Dataset Information

Physical activity and sedentary behaviours in Greek-Cypriot children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

There are no data on physical activity and sedentary behaviours of Greek-Cypriot children and adolescents, and no study to date examined the association between these two behaviours in this population. The purpose of this study was to document the prevalence of physical activity and sedentary behaviours among Greek-Cypriot adolescents and examine the association between physical activity and a range of sedentary behaviours. Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the association between physical activity and sedentary behaviours.

Methods

A cross-sectional study among 1,966 Greek-Cypriot children and adolescents was conducted in 2008/2009. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire across primary, middle, high and technical/vocational schools.

Results

Overall 52.3% and 52.4% of the participants met physical activity and television viewing guidelines respectively. Boys and younger children were more likely to meet guidelines. Boys who attended sports clubs for two or more times per week were more likely to be physically active (OR = 3.4), and those who listened to music for one or less than one hour per day were less likely to be physically active (OR = 0.6). Girls who attended sports clubs for two or more times per week and who watched television for two or less than two hours per day were more likely to be physically active, (OR = 3.0 and OR = 1.5 respectively). Girls who reported travelling by car/bus/motorbike for one or less than one hour per day were more likely to actively travel to school (OR = 1.8).

Conclusions

Findings from this study provide limited support for the displacement hypothesis whereby sedentary behaviours displace physically active time. About 50.0% of Greek children and adolescents in Cyprus meet existing physical activity and television viewing guidelines. Encouraging children to attend sports clubs for at least two times per week may markedly improve their physical activity levels.

SUBMITTER: Loucaides CA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3176145 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Physical activity and sedentary behaviours in Greek-Cypriot children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

Loucaides Constantinos A CA Jago Russell R Theophanous Maria M

The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity 20110819

<h4>Background</h4>There are no data on physical activity and sedentary behaviours of Greek-Cypriot children and adolescents, and no study to date examined the association between these two behaviours in this population. The purpose of this study was to document the prevalence of physical activity and sedentary behaviours among Greek-Cypriot adolescents and examine the association between physical activity and a range of sedentary behaviours. Logistic regression analyses were performed to examin ...[more]

PMID: 21854622

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Project description:OBJECTIVES:Elevated risk factors for a number of chronic diseases have been identified in lorry drivers. Unhealthy lifestyle behaviours such as a lack of physical activity (PA) and high levels of sedentary behaviour (sitting) likely contribute to this elevated risk. This study behaviourally phenotyped UK lorry drivers' sedentary and non-sedentary behaviours during workdays and non-workdays and examined markers of drivers cardio-metabolic health. SETTING:A transport company from the East Midlands, UK. PARTICIPANTS:A sample of 159 male heavy goods vehicle drivers (91% white European; (median (range)) age: 50 (24, 67) years) completed the health assessments. 87 (age: 50.0 (25.0, 65.0); body mass index (BMI): 27.7 (19.6, 43.4) kg/m2) provided objective information on sedentary and non-sedentary time. OUTCOMES:Participants self-reported their sociodemographic information. Primary outcomes: sedentary behaviour and PA, assessed over 7 days using an activPAL3 inclinometer. Cardio-metabolic markers included: blood pressure (BP), heart rate, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference, body composition and fasted capillary blood glucose, triglycerides, high-density lipopreotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC) levels. These cardio-metabolic markers were treated as secondary outcomes. RESULTS:Lorry drivers presented an unhealthy cardio-metabolic health profile (median (IQR) systolic BP: 129 (108.5, 164) mm Hg; diastolic BP: 81 (63, 104) mm Hg; BMI: 29 (20, 47) kg/m2; WC: 102 (77.5, 146.5) cm; LDL-C: 3 (1, 6) mmol/L; TC: 4.9 (3, 7.5) mmol/L). 84% were overweight or obese, 43% had type 2 diabetes or prediabetes and 34% had the metabolic syndrome. The subsample of lorry drivers with objective postural data (n=87) accumulated 13?hours/day and 8?hours/day of sedentary behaviour on workdays and non-workdays (p<0.001), respectively. On average, drivers accrued 12?min/day on workdays and 6?min/day on non-workdays of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). CONCLUSION:Lorry drivers demonstrate a high-risk cardio-metabolic profile and are highly sedentary and physically inactive. Interventions to reduce sitting and increase MVPA during breaks and leisure time to improve cardio-metabolic health are urgently needed. Educational programmes to raise awareness about diet and exercise are recommended.

Project description:BACKGROUND:The associations between physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB) and bone health may be differentially affected by weight status during growth. This study aims to assess the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between PA, SB and bone stiffness index (SI) in European children and adolescents, taking the weight status into consideration. METHODS:Calcaneus SI was first measured by quantitative ultrasound among children aged 2-9?years old in 2007/08. It was measured again after 2?years in the IDEFICS study and after 6?years in the I. Family study. A sample of 2008 participants with time spent at sports clubs, watching TV and playing computer/games self-reported by questionnaire, and a subsample of 1037 participants with SB, light PA (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) objectively measured using Actigraph accelerometers were included in the analyses. Weight status was defined as thin/normal and overweight/obese according to the extended International Obesity Task Force criteria. Linear mixed-effects models were used to estimate the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between PA, SB and SI percentiles, stratified by weight status. RESULTS:The cross-sectional association between weekly duration of watching TV and SI percentiles was negative in thin/normal weight group (??=?-?0.35, p?=?0.008). However, baseline weekly duration of watching TV (??=?-?0.63, p?=?0.021) and change after 2?years (??=?-?0.63, p?=?0.022) as well as the change in weekly duration of playing computer/games after 6?years (??=?-?0.75, p?=?0.019) were inversely associated with corresponding changes in SI percentiles in overweight/obese group. Change in time spent at sports clubs was positively associated with change in SI percentiles after 2?years (??=?1.28, p?=?0.001), with comparable effect sizes across weight status. In the subsample with accelerometer data, we found a positive cross-sectional association between MVPA and SI percentiles in thin/normal weight group. Baseline MVPA predicted changes in SI percentiles after 2 and 6?years in all groups. CONCLUSIONS:Our results suggested the beneficial effect of PA on SI. However, the increasing durations of screen-based SB might be risk factors for SI development, especially in overweight/obese children and adolescents.

Project description:ObjectiveThis cross-sectional study examined environmental correlates of sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity (PA) in preschool children in the urban area of Tianjin, China.MethodsData were collected from the Physical Activity and Health in Tianjin Chinese Children study, involving healthy children 3-6 years old and their families. In all children (n = 980), leisure-time SB (LTSB) and leisure-time PA (LTPA) were reported in min/day by parents. In a subgroup (n = 134), overall sedentary time, light PA, and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) were objectively measured using ActiGraph accelerometry (≥3 days, ≥10 h/day). Environmental correlates were collected using a questionnaire that included home and neighborhood characteristics (e.g., traffic safety, presence of physical activity facilities) and children's behaviors. Potential correlates were identified using linear regression analysis.ResultsMultiple linear regression analysis showed that "having grandparents as primary caregivers" (βs and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) for overall sedentary time: 29.7 (2.1-57.2); LTSB (ln): 0.19 (0.11-0.28)) and "having a television (for LTSB (ln): 0.13 (0.00-0.25)) or computer (for LTSB (ln): 0.13 (0.03-0.23)) in the child's bedroom" were both associated with higher SB. Furthermore, "having grandparents as primary caregivers" was associated with less MVPA (β (95%CI): -7.6 (-14.1 to -1.2)), and "active commuting to school by walking" correlated with more MVPA (β (95%CI): 9.8 (2.2-17.4)). The path model showed that "more neighborhood PA facilities close to home" was indirectly related to higher LTPA (ln), which was partly mediated by "outdoor play" (path coefficients (95%CI): 0.005 (0.002-0.008)) and "going to these facilities more often" (path coefficients (95%CI): 0.013 (0.008-0.018)). Traffic safety was not a correlate.ConclusionFamily structure and media exposure in the home maybe important factors in shaping preschoolers' PA patterns. Built environmental correlates could indirectly influence preschoolers' LTPA through parental help with engaging in active behaviors.

Project description:BackgroundThere is a dearth of studies on the effects of the neighbourhood environment on adults' cognitive function. We examined how interrelated aspects of the built and natural neighbourhood environment, including air pollution, correlate with adults' cognitive function, and the roles of physical activity and sedentary behaviours in these associations.MethodsWe used data from 4,141 adult urban dwellers who participated in the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle 3 study on socio-demographic characteristics, neighbourhood self-selection, physical activity and sedentary behaviours, and cognitive function. Neighbourhood environmental characteristics included population density, intersection density, non-commercial land use mix, and percentages of commercial land, parkland and blue space, all within 1 km residential buffers. We also calculated annual mean concentrations of NO2 and PM2.5. Generalised additive mixed models informed by directed acyclic graphs were used to estimate the total, direct and indirect effects of environmental attributes on cognitive functions and the joint-significance test was used to examine indirect effects via behaviours.ResultsIn the total effects models, population density and percentage of parkland were positively associated with cognitive function. A positive association of PM2.5 with memory was also observed. All neighbourhood environmental attributes were directly and/or indirectly related to cognitive functions via other environmental attributes and/or physical activity but not sedentary behaviours. Engagement in transportation walking and gardening frequency partially mediated the positive effects of the neighbourhood environment on cognitive function, while frequency of transportation walking mediated the negative effects.ConclusionsIn the context of a low-density country like Australia, denser urban environments with access to parkland may benefit residents' cognitive health by providing opportunities for participation in a diversity of activities. A more fine-grained characterisation of the neighbourhood environment may be necessary to tease out the negative and positive impacts of inter-related characteristics of urban neighbourhood environments on cognitive function.

Project description:BACKGROUND: Parents and their parenting practices play an important role in shaping their children's environment and energy-balance related behaviours (EBRBs). Measurement of parenting practices can be parent- or child-informed, however not much is known about agreement between parent and child perspectives. This study aimed to assess agreement between parent and child reports on parental practices regarding EBRBs across different countries in Europe and to identify correlates of agreement. METHODS: Within the ENERGY-project, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 10-12 year old children and their parents in eight European countries. Both children and parents filled in a questionnaire on 14 parental practices regarding five different EBRBs (i.e. soft drink, fruit juice and breakfast consumption, sports activity and watching TV) and socio-demographic characteristics. Children's anthropometric measurements were taken at school. We calculated percentages of agreement between children and their parents and weighted kappa statistics (for ordinal variables) per practice and country and assessed factors associated with agreement using multilevel linear regression. RESULTS: Reports of 6425 children and their parents were available for analysis. Overall mean agreement between parent and child reports was 43% and varied little among countries. The lowest agreement was found for questions assessing joint parent-child activities, such as sports (27%; Kappa (?)?= 0.14) or watching TV (30%; ? = 0.17), and for parental allowance of the child to have soft drinks (32%; ? = 0.24) or fruit juices (32%; ? = 0.19), or to watch TV (27%; ? = 0.17). Having breakfast products available at home or having a TV in the child's bedroom were the only practices with moderate to good agreement (>60%; ? = 0.06 and 0.77, respectively). In general, agreement was lower for boys, younger children, younger parents, parents with less than 14 years of education, single parents, parents with a higher self-reported body mass index and parents who perceived their child to be underweight. CONCLUSIONS: Parents and children perceive parental practices regarding dietary, physical activity and sedentary behaviours differently in all parts of Europe, with considerable variation across specific practices and countries. Therefore, future studies should assess both, parents and children's view on parental practices.

Project description:The impact of bronchiectasis on sedentary behaviour and physical activity is unknown. It is important to explore this to identify the need for physical activity interventions and how to tailor interventions to this patient population. We aimed to explore the patterns and correlates of sedentary behaviour and physical activity in bronchiectasis.Physical activity was assessed in 63 patients with bronchiectasis using an ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer over seven days. Patients completed: questionnaires on health-related quality-of-life and attitudes to physical activity (questions based on an adaption of the transtheoretical model (TTM) of behaviour change); spirometry; and the modified shuttle test (MST). Multiple linear regression analysis using forward selection based on likelihood ratio statistics explored the correlates of sedentary behaviour and physical activity dimensions. Between-group analysis using independent sample t-tests were used to explore differences for selected variables.Fifty-five patients had complete datasets. Average daily time, mean(standard deviation) spent in sedentary behaviour was 634(77)mins, light-lifestyle physical activity was 207(63)mins and moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was 25(20)mins. Only 11% of patients met recommended guidelines. Forced expiratory volume in one-second percentage predicted (FEV1% predicted) and disease severity were not correlates of sedentary behaviour or physical activity. For sedentary behaviour, decisional balance 'pros' score was the only correlate. Performance on the MST was the strongest correlate of physical activity. In addition to the MST, there were other important correlate variables for MVPA accumulated in ?10-minute bouts (QOL-B Social Functioning) and for activity energy expenditure (Body Mass Index and QOL-B Respiratory Symptoms).Patients with bronchiectasis demonstrated a largely inactive lifestyle and few met the recommended physical activity guidelines. Exercise capacity was the strongest correlate of physical activity, and dimensions of the QOL-B were also important. FEV1% predicted and disease severity were not correlates of sedentary behaviour or physical activity. The inclusion of a range of physical activity dimensions could facilitate in-depth exploration of patterns of physical activity. This study demonstrates the need for interventions targeted at reducing sedentary behaviour and increasing physical activity, and provides information to tailor interventions to the bronchiectasis population.NCT01569009 ("Physical Activity in Bronchiectasis").

Project description:Lower levels of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) have been associated with increased cardiometabolic risk among children. However, little is known about the independent and combined associations of PA and SB as well as different types of these behaviours with cardiometabolic risk in children. We therefore investigated these relationships among children.The subjects were a population sample of 468 children 6-8 years of age. PA and SB were assessed by a questionnaire administered by parents and validated by a monitor combining heart rate and accelerometry measurements. We assessed body fat percentage, waist circumference, blood glucose, serum insulin, plasma lipids and lipoproteins and blood pressure and calculated a cardiometabolic risk score using population-specific Z-scores and a formula waist circumference?+?insulin?+?glucose?+?triglycerides - HDL cholesterol?+?mean of systolic and diastolic blood pressure. We analysed data using multivariate linear regression models.Total PA was inversely associated with the cardiometabolic risk score (??=?-0.135, p?=?0.004), body fat percentage (??=?-0.155, p?<?0.001), insulin (??=?-0.099, p?=?0.034), triglycerides (??=?-0.166, p?<?0.001), VLDL triglycerides (??=?-0.230, p?<?0.001), VLDL cholesterol (??=?-0.168, p?=?0.001), LDL cholesterol (??=?-0.094, p?=?0.046) and HDL triglycerides (??=?-0.149, p?=?0.004) and directly related to HDL cholesterol (??=?0.144, p?=?0.002) adjusted for age and gender. Unstructured PA was inversely associated with the cardiometabolic risk score (??=?-0.123, p?=?0.010), body fat percentage (??=?-0.099, p?=?0.027), insulin (??=?-0.108, p?=?0.021), triglycerides (??=?-0.144, p?=?0.002), VLDL triglycerides (??=?-0.233, p?<?0.001) and VLDL cholesterol (??=?-0.199, p?<?0.001) and directly related to HDL cholesterol (??=?0.126, p?=?0.008). Watching TV and videos was directly related to the cardiometabolic risk score (??=?0.135, p?=?0.003), body fat percentage (??=?0.090, p?=?0.039), waist circumference (??=?0.097, p?=?0.033) and systolic blood pressure (??=?0.096, p?=?0.039). Resting was directly associated with the cardiometabolic risk score (??=?0.092, p?=?0.049), triglycerides (??=?0.131, p?=?0.005), VLDL triglycerides (??=?0.134, p?=?0.009), VLDL cholesterol (??=?0.147, p?=?0.004) and LDL cholesterol (??=?0.105, p?=?0.023). Other types of PA and SB had less consistent associations with cardiometabolic risk factors.The results of our study emphasise increasing total and unstructured PA and decreasing watching TV and videos and other sedentary behaviours to reduce cardiometabolic risk among children.ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01803776.

Project description:BackgroundPhysical activity in children is associated with better physical and mental health but many children do not meet physical activity guidelines. Friendship groups are potentially an important influence on children's physical activity and sedentary time. This paper examines the association between children of physical activity and sedentary time in school-based same-sex friendship networks, for both moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time. Moreover, considering the methodological challenges of conducting and interpreting these analyses, we provide examples of how to analyse these data and interpret results to encourage further work in the area.MethodsAccelerometer data for 1223 children, aged 8-9 years, were collected in 2015-2016 and analysed in 2017. Mean accelerometer minutes of MVPA and sedentary time were calculated. Children named up to four school friends and same-sex school-based friendship networks were constructed. Network models, which include correlation between friends, were fitted by sex.ResultsBoth MVPA and sedentary time were found to be associated via the friendship networks, for both boys and girls. The network autocorrelation was 0.21 (95% CI: 0.15 to 0.26) for boys' MVPA, and 0.14 (95% CI: 0.07 to 0.21) for sedentary time. Network autocorrelation between girls was weaker, with 0.13 (95% CI: 0.06 to 0.19) for MVPA and 0.11 (95% CI: 0.05 to 0.17) for sedentary time.ConclusionsPhysical activity and sedentary time of boys and girls are associated with the physical activity and sedentary time respectively of others within same-sex friendship networks, and these associations are comparable to other known factors. In this study, the correlation between friends was stronger for boys than girls, and stronger for MVPA than for sedentary time. These findings suggest that friendship networks play a part in understanding children's physical activity and sedentary time and could play a valuable role in developing effective interventions.

Project description:ObjectivesTo compare levels of physical activity and sedentary time in a representative sample of US adolescents and adults with and without visual impairment.DesignCross-sectional analyses were carried out using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.ParticipantsThe study population consisted of 6001 participants (adolescents n=1766, adults n=4235). The present analysis aggregated data from 2003 to 2004 and 2005-2006.MeasuresObjective physical activity and sedentary behaviour assessment was conducted over 7 days. Distance visual acuity was measured for each eye in all participants 12 years and older. Participants' vision was categorised as: normal vision, uncorrected refractive error, non-refractive visual impairment. We estimated the sex-specific linear associations between presenting vision and objectively measured physical activity and sedentary patterns using adjusted generalised linear models in adolescents and adults.Results and conclusionsAdolescents with uncorrected refractive error and non-refractive visual impairment did not accumulate higher levels of sedentary time or lower levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) compared with those with normal vision. We observed no association between vision status and accelerometer measured MVPA in adults aged 20-49 years. We observed more time spent sedentary among females 20-49 years old with non-refractive visual impairment compared with those presenting normal vision (mean difference 329.8 min/week, 95%?CI: 12.5 to 647.0). Adults 50 years and older with non-refractive visual impairment appeared to accumulate less lifestyle physical activity, particularly in women (mean difference -82.8 min/week, 95%?CI: -147.8 to -17.8). Adult women with non-refractive visual impairment have lower levels of lifestyle physical activity and higher levels of sedentary time than those with normal vision. Taken together, these findings highlight the need for interventions to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary time in adult populations with visual impairment, specifically adult women.

Dataset Information

Physical activity and sedentary behaviours in Greek-Cypriot children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Physical activity and sedentary behaviours in Greek-Cypriot children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

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