bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Associations Between Demographic, Perceptual, and Behavioral Factors and Support for Policies Encouraging Active Transport
Authors: Heesch Kristiann C. , Han Jennifer L. 
Published: August 2016

Background:Policies that encourage physical activity are recommended to increase physical activity rates. Few studies have examined public support for such policies. The aim of this study was to assess support for policies that may increase active transport and correlates of this support.Methods:A telephone survey was administered to 460 Oklahoma residents.Results:Most respondents supported policies that may encourage walking and bicycling for transport. Most favored the improvement of public transportation over building new roads to address transportation concerns. In multivariate models, a positive attitude toward walking was the only variable significantly associated with support for most policy outcomes (p < 0.05). Participation in active commuting and a positive attitude toward bicycling were correlates of strong support for the creation of bike ways (p < 0.05).Conclusions:Experience with active commuting and positive attitudes toward walking and bicycling are associated with support for policies that may encourage walking and bicycling for transport.
Vigorous Physical Activity Among College Students in the United States
Authors: Nelson Toben F. , Gortmaker Steven L. , Subramanian S. V. , Wechsler Henry 
Published: August 2016

Background:Vigorous physical activity (VPA) declines from adolescence into adulthood and social disparities in VPA exist. Physical activity is understudied in the college setting.Methods:VPA during high school and college was examined among 10,437 students attending 119 four-year colleges using gender-stratified logistic regression analyses.Results:Fewer students engaged in VPA in college compared with high school (males 74% to 52%; females 68% to 44%). Athletics was associated with VPA, but 51% participated in high school and 15% in college. Among females, African Americans, Asians, and students of lower socioeconomic position (SEP) were less likely to engage in VPA in college, adjusting for high school VPA. Among males, Asians and older students were less likely to engage in VPA.Conclusions:VPA declines from high school to college. Athletic participation is a determinant of VPA, but few participate in collegiate athletics. Social disparities in VPA emerge in college, an important setting for promoting VPA and addressing health disparities. Regular physical activity is an important contributor to human health. It is positively associated with longevity and may prevent or help manage diabetes, metabolic syndrome, overweight, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and colon cancer.1-8 Among children and adolescents, lack of physical activity is associated with higher body mass index.9-10 Physical activity is also associated with positive mood, self-esteem, and decreased anxiety.11-14
Saskatoon In Motion: Class- Versus Home-Based Exercise Intervention for Older Adults With Chronic Health Conditions
Authors: Reeder Bruce A. , Chad Karen E. , Harrison Elizabeth L. , Ashworth Nigel L. , Sheppard M. Suzanne , Fisher Koren L. , Bruner Brenda G. , Quinn Brian G. , Pahwa Punam , Hossain M. Alomgir 
Published: August 2016

Background:The study aimed to compare the effectiveness of a class-based (CB) and home-based (HB) exercise program for older adults with chronic health conditions.Methods:172 sedentary older adults with overweight or obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, or osteoarthritis were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial with a 3-month follow-up.Results:A significant increase was seen in the CB group in the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) scores and SF-12 Physical and Mental Health scores. In both groups, significant increases were seen in 6-minute walk distance, Physical Performance Test (PPT), and Functional Fitness Test (FFT), and significant reductions were seen in systolic and diastolic blood pressure but not body mass index or waist circumference. Except for a greater increment in the FFT in the CB group, the degree of improvement was not significantly different between the 2 groups.Conclusion:After a 3-month intervention, both the CB and HB program produced comparable significant improvements in outcome measures.
Where Do the Children Play? The Influence of Playground Equipment on Physical Activity of Children in Free Play
Authors: Farley Thomas A. , Meriwether Rebecca A. , Baker Erin T. , Rice Janet C. , Webber Larry S. 
Published: August 2016

Background:Promotion of physical activity in children depends on an understanding of how children use play equipment.Methods:We conducted observations over 2 years of children in 2nd through 8th grades in a schoolyard with 5 distinct play areas with different amounts of play equipment.Results:Children were more likely to play in areas with more installed play equipment, with densities of children in equipped areas 3.3 to 12.6 times higher than in an open grassy field. There were no significant differences by play area in the percent of children who were physically active at all, but children were more likely to be very active in areas with basketball goals and an installed play structure than in an open field.Conclusions:Playground equipment appeared to have a strong influence on where children played and a moderate influence on levels of activity. To maximize physical activity in children, playgrounds should be designed with ample and diverse play equipment.
Barriers and Enabling Factors for Work-Site Physical Activity Programs: A Qualitative Examination
Authors: Fletcher Gena M. , Behrens Timothy K. , Domina Lorie 
Published: August 2016

Background:Work sites offer a productive setting for physical activity (PA) promoting interventions. Still, PA participation remains low. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the reasoning behind commonly reported barriers and enabling factors to participation in PA programs in a work-site setting.Methods:Employees from a large city government were recruited to participate in focus groups, stratified by white- and blue-collar occupations. Responses from open-ended questions about factors influencing participation in PA programs were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Resulting data were analyzed with open and axial coding.Results:The sample consisted of 60 employees composing 9 focus groups. Although time was the most common barrier between both groups, white-collars workers responded that scheduling and work conflicts were the most common barrier concerning time. Blue-collar workers indicated shift work as their most common barrier. In addition, health was a significant enabling factor for both occupational categories. White-collar workers were much more concerned with appearances and were more highly motivated by weight loss and the hopefulness of quick results than were blue-collar workers.Conclusions:These findings are important in the understanding of PA as it relates to the reasoning behind participation in work-site programs in regard to occupational status.
Perceptions of Neighborhood Safety and Physical Activity Among Youth: The CLAN Study
Authors: Carver Alison , Timperio Anna , Crawford David 
Published: August 2016

Background:The purpose of this study was to examine associations between perceptions of neighborhood safety and physical activity among youth.Methods:We completed a cross-sectional study of children age 8 to 9 years (n = 188) and adolescents age 13 to 15 years (n = 346) in areas of varying socioeconomic status in Melbourne, Australia. Parents and adolescents completed questionnaires on perceptions of neighborhood safety. Scores were computed for perceptions of road safety, incivilities, and personal safety of the child or adolescent. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) before or after school, on evenings, and on weekends was recorded using accelerometers.Results:There were no associations between parental perceptions of neighborhood safety and children’s MVPA outside school hours. Parental perception of personal safety was positively associated with adolescent boys’ MVPA after school. Adolescent girls’ concern about road safety was negatively associated with their MVPA during evenings and outside school hours.Conclusion:Perceptions of neighborhood safety might influence physical activity among youth in different ways according to age group and sex.
Effectiveness of Face-to-Face Versus Telephone Support in Increasing Physical Activity and Mental Health Among University Employees
Authors: Opdenacker Joke , Boen Filip 
Published: August 2016

Background:Follow-up support increases the effectiveness of physical activity interventions. This study evaluates the effectiveness of 2 support modes on physical activity and mental health.Methods:University employees were randomly assigned to a coaching program with 4 face-to-face (N = 33) or telephone-based (N = 33) support contacts. Both programs included an initial face-to-face intake session and an informational brochure. Physical activity, trait anxiety, self-efficacy, and social support were measured by self-report before and after the interventions that lasted 3 months.Results:Both groups increased leisure-time physical activity, self-efficacy, and social support and decreased sitting time and trait anxiety. The only significant time by group interaction was found for active transportation. More specifically, participants in the face-to-face group reported a significant increase in their active transportation from pretest to posttest, whereas participants in the telephone group reported no significant change.Conclusions:Both face-to-face support and telephone support proved to be effective in increasing the physical activity level and mental health of university employees.
A Descriptive Examination of the Most Frequently Used Activity Settings in 25 Community Parks Using Direct Observation
Authors: Reed Julian A. , Arant Cheryl-Anne , Wells Princess , Stevens Katherine , Hagen Sandra , Harring Holly 
Published: August 2016

Background:The purpose was to examine 9 adult activity settings in 25 community parks to determine the most and least frequently used by gender, physical-activity (PA) intensity, and ethnicity.Methods:All activity settings were identified, measured, and cataloged with GIS measures using the SOPARC direct observation instrument. Each setting was assessed 4 times a day for 7 consecutive days.Results:Significantly more male adults were observed at the 25 parks (1598 versus 946; 63% versus 37%). Nine hundred fifty-eight (60%) male adults and 771 (81.1%) female adults used the paved trails. The second most heavily used activity setting for male adults was the softball and baseball fields (n = 239, 14.9%), and female adults chose to use the swimming pools (n = 45, 4.5%). Whites participated in considerably more vigorous PA than minorities.Conclusions:Paved trails were only in 5 of the 25 parks but were the most frequently used activity setting.
Gender Differences in Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Their Relation to Body Composition in Active Brazilian Adolescents
Authors: Nogueira Julia Aparecida Devide , da Costa Teresa Helena Macedo 
Published: August 2016

Background:Body weight and composition are determined by genotype, environment, and energy balance. Physical activity or sedentary behavior have different associations with body weight, fat mass, and fat-free mass, a relationship that is not clear in adolescents. The aim of this study was to test the associations between gender, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and body composition in physically active adolescents.Methods:Weight, height, and skinfold thickness were measured in 326 physically active boys and girls age 11 to 15 years. All subjects answered a questionnaire assessing their usual daily activities for the last month. Time spent on each activity was used to estimate the physical activity level (PAL).Results:PAL was associated with body composition after adjustment for age and maturation, with differences between genders. For boys, PAL was positively and significantly associated with body mass index (BMI) and fat-free mass index (β= 0.14 and 0.15, respectively). For girls, PAL was negatively and significantly associated with BMI and fat mass index (β= −0.11 and −0.75, respectively). Sedentary behavior, expressed by hours of TV, videogame, and computer use, was not associated with any body-composition outcome for either gender.Conclusion:The accumulated amount of physical activity, but not of sedentary behavior, was related to body composition in active adolescents.
Procedures Used to Standardize Data Collected by RT3 Triaxial Accelerometers in a Large-Scale Weight-Loss Trial
Authors: Chen Chuhe , Jerome Gerald J. , LaFerriere Daniel , Young Deborah Rohm , Vollmer William M. 
Published: August 2016

Background:Accelerometers measure intensity, frequency, and duration of physical activity. However, the scarcity of reports on data reduction makes comparing accelerometer results across studies difficult.Methods:Participants were asked to wear a triaxial accelerometer (RT3) for ≥10 hours for at least 4 days, including one weekend day. We summarize our data-cleaning procedures and assess the impact of defining a usable day of measurements as at least 6, 8, or 10 hours of wear time, and of standardizing data to a 12-hour day.Results:Eighty-two percent of participants met wear time requirements; 93% met requirements when we defined a day as 8-or-more hours of wear time. Normalization of data to a 12-hour day had little impact on estimates of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA; 16.9 vs. 17.1 minutes); restricting MVPA to activities occurring in bouts of 10 minutes or longer had greater impact (16.9 vs. 6.3 minutes per day).Conclusion:Our account of accelerometry quality-control and data-cleaning procedures documents the small impact of variations in daily wear time requirements on MVPA estimates, and the larger impact of evaluating total MVPA vs. MVPA occurring in extended bouts. This paper should allow other researchers to duplicate or revise our methods as needed.
The International Universities Walking Project: Development of a Framework for Workplace Intervention Using the Delphi Technique
Authors: Gilson Nicholas , Brown Wendy J. , Faulkner Guy , McKenna Jim , Murphy Marie , Pringle Andy , Proper Karin , Puig-Ribera Anna , Stathi Aphroditi 
Published: August 2016

Background:This paper aimed to use the Delphi technique to develop a consensus framework for a multinational, workplace walking intervention.Methods:Ideas were gathered and ranked from eight recognized and emerging experts in the fields of physical activity and health, from universities in Australia, Canada, England, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, and Spain. Members of the panel were asked to consider the key characteristics of a successful campus walking intervention. Consensus was reached by an inductive, content analytic approach, conducted through an anonymous, three-round, e-mail process.Results:The resulting framework consisted of three interlinking themes defined as “design, implementation, and evaluation.” Top-ranked subitems in these themes included the need to generate research capacity (design), to respond to group needs through different walking approaches (implementation), and to undertake physical activity assessment (evaluation). Themes were set within an underpinning domain, referred to as the “institution” and sites are currently engaging with subitems in this domain, to provide sustainable interventions that refect the practicalities of local contexts and needs.Conclusions:Findings provide a unique framework for designing, implementing, and evaluating walking projects in universities and highlight the value of adopting the Delphi technique for planning international, multisite health initiatives.
Effect of Using a Treadmill Workstation on Performance of Simulated Office Work Tasks
Authors: John Dinesh , Bassett David , Thompson Dixie , Fairbrother Jeffrey , Baldwin Debora 
Published: August 2016

Although using a treadmill workstation may change the sedentary nature of desk jobs, it is unknown if walking while working affects performance on office-work related tasks.Purpose:To assess differences between seated and walking conditions on motor skills and cognitive function tests.Methods:Eleven males (24.6 ± 3.5 y) and 9 females (27.0 ± 3.9 y) completed a test battery to assess selective attention and processing speed, typing speed, mouse clicking/drag-and-drop speed, and GRE math and reading comprehension. Testing was performed under seated and walking conditions on 2 separate days using a counterbalanced, within subjects design. Participants did not have an acclimation period before the walking condition.Results:Paired t tests (P < .05) revealed that in the seated condition, completion times were shorter for mouse clicking (26.6 ± 3.0 vs. 28.2 ± 2.5s) and drag-and-drop (40.3 ± 4.2 vs. 43.9 ± 2.5s) tests, typing speed was greater (40.2 ± 9.1 vs. 36.9 ± 10.2 adjusted words · min−1), and math scores were better (71.4 ± 15.2 vs. 64.3 ± 13.4%). There were no significant differences between conditions in selective attention and processing speed or in reading comprehension.Conclusion:Compared with the seated condition, treadmill walking caused a 6% to 11% decrease in measures of fine motor skills and math problem solving, but did not affect selective attention and processing speed or reading comprehension.
Temporal Characteristics of Habitual Physical Activity Periods Among Older Adults
Authors: Egerton Thorlene , Brauer Sandra G. 
Published: August 2016

Background:While physical activity is advocated for the elderly, little is known about the patterns of habitual activity of older people, particularly those in aged care. This study employed a novel approach to analyzing activity data to compare the temporal characteristics of daily activity between 15 older people living at home with 16 living in an aged care facility.Methods:The time spent standing and walking, and the number and duration of upright activity periods (greater than 1 minute) were monitored for 72 hr continuously.Results:Despite variation in all measures across the participants, those living in aged care spent significantly less time upright per day (2.3 hr vs. 7.2 hr), standing (1.6 hr vs. 5 hr), and walking (0.7 hr vs. 2.2 hr) than those living at home. Participants in both groups had a similar number of activity periods; however, the median activity period duration was less for those living in aged care (4 min vs. 8 min).Conclusions:Activity levels of both groups were low compared with recommendations. In particular, aged care residents were rarely upright for 30 min continuously, supporting the need for services to promote physical activity of older people particularly those living in aged care facilities.
Compliance With Wearing Physical Activity Accelerometers in High School Students
Authors: Sirard John R. , Slater Megan E. 
Published: August 2016

Background:Accelerometer use in physical activity research has become increasingly popular but is prone to problems with missing data, which complicate the data reduction and analysis process. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of hypothesized compliance strategies on improving compliance with wearing a physical activity accelerometer in high school students.Methods:Each of four local high schools was assigned to one of four compliance strategies: (1) receiving three phone calls, (2) completing a daily journal, (3) compensation contingent on number of complete (≥ 10 hours) days of data, and (4) control condition. Participants wore ActiGraph accelerometers for seven days to determine compliance and physical activity.Results:The contingent group had the highest level of compliance with 96% of the participants acquiring at least four of seven complete days of data. After controlling for grade level, school level percent minority students, and school level socioeconomic status (SES), the contingent group’s compliance remained significantly higher (P = .04) than the journal (85%), phone (72%), and control (70%) participants.Conclusions:The contingent compliance strategy improved the amount of time the students wore the monitor each day and, thus, the total number of days with ≥ 10 hours of data.
Differences in Physical Activity Prevalence and Trends From 3 U.S. Surveillance Systems: NHIS, NHANES, and BRFSS
Authors: Carlson Susan A. , Densmore Dianna , Fulton Janet E. , Yore Michelle M. , Kohl Harold W. 
Published: August 2016

Background:Three U.S. surveillance systems—National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)—estimate physical activity prevalence.Methods:Survey differences were examined qualitatively. Prevalence estimates by sex, age, and race/ethnicity were assessed for comparable survey periods. Trends were examined from NHIS 1998 to 2007, NHANES 1999 to 2006, and BRFSS 2001 to 2007.Results:Age-adjusted prevalence estimates appeared most similar for NHIS 2005 (physically active: 30.2%, inactive: 40.7%) and NHANES 2005 to 2006 (physically active: 33.5%, inactive: 32.4%). In BRFSS 2005, prevalence of being physically active was 48.3% and inactive was 13.9%. Across all systems, men were more likely to be active than women; non-Hispanic whites were most likely to be active; as age increased, overall prevalence of being active decreased. Prevalence of being active exhibited a significant increasing trend only in BRFSS 2001 to 2007 (P < .001), while prevalence of being inactive decreased significantly in NHANES 1999 to 2006 (P < .001) and BRFSS 2001 to 2007 (P < .001).Conclusions:Different ways of assessing physical activity in surveillance systems result in different prevalence estimates. Before comparing estimates from different systems, all aspects of data collection and data analysis should be examined to determine if comparisons are appropriate.
Observing Children’s Playground Activity Levels at 13 Illawarra Primary Schools Using CAST2
Authors: Parrish Anne-Maree , Iverson Don , Russell Ken , Yeatman Heather 
Published: August 2016

Background:Declining levels of children’s physical activity may contribute to Australia’s increasing childhood obesity epidemic. School recess is an underutilized opportunity to increase children’s physical activity.1Methods:Thirteen regional Australian public primary schools participated in the study (2946 children). The Children’s Activity Scanning Tool 2 (CAST2) collected observational playground physical activity data. The research also addressed: length of break, socioeconomic status (SES), gender, number of scanning days, and instrument calibration.Results:The proportions of Moderate or Vigorous Physically Activity (MVPA) children at the observed schools ranged from 0.4 to 0.7. The odds ratio of boys being MVPA relative to girls ranged from 0.8581 to 2.137. There were significant differences between the mean proportions of 3 days of activity (range P = .001 to P = .015) and no association between SES school groupings (deviance ratio: 0.48; P = .503). Interrater reliability for instrument calibration using Spearman correlations coefficients ranged from r = .71 to r = .99.Conclusions:There were significant differences between proportions of MVPA children at the 13 schools and between male and female populations. There was no association between playground physical activity and SES. The monitoring period for CAST2 should be at least 3 days. Interrater reliability indicates that correlations between observers were consistently high.