Objectively Measured Physical Activity and All-Cause Mortality Among Cancer Survivors: National Prospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: The understanding of the effects of physical activity on all-cause mortality among cancer survivors is limited. We attempted to draw a relation between physical activity and survival among those with a diagnosis of cancer. METHODS: Data from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was used, with follow-up through 2011. A total of 515 adult cancer survivors wore an accelerometer for ≥4 days. RESULTS: After adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, poverty level, cotinine, C-reactive protein, body mass index, and comorbid illness, participants had a 15% reduced hazard rate (hazard rate 0.85, 95% confidence interval 0.73-0.99, P < 0.001) for every 60-minute/day increase in physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity may have a protective effect on survival among cancer survivors.

Convergent validity of the ACC/AHA pooled cohort equations in associating with health-related quality of life among adults in the United States.

Background: The potential convergent validity of the pooled cohort risk (PCR) equations in predicting health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has yet to be evaluated, which was this study's purpose. Methods: Data from the 2001-2011 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were used (N = 8978 adults, 40-79 years, free of cardiovascular disease at baseline). Calculation of an individual's 10-year risk of a first atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) event was determined via the PCR equation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) HRQOL measure was assessed utilizing 4 questions regarding participants' perceived mental and physical health status from the past 30 days. Results: When adjusting for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), obesity, age, gender and race-ethnicity, an ASCVD score of >20% (vs. <20%) was associated with a 0.53-unit (95% CI: 0.34-0.71) higher HRQOL score. A higher HRQOL score indicates a poorer patient perception of their mental and physical health. Conclusion: The observed association between PCR-determined ASCVD-risk scores and HRQOL provides evidence for the convergent validity of the PCR algorithms, indicating that individuals with a higher risk for a first time ASCVD-event may also have an overall worse HRQOL. As such, employing ASCVD risk reduction efforts may be an important strategy in improving an individual's HRQOL.

Perceptions of the Exercise Is Medicine Initiative in a Geographically Defined Deep South Population.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the population's perceptions of the Exercise Is Medicine (EiM) initiative, as well as factors that influence the accurate perception of the EiM. METHODS: Participants (N = 179; 24 primary care advanced-level practitioners, 79 exercise science students, and 76 people from the general population) residing in Oxford, Mississippi, were surveyed for this study. RESULTS: Only 34.7% of advanced-care practitioners, 20.2% of students, and 19.4% of the general population defined the term medicine as having treatment and preventive aspects. Awareness of the EiM was reported as follows: advanced-care practitioners, 25.0%; students, 20.2%; and the general population, 14.2%. In total, 45.0% of advanced-care practitioners, 34.7% of students, and 32.9% of the general population defined the EiM as having treatment and preventive aspects; 10.0%, 10.1%, and 31.4% of advanced-care practitioners, students, and general population, respectively, viewed the EiM as being preventive only. Women had a 56% reduced odds of having an accurate perception of the EiM (odds ratio 0.44, P = 0.05). When compared with those perceiving their health as excellent/very good, those perceiving their health as good or worse had a sixfold increased odds of having an accurate perception of the EiM (odds ratio 6.08, P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: On average, all of the subpopulations were unaware of the initiative and had misguided perceptions of the EiM. Sex and health status were associated with accurate perceptions of the initiative. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed herein.

Executive function influences sedentary behavior: A longitudinal study.

Background: No study has evaluated the effects of executive function on follow-up sedentary behavior, which was this study's purpose. Methods: A longitudinal design was employed among 18 young adult college students (Mage = 23.7 years; 88.9% female). Accelerometer-determined sedentary behavior and physical activity, along with executive function, were assessed at baseline. Approximately 8 weeks later, re-assessment of accelerometer-determined sedentary behavior and physical activity occurred. Executive function was assessed using the Parametric Go/No-Go (PGNG) computer task. From this, 2 primary executive function outcome parameters were evaluated, including the Simple Rule and Repeating Rule. Results: After adjusting for baseline sedentary behavior, age, gender, body mass index and baseline moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), for every 25% increase in the number of correctly identified targets for the Repeating rule at the baseline assessment, participants engaged in 91.8 fewer minutes of sedentary behavior at the follow-up assessment (ß = -91.8; 95% CI: -173.5, -10.0; P = 0.03). Results were unchanged when also adjusting for total baseline or follow-up physical activity. Conclusion: Greater executive function is associated with less follow-up sedentary behavior.

Blood flow occlusion pressure at rest and immediately after a bout of low load exercise.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether arm circumference is predictive of arterial occlusion in the standing position and to determine the change in pressure before and immediately after exercise. Thirty-one participants had their arm circumference, blood pressure and standing arterial occlusion determined before exercise. Participants then completed elbow flexions at 40% of resting arterial occlusion at 30% of their one repetition maximum (1RM). The goal repetitions for the exercise included one set of 30 repetitions followed by 3 sets of 15, with 30s rest between sets. Immediately following the last set, postexercise arterial occlusion was determined. Two different models of hierarchical linear regression were used to determine the greatest predictor of standing arterial occlusion. Our final model explained 69% of the variance in arterial occlusion with arm circumference (ß = 0·639, part = 0·568) explaining more than brachial systolic blood pressure (ß = 0·312, part = 0·277). Standing arterial occlusion increased from pre- [138 (15) mmHg] to post- [169 (20) mmHg] exercise (P<0·001). In conclusion, the cardiovascular response to blood flow restriction (BFR) in the upper arm following 4 sets of elbow flexion exercise decreases the relative arterial occlusion pressure. In addition, we confirm previous data that circumference explains the most unique variance in arterial occlusion pressure in the upper body. These findings are important as they provide additional insight into making the pressure more uniform between participants throughout exercise.

Erectile Dysfunction and Mortality in a National Prospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Emerging work has shown erectile dysfunction (ED) to be an important indicator of cardiovascular risk via its shared pathophysiology. Yet limited research has examined if a direct relationship between ED and mortality risk exists. AIM: The purpose of this brief report was to better define the relationship between ED and mortality risk. METHODS: Prevalent ED was assessed with the question: "How would you describe your ability to get and keep an erection adequate for satisfactory intercourse?" Participant data from the population-based 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) was linked to death certificates from the National Death Index for mortality assessment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Increased risk of premature all-cause mortality among those with ED (vs. those without). RESULTS: Of 1,790 adult men providing complete data (age range: 20-85 years; mean = 45.4 year), with 557 having ED, over a 93-month follow-up, 244 deceased over this time. After adjustments, those with ED (vs. those without) had a 70% increased risk of premature all-cause mortality (hazards ratio = 1.70; 95% confidence interval; 1.01-2.85; P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: ED is associated with increased premature mortality risk. The present findings have major public health and clinical implications in that ED is a strong indicator of premature mortality. Therefore, patients with ED should be screened and possibly treated for complications that may increase the risk of premature death.

Health characteristics and predicted 10-year risk for a first atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) event using the Pooled Cohort Risk Equations among US adults who are free of cardiovascular disease.

BACKGROUND: No study has used the recently developed Pooled Cohort Equations to examine the associations of various health behaviors and health characteristics on 10-year risk of a first atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) event. METHODS: Data from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used. 10-year risk of a first ASCVD event was assessed from the Pooled Cohort Equations. Physical activity was assessed via accelerometry; weight status was assessed via measured body mass index; smoking was assessed via cotinine levels; and dietary behavior was calculated from the healthy eating index. RESULTS: After adjustments, and compared to those with 0 positive health characteristics, those with 1, 2, 3, and 4 health characteristics, respectively, had a 87% (OR=0.13, p<0.001), 95% (OR=0.05, p<0.001), 95% (OR=0.05, p<0.001), and 96% (OR=0.04, p=0.001) reduced odds of being at an elevated risk for a first ASCVD event in the next 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: A dose-response association was observed between number of positive health characteristics and the 10-year risk of a first ASCVD event.