Background: Physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), and sleep are interrelated 24-hour movement behaviors that are important for the growth and well-being of children. This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between 24-hour movement behaviors and adiposity, and predicted changes in adiposity following compositional time reallocations in 7- to 12.9-year-old Malaysian children from the South East Asian Nutrition Surveys II Malaysia. Methods: A total of 381 children (mean age 9.7 [1.6] y, 57% girls) provided 24-hour wrist-worn GENEActiv accelerometry data which captured time spent for sleep, SB, light PA and moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA). Indicators of adiposity were derived from anthropometry and bioelectrical impedance analysis: body-mass-index-for-age, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, percent body fat, and body mass index. The composition of 4-part movement behaviors was expressed as isometric log-ratio coordinates which were entered into regression models. Isotemporal substitution analysis was used to assess changes in adiposity indicators when reallocating time between movement behaviors. Results: Relative to other movement behaviors, time spent on MVPA was significantly associated with waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, percent body fat, and fat mass index. A 15-minute one-to-one reallocation from other movement behaviors to MVPA predicted lower body-mass-index-for-age (−0.03 to −0.11), smaller waist circumference (−0.67 to −1.28 cm), lower waist-to-height ratio (−0.004 to −0.008), percent body fat (−0.87% to −1.47%), and fat mass index (−0.23 to −0.42). Replacing SB and light PA with sleep or MVPA was associated with lower adiposity. Conclusions: The overall composition of movement behavior was significantly associated with the adiposity of Malaysian schoolchildren. Promoting MVPA and sleep and reducing SB and light PA are important for prevention of childhood obesity.
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Association Between 24-Hour Movement Behaviors and Adiposity in Malaysian Schoolchildren: A Compositional Isotemporal Substitution Analysis
Jyh Eiin Wong, Javier Palarea-Albaladejo, Shoo Thien Lee, Denise Koh, Ilse Khouw, Bee Koon Poh, and on behalf of the SEANUTS II Malaysia Study Group
Consideration of Young People’s Active Travel in National Urban Policy Documents in Asia: A Documentary Analysis
Rizka Maulida, Andrea D. Smith, Amy Weimann, Tolu Oni, and Esther M.F. van Sluijs
Background: Active travel to school faces challenges in urbanized and car-centric Asian regions. The UN-Habitat supports global governments in formulating National Urban Policies (NUPs) for sustainable urban development. This study examined how young people’s active travel is discussed in NUP documents in selected Asian countries. Methods: Framing analysis using thematic coding was applied to NUP documents from Asian countries. NUP documents were identified via the UN-Habitat’s Urban Policy Platform website. A theory-based framework, using both inductive and deductive coding, was employed to identify discussions on key themes related to young people’s active travel (active travel, transport, physical activity, young people, and school). A semiquantitative heat map visualized theme patterns coverage (presence; degree of policy-relevant detail discussed). Results: NUP documents from 15 (of 47) Asian countries were retrieved. Transport promotion was acknowledged in 11/15 countries. Discussions on young people’s active travel were limited (7/15 featured detailed discussion). Main themes (active travel, physical activity, young people, and school) were treated as secondary considerations, with active travel framed as a utilitarian solution rather than a well-being promoter. Additional contextual considerations (sustainability, natural disaster risk, pollution, and urban congestion) were identified through inductive analysis. Conclusions: NUPs inadequately incorporate active travel, especially in relation to young people. NUPs focus on transport and sustainability while neglecting physical activity, schools, and youth. A more intersectoral approach, tailored to each country’s priorities, is necessary for enhanced policy development. Leveraging active travel as a double-duty intervention allows policymakers to tackle health and sustainability challenges along with concerns about traffic congestion and pollution.
Direct Observations of Intergenerational Visits and Activities at Six Local Recreational Parks in Victoria, Australia
Pazit Levinger, Bronwyn Dreher, Marcia Fearn, Adrian Bauman, Natasha K. Brusco, Andrew Gilbert, Sze-Ee Soh, Elissa Burton, Mairead Hallissey, and Keith D. Hill
Local parks offer outdoor spaces for active play; they provide a common attractive space in which grandparents and grandchildren can interact and engage in physical activity. This study investigated how multigenerational active spaces within local parks were being used by older people, their grandchildren, and other age groups. Method: This study was an observational design using direct observations of park visitors over three consecutive months and an intercept survey of a subsample of older visitors in six community parks in Victoria, Australia. The number of visitors, activity interaction, type of accompaniment (e.g., intergenerational, family, group), and physical activity level were recorded and reported descriptively. Results: A total of 5,373 visitors were observed with 43.3% (n = 2,327) children and 10% (n = 537) older people. Most visitors attended with company (55.9%–97.7%), with older people’s most common accompaniments being intergenerational groups (n = 164, 30.5%). Within the observed intergenerational instances, 35% were older people and 45.1% children. Most people from all age groups were observed to be physically active (≥78%). Survey respondents (n = 48) reported attending the park alone (47.9%) or with company (e.g., 22.9% grandchildren, 12.5% a partner/friend). Approximately a third of respondents reported exercising with their grandchildren in the designated space. Discussion: A large proportion of older visitors were observed with intergenerational accompaniment in local parks, with most grandparents and their grandchildren observed to be physically active. The active spaces, which include multigenerational outdoor equipment, may be an attractive setting for both children and older adults to foster intergenerational interaction and engagement in physical activity.
No “Failures of Kindness”
David K. Wiggins
Results From the First Para Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents With Disabilities in Chile
Nicolas Aguilar-Farias, Sebastian Miranda-Marquez, Marcelo Toledo-Vargas, Kabir P. Sadarangani, Jessica Ibarra-Mora, Pia Martino-Fuentealba, Fernando Rodriguez-Rodriguez, Carlos Cristi-Montero, Matías Henríquez, and Andrea Cortinez-O’Ryan
Background: Global initiatives have been put in place to attain a thorough understanding of worldwide variations in physical activity (PA) among children and adolescents. Yet, there is limited knowledge about PA-related indicators, specifically for children and adolescents with disabilities (CAWD). To bridge this data gap, the Global Matrix of Para Report Cards (PRCs) of CAWD initiative was established to address the scarcity of information on PA for this population globally. The purpose of this manuscript is to summarize the results of Chile’s First PRC on PA for CAWD. Methods: Chile’s PRC included 10 core PA indicators common to the Global Matrix of PRCs. Evidence from scientific articles, reports, and databases available or released from 2018 to January 2022 was included for each indicator. A scientific committee collected and analyzed the data, assigning letter grades (A–F) based on benchmarks. Results: The grades assigned were as follows: Overall PA, D−; Organized Sports and Physical Activity Participation, C−; Active Play, INCOMPLETE; Active Transportation, D−; Sedentary Behavior, F; Physical Fitness, INCOMPLETE; Family and Peers, D+; School, C+; Community and Environment, D+; Government, B−. Conclusions: Chile scored low in most indicators. Although some efforts have been made in the last decade in terms of policies, these have not been reflected in PA and related behaviors in CAWD. The results underscore that maintaining the current situation is inadequate for addressing the widespread problem of physical inactivity among CAWD in Chile, emphasizing the urgency for substantial changes and a comprehensive approach to effectively combat this crisis.
Erratum. Interview With Rui (Blanca) Qi, Content Creator, Internet Celebrity, and Chinese Football Journalist in Europe
International Journal of Sport Communication
A Scoping Review of Physical Activity Interventions Among Sexual Minority Adults: A Call to Action for Future Research
Keegan T. Peterson, Oliver W.A. Wilson, Shannon S.C. Herrick, Ginny M. Frederick, Michael V. Fedewa, Katherine Sullivan, and Melissa Bopp
Physical activity (PA) has a variety of well-established benefits for physical and mental health. However, there are PA disparities based on numerous sociodemographic characteristics, including sexual orientation. Mapping of PA interventions tailored to sexual minorities (ie, nonheterosexual) is currently absent from the literature. Purpose: The purpose of this scoping review was to summarize the existing interventions focused on promoting PA among sexual minority (SM) adults. Methods: A search strategy was developed in consultation with a research librarian for PubMed, Web of Science, SportDiscus, and CINAHL. The scoping review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Randomized and nonrandomized interventions that focused on increasing PA among SM adults were included. Data on study design, sample demographics, purpose of research, methodology, intervention components, theory-based constructs used, PA measures, and outcomes of the intervention were extracted. Results: Our search yielded 7289 articles, with 26 articles requiring full-text review. Four interventions were identified that focused on increasing PA among SM adults, with 2 focusing on lesbian/bisexual women, 1 focusing on lesbian/gay cancer survivors, and 1 focusing on men who have sex with men. Two of the 4 studies were successful at increasing PA, with varying psychosocial theories (ie, social cognitive theory and theory of reasoned action) and intervention strategies (ie, PA counseling, group meetings, and pedometers). Conclusion: Findings of this review demonstrate a clear lack of PA interventions targeting SM adults, limiting the available knowledge required for preventionists, practitioners, and health care professionals to effectively promote PA through behavioral modification among this group.
Understanding the Increases in Physical Activity Publications From 1985 to 2022: A Global Perspective
Adrian Bauman, Karen C. Lee, and Michael Pratt
Background: A marked increase in physical activity (PA) publications has occurred since 1985. Increased publications reflect a globalization of publications and increase the difficulty of reviewing evidence and identifying effective PA strategies. Methods: Review of Scopus database publications with the title or keyword “physical activity” between 1985 and 2022, examining 193,335 PA publications. The choice of search strategy was standardized across the period and maximized relevant PA papers (high sensitivity). Results: The results showed 3 clear periods for increases in PA publications; an initial increase in period 1 between 1985 and 2000, a 9-fold increase in period 2 between 2001 and 2016 (from 645/y to 5876/y), and a further increase to 15,812 publications per year in period 3 between 2017 and 2022. The primary driver of this increase was the transition from publications in traditional subscription-model journals to open-access business model journals, which comprised 80% of PA publications by period 3. Although this trend was global, some countries showed greater increases through open-access publication. Discussion: These data identify a relatively unrecognized and urgent threat to the field: An exponential increase in PA publications may influence the quality of published work and increases the difficulty of finding and applying important research findings. The shift in publication patterns is contributed to by higher acceptance rates and rapid time to publication offered in open-access journals. This represents a “commercial determinant” of publications in the PA field, influencing the type and volume of publications without consideration of their contribution to evidence or impact.
(Two) Wheels on the Bus: Road User Perceptions of a Bike Bus and How This Links to Addressing Global Health Challenges
Deirdre M. Harrington, Farid Bardid, Katherine Cory, James Dixon, Sarah Dodd, Neil Ferguson, Jennifer J. Roberts, and James Bonner
Background: Excessive car use hampers progress toward tackling global health challenges, including climate and sustainability issues, and is linked to lower physical activity. Local communities have been developing solutions through bike buses. This paper, one of the first on bike buses, explores how a bike bus is perceived by other road and place users. Methods: An interdisciplinary survey instrument with dialogic-style questions was distributed on flyers to road and place users on 1 bike bus route including when the bike bus was passing. Responses were thematically analyzed using analytic framing to identify themes and subthemes. This paper focuses on 2 domains related to physical activity’s link to the global health challenges of climate change and sustainability issues of excess car traffic: climate actions and community-level activism. Results: Overall, 172 responses were received from 542 distributed flyers (31.8%). The climate actions domain identified a bike bus as a solution that creates a transport mode shift, reduces emissions, and improves air quality. Themes associated with community-level activism domain include perception that a bike bus is a form of activism or a protest and that it is a disruption to the status quo on the roads. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that this active mobility practice goes beyond the utility of getting children to school and being a way to promote physical activity. A bike bus is seen as local community action that could create a transport mode shift, draw attention to road space allocation, and help tackle global health challenges.
Family Car Ownership: Driving Inactivity in Young People? Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analyses in the International Children’s Accelerometry Database
Esther M.F. Van Sluijs, Ulf Ekelund, Pedro C. Hallal, Bjorge H. Hansen, Jenna Panter, Jo Salmon, Stephen J. Sharp, Lauren B. Sherar, Andrew J. Atkin, and on behalf of the International Children’s Accelerometry Database (ICAD) Collaborators
Background: Ubiquitous car ownership may affect children’s activity and health. We assessed the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between household car ownership and children’s daily time spent sedentary (SED) and in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Methods: Pooled cohort data were from the International Children’s Accelerometry Database. Outcome measures were average daily accelerometer-measured SED and MVPA (in minutes per day). Exposures were household car ownership (none, 1, and ≥2) and change in car ownership. Associations were examined using multivariable mixed-effects linear regression. Results: Mean age of participants (N = 4193) was 10.4 years (SD = 2.0), 53.4% were girls, and mean follow-up duration (N = 1333) was 3.3 years (SD = 1.1). Cross-sectionally, household car ownership was associated with higher SED (vs none: 1 car: β = 14.1 min/d, 95% CI, 6.7–21.5; ≥2 cars: 12.8, 95% CI, 5.3–20.4) and lower MVPA (vs none: 1 car: β = –8.8, 95% CI, −11.9 to −5.7; ≥2 cars: β = –8.8, 95% CI, −12.0 to −5.7). Associations were stronger in boys than girls and in children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds (SED only). Prospectively, there were no associations with increased car ownership. Reductions in household car ownership (of which 93.1% had ≥ 2 cars at baseline) were associated with a greater reduction in MVPA (vs no change: β = −8.4, 95% CI, −13.9 to −3.0) but not SED. Conclusions: Children in households with car access were more SED and less active than those without. Losing access to a second car was associated with greater decreases in MVPA, potentially related to losing access to activity-enabling environments. Reducing car access and use are important public health targets (eg, reducing air pollution), but their potential impact on children’s activity opportunities should be mitigated.