Predictive ability of social cognitive theory in exercise research: an integrated literature review. Protocol for systematic reviews of determinants/correlates of obesity-related dietary and physical activity behaviors in young children (preschool 0 to 6 years): evidence mapping and syntheses A Prospective Examination of the Relationship between Physical Activity and Dementia Risk in Later Life Age-related decline in physical activity: a synthesis of human and animal studies. The association between periodontal disease, physical activity and healthy diet among adults in Jordan. A randomized trial of early psychiatric intervention in residential care: impact on health outcomes. Objectively measured light and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is associated with lower depression levels among older US adults Psychosocial correlates of physical activity in healthy children. Physical activity and quality of life in older adults: Influence of health status and self-efficacy Exercise and well-being: a review of mental and physical health benefits associated with physical activity Intrapersonal, social and physical environmental determinants of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in working-age women: a systematic review protocol Low Back Pain in the Young A Prospective Three‐Year Follow‐up Study of Subjects With and Without Low Back Pain Examining the theory‐effectiveness hypothesis: A systematic review of systematic reviews The All Our Babies pregnancy cohort: design, methods, and participant characteristics Type of physical activity goal influences participation in healthy midlife women. Physical Activity Across Adulthood and Physical Performance in Midlife An exercise-based randomized controlled trial on brain, cognition, physical health and mental health in overweight/obese children (ActiveBrains project): Rationale, design and methods. Physical activity and functional limitations in older adults: a systematic review related to Canada's Physical Activity Guidelines Changes in physical activity and short-term changes in health care charges: a prospective cohort study of older adults. Interrelation of Sport Participation, Physical Activity, Social Capital and Mental Health in Disadvantaged Communities: A SEM-Analysis The effects of the Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health upon psychosocial determinants of diet and physical activity behavior. Effectiveness of physical therapist administered spinal manipulation for the treatment of low back pain: a systematic review of the literature. Social cognitive influences on physical activity participation in long-term breast cancer survivors.
The mechanisms that underlie successful initiation and adherence to physical activity regimens are not well understood . Few theoretical models have used consistent explanatory variables that are theory-driven and many findings that use extant models are equivocal . Social Cognitive Theory ( SCT ) as presented by B and ura ( 1986 , 1997 ) appears to have strong promise as a guide to underst and ing physical activity behaviors and developing clinical ly relevant interventions to promote the initiation and maintenance of physical activity . This critical systematic review of research using SCT was completed to determine the predictive ability of model constructs in explaining physical activity behavior and in identifying key intervention components found to enhance physical activity initiation and maintenance . Following review for quality and adequacy , published research during the years 1990 - 1998 contained 27 studies that examined the relationship between the construct of SCT , self-efficacy  , and physical activity .  All of the descriptive studies found a statistically significant relationship between self-efficacy and exercise behavior . Intervention studies demonstrated that participation in an exercise program promoted self-efficacy , and that programs design ed to increase outcome expectations and self-efficacy significantly increased exercise behavior . Due to the central ity of self-efficacy in many of the social psychological theories that help explain the attitude-intention-behavior triad , a strong need remains to design interventions to maximize its usefulness . Clear , generalizable , systematic and theoretically comprehensive , r and omized , controlled studies are needed to underst and the usefulness of the construct Background The aim of these review s is to inform the design and content of interventions to reduce obesity in young children . The behaviors that are associated with obesity/overweight have been studied extensively ; however , the factors associated with these behaviors in young children ( 0 to 6 years ) have not been systematic ally review ed . Over the past few years the focus of obesity prevention has shifted to preschool children because of the high prevalence of obesity at school entry and recognition that habits formed in early life could track into adulthood . In order to develop effective interventions and change behavior , it is important to underst and the factors that are associated with those behaviors . For example , we need to underst and whether it would be more important to target the family , childcare setting s or the wider environment and identify the most effective way of changing these energy balance related behaviors . Methods / Design Quantitative ( intervention and observational ) and qualitative literature on determinants/correlates of fruit and vegetable intake , sugar sweetened beverage and other unhealthy diet intake , and physical activity and sedentary behaviors in young children will be systematic ally identified , mapped and review ed . A common search strategy ( no language or period restrictions ) will be used to identify papers from eight electronic data bases and this will be supplemented by h and - search ing . Next , studies in developed countries that examine the factors associated with these behaviors in children aged 0 to 6 years ( at baseline ) will be screened and mapped descriptively followed by in-depth data extraction , quality assessment and synthesis . Data from quantitative studies will be summarized using either forest plots or harvest plots and narrative synthesis , and qualitative studies using thematic analysis . Qualitative evidence will be integrated with the quantitative evidence , using a parallel synthesis approach , to provide a deeper underst and ing of effective strategies to influence these energy balance related behaviors . Discussion In addition to updating and mapping current research , these review s will be the first to comprehensively synthesize and integrate both the quantitative and qualitative evidence pertaining to determinants/correlates/barriers/facilitators of obesity related behaviors in this young age group ( 0 to 6 years ) with the aim of informing future interventions . Systematic review registration International Prospect i ve Register for Systematic Review s ( PROSPERO ) Registration number : Purpose . To examine the relationship between vigorous physical activity and  dementia risk . Design . Prospect i ve study design utilizing physical activity data from the Health and Retirement Study and cognitive outcome data from the Aging , Demographics , and Memory Study . Setting . Community-based . Subjects . Adults age 71 and over ( N = 808 ) with 3 to 7 years of physical activity information prior to dementia/no dementia diagnosis . Measures .  Physical activity  was measured by  participation in vigorous activities such as aerobics , sports , running , bicycling , and heavy housework three or more times per week  ( yes/no ) . Dementia diagnosis was based on an expert panel ( e.g. , neuropsychologists , neurologists , geropsychiatrists ) who performed and review ed a battery of neuropsychological tests . Analysis . Binary logistic regression models were used to account for demographic characteristics , genetic risk factors ( one or two apolipoprotein E ε4 alleles ) , health behaviors ( e.g. , smoking , drinking alcohol ) , health indicators ( body mass index ) , and health conditions ( e.g. , diabetes , heart disease ) in a sequential model-building process . Results . The relationship between vigorous physical activity and dementia risk remained robust across models . In the final model , older adults who were physically active were 21 % ( p ≤ .05 ) less likely than their counterparts to be diagnosed with dementia . Conclusion . Vigorous physical activity may reduce the risk for dementia independently of the factors examined here . This study 's findings are important given that few preventative strategies for dementia have been explored beyond hormonal therapy and anti-inflammatory drugs The decline in physical activity with age may be the most consistent finding in physical activity epidemiology . Although this phenomenon is well accepted , it is not well understood . The purpose s of this symposium are to determine whether there are critical periods of decline and quantify sex differences in the decline . Data from cross-sectional and prospect i ve studies indicate the decline is steepest between the ages of 13 and 18 . The decline is generally greater for male than female subjects , and the decline varies by type and intensity of the activity . A review of animal studies documented the age-related decline in many species . This suggests a biological basis , and a probable mechanism is the dopamine system that regulates motivation for locomotion . The decline in  physical activity  with age is antithetical to public health goals , so methods of countering the decline need to be developed , based upon an improved underst and ing of the phenomenon and its causes BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Physical inactivity and an unhealthy diet have been implicated as risk factors for several chronic diseases that are known to be associated with periodontitis , such as cardiovascular diseases , obesity and diabetes . Studies investigating the relationship between periodontitis and physical activity and diet are limited . Therefore , this study was conducted to determine the relationship between physical activity , healthy eating habits and periodontal health status . MATERIAL AND METHODS A systematic r and om sample of 340 persons , 18 - 70 years of age , was selected from persons accompanying their relative patients who attended the outpatient clinics in the medical center of Jordan University of Science and Technology in north of Jordan . Data collected included socio-demographic and clinical characteristics , anthropometric measurements , physical activity level and dietary assessment . RESULTS Individuals who were highly physically active had a significantly lower average plaque index , average gingival index , average clinical attachment loss ( CAL ) and percentage of sites with CAL ≥ 3 mm compared to individuals with a low level of physical activity and individuals with a moderate level of physical activity . Those who had a poor diet had a significantly higher average number of missing teeth and an average CAL compared with those who had a good diet . In the multivariate analysis , a low level of physical activity and a poor diet ( diets with a healthy eating index score of < 50 points ) were significantly associated with increased odds of periodontitis . CONCLUSIONS A low physical activity level and a poor diet were significantly associated with increased odds of periodontal disease . Further studies are needed to underst and this relationship in greater detail BACKGROUND The prevalence of psychological and behavioral disturbances among older adults living in residential care facilities is high , and it has been shown previously that people with such symptoms have poorer health outcomes . This study was design ed to assess the efficacy of an early psychiatric intervention on the 12-month health outcomes of older adults admitted to residential care facilities in Perth , Western Australia . We hypothesized that subjects in the intervention group would have better mental and physical health outcomes than controls . METHODS The study was design ed as a r and omized , single-blinded , controlled trial . All subjects aged 65 years or over admitted to one of the 22/26 participating residential care facilities of the Inner City area of Perth were approached to join the study and were allocated r and omly to the intervention or usual care group . Demographic and clinical information ( including medications and use of physical restraint ) was gathered systematic ally from all participants at baseline , and at 6 and 12 months . At each assessment , the Geriatric Depression Scale ( GDS ) , the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for older adults ( HoNOS 65 + ) , the Mini-mental State Examination ( MMSE ) and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory ( NPI ) were administered . Subjects in the intervention group who screened positive at the baseline assessment for psychiatric morbidity were review ed within a 2-week period by the Inner City Mental Health Service of Older Adults ( ICMHSOA ) . If clinical ly appropriate , mental health services were introduced without the involvement of the research team . RESULTS One hundred and six subjects and their next of kin consented to participate in the study ( 53 in each group ) . Mental health screening and early referral to a psychogeriatric service did not significantly change the average number of medical contacts , self-rated health , use of psychotropic or PRN medication , use of physical restraint , 12-month mortality , or mental health outcomes , as measured by the GDS-15 , HoNOS 65 + and NPI ( p > 0.05 for all relevant outcomes ) . CONCLUSION Systematic mental health screening of older adults admitted to residential care facilities and early clinical intervention does not change 12-month health outcomes . More effective interventions to improve the health outcomes of older adults with psychological and behavioral disturbances admitted to residential care facilities are needed Objectives : We have a limited underst and ing of the epidemiological association between objective ly measured physical activity and  depression among older adults . Therefore , the purpose of this study was to examine the association between accelerometer-assessed physical activity and depression symptoms among a nationally representative sample of US older adults . Methods : Data from the 2005–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was used . 708 older adults ( 65 + years ) wore an ActiGraph 7164 accelerometer for at least 4 days , and completed data on the study covariates along with depression , as assessed by the Patient Health Question naire-9 . Results : After controlling for age , gender , race-ethnicity , body mass index , marital status , education , comorbidity index , and physical functioning , for every 60-minute increase in light-intensity physical activity , participants were 20 % ( OR = 0.80 ; 95 % CI : 0.67–0.95 ; p = 0.01 ) less likely to be depressed . Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was also inversely associated with depression ( OR = 0.78 ; 95 % CI : 0.64–0.94 ; p = 0.01 ) . Conclusion : These findings suggest that promoting physical activity , even light-intensity physical activity , may have positive mental health effects  among older adults . Future prospect i ve and experimental studies are warranted BACKGROUND Underst and ing the determinants of physical activity in children is critical for the treatment and prevention of childhood obesity . Social-cognitive theory has been used to underst and behavioral patterns in children . OBJECTIVES To explore the relationship between health beliefs , self-efficacy , social support , and sedentary activities and physical  activity levels in children and to examine the relationship between physical activity and  children 's  self-esteem . METHODS Ninety-two children aged 10 to 16 years completed the study .  Physical activity was monitored for 1 week with a motion detector ( Actitrac ; IM Systems , Baltimore , Md ) . Moderate-level activity and high-level activity were defined based on the results of treadmill testing . Health beliefs , self-efficacy , social influences , and time spent in sedentary behaviors were determined through question naires . Self-esteem was measured using the Piers-Harris Children 's Self-Concept Scale . Chronic anxiety was measured with the Revised Children 's Manifest Anxiety Scale . RESULTS There was a significant decline in physical activity levels between ages 10 and 16 years , particularly in girls . Preteen girls spent approximately 35 % more time in low- and high-level activity than did teenage girls ( P<.001 ) . Overall , children spent 75.5 % of the day inactive , with a mean + /- SD of 5.2 + /- 1.8 hours watching television , sitting at the computer , and doing homework . In contrast , only 1.4 % of the day ( 12.6 + /- 12.2 minutes ) was spent in vigorous activity . Time spent in sedentary behaviors was inversely correlated with the amount of moderate-level activity ( P<.001 ) but not high-level activity . In contrast , time spent in high-level activity correlated with self-efficacy scores ( P<.001 ) and social influences scores ( P<.005 ) . High-level physical activity was also associated with improved self-esteem ( P<.05 ) . Higher health beliefs scores were not correlated with physical activity levels . CONCLUSIONS Children and adolescents are largely sedentary . Correlates of high- and low-level physical activity are different . Time spent on sedentary activities is inversely correlated with moderate-level activity , while self-efficacy and social influences are positively correlated with more intense physical activity . In addition , increased high-level physical activity is an important component in the development of self-esteem in children Background : Physical activity has been positively linked to quality of life ( QOL ) in older adults . Measures of health status and global well-being represent common methods of assessing QOL outcomes , yet little has been done to determine the nature of the relationship of these outcomes with physical activity . Purpose : We examined the roles played by physical activity , health status , and self-efficacy in global QOL ( satisfaction with life ) in a sample of older Black and White women . Method : Participants ( N = 249 , M age = 68.12 years ) completed multiple indicators of physical activity , self-efficacy , health status , and QOL at baseline of a 24-month prospect i ve trial . Structural equation modeling examined the fit of 3 models of the physical activity and QOL relationship . Results : Analyses indicated that relationships between physical activity and QOL , self-efficacy and QOL were all indirect . Specifically , physical activity influenced self-efficacy and QOL through physical and mental health status , which in turn influenced global QOL . Conclusions : Our findings support a social cognitives model of physical activity ’s relationship with QOL . Subsequent tests of hypothesized relationships across time are recommended Purpose of review This review highlights recent work evaluating the relationship between exercise , physical activity and physical and mental health . Both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies , as well as r and omized clinical trials , are included . Special attention is given to physical conditions , including obesity , cancer , cardiovascular disease and sexual dysfunction . Furthermore , studies relating physical activity to depression and other mood states are review ed . The studies include diverse ethnic population s , including men and women , as well as several age groups ( e.g. adolescents , middle-aged and older adults ) . Recent findings Results of the studies continue to support a growing literature suggesting that exercise , physical activity and physical-activity interventions have beneficial effects across several physical and mental-health outcomes . Generally , participants engaging in regular physical activity display more desirable health outcomes across a variety of physical conditions . Similarly , participants in r and omized clinical trials of physical-activity interventions show better health outcomes , including better general and health-related quality of life , better functional capacity and better mood states . Summary The studies have several implication s for clinical practice and research . Most work suggests that exercise and physical activity are associated with better quality of life and health outcomes . Therefore , assessment and promotion of exercise and physical activity may be beneficial in achieving desired benefits across several population s. Several limitations were noted , particularly in research involving r and omized clinical trials . These trials tend to involve limited sample sizes with short follow-up periods , thus limiting the clinical implication s of the benefits associated with physical activity . Abbreviations CAD : coronary artery disease ; COPD : chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ; CRP : cardiac rehabilitation program ; CVD : cardiovascular disease ; GMCB : group-mediated cognitive – behavioural ; HRQOL : health-related quality of life Background The majority of North American adult females do not meet current physical activity recommendations ( 150 min of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity ( MVPA ) per week accrued in ≥10 min bouts ) ultimately placing themselves at increased risk of morbidity and mortality . Working-age females face particular challenges in meeting physical activity recommendations as they have multiple dem and s , including occupational , family and social dem and s. To develop effective interventions to increase MVPA among working-age females , it is necessary to identify and underst and the strongest modifiable determinants influencing these behaviours . Therefore , the objective of this systematic review is to examine the available evidence to identify intrapersonal , social and environmental determinants of MVPA among working-age females . Methods / Design Six electronic data bases will be search ed to identify all prospect i ve cohort studies that report on intrapersonal , social and /or environmental determinants of  MVPA  in working-age females . Grey literature sources including theses , published conference abstract s and websites from relevant organizations will also be included . Articles that report on intrapersonal ( e.g. health status , self-efficacy , socio-economic status ( SES ) , stress , depression ) , social environmental ( e.g. crime , safety , area SES , social support , climate and capital , policies ) , and environmental ( e.g. weather , workplace , home , neighbourhood , recreation environment , active transportation ) determinants of MVPA  in a working-age ( mean age 18–65 years ) female population will be included . Risk of bias will be assessed within and across all included studies using the Tool to Assess Risk of Bias in Cohort Studies and the Grade s of Recommendation , Assessment , Development and Evaluation approach . Harvest plots will be used to synthesize results across all determinants , and meta-analyses will be conducted where possible among studies with sufficient homogeneity . Discussion This review will provide a comprehensive examination of evidence in this field and will serve to highlight gaps for future research on the determinants of MVPA in working-age females and ultimately inform intervention design . Systematic review registration PROSPERO : CRD42014009750 Study Design . This was a prospect i ve 3-year follow-up study of r and omized matched subgroups of 15-year-old school children with or without low back pain initially . Objective . In addition to low back pain and leisure time physical activity , spinal mobility , trunk muscle strength , and early degenerative findings of the lumbar spine were evaluated . Summary of Background Data . Reliable epidemiologic studies on the prevalence of low back pain and development of early degenerative changes of the lumbar spine in young persons have been sparse . Along with several other characteristics , the relationship of these changes to frequent low back pain in young persons is not known . Methods . After a question naire-based survey was administered , subjects with or without low back pain were examined initially and at follow-up with special reference to leisure time physical activity , anthropometry , spinal mobility , trunk muscle strength , and magnetic resonance imaging findings of the lumbar spine . Results . At baseline and at follow-up , those subjects with initial low back pain were characterized by a low frequency of physical activity and decreased spinal function . During follow-up , the occurrence of disc degeneration increased significantly more in the original group with low back pain than among asymptomatic subjects . Furthermore , disc degeneration at baseline significantly predicted future frequent low back pain . Initial disc protrusion also predicted future frequent low back pain . Conclusion . After the rapid physical growth period , there seemed to be a causal relationship between the early evolution of the degenerative processes of the lower lumbar discs and frequent low back pain in several subjects PURPOSE Health interventions based on theory may be more effective than those that are not . This review of review s synthesizes all published r and omized controlled trial ( RCT ) meta-analytic evidence from the last decade to examine whether theory-based interventions were found to be associated with more effective  adult health behaviour change interventions . METHODS Systematic review s including meta-analyses were identified by search ing Medline , CINAHL , PsycINFO , and CDSR . A narrative synthesis was used to summarize and analyse the evidence . Only review s including RCTs of health behaviour change interventions with adults aged 18 + published from 2007 to 2017 were included . RESULTS Of 8,659 articles , nine systematic review s met inclusion criteria . The majority of review s ( n = 8) suggested no increased effectiveness for theory-based compared to non-theory-based interventions for effectiveness of outcomes relating to health behaviour . Less than half of the RCTs included in the review s reported the use of theory ( 85/183 ) . Two review s suggested interventions based on control theory , motivational interviewing , or self-determination theory were associated with greater effectiveness for physical activity and /or dietary interventions and outcomes . Method ological and reporting issues limit the conclusions . CONCLUSIONS Theory-based interventions as currently operationalized in systematic review s were not found to be more effective than non-theory-based interventions . Method ological and reporting issues at study and review level may not reflect the true utility of theory use within health behaviour interventions . The promotion of theory use may benefit from using a multifaceted argument , rather than a narrow focus of increased effectiveness . Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject ? Theory use is regularly promoted by cl aim ing that it will lead to more effective behaviour change interventions . Theory use has been frequently linked to effectiveness within systematic review s of behaviour change interventions . The theory-effectiveness hypothesis has not been systematic ally examined at the systematic review level . What does this study add ? Theory use as operationalized by systematic review authors was not associated with increased effectiveness within systematic review s examining r and omized controlled trials of behaviour change interventions in adults . Interventions based on control theory , motivational interviewing , or self-determination theory were associated with greater effectiveness for physical activity and /or dietary interventions and outcomes . Theory use should be promoted using a multifaceted argument , and assertions for increased effectiveness of theory-based interventions should only be used in domains where specific evidence exists to support this cl aim Background The prospect i ve cohort study design is ideal for examining diseases of public health importance , as its inherent temporal nature renders it advantageous for study ing early life influences on health outcomes and research questions of aetiological significance . This paper will describe the development and characteristics of the All Our Babies ( AOB ) study , a prospect i ve pregnancy cohort in Calgary , Alberta , Canada design ed to examine determinants of maternal , infant , and child outcomes and identify barriers and facilitators in health care utilization . Methods Women were recruited from health care offices , communities , and through Calgary Laboratory Services before 25 weeks gestation from May 2008 to December 2010 . Participants completed two question naires during pregnancy , a third at 4 months postpartum , and are currently being followed-up with question naires at 12 , 24 , and 36 months . Data was collected on pregnancy history , demographics , lifestyle , health care utilization , physical and mental health , parenting , and child developmental outcomes and milestones . In addition , biological/serological and genetic markers can be extracted from collected maternal and cord blood sample s. Results A total of 4011 pregnant women were eligible for recruitment into the AOB study . Of this , 3388 women completed at least one survey . The majority of participants were less than 35 years of age , Caucasian , Canadian born , married or in a common-law relationship , well-educated , and reported household incomes above the Calgary median . Women who discontinued after the first survey ( n=123 ) were typically younger , non-Caucasian , foreign-born , had lower education and household income levels , were less likely to be married or in a common-law relationship , and had poor psychosocial health in early pregnancy . In general , AOB participants reflect the pregnant and parenting population at local and provincial levels , and perinatal indicators from the study are comparable to perinatal surveillance data . Conclusions The extensive and rich data collected in the AOB cohort provides the opportunity to answer complex questions about the relationships between biology , early experiences , and developmental outcomes . This cohort will contribute to the underst and ing of the biologic mechanisms and social/environmental pathways underlying associations between early and later life outcomes , gene-environment interactions , and developmental trajectories among children BACKGROUND Regular physical activity can help to prevent cardiovascular disease in women . Underst and ing midlife women 's exercise goals could offer insight into their motivational facilitators and barriers , and assist in the development of better primary prevention strategies for this population . OBJECTIVES We sought to investigate the relationship between midlife women 's  physical activity goals and their physical activity participation over time . METHODS A r and om sample of healthy , midlife women ( 40 - 60 years of age ) was selected to participate in a longitudinal study ( n = 156 ) . This study fit a linear mixed model to the data to investigate the fixed effects of physical activity goals on physical activity participation , controlling for Body Mass Index ( BMI ) and Social Support . Mediational analyses were conducted to investigate whether commitment and planning mediated these results . RESULTS There were significant differences between participants with distinct types of goals on physical activity participation over time ( i.e. , baseline , 1 month , and 1 year postbaseline ) , controlling for the effects of BMI and Social Support . Participants with Weight Loss and Health Benefits goals participated in significantly less physical activity than those with Sense of Well-being and Stress Reduction goals . Commitment and Planning each mediated the relationship between participant goals and their physical activity participation . CONCLUSIONS These data suggest having physical activity goals that aim to decrease weight or benefit health may not bode well for healthy midlife women who desire to sustain physically active lives . Instead , health care providers and health promotion specialists might better facilitate long-term participation among healthy women if they emphasize physical activity as a means to enhance their quality of life Background Evidence , mainly from cross-sectional studies , suggests that physical activity is a potentially important modifiable factor associated with physical performance and strength in older age . It is unclear whether the benefits of physical activity accumulate across life or whether there are sensitive periods when physical activity is more influential . Purpose To examine the associations of leisure-time physical activity across adulthood with physical performance and strength in midlife , and to test whether there are cumulative benefits of physical activity . Methods Using data on approximately 2400 men and women from the UK Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development , followed up since birth in March 1946 , the associations of physical activity levels during leisure time self-reported prospect ively at ages 36 , 43 , and 53 years with grip strength , st and ing balance , and chair rise times , assessed by nurses at age 53 years ( in 1999 ) , were examined in 2010 . Results There were independent positive effects of  physical activity at all three ages on chair rise performance , and at ages 43 and 53 years on st and ing balance performance , even after adjusting for covariates . These results were supported by evidence of cumulative effects found when using structured life course models . Physical activity and grip strength were not associated in women and , in men , only physical activity at age 53 years was associated with grip strength . Conclusions There are cumulative benefits of physical activity across adulthood on physical performance in midlife . Increased activity should be promoted early in adulthood to ensure the maintenance of physical performance in later life The new and recent advances in neuroelectric and neuroimaging technologies provide a new era for further exploring and underst and ing how brain and cognition function can be stimulated by environmental factors , such as exercise , and particularly to study whether physical exercise influences brain development in early ages . The present study , namely the ActiveBrains project , aims to examine the effects of a physical exercise programme on brain and cognition , as well as on selected physical and mental health outcomes in overweight/obese children . A total of 100 participants aged 8 to 11 years are r and omized into an exercise group ( N=50 ) or a control group ( N=50 ) . The intervention lasts 20-weeks , with 3 - 5 sessions per week of 90 min each , and is mainly focused on high-intensity aerobic exercise yet also includes muscle-strengthening exercises . The extent to what the intervention effect remains 8-months after the exercise programme finishes is also studied in a sub sample . Brain structure and function and cognitive performance are assessed using structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalographic recordings . Secondary outcomes include physical health outcomes ( e.g. physical fitness , body fatness , bone mass and lipid-metabolic factors ) and mental health outcomes ( e.g. chronic stress indicators and overall behavioural and personality measurements such as anxiety or depression ) . This project will substantially contribute to the existing knowledge and will have an impact on societies , since early stimulation of brain development might have long lasting consequences on cognitive performance , academic achievement and in the prevention of behavioural problems and the promotion of psychological adjustment and mental health . Clinical trials . Gov identifier : NCT02295072 Background The purpose was to conduct systematic review s of the relationship between physical activity of healthy community-dwelling older ( > 65 years ) adults and outcomes of  functional limitations , disability , or loss of independence .  Methods Prospect i ve cohort studies with an outcome related to functional independence or to cognitive function  were search ed , as well as exercise training interventions that reported a functional outcome . Electronic data base search strategies were used to identify citations which were screened ( title and abstract ) for inclusion . Included articles were review ed to complete st and ardized data extraction tables , and assess study quality . An established system of assessing the level and grade of evidence for recommendations was employed . Results Sixty-six studies met inclusion criteria for the relationship between physical activity and functional independence , and 34 were included with a cognitive function outcome . Greater physical activity of an aerobic nature ( categorized by a variety of methods ) was associated with higher functional status ( expressed by a host of outcome measures ) in older age . For functional independence , moderate ( and high ) levels of physical activity appeared effective in conferring a reduced risk ( odds ratio ~0.5 ) of functional limitations or disability . Limitation in higher level performance outcomes was reduced ( odds ratio ~0.5 ) with vigorous ( or high ) activity with an apparent dose-response of moderate through to high activity . Exercise training interventions ( including aerobic and resistance ) of older adults showed improvement in physiological and functional measures , and suggestion of longer-term reduction in incidence of mobility disability . A relatively high level of physical activity was related to better cognitive function and reduced risk of developing dementia ; however , there were mixed results of the effects of exercise interventions on cognitive function indices . Conclusions There is a consistency of findings across studies and a range of outcome measures related to functional independence ; regular aerobic activity and short-term exercise programmes confer a reduced risk of functional limitations and disability in older age . Although a precise characterization of a minimal or effective physical activity dose to maintain functional independence is difficult , it appears moderate to higher levels of activity are effective and there may be a threshold of at least moderate activity for significant outcomes BACKGROUND Better underst and ing the impact of changes in physical activity behavior on short-term health care charges may inform re source allocation decisions to increase population levels of physical activity . This study examines the prospect i ve relationship of changes in physical activity status on short-term changes in health care charges for older adults . METHODS A prospect i ve cohort study was done on a stratified r and om sample of 2,393 adults aged 50 and older enrolled in a Minnesota health plan , predicting changes in re source use between two periods ( September 1994 to August 1995 and September 1996 to August 1997 ) based on billed health care charges . RESULTS After adjustment for age , gender , comorbidity , smoking status , and body mass index , all physical activity states had declining health care charges , relative to those who were consistently inactive . Subjects who increased their physical activity from 0 - 1 to 3 + days/week had significant declines in their mean annualized total charges ( -2,202 dollars , P < 0.01 ) relative to those who remained inactive . CONCLUSIONS Increased physical activity among older adults is associated with lower health care charges within 2 years , relative to charges for those who were persistently inactive . These cost savings may justify investments in effective interventions to increase physical activity in older adults Background The Health through Sport conceptual model links sport participation with physical , social and psychological outcomes and stresses the need for more underst and ing between these outcomes . The present study aims to uncover how sport participation , physical activity , social capital and mental health are interrelated by examining these outcomes in one model . Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in nine disadvantaged communities in Antwerp ( Belgium ) . Two hundred adults ( aged 18–56 ) per community were r and omly selected and visited at home to fill out a question naire on socio-demographics , sport participation , physical activity , social capital and mental health . A sample of 414 adults participated in the study . Results Structural Equation Modeling analysis showed that sport participation ( β = .095 ) and not total physical activity ( β = .027 ) was associated with better mental health . No association was found between sport participation and community social capital ( β = .009 ) or individual social capital ( β = .045 ) . Furthermore , only community social capital was linked with physical activity ( β = .114 ) , individual social capital was not ( β = -.013 ) . In contrast , only individual social capital was directly associated with mental health ( β = .152 ) , community social capital was not ( β = .070 ) . Conclusion This study emphasizes the importance of sport participation and individual social capital to improve mental health in disadvantaged communities . It further gives a unique insight into the functionalities of how sport participation , physical activity , social capital and mental health are interrelated . Implication s for policy are that cross-sector initiatives between the sport , social and health sector need to be supported as their outcomes are directly linked to one another BACKGROUND The Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health is a multisite study of a school-based intervention to reduce or prevent the development of risk factors for cardiovascular disease . The purpose of this paper is to present the evaluation results of the 3-year intervention , focusing upon the psychosocial variables conceptualized as determinants of dietary and physical activity behaviors . METHODS A total of 96 schools across four study sites ( California , Louisiana , Minnesota , and Texas ) were r and omized to two treatment conditions : intervention and control . Pre- and post measurements on the health behavior question naire were collected from over 6,000 students . The data analyses utilized a nested design approach in which schools served as the primary unit of analysis . Repeated- measures multivariate analyses were applied to investigate effect sizes for each determinant and to explore theoretical relationships among the determinants over time . RESULTS The findings indicated sustained significant effects in improved knowledge , intentions , self-efficacy , usual behavior , and perceived social reinforcement for healthy food choices ( P < 0.0001 for these five variables ) after 3 years . Intermittent effects were observed for perceived support and self-efficacy for physical activity . No gender by determinant interaction effects were observed , and girls reported significantly greater perceived reinforcement for healthy eating than did boys . CONCLUSION The CATCH program was effective in changing the psychosocial variables likely to influence a reduction in behavior for cardiovascular disease . The study is significant in that it demonstrates the viability and effectiveness of a sustained multifaceted intervention in a preadolescent population . The results point to a need for greater underst and ing of adolescent developmental issues and the role of community environment ( particularly social support ) in creating effective curricula BACKGROUND CONTEXT Low back pain ( LBP ) is a prevalent disorder in society that has been associated with increased loss of work time and medical expenses . A common intervention for LBP is spinal manipulation , a technique that is not specific to one scope of practice or profession . PURPOSE The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the effectiveness of physical therapy spinal manipulations for the treatment of patients with low back pain . METHODS A search of the current literature was conducted using PubMed , CINAHL , SPORTD iscus , Pro Quest Nursing and Allied Health Source , Scopus , and Cochrane Controlled Trials Register . Studies were included if each involved : 1 ) individuals with LBP ; 2 ) spinal manipulations performed by physical therapists compared to any control group that did not receive manipulations ; 3 ) measurable clinical outcomes or efficiency of treatment measures , and 4 ) r and omized control trials . The quality of included articles was determined by two independent authors using the criteria developed and used by the Physiotherapy Evidence Data base ( PEDro ) . RESULTS Six r and omized control trials met the inclusion criteria of this systematic review . The most commonly used outcomes in these studies were some variation of pain rating scales and disability indexes . Notable results included varying degrees of effect sizes favoring physical therapy spinal manipulations and minimal adverse events result ing from this intervention . Additionally , the manipulation group in one study reported statistically significantly less medication use , health care utilization , and lost work time . CONCLUSION Based on the findings of this systematic review there is evidence to support the use of spinal manipulation by physical therapists in clinical practice . Physical therapy spinal manipulation appears to be a safe intervention that improves clinical outcomes for patients with low back pain BACKGROUND Although physical activity is beneficial for breast cancer survivors , the majority do not meet public health physical activity recommendations . The purpose of this study was to test a social cognitive theory model of physical activity behavior in a sample of long-term breast cancer survivors using both self-report and objective measures of physical activity . METHODS Participants ( N = 1527 ) completed measures of physical activity , self-efficacy , goals , outcome expectations , fatigue , and social support at baseline and 6-month follow-up . A sub sample ( n = 370 ) was r and omly selected to wear an accelerometer . It was hypothesized that self-efficacy directly and indirectly influences physical activity through goals , social support , fatigue , and outcome expectations . Relationships were examined using panel analysis within a covariance modeling framework . RESULTS The hypothesized model provided a good model- data fit ( χ(2 ) = 1168.73 , df = 271 , p = < 0.001 , CFI = 0.96 , SRMR = 0.04 ) in the full sample when controlling for covariates . At baseline , self-efficacy directly and indirectly , via goals , outcome expectations , and social support , influenced physical activity . These relationships were also supported across time . Additionally , the hypothesized model was supported in the sub sample with accelerometer data ( χ2 = 656.88 , df = 330 , p < 0.001 , CFI = 0.95 , SRMR = 0.05 ) . CONCLUSIONS This study vali date s a social cognitive model for underst and ing physical activity behavior in long-term breast cancer survivors . Future studies should be design ed to replicate this model in other breast cancer survivor population s , and the findings should be applied to the development of future physical activity programs and studies for this population
Physical activity interventions were consistently ( > 60 % of studies ) associated with improved motor and cognitive development , and psychosocial and cardiometabolic health .
Across observational studies , physical activity was consistently associated with favourable motor development , fitness , and bone and skeletal health .
For intensity , light- and moderate-intensity physical activity were not consistently associated with any health indicators , whereas moderate- to vigorous-intensity , vigorous-intensity , and total physical activity were consistently favourably associated with multiple health indicators .
Across study design s , consistent favourable associations with health indicators were observed for a variety of types of physical activity , including active play , aerobic , dance , prone position ( infants ; ≤1 year ) , and structured/organized .
Apart from ≥30 min/day of the prone position for infants , the most favourable frequency and duration of physical activity was unclear .
However , more physical activity appeared better for health .
Conclusions Specific types of physical activity , total physical activity , and physical activity of at least moderate- to vigorous-intensity were consistently favourably associated with multiple health indicators .
Background Given the rapid development during the early years ( 0 - 4 years ) , an underst and ing of the health implication s of physical activity is needed .
The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the relationships between objective ly and subjectively measured physical activity and health indicators in the early years .