Leisure time behaviors: Prevalence, correlates and associations with overweight in Brazilian adults. A cross-sectional analysis

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

New meaning for the emotional state of the elderly, from a leisure standpoint

Continuing developments in science and technology that affect many dimensions of human life, especially those related to longevity, require responses from social policies and programmes to enable quality-of-life improvements in every sector, including leisure. To contribute to research in this area, this qualitative study sought to identify the perceptions of and meanings attached to participation in (active outdoor) leisure by a group of elderly citizens of Araras, São Paulo State, Brazil. Data were collected via questionnaires administered to a mixed-gender sample of 100 persons, aged between 60 and 80 years, after they had participated in an outdoor adventure/leisure programme. The data were subjected to thematic content analysis. The study revealed that the participants identified positive emotional effects as a result of their participation, relating to their sense of belonging to a group, to their increased quality of life and to their ability to remain physically active.

Walking for leisure among adults from three Brazilian cities and its association with perceived environment attributes and personal factors

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Inclusão digital: estratégia de co-participação de idosos no lazer virtual = Digital inclusion: strategies for elderly co-participation in virtual leisure

Pós-graduação em Ciências da Motricidade - IBRC

Sleep quality and its associations with leisure-time exercise and excess weight among civil servants

O objetivo do estudo foi analisar a associação entre qualidade do sono, prática de exercícios físicos no lazer e obesidade entre servidores públicos de uma universidade. A amostra foi composta por 92 adultos de ambos os sexos. Qualidade do sono e atividade física foram coletadas por meio de questionário. O excesso de peso/obesidade foi diagnosticado pelo índice de massa corporal, o qual foi calculado com valores de peso e estatura relatados pelos avaliados. A prevalência de pessoas com sono alterado foi de 53,84%. Houve associação entre obesidade (OR= 7,22 [ORIC95%: 1,65-31,5]) e pior qualidade do sono, bem como, prática de atividade física e melhor qualidade do sono (OR= 0,19 [ORIC95%: 0,04-0,95]), independente de outros fatores de confusão. Concluiu-se que há alta ocorrência de distúrbios do sono, a qual foi associada de maneira independente com a prática de exercícios físicos e a obesidade.

Self-reported moderate-to-vigorous leisure time physical activity predicts less pain and disability over 12 months in chronic and persistent low back pain

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Health related quality of life is differently associated with leisure-time physical activity intensities according to gender: a cross-sectional approach

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Correlates of sports practice, occupational and leisure-time physical activity in Brazilian adolescents

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Assessment of leisure-time physical activity for the prediction of inflammatory status and cardiometabolic profile

Objectives: Associations of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), commuting and total physical activity with inflammatory markers, insulin resistance and metabolic profile in individuals at high cardiometabolic risk were investigated. Design: This was a cross-sectional study. Methods: A total of 193 prediabetic adults were compared according to physical activity levels measured by the international physical activity questionnaire; p for trend and logistic regression was employed. Results: The most active subset showed lower BMI and abdominal circumference, reaching significance only for LTPA (p for trend = 0.02). Lipid profile improved with increased physical activity levels. Interleukin-6 decreased with increased total physical activity and LTPA (p for trend = 0.02 and 0.03, respectively), while adiponectin increased in more active subsets for LTPA (p for trend = 0.03). Elevation in adjusted OR for hypercholesterolemia was significant for lower LTPA durations (p for trend = 0.04). High apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A ratio was inversely associated with LTPA, commuting and total physical activity. Increase in adjusted OR for insulin resistance was found from the highest to the lowest category of LTPA (p for trend = 0.04) but significance disappeared after adjustments for BMI and energy intake. No association of increased C-reactive protein with physical activity domains was observed. Conclusions: In general, the associations of LTPA, but not commuting or total physical activity, with markers of cardiometabolic risk reinforces the importance of initiatives to increase this domain in programs for the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases. (C) 2012 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

LEISURE AND MENTAL HEALTH IN PEOPLE WITH HYPERTENSION: CONVERGENCE IN HEALTH EDUCATION

People with hypertension constantly deal with issues related to mental health due to the psychosocial determinants of this illness, and leisure is an important control strategy. The objective of this study was to promote health education to a group of hypertensive patients, through research-action, based on critical-social pedagogy, and taking into consideration the participants' perception of leisure. Educational activities were conducted and, following, an evaluation was performed regarding the subjects' opinion about the impact of leisure on their lives and mental health. The group perceived leisure as a coping strategy for loneliness and also as a late development of independence; it was also regarded as a means of socialization and as a promotion of mental health. These perceptions revealed two themes: aging, leisure, and chronic disease; and knowledge and leisure experiences. Educational actions, such as group dynamics and discussions, were planned considering these themes with the purpose of providing the necessary conditions for socializing and exchanging experiences.

Leisure activities, caregiving demands and catecholamine levels in dementia caregivers

This study examined whether satisfaction from leisure activities moderates the relationship between caregiving demands (i.e., hours per day spent caring for a spouse with dementia) and resting levels of the catecholamines norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (EPI). Spousal caregivers (n = 107; mean age = 73.95 ± 8.12 years) were assessed in home for plasma levels of NE and EPI, amount of care provided, and leisure satisfaction. Regression was used to determine whether leisure satisfaction moderated the relationship between hours providing care per day and catecholamine levels. A significant interaction was found between hours caregiving and leisure satisfaction for NE, but not for EPI. Post hoc regressions were conducted for both NE and EPI. At low leisure satisfaction, time spent caring for a spouse was positively associated with plasma NE (β = 0.41; p = 0.005) and EPI (β = 0.44; p = 0.003). In contrast, at high levels of satisfaction, time caregiving was not significantly associated with plasma NE (β = -0.08; p = 0.57) or EPI (β = 0.23; p = 0.12). These findings suggest that leisure satisfaction may protect caregivers from increases in catecholamines, which have been implicated in cardiovascular risk. Further support for these findings may impact psychological treatments for distressed caregivers.

A Longitudinal Analysis of the Relations Among Stress, Depressive Symptoms, Leisure Satisfaction, and Endothelial Function in Caregivers

Stress and depressive symptoms have been associated with impaired endothelial function as measured by brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD), possibly through repeated and heightened activation of the sympathetic nervous system. Behavioral correlates of depression, such as satisfaction with leisure activities (i.e., leisure satisfaction), may also be associated with endothelial function via their association with depressive symptoms. This study examined the longitudinal associations between stress, depressive symptoms, leisure satisfaction, and endothelial function as measured by FMD.