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Biomedical subjects

Anna Timperio

Publications and source records attributed to Anna Timperio.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Development of a reliable measure of walking within and outside the local neighborhood: RESIDE's Neighborhood Physical Activity Questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: The RESIDential Environment project (RESIDE) is a longitudinal study evaluating the impact of a new residential design code on walking. OBJECTIVE: To develop a reliable measure of walking--undertaken within and outside the neighborhood--and overall physical activity. METHODS: A test-retest reliability study was undertaken (n = 82, mean age 39 years). The instrument was based on the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-short version) and Active Australia Survey. It measured usual frequency and duration of (1) recreational- and transport-related walking within and outside the neighborhood and (2) other vigorous and moderate physical activities. RESULTS: Reliability of recall of whether participants had walked within (k = 0.84) and outside (0.73) the neighborhood was acceptable. Similarly, recall of frequency and duration of transport and recreational-related walking within the neighborhood was excellent (ICC > or = 0.82), as was recall of transport-related walking trips outside the neighborhood (ICC > or = 0.84). Reliability for duration of recreational walking outside the neighborhood was fair to good (ICC = 0.55). The reliability of indices of total physical activity based on MET min/week (ICC = 0.82) and MET min/week dichotomized to 'sufficient' physical activity for health (kappa = 0.67) were both acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: The Neighborhood Physical Activity Questionnaire (NPAQ) is sufficiently reliable for studies examining environmental correlates of walking within the neighborhood.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Personal, family, social, and environmental correlates of active commuting to school.

BACKGROUND: Active commuting to school may be an important opportunity for children to accumulate adequate physical activity for improved cardiovascular risk factors, enhanced bone health, and psychosocial well-being. The purpose of this study was to examine personal, family, social, and environmental correlates of active commuting to school among children. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 235 children aged 5 to 6 years and 677 children aged 10 to 12 years from 19 elementary schools in Melbourne, Australia. Self-administered questionnaires were completed by parents, and the older children. The shortest possible routes to school were examined using a geographic information system. RESULTS: Among both age groups, negative correlates of active commuting to school included parental perception of few other children in the neighborhood and no lights or crossings for their child to use, and an objectively assessed busy road barrier en route to school. In younger children, an objectively assessed steep incline en route to school was negatively associated with walking or cycling to school. Good connectivity en route to school was negatively associated with walking or cycling to school among older children. Among both age groups, children were more likely to actively commute to school if their route was <800 meters. There were no associations with perceived energy levels or enjoyment of physical activity, weight status, or family factors. CONCLUSIONS: For children, creating child-friendly communities and providing skills to safely negotiate the environment may be important. Environmental correlates of active transport in children and adults may differ and warrant further investigation.

Bicycling↗
PubMed2006

Parental concerns about childhood obesity and the strategies employed to prevent unhealthy weight gain in children.

OBJECTIVES: To describe parental concerns about their child's weight, to determine the proportion of parents taking preventive action to avoid obesity in their children and the predictors of taking preventive action, and to describe the strategies adopted by parents. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was conducted. Children's heights and weights were measured, and parents completed a questionnaire that included measures of their own weight status, perceptions of their child's weight, concerns about their child's current weight and future weight as an adolescent and adult, and the strategies used to prevent obesity. SETTING: The study was conducted in Melbourne, Australia. SUBJECTS: A total of 291 families of children aged 5-6 years and 919 families of children aged 10-12 years participated. RESULTS: Eighty-nine per cent of parents of overweight 5-6-year-olds and 63% of parents of overweight 10-12-year-olds were unaware their child was overweight. Seventy-one per cent of parents of overweight 5-6-year-olds and 43% of parents of overweight 10-12-year-olds were not concerned about their child's current weight. Although 31% of parents of 5-6-year-olds and 43% of parents of 10-12-year-olds were taking action to prevent unhealthy weight gain in their children, less-educated parents were less likely to do so. CONCLUSIONS: Public health programmes are required to raise parental recognition of childhood overweight and of related risk behaviours, and to provide parents with practical strategies to prevent unhealthy weight gain in their children.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Association of family environment with children's television viewing and with low level of physical activity.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined associations between the family environment and children's television (TV) viewing and likelihood of being low-active. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: In 2001, children were recruited from 19 primary schools in Melbourne, Australia. Parents completed a questionnaire about their child's TV viewing and the family environment. Children also completed a questionnaire and wore an accelerometer for 8 days. Movement counts were used to identify low-active children (lowest quartile). Data were analyzed in May 2004. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 878 children (mean age = 11.5 +/- 0.6 yrs). Multiple logistic regression revealed that socioeconomic status [adjusted odds ratios (AOR) = 0.4 boys], frequency families watched TV together (AOR = 2.0 boys), mothers' (AOR = 1.8 boys; AOR = 2.5 girls) and fathers' (AOR = 2.6 boys; AOR = 2.8 girls) TV viewing, and rules prohibiting TV during mealtimes (AOR = 0.6 boys; AOR = 0.6 girls) related to children watching TV >or=2 h/d. Variables associated with low-level physical activity included self-reported enjoyment of Internet use (AOR = 1.7 boys) and preference for watching TV (AOR = 2.3 girls), perception that mother uses computer a lot (AOR = 1.9 boys) and likes using the computer (AOR = 0.6 girls), fathers' reported computer/electronic games use (AOR = 1.7 girls), frequency families used computer together (AOR = 0.4 girls), rules that TV viewing must be supervised (AOR = 1.9 boys; AOR = 0.6 girls), and having pay TV (AOR = 0.6 boys) and electronic games at home (AOR = 2.6 boys). DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that the relationships between the family environment and TV viewing and low-level activity are complex and that these behaviors are distinct.

Australia↗
PubMed2005

Trends in children's physical activity and weight status in high and low socio-economic status areas of Melbourne, Victoria, 1985-2001.

OBJECTIVE: To examine trends in active transport to and from school, in school sport and physical education (PE), and in weight status among children from high and low socio-economic status (SES) areas in Melbourne, Victoria, between 1985 and 2001. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey data and measured height and weight from 1985 (n=557) and 2001 (n=926) were compared for children aged between 9-13 years within high and low SES areas. RESULTS: From 1985 to 2001, the frequency of walking to or from school declined (4.38 +/- 4.3 vs. 3.61 +/- 3.8 trips/wk, p<0.001), cycling to or from school also declined (1.22 +/- 2.9 vs. 0.36 +/- 1.5 trips/wk, p<0.001), and the frequency of PE lessons declined (1.64 +/- 1.1 vs. 1.18 +/- 0.9 lessons/wk, p<0.001). However, the frequency of school sport increased (0.9 +/- 1.22 vs. 1.24 +/- 0.8 sessions/wk, p<0.001). In 1985, 11.7% of children were overweight or obese compared with 28.7% in 2001 (p<0.001). Apart from walking to school and school sport, there were greater relative declines in cycling to school and PE, and increases in overweight and obesity among children attending schools in low SES areas compared with those attending schools in high SES areas. CONCLUSIONS: Declines in active school transport and PE have occurred at the same time as increases in overweight and obesity among Australian children. IMPLICATIONS: Promoting active school transport and maintaining school sport and PE should be important public health priorities in Australia. Current inequities in school sport and PE and in prevalence of overweight and obesity by area-level SES also need to be addressed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Perceptions about the local neighborhood and walking and cycling among children.

BACKGROUND: This study examined associations between perceptions of the local neighborhood and walking and cycling among children. METHODS: Children aged 5-6 years (n=291) and 10-12 years (n=919) were recruited from 19 Australian primary schools. Parents reported their child's usual walking or cycling to local destinations and their perceptions of their neighborhood. Ten- to twelve-year-olds were asked their perceptions of traffic, strangers, road safety and sporting venues, and their perceptions of their parent's views on these issues. RESULTS: Five- to six-year-old boys whose parents believed there was heavy traffic in their area were 2.8 times more likely (95%CI=1.1-6.8), and 5- to 6-year-old girls whose parents owned more than one car were 70% less likely (95%CI=0.1-0.8), and whose parents believed that public transport was limited in their area were 60% less likely (95%CI=0.2-0.9) than other children to walk or cycle at least three times per week. Parental belief that there were no lights or crossings was associated with walking or cycling among 10- to 12-year-old boys (OR=0.4, 95%CI=0.2-0.7). Among older girls, parent's belief that their child needed to cross several roads to reach play areas (OR=0.4, 95%CI=0.2-0.8) and that there is limited public transport in their area (OR=0.7, 95%CI=0.4-0.97), and child's belief that there were no parks or sports grounds near home (OR=0.5, 95%CI=0.3-0.8) were associated with a lower likelihood of walking or cycling. CONCLUSION: Perceptions of the local neighborhood may influence children's physical activity.

Bicycling↗
PubMed2004

Do logbooks influence recall of physical activity in validation studies?

PURPOSE: To examine whether physical activity logbooks influence estimates of validity of 7-d recall physical activity questionnaires. METHODS: A convenience sample of 551 adults aged 18-75 yr wore an MTI accelerometer for seven consecutive days and were then randomly administered two of four 7-d recall physical activity questionnaires that varied in length and format (Active Australia Survey (AAS), long and short International Physical Activity Questionnaires (IPAQ-L and IPAQ-S), and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)). A subsample of 75% concurrently completed a physical activity logbook. RESULTS: Correlations (rho) between self-reported and measured duration of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity and total activity were similar among participants who received a logbook and those who did not for each of the four instruments. There was also no interaction between assessment method (survey, accelerometer) and the assignment of a logbook. For the IPAQ-L, however, variability in the difference between accelerometer data and responses to the vigorous items was smaller among those assigned a logbook (F = 4.128, df = 260, P = 0.043). Overall, there were no differences in percent agreement or kappa for participation in sufficient levels of physical activity according to receipt of a logbook for any of the surveys. CONCLUSION: The process of self-monitoring through completion of a logbook does not appear to influence estimates of validity for brief or long questionnaires with global questions. Whereas the magnitude of error in accuracy of recall of particular types of activity may be reduced by completion of a logbook that is similar in structure to the survey being validated, this does not appear to influence overall estimates of validity.

Adolescent↗