus GG or placebo in identical sachets . On the return flight each participant completed a question naire indicating the incidence of diarrhoea and related symptoms during the trip . Of the original group 756 ( 92 % ) subjects completed the study acceptably . The overall incidence of diarrhoea was 43.8 % ( 331 cases ) . The total incidence of diarrhoea in the placebo group was 46.5 % and in the Lactobacillus GG 41.0 % indicating an overall protection of 11.8 % . Protection rates varied between two different destinations with the maximum protection rate reported as 39.5 % . Among older age groups there was significantly less diarrhoea when compared to younger travellers . Lactobacillus GG appeared to be effective in reducing the occurrence of travellers ' diarrhoea in one of the two destinations with no side effects Objective To investigate the associations between body composition , cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness in relation to travel mode to school in children and adolescents . Method Children and adolescents from 40 elementary schools and 23 high schools representing all regions in Norway were invited to participate in the study . Anthropometry , cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness  were tested at the school location . Question naires were used in order to register mode of transport to school , age , gender and levels of leisure time physical activity . Results A total of 1694 ( i.e. 60 % of all invited participants ) children and adolescents at a mean age of 9.6 and 15.6 respectively ( SD = 0.4 for both groups ) were analyzed for associations with physical fitness variables . Males cycling to school had lower sum of skin folds than adolescents walking to school . Higher cardiorespiratory fitness in adolescents and male cyclists compared to walkers and passive commuters were observed . Among children , cycling and walking to school , higher isometric muscle endurance in the back extensors compared to passive commuters was observed . Conclusion Based on this national representative cross-sectional examination of r and omly selected children and adolescents there is evidence that active commuting , especially cycling , is associated with a favourable body composition and better cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness as compared to passive commuting Reports of studies relating physical activity to stroke and cancer sub-types indicate inconsistent findings . Some are hampered by low statistical power , owing to a low number of events , and a failure to adjust for potential confounding variables . The purpose of this study was to relate physical activity to 12 mortality endpoints in a prospect i ve cohort study of 11,663 men aged 40–64 years who responded to an enquiry about travel activity during a baseline medical examination conducted between 1967 and 1969 . During 25 years of follow-up there were 4672  deaths .  Travel activity  was inversely related to mortality attributable to all-causes , coronary heart disease , respiratory disease and lung cancer , whereas the association with stroke was positive . There was evidence for attenuation of some of these associations on adjustment for potentially confounding variables . Our simplistic measure of physical activity may , in part , explain the weak associations seen Purpose Despite the reported detrimental effects of international air travel on physical performance , a paucity of interventions have been scientifically tested and confirmed to benefit travelling athletes . Consequently , the aim of the present study was to examine the effects of sleep hygiene and artificial bright light interventions on physical performance following simulated international travel . Methods In a r and omized crossover design , 13 physically active males completed 24 h of simulated international travel with ( INT ) and without ( CON ) the interventions . The mild hypoxia and cramped conditions typically encountered during commercial air travel were simulated in a normobaric , hypoxic room . Physical performance , subjective jet-lag symptoms and mood states were assessed in the morning and evening on the day prior to and for two days post-travel . Sleep quantity and quality were monitored throughout each trial . Results Sleep duration was significantly reduced during travel in both trials ( P < 0.01 ) , though total sleep duration during and following travel was almost significantly greater ( P = 0.06 ) in INT ( 17.0 ( 16.2–17.8 ) h ) compared to CON ( 15.7 ( 14.9–16.5 ) h ) . Maximal-sprint and countermovement jump ( P < 0.05 ) , but not Yo – Yo Intermittent Recovery level 1 test ( P > 0.05 ) performance , were significantly reduced the evening of day 1 and 2 post-travel , with no differences between trials ( P > 0.05 ) . Furthermore , vigour was significantly greater ( P = 0.04 ) the morning of day 2 in INT [ 5.3 ( 3.9–6.7 ) ] compared to CON [ 2.8 ( 1.4–4.2 ) ] , and subjective jet-lag symptoms and mood states were significantly worse on day 2 in CON only ( P < 0.05 ) . Conclusions Whilst reducing travel-induced sleep disruption may attenuate travel fatigue , no improvements in the recovery of physical performance were apparent BACKGROUND Although early shock with an automated external defibrillator ( AED ) is one of the several key elements to save out-of-hospital cardiac arrest ( OHCA ) victims , it is not always easy to find and retrieve a nearby AED in emergency setting s. We developed a cell phone web system , the Mobile AED Map , displaying nearby AEDs located anywhere . The simulation trial in the present study aims to compare the time and travel distance required to access an AED and retrieve it with and without the Mobile AED Map . METHODS DESIGN R and omised controlled trial . SETTING Two fields where it was estimated to take 2min ( 120 - 170 m ) to access the nearest AED . Participants were r and omly assigned to either the Mobile AED Map group or the control group . We provided each participant in both groups with an OHCA scenario , and measured the time and travel distance to find and retrieve a nearby AED . RESULTS Forty-three volunteers were enrolled and completed the protocol . The time to access and retrieve an AED was not significantly different between the Mobile AED Map group ( 400±238s ) and the control group ( 407±256s , p=0.92 ) . The travel distance was significantly shorter in the Mobile AED Map group ( 606 m vs. 891 m , p=0.019 ) . Trial field conditions affected the results differently . CONCLUSIONS Although the new Mobile AED Map reduced the travel distance to access and retrieve the AED , it failed to shorten the time . Further technological improvements of the system are needed to increase its usefulness in emergency setting s ( UMIN000002043 ) UNLABELLED This review over previously published articles , describes physical activity changes during ageing from age 50 - 85 in the 1914-cohort in Glostrup , Denmark , and analyses the association between physical activity and mortality , myocardial infa rct ion , hip fractures and functional ability .  The 1914-cohort in Glostrup was examined at age 50 in 1964 and re-examined 1974 , 1984 , 1989 , 1994 and 1999 . Some analyses were based on pooled data ( CCPPS : Copenhagen Centre for Prospect i ve Population Studies ) from three longitudinal population studies conducted in Copenhagen , Denmark : The Copenhagen County Centre for Preventive Medicine in Glostrup , The Copenhagen City Heart Study and The Copenhagen Male Study .  Physical activity of work and leisure time was classified into four levels based on questions originally constructed by Saltin and Grimby . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES all-cause mortality , fatal and non-fatal myocardial infa rct ion , hip fracture and functional ability ( Avlund mobility index of dependency ) . The lifetime risk from a  sedentary leisure time  was analysed in multivariate regression analyses controlling for covariates describing gender , age , life style , education and chronic diseases . Less than one third of the population had a sedentary leisure time . Physical activity definitely influenced health and quality of life over the life course in a positive way : compared to the group of inactive men and women , the mortality was about 60 % , the incidence of myocardial infa rct ion 70 % and the incidence of hip fractures 75 % in the moderate active groups . On top the physically active persons gained independency in activities of daily living
Most studies focussed solely on active  travel  to and /or from school , and showed significant positive associations with physical activity .
The same relationship was detected for active travel to leisure-related places and independent mobility with physical activity .
An inverse relationship between active travel to school and weight status was evident but findings were inconsistent .
Studies on independent mobility suggested that children who have the freedom to play outdoors and travel actively without adult supervision accumulate more physical activity than those who do not .
Further investigation of children 's active travel to leisure-related destinations , measurement of diverse sedentary behaviour beyond simply screen-based activities , and consistent thresholds for objective ly measured sedentary behaviour in children will clarify the inconsistent evidence base on associations of active travel with sedentary behaviour and weight status
UNLABELLED Health benefits from  children 's independent mobility and active travel beyond school travel are largely unexplored .
OBJECTIVES This review synthesized the evidence for associations of independent mobility and active travel to various destinations with physical activity , sedentary behaviour and weight status .