A theory-informed approach to developing visually mediated interventions to change behaviour using an asthma and physical activity intervention exemplar

Funding for this study was received from the Chief Scientist Office for Scotland. We would like to thank Asthma UK and Asthma UK Scotland for facilitating the advertisement of the study pilot and consultative user group. Thanks to Dr Mark Grindle for his helpful discussions concerning narrative. Thanks also to Mr Mark Haldane who designed the characters, backgrounds, and user interface used within the 3D computer animation. Particular thanks to the participants of the consultative user group for their enthusiasm, comments, and suggestions at all stages of the intervention design.

[impact Of The Activation Of Intention To Perform Physical Activity In Type Ii Diabetics: A Randomized Clinical Trial].

Type II diabetes mellitus is a highly prevalent disease among the adult Brazilian population, and one that can be controlled by interventions such as physical activity, among others. The aim of this randomized controlled study was to evaluate the impact of a traditional motivational strategy, associated with the activation of intention theory, on adherence to physical activity in patients with type II, diabetes mellitus who are part of the Unified Health System (SUS). Participants were divided into a control group (CG) and an intervention group (IG). In both groups, the traditional motivational strategy was applied, but the activation of intention strategy was only applied to the IG Group. After a two-month follow-up, statistically significant differences were verified between the groups, related to the practice of walking (p = 0.0050), number of days per week (p = 0.0076), minutes per day (p = 0.0050) and minutes walking per week (p = 0.0015). At the end of the intervention, statistically significant differences in abdominal circumference (p = 0.0048) between the groups were observed. The conclusion drawn is that the activation of intention strategy had greater impact on adherence to physical activity and reduction in abdominal circumference in type II diabetics, than traditional motivational strategy.

Energy cost of physical activity in cystic fibrosis

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the energy cost of standardized physical activity (ECA) between patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and healthy control subjects. Design: Cross-sectional study using patients with CF and volunteers from the community. Setting: University laboratory. Subjects: Fifteen patients (age 24.6 +/- 4.6 y) recruited with consent from their treating physician and 16 healthy control subjects (age 25.3 +/- 3.2) recruited via local advertisement. Interventions. Patients and controls walked on a computerised treadmill at 1.5 km/h for 60 min followed by a 60 min recovery period and, on a second occasion, cycled at 0.5 kp (kilopond), 30 rpm followed by a 60 min recovery. The ECA was measured via indirect calorimetry. Resting energy expenditure (REE), nutritional status, pulmonary function and genotype were determined. Results: The REE in patients was significantly greater than the REE measured in controls (P = 0.03) and was not related to the severity of lung disease or genotype. There was a significant difference between groups when comparing the ECA for walking kg root FFM (P = 0.001) and cycling kg root FFM (P = 0.04). The ECA for each activity was adjusted (ECA(adj)) for the contribution of REE (ECA kJ kg root FFM 120 min(-1) - REE kJ kg root FFM 120 min(-1)). ECA(adj) revealed a significant difference between groups for the walking protocol (P = 0.001) but no difference for the cycling protocol (P = 0.45). This finding may be related to the fact that the work rate during walking was more highly regulated than during cycling. Conclusions ECA in CF is increased and is likely to be explained by an additional energy-requiring component related to the exercise itself and not an increased REE. Sponsorship. The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation; MLR was in receipt of a QUTPRA Scholarship.

Determinants of physical activity in middle school children

Objective: To evaluate the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and planned behavior (TPB) in predicting moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in sixth-grade youth. Methods: One hundred ninety-eight students completed a questionnaire measuring attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intentions to be active. MVPA was measured using the CSA 7,164 accelerometer. Results: Although demonstrating an acceptable fit, the TRA and TPB accounted for only a small percentage of the variance in MVPA. In support of the TPB: the addition: of control perceptions to the reasoned! action model! added to the prediction of intentions and MVPA. Conclusion: Within our sample of sixth graders, the utility of the, TRA or TPB;as a framework for activity interventions appears to be limited.

Physical activity and sedentary behavior: A population-based study of barriers, enjoyment, and preference

The associations of physical activity and sedentary behavior with barriers, enjoyment, and preferences were examined in a population-based mail survey of 1,332 adults. Respondents reporting high enjoyment and preference for physical activity were more likely to report high levels of activity. Those reporting cost, the weather, and personal barriers to physical activity were less likely to be physically active. Preference for sedentary behavior was associated with the decreased likelihood of being physically active, and the weather as a barrier to physical activity was associated with the increased likelihood of sedentary behavior. These constructs can be used to examine individual and environmental influences on physical activity and sedentary behavior in specific populations and could inform the development of targeted interventions.

Reliability of moderate-intensity and vigorous physical activity stage of change measures for young adults

Background. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability of stage of change (SOC) measures for moderate-intensity and vigorous physical activity in two separate samples of young adults. Staging measures have focused on vigorous exercise, but current public health guidelines emphasize moderate-intensity activity. Method. For college students in the USA (n = 105) and in Australia (n = 123), SOC was assessed separately on two occasions for moderate-intensity activity and for vigorous activity. Test-retest repeatability was determined, using Cohen's kappa coefficient. Results. In both samples, the reliability scores for the moderate-intensity physical activity staging measure were lower than the scores for the vigorous exercise staging measure. Weighted kappa values for the moderate-intensity staging measure were in the fair to good range for both studies (0.50 and 0.45); for the vigorous staging measure kappa values were excellent and fair to good (0.76 and 0.72). Conclusions. There is a need to standardize and improve methods for staging moderate-intensity activity, given that such measures are used in public health interventions targeting HEPA (health-enhancing physical activity). (C) 2003 American Health Foundation and Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

Evaluation of an internet-based physical activity intervention: A preliminary investigation

The Internet has the potential for delivering innovative, interactive physical activity (PA) interventions to large numbers of people. This study was designed to test the efficacy. of ant Internet intervention that consisted of a Web site plus 12 weekly e-mail tip sheets, compared with a waiting list control group. The Internet intervention was theory based and emphasized clear, graphical presentation of PA information. Sixty-five (30 intervention and 35 control) sedentary adult employees of several large hospitals (9 men and 56 women) were randomly assigned to 1 of the 2 study arms. Of the 65 participants, 57 completed the 1-month follow-up, and 52 completed the 3-month follow-up. At both 1 and 3 months, those in the intervention group were significantly more likely to have progressed, in stage of motivational readiness for PA than participants in the control group: 1 month, chi(2)(1, N = 52) = 4.05, p

Enhancing physical activity coaching through personalized motivational strategies and self-adaptive goal-setting: development of self-adaptive processes in a monitoring and coaching smartphone application

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Biomédica

Physical activity in 22 African countries: results from the World Health Organization STEPwise approach to chronic disease risk factor surveillance.

BACKGROUND: Baseline physical activity data are needed to effectively plan programs and policies to prevent noncommunicable diseases, but for many African countries these data are lacking. PURPOSE: To describe and compare levels and patterns of physical activity among adults across 22 African countries. METHODS: Data from 57,038 individuals from 22 countries (11 national and 11 subnational samples) that participated in the STEPwise approach to chronic disease risk factor surveillance (2003-2009) were analyzed in 2010. The validated Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) was used to assess days and duration of physical activity at work, for transport, and during leisure time in a typical week. RESULTS: Overall, 83.8% of men and 75.7% of women met WHO physical activity recommendations (at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week or equivalent). Country prevalence ranged from 46.8% (Mali) to 96.0% (Mozambique). Physical activity, both at work and for transport, including walking, had large contributions to overall physical activity, while physical activity during leisure time was rare in the analyzed countries. CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity levels varied greatly across African countries and population subgroups. Leisure time activity was consistently low. These data will be useful to inform policymakers and to guide interventions to promote physical activity.

Physical activity and enhanced fitness to improve cognitive function in older people without known cognitive impairment

Physical activity is beneficial for healthy ageing. It may also help maintain good cognitive function in older age. Aerobic activity improves cardiovascular fitness, but it is not known whether this sort of fitness is necessary for improved cognitive function.��Eleven studies of aerobic physical activity programmes for healthy people over the age of 55 years have been included in this review. Eight of these 11 studies reported that aerobic exercise interventions resulted in increased fitness of the trained group and an improvement in at least one aspect of cognitive function. The largest effects were on cognitive speed, auditory and visual attention. However, the cognitive functions which improved were not the same in each study and the majority of comparisons yielded no significant results.��The data are insufficient to show that the improvements in cognitive function which can be attributed to physical exercise are due to improvements in cardiovascular fitness.

Weight status and gender-related differences in motor skills and in child care - based physical activity in young children.

Over the last decades, a decline in motor skills and in physical activity and an increase in obesity has been observed in children. However, there is a lack of data in young children. We tested if differences in motor skills and in physical activity according to weight or gender were already present in 2- to 4-year-old children. Fifty-eight child care centers in the French part of Switzerland were randomly selected for the Youp'là bouge study. Motor skills were assessed by an obstacle course including 5 motor skills, derived from the Zurich Neuromotor Assessment test. Physical activity was measured with accelerometers (GT1M, Actigraph, Florida, USA) using age-adapted cut-offs. Weight status was assessed using the International Obesity Task Force criteria (healthy weight vs overweight) for body mass index (BMI). Of the 529 children (49% girls, 3.4 ± 0.6 years, BMI 16.2 ± 1.2 kg/m2), 13% were overweight. There were no significant weight status-related differences in the single skills of the obstacle course, but there was a trend (p = 0.059) for a lower performance of overweight children in the overall motor skills score. No significant weight status-related differences in child care-based physical activity were observed. No gender-related differences were found in the overall motor skills score, but boys performed better than girls in 2 of the 5 motor skills (p ≤ 0.04). Total physical activity as well as time spent in moderate-vigorous and in vigorous activity during child care were 12-25% higher and sedentary activity 5% lower in boys compared to girls (all p < 0.01). At this early age, there were no significant weight status- or gender-related differences in global motor skills. However, in accordance to data in older children, child care-based physical activity was higher in boys compared to girls. These results are important to consider when establishing physical activity recommendations or targeting health promotion interventions in young children.

The relationship between a short measure of health status and physical activity in a workplace population.

Many interventions promoting physical activity (PA) are effective in preventing disease onset, and although studies have found a positive relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQL) and PA, most of these studies have focused on older adults and those with chronic conditions. Less is known regarding the association between PA level and HRQL among healthy adults. Our objective was to analyse the relationship between PA level and HRQL among a sample of 573 employees aged 20-68 taking part in a workplace intervention to promote PA. Measures included HRQL (using a single item) and PA (i.e. Godin Leisure-Time Questionnaire). The Modified Canadian Aerobic Fitness Test (MCAFT) was also completed by 10% of the employees. MET-minute scores (assessing energy expenditure over one week) were compared across HRQL categories using ANOVA. A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to further examine the relationship between HRQL and PA, controlling for potential covariates. Participants in the higher health status categories were found to report higher levels of energy expenditure (one-way ANOVA, p < 0.001). In the multiple linear regression model, each unit increase in health status level translated in a mean increase of 356 MET-minutes in energy expenditure (p < 0.001). This single-item assessment of health status explained six percent of the variance in energy expenditure. The study concludes that higher energy expenditure through PA among an adult workplace population is positively associated with increased health status, and it also suggests that a single-item HRQL measure is suitable for community- and population-based studies, reducing response burden and research costs.