Transforming leisure time physical activity into a habit through social institutions.

Physical activity is a positive health behavior that has been shown to reduce the risk of physical and mental illnesses; There's strong evidence suggesting that Physical activity, as one of the components of a healthy lifestyle, if transformed into a consistent behavior or habit early in life, becomes easier to sustain throughout the lifecycle and leads to valuable outcomes for the society's health in various physical, mental, and social dimensions. Each social institution, considering its unique role and characteristics, can contribute to shaping individuals' behaviors in societies. Consequently, identifying the role of social institutions in the development of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) as a regular activity and a behavioral habit can result in the selection and implementation of highly effective intervention strategies. Therefore, this research aimed to present a model of the role of social institutions in institutionalizing leisure-time physical activity among Iranian adolescent girls. To collect data, the questionnaires were employed, and for presenting the model, structural equation modeling was utilized. Data analysis showed that the role of three social institutions in the institutionalization of physical activities including habituation, objectification and sedimentation was confirmed, although sedimentation was confirmed in all three institutions at the 0.05 level, which indicates that factors in this area can be investigated. Examining the role of social institutions in institutionalizing behaviors may vary across different ages and genders, which is open to investigation in future studies.

Can the Frailty of Older Adults in China Change? Evidence from a Random-Intercept Latent Transition Profile Analysis.

BACKGROUND: A major aspect of caring for older adults in the medical field is addressing their health risks. The term "frailty" is generally used to describe the changes in health risks of older adults. Although there is considerable heterogeneity in the Chinese older adult population who are classified as frail, there remain few relevant studies. Furthermore, there is a lack of research on the frailty status transitions of older Chinese adults at different time points. This research intends to determine the frailty status and category of older adults according to their physical, psychological, social, and cognitive function domains, and on this basis, to investigate changes in their frailty states. METHODS: This article studied 2791 respondents who were over 60 years old (n = 2791; 53.2% were women) from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) follow-up survey on factors affecting the health of older adults in China. In this article, the frailty variables include self-reported health, social function, mental health, cognitive function, functional limitations, and morbidity status. Random-intercept latent transition profile analysis (RI-LTPA) was used to divide older adults into different subgroups, and then an in-depth analysis of the state transitions was conducted. RESULTS: The latent profile analysis revealed that the evaluation results of the frailty state of older adults showed obvious group heterogeneity. Each fitting index supported four latent states, which were named according to the degree of the symptoms (i.e., multi-frailty, severe socially frailty, mild socially frailty, and relatively healthy frailty). Based on the categorical probability and the probability of transition, it can be concluded that most of the samples belonged to the healthy population, and the health status had generally improved across the four time points. The relatively healthy frailty group and the severe socially frailty group have relatively strong stabilities. The multi-frailty group and the mild socially frailty group had the highest probability of joining to the relatively healthy frailty group. Strengthening social interactions among older adults and promoting their participation in social activities can significantly improve their frail state. CONCLUSIONS: This study supplements related research on frailty. Firstly, it deepens the meaning of frailty, which is defined based on four aspects: physical, psychological, cognitive, and social functioning. Secondly, it divides frailty into different sub-categories. Frailty is discussed from the perspective of longitudinal research, which can provide practical adjustment suggestions for older adult nursing intervention systems and measures in China.

Socio-demographics, neighborhood characteristics, time use, and leisure-time physical activity engagement patterns over the life course.

Physical inactivity remains a major public health challenge today. Understanding the determinants of changes in habitual leisure-time physical activity patterns by type across the life course is important for developing targeted interventions. This study presents a multiple discrete-continuous extreme value model to examine the determinants of habitual participation in and time allocation to multiple leisure-time physical activities over the life course. A comprehensive set of socio-demographics, life transitions, neighborhood characteristics, and time-related factors are considered as determinants of each activity type, including sports, recreational walking, cycling, outdoor playing, and dog walking. Results estimated on retrospective survey data collected in the Netherlands show significant differences in the determinants of the different types of leisure-time physical activity. Social-demographic factors have a strong influence on sports participation, followed by recreational walking, cycling, outdoor playing, and then dog walking. Life transitions have different effects. A change in marital status appears to be the most important life event for sports participation while changing jobs is the most important event for the other two activities. Neighborhood characteristics primarily affect participation in recreational walking, cycling, outdoor playing, and dog walking. As for time-related factors, they mainly impact sports engagement. The findings of this study could help develop effective interventions to promote leisure-time physical activity participation during life transitions and encourage healthy living.

The Association of Menstruation and Leisure-Time Physical Activity among Korean Female University Students: A Preliminary Study.

An active lifestyle elicits many health benefits. This study's aim is to understand the actual of leisure time physical activity (LTPA) of female university students in Korea who are experiencing stress due to, e.g., study and employment. LTPA is the degree of exercise participation in leisure time; it is cardiovascular and strength-based behavior occurring within recreation, exercise or sport and provides a positive effect on life satisfaction and psychological well-being. LTPA has been recommended as a method of reducing menstrual symptom severity. However, a lack of evidence exists to support a clear relationship between LTPA and menstruation in female university students. Health consciousness (HC) refers to the degree of interest in one's health, and Korean female university students pay considerable attention to their body shape, diet habits, and LTPA. This study investigated female university students (K University in Gangwon-do, D University in Busan, and U University in Ulsan) in three metropolitan cities in Korea. Specifically, after seeking cooperation from the person in charge of each university, the purpose of this study was explained. In addition, after promising to provide coffee coupons to students who wish to respond to the survey, cooperation was sought in recruiting research subjects through the person in charge of each university. In addition, a total of 36 surveys that did not have contents filled in fully or gave inconsistent answers were excluded among all survey participants. Chi-square test, t-test and univariate one-way ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis were performed for between groups (HC, LTPA, intention to participate in LTPA). The LTPA results in relation to the menstruation patterns of Korean female college students are shown. First, there were no significant differences between menstruation (regular vs. irregular) and general LTPA during non-menstrual time periods (χ2 = 5.828, p < 0.212). However, female university students with regular menstruation patterns had higher LTPA after menstruation compared to female university students with irregular menstruation. Second, there were significant differences in the relationships among HC (p = 0.000), amount of LTPA (p = 0.002), and intention to perform LTPA (p = 0.002), according to the menstruation patterns (regular vs. irregular) of Korean female university students. In other words, those with regular menstruation patterns showed higher HC, amount of LTPA and intention to participate in LTPA than those with irregular menstruations. Third, there were significant differences in the relationship among HC (p = 0.000), amount of LTPA (p = 0.000), and intention to participate in LTPA (p = 0.000) according to LTPA of Korean female university students. Causation cannot be inferred from correlational studies. Therefore, female university students ultimately have different HC and participation in LTPA depending on menstruation regularity.

Design and Validation of a Questionnaire to Assess the Leisure Time Physical Activity of Adult Women in Gipuzkoa.

Inactivity is higher among women than among men, and there are few specific questionnaires used to assess physical activity (PA) in women that are truly meaningful to them. This article tackles the design and validation process of an ad hoc multidimensional questionnaire to assess leisure time physical activity (LTPA) among adult women of Gipuzkoa. The questionnaire was completed by 3595 adult women (43.5 ± 12.1 years), 32% of which were inactive and 68% of which were active. Content validation, ecological validation, and internal consistency analysis results were satisfactory. The Gipuzkoa Women's Physical Activity Questionnaire (GWPAQ) consists of four dimensions and 21 items. Barriers to PA were found related to intrapersonal, environmental, and socio-cultural aspects. The importance of family and spousal support in increasing PA levels was also observed. It is concluded that the GWPAQ is valid for obtaining evidence that can be used by public institutions to optimise women-specific PA promotion policies.

Revisiting the 'physical activity paradox' in a Chinese context: Occupational physical activity and mortality in 142,302 urban working adults from the China Kadoorie Biobank study.

Background: Previous research suggests that while leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) is beneficial, occupational physical activity (OPA) may be detrimental to health, known as the 'physical activity paradox'. However, the current evidence is primarily based on data from Western countries. We examined the association of OPA with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality in working adults in urban China. Methods: This prospective longitudinal study was based on a sample of 142,302 urban working adults aged 30-79 years from the China Kadoorie Biobank study. Self-reported OPA (mainly sedentary, standing occupation, and manual work) was collected at baseline (year 2004-2008) and linked to death registries until 31st December 2016. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the relationship between OPA and mortality outcomes, with further tests for effect modification by sex, educational attainment and LTPA. Findings: During a median follow-up of 10·2 years, 4,077 deaths occurred, of which cardiovascular disease was the primary cause for 727 deaths. Crude modelling showed that compared with the sedentary workers, manual work was associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality. However, after adjusting for socio-demographic and lifestyle variables, the association was attenuated to null (HR=1·00, 95%CI: 0·93-1·08). In subgroup analysis, higher OPA was associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality in the least educated group (HR=0·84, 95%CI: 0·75-0·95 for manual work, and HR=0·86, 95%CI: 0·75-0·99 for standing occupation), but harmful in the most educated group (HR=1·17, 95%CI: 1·01-1·36) and in those who reported regular LTPA (HR=1·20, 95%CI: 1·01-1·43). Interpretation: OPA was not associated with mortality risk in the overall sample. However, findings support the 'physical activity paradox' within better educated Chinese workers. Funding: None.

Leisure-Time Physical Activity and All-Cause Mortality: A Systematic Review

Many scientific studies have been shown the positive effect of physical activity (PA) on reducing morbidity and mortality, whereas physical inactivity is globally one of the leading factors in mortality. Therefore, the purpose was to investigate the relationship between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and all-cause mortality among adult population. The data search was performed of 3 electronic databases for the years 2000-2021 February as follows: Google Scholar, PubMed, and ResearchGate. This search was made by using the following terms and operators AND/OR, individually/combination: "physical activity", "physical fitness", "leisure-time physical activity", "all-cause mortality", "risk of death", "mortality". 1220 studies were initially identified, 22 studies were met the inclusion criteria (5 male studies, 2 female studies, 15 both sexes). The results of this systematic review, with total 2568097 participants (aged 20-98 years), showed that any level of PA had health benefits compared to inactivity and sedentary lifestyle. The highest levels of PA had the lowest risk of all-cause mortality. In conclusion, there is an inverse relationship between LTPA and the risk of all-cause mortality, and the harmful effects of physical inactivity may be largely eliminated among those who are most active. So, promoting regular LTPA is strongly associated with well-being, quality of life and reduced the risk of all-cause mortality both in general adult population and elderly population with chronic diseases.(AU)

Physical activity participation among Arab immigrants and refugees in Western societies: A scoping review.

Insufficient physical activity (PA) is the fourth prime risk factor for numerous non-communicable diseases. Arab immigrants and refugees (AIR) are at elevated risk for low or no participation in PA due to socio-cultural and ecological factors. This scoping review examined PA prevalence, knowledge, attitudes as well as barriers vs. facilitators to PA engagement across life domains among AIR in Western countries. A systematic search strategy was implemented across five automated databases (PubMed, Embase, Medline, Sociology Database and Transportation Research Board) to locate pertinent English language papers. Seventy-five articles were included in this study, and stakeholder consultation was conducted to validate the findings. The US and Europe are substantially ahead of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand in AIR-PA research. Despite showing positive attitudes and sound knowledge of PA recommendations, AIR exhibited a low PA engagement prevalence, revealing a knowledge-compliance gap. The prevalence of sufficient PA was lowest in the US (11-22%), whereas Europe showed the highest figures (26-45%). Personal barriers to PA participation involved mainstream language illiteracy and limited exercise skills, whereas improved PA literacy was a significant facilitator. Family responsibility and cultural restrictions were common psychosocial/cultural barriers, whereas social support and culturally-sensitive resources were powerful facilitators. Poorly maintained pedestrian/cyclist infrastructure was a leading environmental barrier amongst AIR in North America, but not Europe. Longitudinal and community-engaged AIR-PA research is needed, and intersectoral collaboration is required to inform tailored interventions and inclusive policies, fostering AIR and other vulnerable populations' exercise participation and improving their health and well-being.

Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Cancer Risk Among Older Adults: A Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and long-term cancer risk in a nationwide cohort of older adults. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: The cohort comprised participants of a national survey conducted between July 2005 and December 2006, constituting a random sample of Israeli community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or older. Based on self-reported LTPA habits, participants were classified as sufficiently active, insufficiently active, or inactive according to published guidelines. Cancer diagnosis was assessed via the Israeli National Cancer Registry through September 2015. Inverse probability weighted hazard ratios for incident cancer, based on propensity score, were estimated for LTPA categories. RESULTS: Analysis included 1542 participants with no history of cancer at baseline (median [25th-75th percentile] age, 73 years [69-78 years]; 826 [53.6%] women). Inactive participants (n=641 [41.6%]) were more likely to be female, of lower socioeconomic status, and with higher body mass index and poorer perceived health compared with their insufficiently active (n=443 [28.7%]) and sufficiently active (n=458 [29.7%]) counterparts. In the propensity score-weighted synthetic sample, the distribution of measured baseline covariates was similar across LTPA categories. Over a median follow-up of 9 years, 254 new cancer cases (16.5%) were diagnosed. Leisure-time physical activity was inversely associated with incident cancer, with adjusted hazard ratios (95% CIs) of 0.66 (0.46-0.93) in insufficiently active and 0.59 (0.42-0.82) in sufficiently active participants compared with inactive individuals (P value for trend = .002). CONCLUSION: Among older adults, engaging in LTPA, even at lower levels than officially recommended, may have a beneficial effect on primary prevention of cancer.

Psycho-social correlates of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) among older adults: a multivariate analysis.

BACKGROUND: Still, a considerable number of older adults hardly meet the daily physical activity recommendation. The current study examined how the elderly's attitudinal and perceptional aspects were associated with their Leisure-Time Physical Activity (LTPA) participation in order to provide insight into the physical activity promotion. METHODS: Study used a total sample of 10,700 older adults aged 65+ drawn from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) 2014-2015 in USA. Multiple questionnaire items were employed to assess older adults' attitudes and outlook across different life domains. LTPA participation was measured using two indicators-walking and sports/exercise. A technique of adjusted multivariate analysis was employed to examine the relationships between predictors and outcome variables. RESULTS: Results indicated that psychosocial indicators were significantly associated with older adults' LTPA: self-perception of ageing, self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation, spiritual engagement, perceived social tie and neighbourhood safety; while measures of perceived social relations and neighbourhood safety demonstrated different associations with walking and sports/exercise on its intensity. CONCLUSIONS: Health professionals should be well-informed about psychosocial roles, either as facilitators or constraints, in older adults' physical activity participation. Incorporation of psychosocial intervention into physical activity promotion can help older adults develop positive attitudes and inner strength linked to their health behaviour.

Naturally occurring workplace facilities to increase the leisure time physical activity of workers: A propensity-score weighted population study.

The benefit of providing access to physical activity facilities at or near work to support the leisure time physical activity (LTPA) of workers is uncertain. We examined the association between access to physical activity facilities at or near work and the LTPA of workers after adjusting for a range of individual and occupational characteristics. Data was obtained from 60,650 respondents to the 2007-2008 Canadian Community Health Survey. Participants were employed adults ≥18 years of age who had no long-term health condition which reduced their participation in physical activity. Latent class analysis determined naturally occurring combinations of physical activity facilities at or near work. Each combination was balanced by 19 individual and occupational covariate characteristics using inverse probability of treatment weights derived from propensity scores. The association between combinations of physical activity facilities at or near work on LTPA level was estimated by multinomial logistic regression. Five different combinations of physical activity facilities were available to respondents at or near work. Data were analyzed in 2017. All possible physical facilities increased the likelihood for LTPA (OR, 2.08, 95% CI, 1.03-4.20) and other combinations were also positively associated. Respondents with no physical activity facilities were characterized as having a low education, low income, high physically demanding work, poor health and mental health, non-white racial background, and being an immigrant. Access to supportive workplace environments can help workers be physically active. Future research should assess a range of personal, social and environmental factors that may be driving this relationship.

Leisure-time physical activity as a compensation for sedentary behaviour of professionally active population.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this work is to estimate leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) of the professionally-active population as a factor in early preventive medicine and diagnosing threats of occupational diseases. It was the basis for an analysis of the realisation of a pro-health dose of physical activity recommended by WHO (depending on the profession). OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: A survey based on IPAQ-LV was realised in 2014-2015 on a representative sample of Poles (n = 2039). The work presents results for professionally-active people (n = 985). In order to verify statistically significant differences a Chi2, U-Mann Whitney and Kruskall-Wallis H tests were implemented. RESULTS: LTPA Index for the whole group was 895.6±1514.3 MET-minutes/week. No statistical relationship was found between the survey wave and the LTPA factor and particular activities: VPA, MPA and walking. The LTPA value was significantly related (Chi2 = 19.9; p < 0.001) to the profession. LTPA Index was highest among the higher social stratification groups (directors/managers/owners: 1492.7±2348.1, higher level office workers: 957.6±1268.3, other office workers: 973.0±1677.5 MET-minutes/week) and the lowest among skilled workers (744.8±1325.8 MET-minutes/week). As many as 61.1% of respondents did not meet WHO recommendations. During week days, the greatest time spent sitting (Chi2 = 0.000; p < 0.05) was stated for higher level office workers (6.4±4.2 hours/day) and directors/managers/owners (5.0±4.0 hours/day). Sitting time for weekends was not significantly different for these groups. CONCLUSIONS: Activities promoting LTPA should be addressed to all professional groups. It is essential to inform workers (especially physical workers) about the role of properly selected physical activity (in terms of time, frequency and type) to maintain a good state of health. A model-shaping influence of the high prestige groups may be helpful in changing lifestyle.

Prevalence and socioeconomic determinants of leisure time physical activity among Polish farmers.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the leisure time physical activity of Polish farmers in the context of meeting health-related recommendations, and to diagnose the social and economic determinants. The analysis concerned leisure and transportation activities of various intensity and sedentary time. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Farmers (n=153) aged over 18 were selected from a representative sample of Polish society (n=2039). In order to evaluate LTPA, the long version of the IPAQ was used. Statistically significant differences between the variables were tested using non-parametric tests. The relationship between the amount of exercise recommended by the WHO and studied socio-demographic criteria was assessed using log-linear analysis. RESULTS: The WHO health recommendations were met by 33.3% of farmers. Shares in LTPA (19.1%) and transportation (19.2%) significantly increased the chance of achieving these norms (OR=12.54 and 0.07, respectively). Along with age (≥40 years) and income (≥3000 PLN/Є750) of Polish farmers, the risk of insufficient physical activity increased. Average MET-min/week for LTPA was 299.8±583.4 and transportation - 521.2±1973.9. The average time of sitting during working days was 4.4±2.9, while it was 4.5±3.2 hrs/day during weekends. CONCLUSIONS: Health-promoting changes are necessary among Polish farmers, including an increase in the awareness of health benefits and the necessity of undertaking physically active ways of spending leisure time. It seems to be a legitimate action to develop a mini-tourist trail in the rural environment as a means of promoting physical activity also among women aged over 40, and from lower income groups, who are especially threatened by inactivity.

The Global Epidemic of the Metabolic Syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome, variously known also as syndrome X, insulin resistance, etc., is defined by WHO as a pathologic condition characterized by abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Though there is some variation in the definition by other health care organization, the differences are minor. With the successful conquest of communicable infectious diseases in most of the world, this new non-communicable disease (NCD) has become the major health hazard of modern world. Though it started in the Western world, with the spread of the Western lifestyle across the globe, it has become now a truly global problem. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome is often more in the urban population of some developing countries than in its Western counterparts. The two basic forces spreading this malady are the increase in consumption of high calorie-low fiber fast food and the decrease in physical activity due to mechanized transportations and sedentary form of leisure time activities. The syndrome feeds into the spread of the diseases like type 2 diabetes, coronary diseases, stroke, and other disabilities. The total cost of the malady including the cost of health care and loss of potential economic activity is in trillions. The present trend is not sustainable unless a magic cure is found (unlikely) or concerted global/governmental/societal efforts are made to change the lifestyle that is promoting it. There are certainly some elements in the causation of the metabolic syndrome that cannot be changed but many are amenable for corrections and curtailments. For example, better urban planning to encourage active lifestyle, subsidizing consumption of whole grains and possible taxing high calorie snacks, restricting media advertisement of unhealthy food, etc. Revitalizing old fashion healthier lifestyle, promoting old-fashioned foods using healthy herbs rather than oil and sugar, and educating people about choosing healthy/wholesome food over junks are among the steps that can be considered.

Is improvement in the Healthy Food Intake Index (HFII) related to a lower risk for gestational diabetes?

The aim was to analyse whether changes in the Healthy Food Intake Index (HFII) during pregnancy are related to gestational diabetes (GDM) risk. The 251 pregnant women participating had a pre-pregnancy BMI≥30 kg/m2 and/or a history of GDM. A 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed during the first and second trimesters of pregnancy for assessment of GDM. A normal OGTT result at first trimester was an inclusion criterion for the study. FFQ collected at first and second trimesters served for calculating the HFII. A higher HFII score reflects higher adherence to the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR) (score range 0-17). Statistical methods included Student's t test, Mann-Whitney U test, Fisher's exact test and linear and logistic regression analyses. The mean HFII at first trimester was 10·1 (95 % CI 9·7, 10·4) points, and the mean change from the first to the second trimester was 0·35 (95 % CI 0·09, 0·62) points. The range of the HFII changes varied from -7 to 7. The odds for GDM decreased with higher HFII change (adjusted OR 0·83 per one unit increase in HFII; 95 % CI 0·69, 0·99; P=0·043). In the analysis of the association between HFII-sub-indices and GDM, odds for GDM decreased with higher HFII-Fat change (fat percentage of milk and cheese, type of spread and cooking fats) but it was not significant in a fully adjusted model (P=0·058). Dietary changes towards the NNR during pregnancy seem to be related to a lower risk for GDM.

The association between macronutrient intake and the metabolic syndrome and its components in type 1 diabetes.

Diet is a major modifiable lifestyle factor that may affect the components of the metabolic syndrome. We aimed to investigate the association between relative proportions of macronutrients and the components of the metabolic syndrome in a population of individuals with type 1 diabetes. In all, 791 individuals without nephropathy, with plausible energy intake and known metabolic syndrome status, taking part in the Finnish Diabetic Nephropathy Study were included in the analyses. Dietary data were collected with a diet record. The association between the relative macronutrient intake and the outcome variables were analysed using multivariable nutrient density substitution models. The relative proportions of dietary macronutrients or fatty acids were not associated with the presence of the metabolic syndrome. In men, however, favouring carbohydrates over fats was associated with lower odds of the waist component, whereas favouring either carbohydrates or fats over proteins was associated with lower odds of the blood pressure component of the metabolic syndrome. In women, substituting carbohydrates for fats was associated with lower HDL-cholesterol concentration. Substituting carbohydrates or fats for alcohol or protein was, in men, associated with lower systolic blood pressure. To conclude, the relative distribution of macronutrients may have some relevance for the metabolic syndrome.

Whole mitochondrial genome sequence of a rat pancreatic adenocarcinoma CRL-2389 LTPA cell line.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in the world. We sequenced a complete mitochondrial genome sequence of a rat pancreatic tumor CRL-2389 LTPA cell line for the first time. The total length of the mitogenome was 16,314 bp and coding 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes. This mitochondrial genome sequence will provide new genetic resource into pancreatic tumor disease.

Leisure-time physical activity moderates the longitudinal associations between work-family spillover and physical health.

Previous research has documented cross-sectional associations between negative and positive work-family spillover and physical health. Using an effort-recovery model, the study tested the hypothesis that engagement in greater leisure-time physical activity would facilitate recovery processes that buffer the negative health effects of increasing work-family spillover. Employed adults (N = 1,354) completed two waves of the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS). Results indicated that an increase in negative work-family spillover across nine years was associated with decreased physical health and increased number of chronic conditions at Time 2. Moreover, more time spent on moderate leisure-time physical activity buffered many of the associations between increasing negative spillover and declining health. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Perceptions and the role of group exercise among New York City adults, 2010-2011: an examination of interpersonal factors and leisure-time physical activity.

OBJECTIVE: To examine associations of descriptive norms (i.e., behaviors of social group members) and exercising 'with a partner' or 'as a part of a group' on weekly leisure-time physical activity. METHODS: T-tests and adjusted multivariable linear models were used to test the associations between descriptive norms and exercising with a partner or as a part of a group with self-reported leisure-time physical activity using the cross-sectional, population-based New York City Physical Activity and Transit (PAT) Survey 2010-2011 (n=3806). RESULTS: Overall, 70.6% of adult New Yorkers reported having physically active friends. Having active friends was associated with increased leisure-time physical activity; however, the effect varied by sex. Compared to those who did not have active friends, males with active friends reported two times more activity (56 min/week) and women reported two and a half times more activity (35 min/week) (both p-values<0.001). Physically active males and females who usually engaged in leisure-time activities as a part of a group reported 1.4 times more activity than those who exercised alone (both p-values<0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Descriptive norms and group exercise were associated with leisure-time physical activity among adults. Based on these associations, encouraging group exercise may be an effective strategy for increasing leisure-time physical activity among certain subgroups.

Can population levels of physical activity be increased? Global evidence and experience.

Physical inactivity is one of the most important contributors to the global burden of disease and has become a global public health priority. We review the evidence on physical activity (PA) interventions, actions, and strategies that have the greatest potential to increase PA at the population level. Using the socio-ecological framework to conceptualize PA interventions, we show that PA can be targeted at multiple levels of influence and by multiple sectors outside the health system. Examples of promoting PA on a national scale are presented from Finland, Canada, Brazil, and Colombia. A strong policy framework, consistent investment in public health programs, multi-sectoral support and actions, and good surveillance characterize each of these success stories. Increasing PA globally will depend on successfully applying and adapting these lessons around the world taking into account country, culture, and context.