Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Validation Of The Actical Activity Monitor In Middle-Aged And Older Adults, Steven P. Hooker, Anna Feeney, Brent E. Hutto, Karin A. Pfeiffer, Kerry Mciver, Daniel P. Heil, John E. Vena, Michael J. Lamonte, Steven N. Blair

Faculty Publications

Purpose: This study was designed to validate the Actical activity monitor in middle-aged and older adults of varying body composition to develop accelerometer thresholds to distinguish between light and moderate intensity physical activity (PA).

Methods: Nonobese 45 to 64 yr (N = 29), obese 45 to 64 yr (N = 21), and ≥65 yr (N = 23; varying body composition) participants completed laboratory-based sitting, household, and locomotive activities while wearing an Actical monitor and a portable metabolic measurement system. Non-linear regression analysis was used to identify activity count (AC) cut-points to differentiate between light intensity (<3 METs) and moderate intensity (≥3 METs) PA.

Results: Using group-specific algorithms, …

Changes In Cvd Risk Factors In The Activity Counseling Trial, Meghan Baruth, Sarah Wilcox, James F. Sallis, Abby C. King, Bess H. Marcus, Steven N. Blair

Faculty Publications

Primary care facilities may be a natural setting for delivering interventions that focus on behaviors that improve cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. The purpose of this study was to examine the 24-month effects of the Activity Counseling Trial (ACT) on CVD risk factors, to examine whether changes in CVD risk factors differed according to baseline risk factor status, and to examine whether changes in fitness were associated with changes in CVD risk factors. ACT was a 24-month multicenter randomized controlled trial to increase physical activity. Participants were 874 inactive men and women aged 35-74 years. Participants were randomly assigned to …

Fitness And Adiposity As Predictors Of Functional Limitation In Adults, Andréa L. Maslow, Anna E. Price, Xuemei Sui, Duck-Chul Lee, Ilkka Vuori, Steven N. Blair

Faculty Publications

Background: This study examined the associations of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) with incident functional limitation (IFL) in adults.

Methods: Patients (n = 2400), 30+ years [mean age, 45.2 (SD, 8.3); 12% women], completed a baseline health examination during 1979 to 1995. CRF was quantified by age- and sex-specific thirds for maximal treadmill exercise test duration. Adiposity was assessed by BMI and WC (grouped for analysis according to clinical guidelines). Incident IFL was identified from mail-back surveys during 1995, 1999, and 2004.

Results: After adjusting for potential confounders and either BMI or WC, CRF …

Physical Activity: The Future Of Learning?, Michael W. Beets, Amanda E. Paluch, Edward C. Archer, Steven N. Blair

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Relative Influence Of Demographic, Individual, Social, And Environmental Factors On Physical Activity Among Boys And Girls, Carrie D. Patnode, Leslie A. Lytle, Darin J. Erickson, John R. Sirard, Daheia J. Barr-Anderson, Mary Story

Faculty Publications

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the associations of selected demographic, individual, social, and environmental factors with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in a sample of children and adolescents.

Methods: MVPA was assessed among youth (n = 294) 10-17-years-old using the ActiGraph accelerometer. Youth completed measures of demographic and individual variables related to physical activity (PA), perceived social support by parents and peers, and perceived neighborhood characteristics. Parents completed the long-form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The Physical Activity and Media Inventory was used to measure the home environment and Geographical Information Systems software was used to measure the physical …

More Collaboration - More Power In Combating Ill Health, Ilkka Vuori, Steven N. Blair, Fiona C. Bull, Peter T. Katzmarzyk

Faculty Publications

This symposium highlighted the position of physical activity as one of the most important factors causally related to common non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and discussed the need for including physical activity in comprehensive prevention strategies and policies to combat the major NCDs. Lifestyle factors such as smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity are all major risk factors for ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and several cancers, and physical inactivity globally ranks as the fourth leading risk factor for mortality. Despite the solid evidence that physical activity is related to several NCDs, stronger advocacy actions are required because physical activity is not viewed …

Age-Related Changes In Types And Contexts Of Physical Activity In Middle School Girls, Russell R. Pate, James F. Sallis, Dianne S. Ward, June Stevens, Gregory J. Welk, Deborah Rohm Young, Jared B. Jobe, Patricia K. Strikmiller

Faculty Publications

Background - Because girls are less physically active than boys, it is important to understand the types of activities preferred by girls, and changes in those preferences over time, in order to design effective physical activity interventions.

Purpose - To describe developmental trends in participation in specific forms of physical activity in 6th- and 8th-grade girls.

Methods - Data for this study are from the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls. Self-reported physical activity, anthropometric, and demographic data were collected from random cross sections of 6th-grade girls in 36 middle schools in six U.S. communities. The same data were collected …

Should Health Policy Focus On Physical Activity Rather Than Obesity?, Richard Weller, Emmanuel Stamatakis, Steven N. Blair, Timothy P. Gill, Louise A. Baur, Lesley A. King

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Associations Between Sport And Screen-Entertainment With Mental Health Problems In 5-Year-Old Children, Lucy J. Griffiths, Marsha Dowda, Carol Dezateux, Russell R. Pate

Faculty Publications

Background: Few studies have examined the benefits of regular physical activity, and risks of sedentary behavior, in young children. This study investigated associations between participation in sports and screen-entertainment (as components of physical activity and sedentary behavior), and emotional and behavioral problems in this population.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of data from 13470 children (50.9% boys) participating in the nationally representative UK Millennium Cohort Study. Time spent participating in sports clubs outside of school, and using screen-entertainment, was reported by the child's mother at child age 5 years, when mental health was also measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.

Results …

Prospective Associations Between Objective Measures Of Physical Activity And Fat Mass In 12-14 Year Old Children: The Avon Longitudinal Study Of Parents And Children (Alspac), Chris J. Riddoch, Sam D. Leary, Andy R. Ness, Steven N. Blair, Kevin Deere, Calum Mattocks, Alex Griffiths, George Davey Smith, Kate Tilling

Faculty Publications

Objective: To investigate associations between physical activity at age 12 and subsequent adiposity at age 14.

Design: Prospective birth cohort study with data collected between 2003 and 2007.

Setting: Original recruitment in 1991-2 of 14,541 pregnant women living in the former County of Avon (United Kingdom).

Participants: At age 12, 11,952 children were invited to attend the research clinic. Of these, 7159 attended, and 4150 (1964 boys, 2186 girls) provided sufficient data on exposure, outcome, and confounding variables.

Main outcome measure: Fat mass at age 14, measured by dual emission x ray absorptiometry, associated with physical activity at age 12, …

A Cost Analysis Of A Physical Activity Intervention For Older Adults, Erik J. Groessl, Robert M. Kaplan, Steven N. Blair, W. Jack Rejeski, Jeffrey A. Katula, Abby C. King, Roger A. Fielding, Nancy W. Glynn, Marco Pahor

Faculty Publications

We examined the costs of a physical activity (PA) and an educational comparison intervention. 424 older adults at risk for mobility disability were randomly assigned to either condition. The PA program consisted of center-based exercise sessions 3x weekly for 8 weeks, 2x weekly for weeks 9 to 24 and weekly behavioral counseling for 10 weeks. Optional sessions were offered during maintenance weeks (25-52). The comparison intervention consisted of weekly education meetings for 24 weeks, and then monthly for 6 months. Cost analyses were conducted from the "payer's" perspective, with a 1-year time horizon. Intervention costs were estimated by tracking personnel …

Factors Related To Objectively Measured Physical Activity In Preschool Children, Karin A. Pfeiffer, Marsha Dowda, Kerry L. Mciver, Russell R. Pate

Faculty Publications

This study examined correlates of objectively measured physical activity (PA) in a diverse sample of preschool children (age 3-5 years; n=331). Accelerometer min∙hr^-1 of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and nonsedentary activity (NSA) were the outcome measures. Correlations among potential correlates and PA ranged from r=-0.12-0.26. Correlates in the final MVPA model were age, race, sex, BMI Z score, and parent perception of athletic competence, explaining 37% of the variance. The NSA model included the latter two variables, explaining 35% of the variance. Demographic factors were correlates of PA; parent perceptions of children's competence may be important regarding …

Electronic Media Exposure And Its Association With Activity-Related Outcomes In Female Adolescents: Cross-Sectional And Longitudinal Analyses, Felipe Lobelo, Marsha Dowda, Karin A. Pfeiffer, Russell R. Pate

Faculty Publications

Background: Few investigations have assessed in adolescent girls the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between elevated exposure to electronic media (EM) and activity-related outcomes such as compliance with physical activity (PA) standards or cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). Methods: Four-hundred thirty-seven white and African American girls were assessed at the 8th, 9th, and 12th grades. PA and EM (TV/video watching, electronic games, Internet use) were self-reported, and CRF was estimated using a cycle-ergometer test. Hi EM exposure was defined as ≥ four 30-minute blocks/d. Results: 8th-, 9th-, and 12th-grade girls in the Hi EM group showed lower compliance with PA standards and had …

Age-Related Change In Physical Activity In Adolescent Girls, Russell R. Pate, June Stevens, Larry S. Webber, Marsha Dowda, David M. Murray, Deborah R. Young, Scott Going

Faculty Publications

Purpose - To determine the annual rate at which physical activity changes in girls during middle school using both objective and self-report measures of physical activity.

Methods - Participants were 6^th and 8^th grade girls from the control schools in the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG). Random cross-sectional samples initially were drawn from 6^th grade girls (n=786) and two years later from 8^th grade girls (n=1545). A cohort of 501 girls was in both the 6^th and 8^th grade samples. The girls wore an accelerometer for six days and completed the 3-Day …

Cardiorespiratory Fitness As A Predictor Of Fatal And Nonfatal Stroke In Asymptomatic Women And Men, Steven P. Hooker, Xuemei Sui, Natalie Colabianchi, John E. Vena, James N. Laditka, Michael J. Lamonte, Steven N. Blair

Faculty Publications

Background and Purpose - Prospective data on the association between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and stroke are largely limited to studies in men or do not separately examine risks for fatal and nonfatal stroke. This study examined the association between CRF and fatal and nonfatal stroke in a large cohort of asymptomatic women and men.

Methods - A total of 46,405 men and 15,282 women without known myocardial infarction or stroke at baseline completed a maximal treadmill exercise test between 1970 and 2001. CRF was grouped as quartiles of the sex-specific distribution of maximal metabolic equivalents achieved. Mortality follow-up was through …

Race Differences In Activity, Fitness, And Bmi In Female Eighth Graders Categorized By Sports Participation Status, John R. Sirard, Karin A. Pfeiffer, Marsha Dowda, Russell R. Pate

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to identify racial differences in physical activity (PA), fitness, and BMI in female 8th-grade sports participants and nonparticipants. Girls from 31 South Carolina middle schools (N=1,903, 48% White; mean age=13.6 ± 0.63) reported PA and previous year sports-team participation, completed a submaximal fitness test, and had height and weight measured. Sports team participation was positively associated with PA and negatively associated with television viewing and BMI, in a dose-response manner. Compared with Whites, African-Americans reported less PA and more television viewing, and had greater BMI scores. Whereas PA intervention programs that incorporate …

Physical Activity And Neighborhood Resources In High School Girls, Russell R. Pate, Natalie Colabianchi, Dwayne E. Porter, Maria João C. A. Almeida, Felipe Lobelo, Marsha Dowda

Faculty Publications

Background - Physical activity behavior is influenced by a person's physical environment, but few studies have used objective measures to study the influences of the physical environment on physical activity behavior in youth. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between selected neighborhood physical activity resources and physical activity levels in high school girls.

Methods - Participants were students in schools that had participated in a large physical activity intervention trial. The 3-Day Physical Activity Recall was completed by 1506 12th-grade girls. Data on physical activity facilities and resources in the participating communities were collected using a …

Promoting Physical Activity In Middle School Girls: Trial Of Activity For Adolescent Girls, Larry S. Webber, Diane J. Catellier, Leslie A. Lytle, David M. Murray, Charlotte A. Pratt, Deborah Rohm Young, John P. Elder, Timothy G. Lohman, June Stevens, Jared B. Jobe, Russell R. Pate

Faculty Publications

Background - Physical activity is important for weight control and good health; however, activity levels decline in the adolescent years, particularly in girls.

Design - Group randomized controlled trial.

Setting/participants - Middle school girls with English-speaking skills and no conditions to prevent participation in physical activity in 36 schools in six geographically diverse areas of the United States. Random, cross-sectional samples were drawn within schools: 6th graders in 2003 (n=1721) and 8th graders in 2005 (n=3504) and 2006 (n=3502).

Intervention - A 2-year study-directed intervention (fall 2003 to spring 2005) targeted schools, community agencies, …

Early Life Determinants Of Physical Activity In 11 To 12 Year Olds: Cohort Study, Calum Mattocks, Kevin Deere, Sam D. Leary, Andy R. Ness, Kate Tilling, Steven N. Blair, Chris J. Riddoch

Faculty Publications

Objective: To examine factors in early life (up to age 5 years) that are associated with objectively measured physical activity in 11-12 year olds.

Design: Prospective cohort study

Setting: Avon longitudinal study of parents and children, United Kingdom.

Participants: Children aged 11-12 years from the Avon longitudinal study of parents and children.

Main outcome measure: Physical activity levels in counts per minute (cpm) and minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity for seven days measured with a uniaxial actigraph accelerometer.

Results: Valid actigraph data, defined as at least three days of physical activity for at least 10 hours a day, …

Physical Activity And Blood Pressure In Childhood: Findings From A Population-Based Study, Sam D. Leary, Andy R. Ness, George Davey Smith, Calum Mattocks, Kevin Deere, Steven N. Blair, Chris J. Riddoch

Faculty Publications

The pathological processes associated with development of cardiovascular disease begin early in life. For example, elevated blood pressure (BP) can be seen in childhood and tracks into adulthood. The relationship between physical activity (PA) and BP in adults is well-established, but findings in children have been inconsistent, with few studies measuring PA mechanically. Children aged 11 to 12 years were recruited from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. 5505 had systolic and diastolic BP measurements, plus valid (at least 10 hours for at least 3 days) accelerometer measures of PA; total PA recorded as average counts per minute …

Use Of Accelerometers In A Large Field-Based Study Of Children: Protocols, Design Issues, And Effects On Precision, Calum Mattocks, Andy R. Ness, Sam D. Leary, Kate Tilling, Steven N. Blair, Julian Shield, Kevin Deere, Joanne Saunders, Joanne Krikby, George Davey Smith, Jonathan Wells, Nicholas Wareham, John J. Reilly, Chris J. Riddoch

Faculty Publications

Background: Objective methods can improve accuracy of physical activity measurement in field studies but uncertainties remain about their use.

Methods: Children age 11 years from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), were asked to wear a uni-axial accelerometer (MTI Actigraph) for 7 days.

Results: Of 7159 children who attended for assessment, 5595 (78%) provided valid measures. The reliability coefficient for 3 days of recording was .7 and the power to detect a difference of 0.07 SDs (P ≤ .05) was > 90%. Measures tended to be higher on the first day of recording (17 counts/min; 95% CI, …

Towards An Understanding Of Salient Neighborhood Boundaries: Adolescent Reports Of An Easy Walking Distance And Convenient Driving Distance, Natalie Colabianchi, Marsha Dowda, Karin A. Pfeiffer, Dwayne E. Porter, Maria João C. A. Almeida, Russell R. Pate

Faculty Publications

Numerous studies have examined the association between the surrounding neighborhood environment and physical activity levels in adolescents. Many of these studies use a road network buffer of Euclidean distance buffer around an adolescent's home to represent the appropriate geographic area for study (i.e., neighborhood). However, little empirical research has examined the appropriate buffer size to use when defining this area and there is little consistency across published research as to the buffer size used. In this study, 909 12^th grade adolescent girls of diverse racial and geographic backgrounds were asked to report their perceptions of an easy walking distance …

Associations Among Physical Activity, Health Indicators, And Employment In 12th Grade Girls, Marsha Dowda, Karin A. Pfeiffer, Rod K. Dishman, Russell R. Pate

Faculty Publications

Objectives: This study compared physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and other health indicators between 1381 employed and nonemployed 12th grade girls.

Methods: The girls were from 22 high schools in South Carolina (2002-2003); 56% of the girls were African American, and the mean age was 17.7 (0.6) years. Physical activity and sedentary behaviors were measured using the 3-Day Physical Activity Recall (3DPAR). Fitness, depressive symptoms, and smoking behavior were assessed.

Results: Fifty percent of the girls were employed, and on average, employed girls worked 9.6 30-minute blocks per day. Girls who worked reported significantly (p≤0.001) higher average total metabolic …

Long-Term Effects Of A Physical Activity Intervention In High School Girls, Russell R. Pate, Ruth P. Saunders, Rod K. Dishman, Cheryl L. Addy, Marsha Dowda, Dianne S. Ward

Faculty Publications

Background - Physical activity decreases during childhood and adolescence, and physical activity levels are significantly lower in females than males, particularly during adolescence. Schools are attractive settings in which to implement interventions designed to promote physical activity in girls and young women, but few studies have tested the sustained effects of such interventions.

Design - Cross-sectional. Data were collected in 2002-2003 and analyzed in 2006-2007.

Setting/Participants - 1594 adolescent girls in 22 high schools.

Intervention - The intervention, Lifestyle Education for Activity Program (LEAP), was designed to increase physical activity in 9^th grade girls through two channels: changes in …

Physical Activity And Public Health In Older Adults: Recommendation From The American College Of Sports Medicine And The American Heart Association, Miriam E. Nelson, W. Jack Rejeski, Steven N. Blair, Pamela W. Duncan, James O. Judge, Abby C. King, Carol A. Macera, Carmen Castaneda-Sceppa

Faculty Publications

Objective - To issue a recommendation on the types and amounts of physical activity needed to improve and maintain health in older adults.

Participants - A panel of scientists with expertise in public health, behavioral science, epidemiology, exercise science, medicine, and gerontology.

Evidence - The expert panel reviewed existing consensus statements and relevant evidence from primary research articles and reviews of the literature. Process: After drafting a recommendation for the older adult population and reviewing drafts of the Updated Recommendation from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Heart Association (AHA) for Adults, the panel issued a …

Agreement Between Student-Reported And Proxy-Reported Physical Activity Questionnaires, Marsha Dowda, Russell R. Pate, James F. Sallis, Patty S. Freedson, Wendell C. Taylor, John R. Sirard, Stewart G. Trost

Faculty Publications

Parents and 531 students (46% males, 78% white) completed equivalent questionnaires. Agreement between student and parent responses to questions about hypothesized physical activity (PA) correlates was assessed. Relationships between hypothesized correlates and an objective measure of student's moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in a subset of 177 students were also investigated. Agreement between student and parent ranged from r=.34 to .64 for PA correlates. Spearman correlations between MVPA and PA correlates ranged from -.04 to .21 for student report and -.14 to .32 for parent report, and there were no statistical differences for 8 out of 9 correlations between parent …

Objectively Measured Physical Activity And Fat Mass In A Large Cohort Of Children, Andy R. Ness, Sam D. Leary, Calum Mattocks, Steven N. Blair, John J. Reilly, Jonathan Wells, Sue Ingle, Kate Tilling, George Davey Smith, Chris J. Riddoch

Faculty Publications

Background: Previous studies have been unable to characterise the association between physical activity and obesity, possibly because most relied on inaccurate measures of physical activity and obesity.

Methods and Findings: We carried out a cross sectional analysis on 5,500 12-year-old children enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Total physical activity and minutes of moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were measured using the Actigraph accelerometer. Fat mass and obesity (defined as the top decile of fat mass) were measured using the Lunar Prodigy dual x-ray emission absorptiometry scanner. We found strong negative associations between MVPA and …

Family Support For Physical Activity In Girls From 8th To 12th Grade In South Carolina, Marsha Dowda, Rod K. Dishman, Karin A. Pfeiffer, Russell R. Pate

Faculty Publications

Objective - To examine the relationship between perceived family support and other selected correlates of physical activity (PA) with changes in PA over time.

Methods - A total of 421 girls in South Carolina completed questionnaires at 8th, 9th and 12th grades (1998-2003). Family support for PA, PA self-efficacy, perceived behavioral control, attitudes, availability of equipment, and PA were measured.

Results - Growth curve analysis showed that family support, perceived behavioral control, and self-efficacy were independently related to age-related changes in PA as reflected by a total METs. Girls who reported lower family support at the 8th grade measure had …

Objectively Measured Physical Activity In Sixth-Grade Girls, Russell R. Pate, June Stevens, Charlotte Pratt, James F. Sallis, Kathryn H. Schmitz, Larry S. Webber, Gregory J. Welk, Deborah Rohm Young

Faculty Publications

Objectives - To describe the objectively-measured physical activity (PA) characteristics of a diverse sample of 6^th grade girls to examine influences on PA, and to report compliance with PA guidelines.

Design - Cross-sectional study.

Setting - Six locations across the United States.

Participants - 1578 6^th grade girls. Actigraph accelerometers were worn for 7 days, and data for 6 days were included in the analyses.

Main exposure - Race/ethnicity, free-or-reduced price lunch (FRPL), and geographic region.

Main outcome measure - Six operational definitions of adequate activity (60 min or 30 min of daily MVPA at or above 4.6, …

Physical Activities In Adolescent Girls: Variability In Energy Expenditure, Karin A. Pfeiffer, Kathryn H. Schmitz, Robert G. Mcmurray, Margarita S. Treuth, David M. Murray, Russell R. Pate

Faculty Publications

Background - Understanding interindividual variability of energy expended in common activities is important for determining precise estimates of energy expenditure in surveillance studies and clinical trials. The purpose of this study was to describe the variability in energy expenditure for selected physical activities among adolescent girls.

Methods - Seventy-four adolescent girls (aged 13 to 14 years) participated in this cross-sectional investigation. Data were collected in 2001 and analyzed in 2004. Energy expenditure was measured by indirect calorimetry for ten activities and during a submaximal cycle ergometer test, which was used to estimate cardiorespiratory fitness. Variability in energy expended for the …