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Results for “Sedentary Behavior”

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PubMed2003

Socioeconomic patterning of smoking, sedentary lifestyle, and overweight status among adolescents in Norway and the United States.

Increased efforts are needed to promote adolescent health in all areas investigated in this study. Differences both in prevalence and socioeconomic patterning between Norway and the United States indicate that the major challenges differ between the two countries. The results also emphasize the need to undertake joint efforts to use measurements that make national data sets comparable across countries.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Factors affecting the likelihood to engage in adequate physical activity to promote health.

The aim of this study was to assess the likelihood of individuals to participate in enough physical activity to promote fitness and, more conservatively, to accrue only health benefits. Sedentary (n = 883; 20.5%) and active (n = 1144; 26.5%) groups were identified from the 1990 Allied Dunbar National Fitness Survey of English adults (n = 4316). The data were analysed using logistic regression. Participants were described using 20 variables identified from previous research, six of which made a significant contribution to the model (P < 0.05). The odds of being sedentary increased with age, self-perception of lifestyle problems, and lower scores on education, self-perception of motivation to exercise, perception of own participation in physical activity and recognition of exercising enough for health benefits. The odds of being active were associated with the opposite characteristics to those observed for sedentary behaviour. The extreme scores varied from individuals who may be 385 times more likely to be sedentary, to those who were 29 times more likely to be active, depending on scores on the selected variables. The results of this study provide a means to determine individual propensity to participate in adequate physical activity, and to identify those who may benefit most from health promotion campaigns.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

The escalating pandemics of obesity and sedentary lifestyle. A call to action for clinicians.

Obesity and sedentary lifestyle are escalating national and global epidemics that warrant increased attention by physicians and other health care professionals. These intricately linked conditions are responsible for an enormous burden of chronic disease, impaired physical function and quality of life, at least 300,000 premature deaths, and at least $90 billion in direct health care costs annually in the United States alone. Clinicians are on the front line of combat, yet these conditions receive minimal attention during a typical office visit. Clinicians often feel overwhelmed by these challenges and point to an absence of clear guidelines and practice tools, minimal training in behavior modification strategies, and lack of time as reasons for failing to confront them. This report provides a "call to action" with step-by-step guidelines specifically directed at the pivotal role of physicians and other health care professionals in curbing these dangerous epidemics. This blueprint for action, which requires only a few minutes of a clinician's time to implement, will facilitate more effective intervention related to obesity and inactivity and should favorably impact public health.

Health Personnel↗

PubMed2006

Urban ethnic minority women's attendance at health clinic vs. church based exercise programs.

Older, sedentary, urban-living, ethnic minority women are at high risk for preventable disease, but it is difficult to engage this population in health promotion efforts. This study tested two methods of engaging Hispanic and African American women, who were at high risk for cardiovascular disease, in a 10-week aerobic fitness program. The program was offered to 76 participants, in either a women's health clinic or a church. Attendance was the primary dependent variable and was recorded at each exercise session. Other variables, including the Baecke Questionnaire of Habitual Physical Activity, Fat Frequency Questionnaire, Self-Efficacy for Exercise Behaviors Scale, Social Support and Exercise Survey, and Psychological General Well-Being Schedule, were measured prior to the intervention, at the end of the 10-week program, and at 3-month follow-up. Age predicted attendance, independently of site. Women in the highest age quartile (50 - 70 years) attended more than twice as many exercise sessions compared to women in the lowest age quartile (17 - 27 years). The relationship between older age and attendance was particularly strong for Hispanic women. Church parishioners were primarily women over the age of 40, making it impossible to disentangle the relative effect of locale. These findings are relevant for clinicians who design exercise programs targeting older, ethnic, minority women. Administrators who design exercise programs for urban-living women should consider age of the target population when selecting the most conducive setting.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Comparison of the factors that influence obesity prevalence in three district municipalities of the same city with different socioeconomical status: a survey analysis in an urban Turkish population.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the obesity status, factors and comorbidities related to it in three district municipalities (DM) that compose city center of Bursa with inhabitants of different socioeconomic status. METHODS: A total of 1632 inhabitants >/=18 years of age were interviewed. The number of sample in each DM was obtained proportional to their populations by stratified sampling method. Among 1632, a total of 1543 subjects were included by random sampling and a questionnaire was filled in including demographic, social and behavioral features. RESULTS: The participants living in DM with the highest socioeconomical status (SES) score and level of education had the lowest body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage (%BF) compared to other DMs. The lowest obesity prevalence (30.8% vs. 36.4% and 39.3%) in that DM was possibly due to younger age, lower female ratio, more active professional, higher percentage of smoking, more consumption of vegetables, olive or corn oil, and less carbohydrate. For the evaluation of the factors that may influence obesity risk, we investigated the effects of these factors in men and women separately with logistic regression model. Sedentary life style and dyslipidemia (DL) in men, being unemployed, having lower level of education and having hypertension (HT) in women and familial obesity in both gender were found to be related to increased obesity risk. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of obesity in Bursa is increasing although inhabitants are taking some precautions parallel to their socioeconomical and educational levels. Obesity is becoming a more alarming public health problem in Bursa and Turkey like in most other parts of the world, which forces us to invent new prevention policies. Besides, the results of our study highlight the fact that especially female education requires more attention for decreasing obesity prevalence in coming generations.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗

PubMed2002

The nutrition transition in Egypt: obesity, undernutrition and the food consumption context.

OBJECTIVES: To describe changing food consumption patterns in Egypt over the last several decades, current levels of overweight and obesity, and current data on obesity-related morbidity. DESIGN: Secondary analysis and synthesis of existing data from national-level food consumption surveys, large recent surveys of hypertension and diabetes, and documentation of historical and policy context. SETTING: Arab Republic of Egypt. SUBJECTS: As selected and described in primary data sources. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The nutrition transition in Egypt has occurred in the context of abundant dietary energy availability, urbanisation and moderate fat intakes. The prevalence of obesity in adults is very high, particularly among women. The prevalences of diabetes mellitus and of hypertension parallel that of obesity, and both are very high. Little information is available on physical activity, but it is likely that a large proportion of the population is quite sedentary, particularly in the cities. At the same time, rates of early childhood malnutrition remain stubbornly stable and relatively high. Public awareness of the increasing prevalence of obesity and of diet-related chronic disease is increasing, and attention has turned to documenting the problem(s).

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Physical activity and four-year development of back strength in children.

Physical activity in children is important, both for its direct benefits and for establishing potentially lasting future behaviors. Understanding the development of back strength in children is also important, because decreased back strength is associated with low back pain in adults. We hypothesized the following: (1) a substantial percentage of children do not participate in adequate physical activity; (2) the development of back strength corresponds to the development of strength of appendicular muscles; (3) there is a positive relationship between physical activity and back strength. The study included 53 boys and 43 girls, aged 10 to 19 yr, who had undergone isometric strength testing 4 yr previously. From responses to a questionnaire, each child's level of physical and sedentary activity was calculated. Isometric back flexion and extension were measured with the same method used 4 yr previously. Statistical analyses were performed, including quadratic regressions to estimate the rate of increase in strength, height, and weight. The following results were found: (1) during the month before testing, 21 children participated in physical activity for less than 30 min/day; (2) the level of physical activity was significantly associated with back flexion and back extension (P = 0.03 for both); (3) the peak rate of increase in back strength occurred approximately 1 yr after the peak rate of increase in height. We conclude the following: (1) measures should be taken to increase the involvement of children in athletic activities; 2) physical activity may be important in the development of back strength; (3) the pattern of back strength development seems to be the same as that for development of muscles of the appendicular skeleton.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

[Health-related fitness of sedentary elderly in the Netherlands].

The assessment of fitness is a component of a national project aimed at the enhancement of physical avtivity among sedentary older adults, aged 55-65 year in the Netherlands. Deterioration in physical functioning may be improved through an exercise programme. Research showed that enhancement of physical activity results in improved fitness, increased functional ability and health-related quality of life. Scientific results of the association between exercise and physical fitness in older adults is not sufficiently evidence-based in the Netherlands. In order to support health policy interventions 5.584 fitness tests of sedentary older adults were analyzed. The fitness was assessed by the Groninger Fitnesstest for Elderly (GFE). The analysis of physical fitness in sedentary older adults showed a lower fitness status among the age group 55-65 of age and women. Health risk factors such as overweight and having a chronic disease explained 88% of the variance between a low fitness and a high fitness profile.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1994

Exercise in the prevention of stroke.

Lifestyle and behaviour modifications that include exercise are effective in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and stroke. The benefits are manifested largely through the role that exercise plays in the control of certain modifiable risk factors, such as control blood lipid abnormalities, diabetes and obesity. Exercise also adds an independent effect in the lowering of blood pressure in certain hypertensive groups, thus favourably modifying a major risk factor for stroke. The Honolulu Heart Program, a 22 year follow-up of 5,362 men (aged 58 to 68) revealed that physical activity was protective against "clot caused" stroke only in nonsmokers. This study also revealed that inactive and partially active men compared with those who were active had fourfold increases in intracerebral hemorrhage and threefold increases in subarachnoid hemorrhage. The Framingham study suggested a relationship between sedentary work and stroke although this was not statistically significant. In a 16-year follow-up of 3,263 cargo handlers the death rate from stroke was similar to that of more sedentary people. However, the mortality was threefold higher among those who were sedentary and had higher systolic blood pressure. The exercise employed in prevention can be mild to moderate in intensity and may be of the type experienced in occupational, recreational and leisure time activity. Clinical data reveal that aerobic exercise equal to or greater than 50% of one's maximum capacity can be "protective" in cardiovascular disease.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Maximal cardiac rate during treadmill exertion test in 1853 healthy subjects. Its relation with age and under the atmospheric conditions of Mexico City].

INTRODUCTION: The relation between heart rate and age during the exercise test is dependent on the altitude over the sea level in which the test is made. OBJECTIVE: To observe the behavior of the heart rate during a maximal exercise test and its relation to age and to the altitude of Mexico City. METHOD: Observational, non randomized study of 1,853 healthy subjects who underwent maximal exercise test done with Bruce's protocol, in the Department of Cardiology of the Spanish Hospital of Mexico City. RESULTS: The distribution by age groups showed a normal curve. They were divided by gender (67% males and 33% females) with a mean age of 47.6 +/- vs 49.6 +/- 13.7 years respectively (p = 0.003). Maximal heart rate according to gender (167.9 +/- 17.4 vs 160 +/- 18.2 bpm, p = 0.001). Trained vs sedentary (85.7% vs 14.3%). Maximal heart rate by grade of training (169.1 +/- 16.4 vs 167.6 +/- 17.8 bpm, p > 0.05) and the lineal correlation of maximal heart rate dependent on age of the subject (r-0.61, Y = 204.37 + (-0.810*X), p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The maximal heart rate during maximal exercise test at the altitude of Mexico City is lower than those reported in the literature. This is statistically significant and depends on age and it does not bear any relationship to the degree of training, at least in our subgroup of subjects studied. The same is true for females and the dependence on age remains the same too.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

10,000 reasons to step out--exercise patterns and pedometer evaluation of consultant anaesthetists.

Major international bodies recommend that adults should accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity every day. Ten thousand steps a day has been found to approximate 30 minutes of exercise. A questionnaire regarding exercise patterns was sent to all (584) Victorian consultant anaesthetists, and 30 consultants wore a pedometer for one week, during working hours only. The questionnaire response rate was 59.4% (347). Of these respondents, 58% indicated that they had a formal exercise program. There were no significant differences between people with a set exercise program and those without, with respect to age, gender, working hours or smoking. Those with a set exercise program exercised a median of four times per week and the commonest exercise listed was gymnasium attendance (40%). The main reasons cited for having a regular exercise program were maintenance of physical health (77%), mental health (71%) and weight control (35%). The main reasons for not having an exercise program were fatigue (40%), too busy (70%), family commitments (67%) or just not interested (18%). The overall median steps per day for the pedometer group was 4770 with a range of 1667 to 9630, fitting into the classification of 'sedentary'. In summary this study has shown that a significant number of anaesthetists do not achieve adequate physical activity in or out of working hours and has identified some reasons for this behaviour. This will hopefully provide motivation and information for the implementation of useful strategies to increase the level of physical activity performed by anaesthetists.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Coronary risk factors in middle-aged men as related to smoking, coffee intake and physical activity.

The relationship between lifestyle and coronary risk factors in blood was investigated in 165 middle-aged men. Plasma fibrinogen, serum triacylglycerols (TG), and apolipoprotein B (apo B) were higher, and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) lower in smokers (n = 69) than in non-smokers (n = 96). By linear regression analysis there was a significant positive association between degree of smoking and either total cholesterol (TC), apo B, or plasma fibrinogen, whereas smoking was inversely related to HDLc. Smoking and coffee intake were positively correlated with an atherogenic index, reflecting the balance between low and high density lipoproteins. Sedentary men (n = 59) had higher mean TC, apo B, and atherogenic index than physically active men (n = 104). Smokers used salt more often than non-smokers. Physically active men used vegetables more often than sedentary men. Combining several habits into a "bad habit" score gave a high level of significance for its association with TC, apo B, and the atherogenic index. The results indicate that lifestyle may influence several blood factors involved in atherosclerosis development.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Can exercise training improve immune function in the aged?

Many strategies have been used to improve immune function in the aged. Unfortunately, many of these interventions have been disappointing, impractical, costly to develop and administer, or accompanied by adverse side effects. Aside from dietary manipulation (caloric restriction without malnutrition or antioxidant supplementation), research involving behavioral preventative or restorative therapies has been lacking. Moderate exercise training has been shown to elicit beneficial outcomes in both the prevention and rehabilitation of many diseases of the elderly. It has been hypothesized that moderate levels of exercise improves, whereas strenuous exercise or overtraining suppresses, various immune function measures. Three general approaches have been implemented to study the impact of exercise on immune functioning in the elderly: (1) cross-sectional studies, (2) longitudinal studies, and (3) animal studies. In general, cross-sectional studies examining highly active elderly have demonstrated improved in vitro T cell responses to polyclonal stimulation when compared to sedentary elderly. This is corroborated by several animal studies that have shown improved splenic T cell responses in vitro. Unfortunately, human prospective studies have failed to demonstrate consistent improvements in various measures of immune function in older adults. However, it should be cautioned that these studies have included small samples followed over a short duration, measuring a limited number of in vitro immune parameters, with some failing to account for potential confounding influences. Although such findings have the potential to be of substantial public health importance, very few systematic studies have been conducted.

Aging↗

PubMed1984

The incidence of primary cardiac arrest during vigorous exercise.

To examine the risk of primary cardiac arrest during vigorous exercise, we interviewed the wives of 133 men without known prior heart disease who had had primary cardiac arrest. Cases were classified according to their activity at the time of cardiac arrest and the amount of their habitual vigorous activity. From interviews with wives of a random sample of healthy men, we estimated the amount of time members of the community spent in vigorous activity. Among men with low levels of habitual activity, the relative risk of cardiac arrest during exercise compared with that at other times was 56 (95 per cent confidence limits, 23 to 131). The risk during exercise among men at the highest level of habitual activity was also elevated, but only by a factor of 5 (95 per cent confidence limits, 2 to 14). However, among the habitually vigorous men, the overall risk of cardiac arrest--i.e., during and not during vigorous activity--was only 40 per cent that of the sedentary men (95 per cent confidence limits, 0.23 to 0.67). Although the risk of primary cardiac arrest is transiently increased during vigorous exercise, habitual vigorous exercise is associated with an overall decreased risk of primary cardiac arrest.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Prevalence and awareness of risk factors and behaviours of coronary heart disease in an urban population of Karachi, the largest city of Pakistan: a community survey.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence and awareness of risk factors and risk behaviours of coronary heart disease (CHD) in the lower middle class residing in urban localities of Karachi, a mega city of Pakistan. METHODS: The design consisted of a cross-sectional community based survey in the lower middle class urban localities of Karimabad, Garden and Kharardar in Karachi, Pakistan. One thousand four hundred adults (18 years and above) registered with the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) participated in the survey. Life style, self-reported risk variables, blood pressure and anthropometric measurements were recorded. RESULTS: Prevalence of hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes were 38.5, 10.7 and 9.1 per cent, respectively. 52.2 per cent of the sample was overweight or obese; 64.8 per cent never exercised; 11.9 per cent had two or more major risk factors of CHD. CONCLUSION: The communities studied showed a very high prevalence of hypertension, obesity and a sedentary life style. Despite a high literacy rate, awareness regarding CHD risk factors was low. This underlines the need for measures to increase awareness regarding CHD and its risk factors and a healthy lifestyle in the developing countries.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Leisure time activities of elementary school children.

The three most common leisure time activities of 2,200 third and fourth grade children (mean age 8.8 + 0.8; 50.7% girls) and the association of the intensity levels of those activities with demographic variables and risk factors for cardiovascular disease are reported. Activities reported most often by boys were playing video games (33%), playing football (32%), bicycling (31%), watching television (28%), and playing basketball (26%). The girls reported doing homework (39%), bicycling (31%), watching television (30%), dancing (27%), and reading (23%). Overall, the children, especially girls, reported fairly sedentary activities, with an average metabolic equivalent level of 4.2 for girls and 4.8 for boys. Among boys, African Americans reported more vigorous activities than Whites, but the activities reported by White girls were somewhat more vigorous than those reported by non-White girls. Children from a higher socioeconomic status (SES), especially boys, reported a greater proportion of sedentary activities than lower SES children. The risk factors of cholesterol, blood pressure, skinfold thickness, and body mass index were not significantly associated with total activity score. However, significantly more nonobese than obese children reported a vigorous (high-intensity) activity as one of their top three activities.

Black or African American↗

PubMed2003

Breeding biology of the intertidal sand crab, Emerita (Decapoda: Anomura).

Emerita is a burrowing mole crab or sand crab, adapted to life in wave-washed sandy beaches of temperate and tropical seas. The reproductive biology of this anomuran crab presents several peculiarities, all contributing to its adaptation to this harsh environmental niche. We discuss the following aspects: 1) sex ratio and size at sexual maturity, 2) neoteny and protandric hermaphroditism, 3) mating behaviour and sperm transfer strategy, 4) synchronisation of moulting and reproduction, 5) environmental impact on reproductive cycle and egg production, 6) biochemistry of yolk utilisation and energetics, 7) larval development, dispersal and settlement and 8) the value of Emerita as indicator species. These aspects are discussed in the light of the life history pattern, comprising a sedentary adult and pelagic larval phases. The successful colonisation of the physically challenging habitat of the sandy beach by Emerita is attributable largely to reproductive strategy and the larval developmental and recruitment pattern. Sensitivity to changing environmental conditions, including pollution, make this intertidal crab an indicator species for monitoring anthropogenic impact.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

[A sample of the health status quo of the (German) population].

Germany and other western countries are more and more affected by chronic degenerative diseases. Initially in many cases they are combined with overweight and a sedentary lifestyle. The Innungskrankenkasse Bayern initiated health-information-days with common health-tests. The results of these tests are confirming this trend. Strategies of prevention could possibly stop that development. According to the Salutogenese the possibilities of each individual are most important. Advice, assistance and interventions on the setting are necessary to provide the adequate information about a healthy lifestyle.

Body Composition↗