Early childhood physical activity, sedentary behaviors and psychosocial well-being: a systematic review

Objectives
Little is known about how health behaviors such as physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviors (SB) may be associated with psychosocial well-being during the crucial early childhood period. The aim of this study was to undertake a systematic review of associations between PA, SB and psychosocial well-being during early childhood.

Methods
In February 2013, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus and Embase electronic databases were searched. Inclusion criteria were: 1. peer-reviewed publication since 1980 in English; 2. children aged birth–5 years; 3. PA or SB measured during early childhood; 4. an indicator of child psychosocial well-being; and 5. association between PA/SB and psychosocial well-being reported. Studies could be observational or interventions. Data were extracted by one author and entered into a standardized form in February and March 2013.

Results
19 studies were identified: four examined PA, 13 examined SB and two examined PA and SB. No interventions met the inclusion criteria; all included studies were observational. In total, 21 indicators of psychosocial well-being were examined, 13 only once with the remaining eight reported in more than one study. Some dose–response evidence was identified suggesting that PA is positively, and SB inversely, associated with psychosocial well-being.

Conclusions
Too few studies exist to draw conclusions regarding associations. Future high-quality cohort and intervention studies are warranted particularly investigating dose–response associations.

Physical environmental factors that invite older adults to walk for transportation

Knowledge on the physical environmental factors that invite older adults to walk for transportation is limited. The current study aimed to investigate the relationships between environmental factors and invitingness to walk for transportation and the potential moderating effects of gender, functional limitations and current walking for transportation behavior. Sixty older participants evaluated 40 panoramic photographs on their invitingness in two ways: a forced choice (first impressions) and a rating task (more deliberate evaluation). Presence of vegetation, benches, and surveillance significantly positively related to both invitingness-measures. Upkeep and presence of historic elements significantly positively related to the assigned invitingness-ratings. For the forced choice task, significant positive relationships emerged for land use and separation between sidewalk and cycling path, but only in functionally limited participants. Environments offering comfort, safety from crime, and pleasantness may attract older adults to walk for transportation. Experimental and on-site studies are needed to elaborate on current findings.

Correlates of physical activity and obesity among a sample of Chinese-Australian adolescents

This thesis examined the influences on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and overweight and obesity among a sample of Chinese-Australian and Anglo-Australian adolescents. The results found no significant difference in rates of overweight and obesity; however, lower engagement in daily light-intensity physical activity and greater sedentary participation was revealed among Chinese-Australian adolescents.

Mediators of the relationship between sedentary behavior and depressive symptoms amongst disadvantaged women

Statement of problem
Associations between sedentary behavior (e.g. time spent sitting watching TV/using the computer) and physical health have been well documented, however, studies are increasingly reporting a positive relationship between certain sedentary behaviors and poor mental health (e.g. depression). Little is known about the underlying factors that may explain the link between sedentary behavior and likelihood of depression. The purpose of this study was to investigate the contribution of selected intra-personal and social factors as potential mediators of the relationship between sedentary behavior and depressive symptoms among women from disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Method
Cross-sectional survey data were provided by 4065 women (aged 18–45) living in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Women self-reported their sedentary behavior (total sitting time and screen time), depressive symptoms (CES-D 10), as well as a number of intra-personal (leisure-time physical activity, diet quality, weight status) and social (social cohesion, interpersonal trust, club membership) factors.
Results
Mediating analyses, controlling for confounders, showed that women's leisure-time physical activity partly mediated the relationship between total sitting time and increased likelihood of depressive symptoms. Women's diet quality, and social cohesion partly mediated the relationship between screen time and increased likelihood of depressive symptoms.
Conclusions
Acknowledging the cross-sectional study design, findings suggest that there may be several factors that explain the increased likelihood of depressive symptoms associated with greater sedentary time. Although future studies should test the mediating relationships longitudinally, these findings may help inform interventions aimed at reducing the likelihood of depression in disadvantaged women with high sitting time.