Stair climbing and incident atrial fibrillation: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND@#A protective role for physical activity against the development of atrial fibrillation (AF) has been suggested. Stair climbing is a readily available form of physical activity that many people practice. Herein, we investigated the association between stair climbing and the risk of AF in a Japanese population.@*METHODS@#In this prospective cohort study, we used data of 6,575 people registered in the Suita Study, aged 30-84 years, and had no history of AF. The frequency of stair climbing was assessed by a baseline questionnaire, while AF was diagnosed during the follow-up using a 12-lead ECG, health records, check-ups, and death certificates. We used the Cox regression to calculate the hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals of AF incidence for climbing stairs in 20-39%, 40-59%, and ≥60% compared with <20% of the time.@*RESULTS@#Within 91,389 person-years of follow-up, 295 participants developed AF. The incidence of AF was distributed across the stair climbing groups <20%, 20-39%, 40-59%, and ≥60% as follows: 3.57, 3.27, 3.46, and 2.63/1,000 person-years, respectively. Stair climbing ≥60% of the time was associated with a reduced risk of AF after adjustment for age and sex 0.69 (0.49, 0.96). Further adjustment for lifestyle and medical history did not affect the results 0.69 (0.49, 0.98).@*CONCLUSION@#Frequent stair climbing could protect from AF. From a preventive point of view, stair climbing could be a simple way to reduce AF risk at the population level.

Acciones motivacionales para promover actividad física en la comunidad que asiste a un Hospital Universitario / Taking action for promoting physical activity in the community attending a university hospital

Introducción: el sedentarismo ha llegado para quedarse. Cualquier tipo de acción para combatirlo será de gran utilidad; solo bastará con conocer su eficacia y con que la gente se adhiera. Métodos: se ha realizado un estudio cuasi experimental antes-después no controlado, con 3 intervenciones aditivas sobre la población que concurre al Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires (Hospital Universitario). Se comparó la proporción de personas que usaban la escalera mecánica con aquellas que subían por la escalera convencional, antes y después de las siguientes intervenciones: con autoadhesivos que anunciaban las calorías perdidas al subir cada escalón, luego se agregaron carteles acerca del beneficio de hacer actividad física y, por último, se entregaron folletos sobre los beneficios de hacer actividad física. Resultados: se realizaron 39 967 observaciones. Cada intervención significó un aumento de personas que subían por la escalera convencional (P < 0,001). Con la intervención de los autoadhesivos se produjo un incremento del 2,39% frente al basal (11,07% - 8,68%, p=0,001) de personas que subieron por la escalera convencional. La intervención autoadhesivos + cartel aumentó 2,33% (13,4% -11,07%, p=0,001) y la intervención autoadhesivos + cartel + folletos produjo un aumento del 1,09% (14,49%-13,4%, p=0,03). Interpretación: en este estudio se midió cuál era el beneficio de las intervenciones para promover que más gente utilizara la escalera convencional; cada una de ellas proveyó una mayor cantidad de personas que, adoptando una actitud más activa, subieron por la escalera convencional. Medidas sencillas y económicas muestran un gran cambio en promover la actividad física. (AU)

Background: The sedentary lifestyle has become predominant in our society. Any measures taken to fight it are useful, it's just necessary to know their effectiveness and get people to stick with them. Methods: we performed a quasi-experimental pre-post study testing three persistent interventions on the population that attends a university hospital. Its main entrance allows the access to different areas through stairs, escalators or an elevator. We took baseline data on the number of people who took the escalator or the stairs. Then we performed progressive interventions designed to promote the use of the stairs. First, we used stickers placed on in each step that announced the amount of calories burned per step climbed. Then, we placed banners which informed the benefits of physical activity. Lastly, brochures were handed out with a list of benefits of doing physical activity. We quantified the number of people taking the stairs or the escalator with each intervention. Results: in eight weeks 39·967 observations were performed. Each intervention found an increase in the number of people that decided to take the stairs. At baseline, 880 people used the escalator and 9264 people took the stairs. With the first intervention, i.e. the use of stickers on the steps, there was an increase of 2·39% in the number of people that took the stairs compared to baseline data (from 8·68% to 11·07%, p=0.001). With the second intervention, i.e. stickers plus physical activity promotion banners, there was an additional increase of 2·33% (from 11·07% to 13·40%, p=0.001) in the proportion of people taking the stairs. Finally, the intervention of stickers in addition to the banners and brochures about benefits of physical activity, was associated with an increase of 1·09% (from 13·40% to 14·49%, p=0.03). Discussion: in this study we aimed to measure the benefits of multiple interventions to promote physical activity in a university hospital setting. Each intervention was associated with a larger number of people that decided to take the stairs instead of taking the escalator or the elevator. The interventions were simple, cheap and very effective to promote change independently from gender, age or health conditions. (AU)

Assessing the physical activity environment in Mexican healthcare settings / Evaluación del entorno de actividad física en el sector salud

Objective. To assess the informational, educational and instrumental environments among Mexican healthcare settings for their potential to promote physical activity (PA). Materials and methods. The Environmental Physical Activity Assessment Tool for Healthcare Settings (EPATHS) was developed to assess the PA environments of 40 clinics/hospitals representing the three Mexican healthcare systems in Guadalajara. The EPATHS assessed the presence and quality of PA enhancing features in the informational (e.g. signage), educational (e.g. pamphlets), and instrumental (e.g. stairs) environments of included clinics/hospitals. Results. 28 (70%) clinics/hospitals had more than one floor with stairs; 60% of these had elevators. Nearly 90% of stairs were visible, accessible and clean compared to fewer than 30% of elevators. Outdoor spaces were observed in just over half (55%) of clinics/hospitals, and most (70%) were of good quality. Only 25% clinics/hospitals had educational PA materials. Conclusions. The PA instrumental environment of Mexican healthcare settings is encouraging. The informational and educational environments could improve.

Objetivo. Evaluar el entorno informacional, educacional e instrumental de clínicas/hospitales en México y determinar su potencial para promover la actividad física (AF). Material y métodos. Se desarrolló una herramienta (Environmental physical activity assessment tool for healthcare settings [EPATHS]) para evaluar los entornos de AF en 40 clínicas/hospitales de Guadalajara afiliados a los tres sistemas de salud de México. Con el EPATHS se evaluó la presencia y calidad del entorno informacional (pe.: letreros), educacional (ep.: panfletos) e instrumental (pe.: escaleras). Resultados. Del total de clínicas/hospitales incluidos, 28 (70%) tuvieron más de un piso y escaleras; de éstos, 60% tuvo elevadores. Cerca de 90% de las escaleras eran visibles, accesibles y limpias, lo que contrasta con menos de 30% para los elevadores. En 55% de las clínicas/hospitales se observaron áreas verdes, la mayoría de éstas (80%) de buena calidad. En sólo 25% de las clínicas/hospitales se observaron materiales educativos sobre AF. Conclusiones. El entorno instrumental en clínicas/hospitales mexicanos es alentador. Los entornos informativos y educativos podrían mejorar.