Impact of Seated Movement Incorporation on Middle School Classroom Physical Activity Levels and Academic Engagement.

Purpose: Physical inactivity is linked with several chronic diseases and poor academic outcomes. This study aimed to examine the effect an under-the-desk band would have on middle school students' physical activity level, and academic engagement. Methods: Two local middle school classrooms (n = 42, M = 20, F = 22) participated in the study, which was conducted over 14 weeks. Physical activity was measured with accelerometry, and academic engagement was assessed using momentary time sampling. Enrolled participants were provided an accelerometer to wear upon entering the classroom. The baseline period lasted for 36 days. During the intervention period, which lasted for the next 30 days, an under-the-desk band was provided to students to freely fidget at their desks. After the study, 13 participants (M = 5, F = 8) in Class A were included in final physical activity analysis, and the 6 participants (M = 3, F = 3) in Class B were included in the academic engagement analysis. Results: Class A had significant increases in percentage of sedentary time (MD = -12.91%, ES = .88) in addition to significant decreases in the percentage of light (MD = 8.82%, ES = .67), moderate (MD = 3.08%, ES = .84), and vigorous (MD = -.04%, ES = .63) physical activity time during the intervention period compared to the baseline period. No significant or meaningful changes occurred in academic engagement with the use of the under-the-desk band. Conclusions: This study high- lights the importance of finding appropriate methods to increase physical activity for adolescents.

School-based obesity prevention programs in rural communities: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review was to examine existing literature and conceptually map the evidence for school-based obesity prevention programs implemented in rural communities, as well as identify current gaps in the literature. INTRODUCTION: Pediatric obesity is a significant public health condition worldwide. Rural residency places children at increased risk of obesity. Schools have been identified as an avenue for obesity prevention in rural communities. INCLUSION CRITERIA: We considered citations focused on children (5 to 18 years of age) enrolled in a rural educational setting. We included obesity prevention programs delivered in rural schools that focused on nutrition or dietary changes, physical activity or exercise, decreasing screen time, or combined nutrition and physical activity that aimed to prevent childhood obesity. We included all quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research designs, as well as text and opinion data. METHODS: A search was conducted of published and unpublished studies in English from 1990 through April 2020 using PubMed, CINAHL Complete, ERIC, Embase, Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Gray literature was also searched. After title and abstract review, potentially relevant citations were retrieved in full text. The full texts were assessed in detail against the inclusion criteria by 2 independent reviewers. Included citations were reviewed and data extracted by 2 independent reviewers and captured on a spreadsheet targeting the review objectives. RESULTS: Of the 105 studies selected for full-text review, 72 (68.6%) were included in the final study. Most of the studies (n = 50) were published between 2010 and 2019 and were conducted in the United States (n = 57). Most studies included children in rural elementary or middle schools (n = 57) and targeted obesity prevention (n = 67). Teachers implemented the programs in half of the studies (n = 36). Most studies included a combination of physical activity and nutrition components (n = 43). Other studies focused solely on nutrition (n = 9) or physical activity (n = 9), targeted obesity prevention policies (n = 9), or other components (n = 8). Programs ranged in length from weeks to years. Overall, weight-related, physical activity-specific, and nutrition-specific outcomes were most commonly examined in the included citations. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity prevention programs that focused on a combination of physical activity and nutrition were the most common. Multiple outcomes were examined, but most programs included weight-specific and health behavior-specific outcomes. The length and intensity of rural school-based obesity prevention programs varied. More research examining scientific rigor and specific outcomes of rural school-based obesity prevention programs is needed.

Differences between preemptive and non-preemptive physical activity among 'drunkorexia'-positive college students.

Objective: 'Drunkorexia' is characterized by compensating for alcohol-related calories using physical activity (PA). Drunkorexia is common on college campuses but little is known about the PA behaviors within the drunkorexia paradigm. Methods: First-year college students living on campus completed an online survey collecting drunkorexia, PA, and alcohol consumption data. A total of 127 participants reported engaging in drunkorexia behaviors. Results: Fifty-three participants were classified as preemptively physically active (e.g., PA and drink on Tuesday) compared to 74 as non-preemptively physically active. Preemptively physically active participants consumed more alcohol on Fridays and Saturdays than those non-preemptively physically active. Preemptively physically active participants engaged in significantly greater amounts PA. Females accounted for all significant differences between groups. Discussion: Among drunkorexia-positive participants, many made preemptive efforts to control their calories before consuming alcohol, which may predispose them to higher incidences of adverse outcomes such as alcohol poisoning, unwanted sexual advances, and death.

Compositional analysis of movement behaviors' association on high-sensitivity c-reactive protein: the Jackson heart study.

PURPOSE: Movement behaviors (i.e. physical activity [PA], sedentary behavior [SB], and sleep) are intrinsically codependent, an issue resolved using compositional data analysis (CoDA). High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a nonspecific inflammatory marker positively associated with cardiovascular diseases and affected by movement behaviors. Examine the relation between movement behaviors using CoDA and how time reallocation between two movement behaviors was associated with hs-CRP concentration. METHODS: The Jackson Heart Study was designed to investigate cardiovascular disease risk factors among African American participants in the Jackson, MS area. PA and sleep were self-reported with SB calculated as the remaining time in the day. RESULTS: The median untransformed hs-CRP concentration was 0.28 mg·dL-1 (interquartile range; 0.11, 0.61). Reallocating 15 minutes of PA with SB, the hypothetical change in log hs-CRP concentration was 0.08 mg·dL-1 (95% CIs; 0.04, 0.11) greater than the average log hs-CRP concentration. Substituting 15 minutes of SB or sleep with PA was associated with a hypothetical change in log hs-CRP concentration difference of -0.05 mg·dL-1 (-0.08, -0.03) and -0.06 mg·dL-1 (-0.08, -0.03), respectively. Reallocations between SB and sleep were not associated with the hypothetical difference in log hs-CRP concentration. CONCLUSIONS: Modeling estimates suggest replacing 15 minutes of SB with PA is associated with lower inflammation.

Comparison of Leisure Time Physical Activities by Metabolic Syndrome Status among Adolescents.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) increases the risk of premature morbidity and mortality. Physical activity (PA) beneficially affects MetS; however, it is unclear if PA types differ among adolescents 12-15 years old, according to their MetS status. This study compared self-reported PA types by MetS status. Methods: Using the 2015-2016 National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) data, 664 adolescents self-reported PA in the past seven days. MetS status was assessed using Ford's pediatric adaptation of the ATP-III adult criteria. Pearson chi-square and t-tests were conducted to determine self-reported PA differences. Results: The adolescents' mean age was 13.47 years (95% CIs; 13.04, 14.38) and 52.69% were male (352). Twenty-seven (4.07%) adolescents were MetS positive. The prevalence of PA engagement in the past seven days was similar for MetS-positive and -negative adolescents (77.67% and 70.51%, respectively; p > 0.05). No significant differences were observed for PA type by MetS status. MetS-positive adolescents reported higher sedentary time (565.77 [438.99, 692.56] vs. 490.59 [377.86, 603.33] minutes per day, respectively; p = 0239). Conclusions: Engagement in specific PA types does not appear to differ by MetS status, but MetS-positive adolescents have significantly higher sedentary time. PA promotion should target a variety of activities to maximize the effectiveness of public health programs and interventions should target reducing sedentary time.

Barriers to Healthy Eating and Physical Activity in the Mississippi Delta.

Rural regions in the United States are home to approximately 15-20% of the country's population. These regions are often characterized by low access to medical care and high rates of disease and death. The literature has detailed the heterogeneous nature of rural health disparities, calling for research detailing regional factors that influence individual-level risk factors such as diet and physical activity. Approximately 54% of Mississippi residents live in rural areas. The Mississippi Delta population is largely characterized by high obesity rates, poor diet, and low levels of physical activity. This study presents detailed observations of the community-level barriers and facilitators to healthy eating and physical activity within Mississippi Delta communities, contextualizing the findings of a survey of 352 individuals across 25 communities to provide implications and direction for future activities aimed at reducing obesity in the Mississippi Delta. Study participants reported a high prevalence of overweight (22.9%) and obese (62.1%) body mass index classifications. Chi-square analyses revealed significant relationships between body mass index, age, and health conditions. Community food and physical activity environments and rural characteristics were largely implicated as barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity. Next steps involve using qualitative research techniques to guide the development of programmatic strategies for reducing obesity through diet and physical activity in these communities and other rural regions in the United States.

Relationship between physical activity intensities and drunkorexia severity among first-year college students.

OBJECTIVE: Investigate the relationship between intensities of physical activity and severity of drunkorexia behaviors. Participants: First-year college students living in residence halls (n = 127) completed an online survey comprising drinking, drunkorexia, and physical activity. Methods: Multiple hierarchical linear regressions were implemented to examine if physical activity intensity correlates to drunkorexia severity. Results: Vigorous physical activity was the only physical activity intensity significantly associated with severity of drunkorexia behaviors. Conclusions: First-year college students' duration of vigorous physical activity in relation to severity of drunkorexia behaviors may vary contingently on the motivation for vigorous physical activity. Practitioners need to consider physical activity can be a co-occurring risk behavior in combination with alcohol misuse.

Long-term Tennis Participation and Health Outcomes: An Investigation of "Lifetime" Activities.

Lifetime sports, such as tennis, provide opportunities for participation throughout the lifespan and has been linked with lower risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression. The objective of this study was to consider the influence of chronic tennis participation on various parameters of health. Members of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) completed a survey consisting of questions from International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), Satisfaction With Life Survey (SWLS), and specific tennis participation questions. Descriptive characteristics were calculated for all variables and a chi-squared analysis was used to compare prevalence of health variables of this sample and recent BRFSS data. Compared to the BRFSS greater proportion of study participants 45yrs and older frequently reported being in good or better health (χ2=7.946, p = 0.005); lower obesity rates (χ2=19.92, p = 0.0001); and a lower prevalence of heart disease than those of similar age who completed BRFSS (χ2= 8.759, p = 0.003). This study highlights the importance of activities that continue throughout the lifespan such as tennis.

Metabolic health and academic achievement in youth at risk for high school dropout in rural Mississippi: The role of classroom management.

Disparities in health and academic achievement affect large cross-sections of the same population subgroups. This study examined the relationship metabolic health and academic achievement in youth "at risk" for school dropout in rural Mississippi. Fifteen adolescents participated in a studio based learning educational summer camp and subsequent follow-up sessions during the regular school year that were aimed at developing knowledge of core curriculum subjects by developing design projects based on the camp STEM-related theme. These projects are characteristic of a pedagogical technique known as Studio Based Learning (SBL) and involve more movement than a traditional classroom setting. Participants' metabolic health was assessed via measurements of blood lipids and glucose, blood pressure, BMI and waist circumference, and examined individually and as a combined risk score. Academic achievement measurements were obtained from district standardized testing. Mean BMI for this sample was classified as overweight; however, other metabolic parameters (blood lipids and glucose, and resting blood pressure) were in normal ranges for this age group. Little association was found between metabolic health and academic achievement and in this sample for math of language (r = -0.56 and 0.20, respectively). Participants took part in notable amounts of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during the SBL camp and very little in the traditional classroom setting (approximately 30 vs. 7 min/day, respectively). Actively engaging teaching strategies, such as SBL, may impart a meaningful impact on physical activity levels of school-aged children, which may have long term, positive health outcomes.

Efficacy of Carbohydrate Ingestion on CrossFit Exercise Performance.

The efficacy of carbohydrate (CHO) ingestion during high-intensity strength and conditioning type exercise has yield mixed results. However, little is known about shorter duration high-intensity exercise such as CrossFit. The purpose of this study was to investigate the performance impact of CHO ingestion during high-intensity exercise sessions lasting approximately 30 min. Eight healthy males participated in a total of four trials; two familiarizations, a CHO trial, and a similarly flavored, non-caloric placebo (PLA) trial. CrossFit's "Fight Gone Bad Five" (FGBF) workout of the day was the exercise model which incorporated five rounds of maximal repetition exercises, wall throw, box jump, sumo deadlift high pull, push press, and rowing, followed by one minute of rest. Total repetitions and calories expended were summated from each round to quantify total work (FGBF score). No difference was found for the total work between CHO (321 ± 51) or PLA (314 ± 52) trials (p = 0.38). There were also no main effects (p > 0.05) for treatment comparing exercise performance across rounds. Based on the findings of this study, it does not appear that ingestion of CHO during short duration, high-intensity CrossFit exercise will provide a beneficial performance effect.

Erratum to "Nutritional Considerations for Performance in Young Athletes".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2015/734649.].

The Stress-Metabolic Syndrome Relationship in Adolescents: An Examination of the Moderating Potential of Physical Activity.

BACKGROUND: The role of psychosocial stress in the development of obesity and metabolic syndrome is receiving increased attention and has led to examination of whether physical activity may moderate the stress-metabolic syndrome relationship. The current study examined relationships among physical activity, stress, and metabolic syndrome in adolescents. METHODS: Participants (N = 126; 57 girls, 69 boys) were assessed for anthropometry, psychosocial stress, physical activity, and metabolic syndrome variables; t tests were used to examine sex differences, and regression analysis was used to assess relationships among variables controlling for sex and maturity status. RESULTS: Mean body mass index approached the 75th percentile for both sexes. Typical sex differences were observed for systolic blood pressure, time spent in moderate and vigorous physical activity, and perceived stress. Although stress was not associated with MetS (ß = -.001, P = .82), a modest, positive relationship was observed with BMI (ß = .20, P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: Strong relationships between physical activity and stress with MetS or BMI were not found in this sample. Results may be partially explained by overall good physical health status of the participants. Additional research in groups exhibiting varying degrees of health is needed.

Assessment of balance among adolescent track and field athletes.

Track and field events place different demands on athletes and may have an effect on balance. This study investigated the effects of event specialty, gender, and leg dominance on balance among adolescent track and field athletes. Forty healthy adolescent track and field athletes (male = 23, female = 17) categorised into three different groups (sprinter = 20, distance runners = 13, throwers = 7) had their single leg static balance measured with the eyes open and the eyes closed using an AMTI force platform. Dependent variables included average displacement (cm) of the centre of pressure (COP) in the anterior/posterior direction and medial/lateral directions, the average velocity of the COP (cm/s) and the 95% ellipse area (cm(2)). Variables were analysed using a 3 (event specialty) × 2 (gender) × 2 (leg) ANOVA with repeated measures on the leg variable (p < 0.05). There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the average displacement of the COP in the medial/lateral direction for both the eyes open and closed condition, with the non-dominant leg demonstrating greater displacement than the dominant leg. This might increase the risk of injury for the non-dominant leg, but additional data should be collected and analysed on both dynamic balance and performance.

Nutritional Considerations for Performance in Young Athletes.

Nutrition is an integral component to any athletes training and performance program. In adults the balance between energy intake and energy demands is crucial in training, recovery, and performance. In young athletes the demands for training and performance remain but should be a secondary focus behind the demands associated with maintaining the proper growth and maturation. Research interventions imposing significant physiological loads and diet manipulation are limited in youth due to the ethical considerations related to potential negative impacts on the growth and maturation processes associated with younger individuals. This necessary limitation results in practitioners providing nutritional guidance to young athletes to rely on exercise nutrition recommendations intended for adults. While many of the recommendations can appropriately be repurposed for the younger athlete attention needs to be taken towards the differences in metabolic needs and physiological differences.

The association between morning cortisol and adiposity in children varies by weight status.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations between morning cortisol and adiposity in children at baseline and 9-month follow-up. METHODS: Participants included 649 (301 males, 348 females) children (9.6 +/- 0.9 years) for the cross-sectional analysis and 316 (153 males, 163 females) for the longitudinal analysis. Body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) was calculated from measured height and weight and waist circumference (WC, cm) was measured at the superior border of the iliac crest. Cortisol was assessed via saliva samples collected on a single morning. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between cortisol and adiposity. RESULTS: Approximately 31% were overweight (17.7%) or obese (12.8%). The mean cortisol level was 9.36 +/- 5.64 nmol/L (0.34 +/- 0.20 microg/dL). At baseline, no significant correlations were found between cortisol and BMI or WC (r < 0.07). Baseline cortisol did not correlate with change in BMI z-score (r = -0.03) or WC (r < -0.01) over the follow-up period. When examined by weight status, baseline cortisol was significantly related to changes in WC (r = 0.32) and BMI z-score (r = 0.28) among overweight subjects. CONCLUSIONS: A positive relationship was found between morning cortisol and change in WC over 9 months in overweight children. Future studies should examine the association between 24-h cortisol patterns and direct measures of trunk fat.

Morning cortisol is not associated with truncal fatness or resting blood pressure in children: cross-sectional and 1-2 year follow-up analyses.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships of morning cortisol with trunk fat and resting blood pressure (BP) in children. METHODS: Participants included 72 children aged 4-10 years (mean 7.4 yrs) for the cross-sectional analysis and 58 for the longitudinal analysis. Height, weight, waist circumference, body fat by dual x-ray absorptiometry, and resting BP measures were obtained during a laboratory visit. Saliva samples were collected at home on a single morning and assayed for cortisol. RESULTS: Approximately 21% were overweight (15.3%) or obese (5.6%). Mean morning cortisol was 0.25 +/- 0.12 microg/dL (6.99 +/- 3.46 nmol/L). There were no significant correlations between morning cortisol and any of the measures of fatness (r < -0.17) or BP (r < -0.10) at baseline. Cortisol at baseline was not associated with changes in body size parameters after the 1- and 2-year followup period. CONCLUSION: Morning cortisol was not associated with body fatness or BP. Future studies should examine the associations between the diurnal cortisol patterns, trunk fat, and BP by collecting samples throughout an entire day.

Physical activity, stress, and metabolic risk score in 8- to 18-year-old boys.

BACKGROUND: We examined whether physical activity modifies the relationship between stress and the metabolic risk score in 8- to 18-year-old males (n = 37). METHODS: Physical activity (PA) and television (TV)/videogame (VG) use were assessed via accelerometer and questionnaire, respectively. Stress was determined from self-report measures. A metabolic risk score (MRS) was created by summing age-standardized residuals for waist circumference, mean arterial pressure, glycosylated hemoglobin, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. RESULTS: Correlations between PA and MRS were low (r < -.13), and TV and VG were moderately associated with MRS (r = .39 and .43, respectively). Correlations between stress-related variables and MRS ranged from r = .19 to .64. After partitioning by PA, significant correlations were observed in the low PA group between school- and sports-related self-esteem and anxiety with the MRS. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide suggestive evidence that PA might modify the relationship between stress and MRS in male adolescents.