Reliability and validity of the IPAQ-L in a sample of Hong Kong urban older adults : does neighborhood of residence matter?

This study examined reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Long Form (IPAQ-LC) in Chinese seniors, including moderating effects of neighborhood walkability and socioeconomic status (SES) on reliability and validity. The IPAQ-LC was interviewer-administered (n = 96), accelerometer and 7-day walk-diary data were collected (n = 94), and the IPAC-LC was readministered (N = 92). Acceptable reliability was found for all measures of physical activity (PA) overall and across different types of neighborhood. Participants from highly walkable neighborhoods were more reliable at estimating walking for transport. Participants from low-SES areas were less reliable at estimating leisure-time PA and sitting but more reliable at estimating transport-related walking. IPAQ-LC walking was significantly related to light- but not moderate-intensity accelerometry-based PA. It was moderately to strongly related to a 7-day diary of walking. The data imply slow-paced walking, probably due to age, climate, and terrain. The findings suggest that the IPAQ-LC’s reliability and validity are acceptable in Chinese seniors.

Predictors of pre- and post-competition affective states in male martial artists : a multilevel interactional approach

The aims of this study were to examine (a) the effects of competition-related and competition-extraneous concerns on affective states; (b) the relationships of primary and secondary appraisal with affective states and (c) the main and moderating effects of personality traits on pre- and post-competition affects. Thirty-nine male elite martial artists were assessed on 12 affective states, concerns and dimensions of primary and secondary appraisal at five random times a day across 1 week before and 3 days after a competition. On the competition day, they were assessed 1 h before and immediately after the contest. Competitive trait anxiety, neuroticism and extraversion were measured at the start of the study. The competition was the most significant and stressful event experienced in the examined period and had a pervasive influence on athletes' affective states. All examined appraisal and personality factors were somewhat associated with pre- and post-competition affective states. Competitive trait anxiety was a key moderator of the relationship between cognitive appraisal and affective states. This study supports the idea that cognitive appraisal and situational and personality factors exert main and interactive effects on athletes' pre- and post-competition affects. These factors need to be accounted for in planning of emotion regulation interventions.

Associations of leisure-time physical activity with quality of life in a large, population-based sample of colorectal cancer survivors

Objective : To examine the associations between physical activity and quality of life for colorectal cancer survivors; and to describe the associations of medical and sociodemographic attributes with overall quality of life, and their moderating effects on the relationships between physical activity and quality of life.

Methods : Telephone interviews were conducted with 1,996 colorectal cancer survivors recruited through the Queensland Cancer Registry. Data were collected on current quality of life; leisure-time physical activity pre- and post-diagnosis; cancer treatment and side-effects; and general sociodemographic attributes. Hierarchical generalized linear models identified variables significantly associated with quality of life.

Results : After controlling for sociodemographic variables, disease-specific variables, treatment side-effects, and pre-diagnosis leisure-time physical activity, there were significant differences in quality of life scores by post-diagnosis physical activity category. Compared to participants who were inactive after their diagnosis, those who were sufficiently active had a 17.0% higher total quality of life score. Physical activity also had a significant independent positive association with the physical well-being, functional well-being, and additional concerns subscales of the FACT-C.

Conclusions : Our findings demonstrate that quite modest changes in leisure-time physical activity are associated with quality of life. Colorectal cancer survivors may benefit from a more active lifestyle.

Neighborhood and individual socio-economic variations in the contribution of occupational physical activity to total physical activity

Background: There is an inverse relationship between individual socio-economic status (SES) and amount of occupational physical activity. The role of the socio-economic environment is, however, less clear. This study examined the independent influences of neighborhood and individual SES on absolute and relative amount of occupational physical activity. It also examined the moderating effects of neighborhood SES on the relationship between individual SES and occupational physical activity.

Methods: Employees (n = 1236) resident in high or low SES neighborhoods were assessed on socio-demographic factors, including educational attainment and household income, and physical activity.

Results: Neighborhood SES and individual SES were independently inversely related to absolute and relative amount of occupational physical activity. Significant interactions between neighborhood SES and level of educational attainment in the contribution of total and vigorous occupational physical activity to total physical activity were found.

Conclusions: Neighborhood SES can function as a moderator in the relationship between individual SES and occupational physical activity.

Influence of high performance work systems on employee subjective well-being and job burnout: empirical evidence from the Chinese healthcare sector

Over the last two decades, high performance work systems (HPWSs) research has been dominated by examining the effects of these systems on firm performance. Research on the impact of HPWSs on employees has been marginalised. This study examines the impact of HPWSs on two psychological outcomes for employees, namely, subjective well-being (SWB) and workplace burnout, by utilising data collected from 1488 physicians and nurses in 25 Chinese hospitals. It also examines the moderating effects of employees' organisational based self-esteem (OBSE), as an individual intervention and physician–nurse relationships, as an organisational intervention, on the relationship between HPWSs and employee outcomes. HPWS is found to increase employees' SWB and decrease burnout. Such well-being-enhancing and burnout-relieving effects are stronger when employees have high OBSE. The positive effect of HPWS on SWB is also stronger when there is a collaborative relationship among employees in an organisation. The major contribution of this study is to unpack the ‘black box’ of how HPWS influences employee well-being in the Chinese healthcare sector context.

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.

International study of objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time with body mass index and obesity: IPEN adult study

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) has been consistently implicated in the etiology of obesity, whereas recent evidence on the importance of sedentary time remains inconsistent. Understanding of dose-response associations of PA and sedentary time with overweight and obesity in adults can be improved with large-scale studies using objective measures of PA and sedentary time. The purpose of this study was to examine the strength, direction and shape of dose-response associations of accelerometer-based PA and sedentary time with body mass index (BMI) and weight status in 10 countries, and the moderating effects of study site and gender. METHODS: Data from the International Physical activity and the Environment Network (IPEN) Adult study were used. IPEN Adult is an observational multi-country cross-sectional study, and 12 sites in 10 countries are included. Participants wore an accelerometer for seven consecutive days, completed a socio-demographic questionnaire and reported height and weight. In total, 5712 adults (18-65 years) were included in the analyses. Generalized additive mixed models, conducted in R, were used to estimate the strength and shape of the associations. RESULTS: A curvilinear relationship of accelerometer-based moderate-to-vigorous PA and total counts per minute with BMI and the probability of being overweight/obese was identified. The associations were negative, but weakened at higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous PA (>50 min per day) and higher counts per minute. No associations between sedentary time and weight outcomes were found. Complex site- and gender-specific findings were revealed for BMI, but not for weight status. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of these results, the current Institute of Medicine recommendation of 60 min per day of moderate-to-vigorous PA to prevent weight gain in normal-weight adults was supported. No relationship between sedentary time and the weight outcomes was present, calling for further examination. If moderator findings are confirmed, the relationship between PA and BMI may be country- and gender-dependent, which could have important implications for country-specific health guidelines. © 2015 Macmillan Publishers Limited All rights reserved.

Environmental invitingness for transport-related cycling in middle-aged adults: a proof of concept study using photographs

Introduction: Current evidence on associations between modifiable environmental characteristics and transport-related cycling remains inconsistent. Most studies on these associations used questionnaires to determine environmental perceptions, but such tools may be subject to bias due to unreliable recall. Moreover, questionnaires only measure separate environmental characteristics, while real environments are a combination of different characteristics. To overcome these limitations, the present proof of concept study used panoramic photographs of cycling environments to capture direct responses to the physical environment. We examined which depicted environmental characteristics were associated to environments' invitingness for transportation cycling. Furthermore, interactions with gender and participants' cycling behavior were examined. Methods: Fifty-nine middle-aged adults were recruited through purposeful convenience sampling. During a home visit, participants took part in a structured interview assessing demographics and PA during the preceding seven days, followed by an intuitive choice task and a (cognitive) rating task, which both measured 40 photographed environments' invitingness to cycle along. Multi-level cross-classified analyses were conducted using MLwiN 2.26. Results: Both tasks' multivariate results showed that presence of vegetation was identified as the most important environmental characteristic to invite people for engaging in transportation cycling, even when the amount of vegetation was relatively small. In the bivariate analyzes, some differences between results of the cognitive rating task and the intuitive choice task were found, showing that invitingness measured by the rating task was associated with environmental maintenance and cycling infrastructure, whereas invitingness determined by the choice task was associated with more traffic-oriented characteristics. Moreover, only for the choice task's results, moderating effects of gender and participants' cycling behavior in the preceding week were observed. Conclusion: The present study provides proof of concept that capturing people's less cognitive, more intuitive responses to an environment's invitingness for transport-related cycling may be important for revealing environment-behavior associations. If replicated in future studies using larger samples, results of our innovative measurements with photographs, especially those on vegetation, can complete the existing knowledge on which environmental characteristics are important for transportation cycling in adults and could form a basis to inform health promoters and local policy makers. However, future studies replicating our study method in larger samples and other population subgroups are highly encouraged. Moreover, causal relationships should be explored.

Using manipulated photographs to identify features of streetscapes that may encourage older adults to walk for transport

Experimental evidence of environmental features important for physical activity is challenging to procure in real world settings. The current study aimed to investigate the causal effects of environmental modifications on a photographed street's appeal for older adults' walking for transport. Secondly, we examined whether these effects differed according to gender, functional limitations, and current level of walking for transport. Thirdly, we examined whether different environmental modifications interacted with each other. Qualitative responses were also reported to gain deeper insight into the observed quantitative relationships. Two sets of 16 panoramic photographs of a streetscape were created, in which six environmental factors were manipulated (sidewalk evenness, traffic level, general upkeep, vegetation, separation from traffic, and benches). Sixty older adults sorted these photographs on appeal for walking for transport on a 7-point scale and reported qualitative information on the reasons for their rankings. Sidewalk evenness appeared to have the strongest influence on a street's appeal for transport-related walking. The effect of sidewalk evenness was even stronger when the street's overall upkeep was good and when traffic was absent. Absence of traffic, presence of vegetation, and separation from traffic also increased a street's appeal for walking for transport. There were no moderating effects by gender or functional limitations. The presence of benches increased the streetscape's appeal among participants who already walked for transport at least an hour/week. The protocols and methods used in the current study carry the potential to further our understanding of environment-PA relationships. Our findings indicated sidewalk evenness as the most important environmental factor influencing a street's appeal for walking for transport among older adults. However, future research in larger samples and in real-life settings is needed to confirm current findings.

Experiences of racism, racial/ethnic attitudes, motivated fairness and mental health outcomes among primary and secondary school students

While studies investigating the health effects of racial discrimination for children and youth have examined a range of effect modifiers, to date, relationships between experiences of racial discrimination, student attitudes, and health outcomes remain unexplored. This study uniquely demonstrates the moderating effects of vicarious racism and motivated fairness on the association between direct experiences of racism and mental health outcomes, specifically depressive symptoms and loneliness, among primary and secondary school students. Across seven schools, 263 students (54.4% female), ranging from 8 to 17 years old (M = 11.2, SD = 2.2) reported attitudes about other racial/ethnic groups and experiences of racism. Students from minority ethnic groups (determined by country of birth) reported higher levels of loneliness and more racist experiences relative to the majority group students. Students from the majority racial/ethnic group reported higher levels of loneliness and depressive symptoms if they had more friends from different racial/ethnic groups, whereas the number of friends from different groups had no effect on minority students' loneliness or depressive symptoms. Direct experiences of racism were robustly related to higher loneliness and depressive symptoms in multivariate regression models. However, the association with depressive symptoms was reduced to marginal significance when students reported low motivated fairness. Elaborating on the negative health effects of racism in primary and secondary school students provides an impetus for future research and the development of appropriate interventions.

Associations between dietary intakes of first-time fathers and their 20-month-old children are moderated by fathers' BMI, education and age

Children's learning about food is considerable during their formative years, with parental influence being pivotal. Research has focused predominantly on maternal influences, with little known about the relationships between fathers' and children's diets. Greater understanding of this relationship is necessary for the design of appropriate interventions. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between the diets of fathers and their children and the moderating effects of fathers' BMI, education and age on these associations. The diets of fathers and their first-born children (n 317) in the Melbourne Infant Feeding Activity and Nutrition Trial (InFANT) Program were assessed using an FFQ and 3×24-h recalls, respectively. The InFANT Program is a cluster-randomised controlled trial in the setting of first-time parents groups in Victoria, Australia. Associations between father and child fruit, vegetable, non-core food and non-core drink intakes were assessed using linear regression. The extent to which these associations were mediated by maternal intake was tested. Moderation of associations by paternal BMI, education and age was assessed. Positive associations were found between fathers' and children's intake of fruit, sweet snacks and take-away foods. Paternal BMI, education and age moderated the relationships found for the intakes of fruit (BMI), vegetables (age), savoury snacks (BMI and education) and take-away foods (BMI and education). Our findings suggest that associations exist at a young age and are moderated by paternal BMI, education and age. This study highlights the importance of fathers in modelling healthy diets for their children.

Franchisee-based brand equity: The role of brand relationship quality and brand citizenship behavior

Despite the evidence that brand management is core to the success of franchising businesses, limited empirical work has focused on branding in such business-to-business (B2B) exchanges. Integrating social exchange theory and the identity-based brand management framework, this study proposes that brand relationship quality is crucial in promoting franchisee brand citizenship behavior that can enhance brand equity attributable to franchisees, thereby advancing a model of '. franchisee-based brand equity' (FBBE). Survey results from 352 franchisees in franchised B2B exchanges suggest that brand relationship quality promotes brand citizenship behavior, thereby enhancing FBBE. Additionally, moderated mediation analysis indicates that the indirect effect of brand relationship quality on FBBE via brand citizenship behavior is stronger when franchisor competence is high. However, franchisor-franchisee relationship duration has no moderating effects on these relationships. The findings of this study have implications for franchising practitioners that are interested in understanding the role of brand relationship management in promoting franchisee brand citizenship behavior and FBBE.

Ownership concentration and product innovation in Chinese private SMEs

Product innovation is extremely important to the growth, success, and ultimate survival of firms. Although its unique features in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have gained growing attention in the literature, there is limited knowledge as to how ownership concentration moderates the relationship between product innovation and its determinants. Based upon insights from agency and institutional theories, we examine the moderating effects of ownership concentration on the relationship between product innovation and its key determinants in Chinese SMEs, utilizing a large dataset of 43,728 Chinese firms over the period 2005-2006. We focus on examining the differences between single-owner SMEs, where there is dominant control of one family member, and multiple-owner SMEs, where principal-agent conflicts and principal-principal conflicts are more likely to occur. Our findings indicate that single-owned firms tend to convert research and development into product innovation more efficiently than firms with multiple owners, who are typically better at utilizing external sources of knowledge and human capital.

The influence of market orientation on innovation strategies

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of market orientation on exploratory and exploitative innovation, and the moderating effects of family ownership on these relationships. Design/methodology/approach – This study utilizes multi-group path analysis and confirmatory factor analysis in LISREL on data from 228 firms in the Australian service sector. Findings – This study establishes that both customer and competitor innovation are positively related to exploitative and exploratory innovation. However, customer orientation does not lead to significantly stronger effects on exploitative innovation than on exploratory innovation, and competitor orientation does not lead to significantly stronger effects on exploratory innovation than on exploitative innovation. In addition, the study found that the relationship between customer orientation and exploratory innovation was stronger for family firms, while the relationships between competitor orientation and both exploratory and exploitative innovation were stronger for non-family firms. Research limitations/implications – The cross-sectional design is one weakness of this study. In addition, as firms in the present study came from the service sector the generalizability of the findings to other sectors of the economy need to be determined. Practical implications – These findings of this study highlight the need for managers to build a strong market orientation in order to promote innovation, and consider the effects of ownership structure on innovation strategies. Originality/value – This study is the first to measure the relative influence of customer and competitor orientation on a firm’s use of exploitative and exploratory innovation strategies.

O consumo público de eventos esportivos: um olhar para além dos estádios de futebol

O presente estudo investigou o consumo público de eventos esportivos ao vivo dentro e fora do âmbito dos estádios. O objetivo principal do estudo foi determinar se o fã (torcedor), percebe uma relação de substituição ou de complementaridade entre as atitudes favoráveis ao comparecimento ao estádio ou a outros locais públicos para assistir a jogos de futebol. Adicionalmente, o estudo objetivou a investigação da influência da identificação do fã do esporte (torcedor) com seu time na atitude e consumo público do espetáculo do futebol no estádio ou em outros locais públicos; bem como se as características demográficas (gênero e faixa etária) exercem algum tipo de efeito moderador sobre as relações estudadas. Para abordar estes temas buscou-se referência na SIT – Social Identity Theory e na SCT – Self- Categorization Theory. Foi realizado um levantamento (survey), envolvendo torcedores dos 4 times cariocas de maior torcida, mediante entrevistas estruturadas assistidas. A amostra foi intencional e de conveniência e a coleta de dados totalizou 507 questionários válidos. A análise dos dados foi realizada em duas etapas. A primeira contemplando uma análise fatorial exploratória, que objetivou a observação preliminar da qualidade das escalas. A segunda etapa contemplou uma análise fatorial confirmatória com o objetivo de purificar as escalas. Foram avaliadas a confiabilidade e a validade convergente, discriminante e nomológica dos construtos. Para testar as hipóteses substantivas do estudo utilizou-se a técnica de modelagem de equações estruturais e a análise de multigrupos. Os resultados da análise permitiram suportar empiricamente três das cinco hipóteses substantivas. Os resultados sugerem que (a) A identificação do fã com o time exerce influência positiva sobre a atitude em relação a assistir a jogos no estádio; (b) A atitude favorável do torcedor em relação ao estádio exerce influência positiva sobre o comparecimento ao estádio; e (c) A atitude favorável do torcedor em relação a locais públicos exerce influência positiva sobre o comparecimento a locais públicos. Todavia, não foi possível suportar integralmente as hipóteses de que (d) A identificação do fã com o time exerce influência sobre a atitude em relação a locais públicos; e (e) A atitude do torcedor em relação ao estádio exerce influência sobre a atitude em relação a locais públicos. Também não foram suportados os efeitos de moderação do gênero e faixa etária.