Evaluations of validity and reliability of a transtheoretical model for sedentary behavior among college students

Objective: To evaluate the measurement properties of the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) questionnaire for sedentary behaviors among college students and to examine the validity and reliability of the developed TTM questionnaire. Methods: Overall, 225 college students were recruited. For the 2-week test-retest reliability, a random sub-sample (N = 108) of the participants was used. Results: Statistically significant differences were found across the stages on the tests of concurrent (X2 = 25.0, p < .001) and construct (p < .01) validity. In addition, the internal consistency reliability (Cronbach alphas from .73 to .88) and test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficients ranging from .80 to .94) were high for the questionnaires. Conclusions: These results demonstrate high validity and reliability of the TTM questionnaire when applied to sedentary behavior.Peer reviewedCommunity Health Sciences, Counseling and Counseling Psycholog

Patterns of physical activity and sedentary behavior outside of a college physical activity course

Objectives: We investigated the patterns of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) outside of a college weight training course. Methods: We recruited university undergraduate students (N = 225) enrolled in a weight training course. The variables included bouted moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (PA), total sedentary time, and compliance with PA guidelines. Results: More than half of the participants did not meet the recommended aerobic PA guidelines outside of the weight training class. Gender discrepancy exists in the patterns of PA and SB. No differences in the variables were found between PA and non-PA students. Conclusions: Despite a participation in physical activity course, additional physical activity outside of the class is necessary to achieve physical activity guidelines.Peer reviewedCommunity Health Sciences, Counseling and Counseling Psycholog

When Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines is not Enough: the Interplay of Sedentary and Active Behaviors

ABSTRACT The combined effects of physical activity (PA) and sitting time on health have been inadequately studied. Sitting time has not been thoroughly measured in existing studies. The high prevalence of sitting in modern society may well present a situation where merely meeting guidelines is insufficient to realize health benefits. Identifying a dose of PA that negates the harmful effects of prolonged sitting should be a priority as research into the health effects of sitting progresses. Utilizing a group of high socio-economic status, highly active subjects of varying PA volume may allow identification of such a threshold, which may, in turn, shed light on more effective PA recommendations for highly sedentary individuals. Additional investigations into different sitting contexts, enhanced measurement techniques, and expanded surveillance may also be warranted

When Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines is not Enough: the Interplay of Sedentary and Active Behaviors

ABSTRACT The combined effects of physical activity (PA) and sitting time on health have been inadequately studied. Sitting time has not been thoroughly measured in existing studies. The high prevalence of sitting in modern society may well present a situation where merely meeting guidelines is insufficient to realize health benefits. Identifying a dose of PA that negates the harmful effects of prolonged sitting should be a priority as research into the health effects of sitting progresses. Utilizing a group of high socio-economic status, highly active subjects of varying PA volume may allow identification of such a threshold, which may, in turn, shed light on more effective PA recommendations for highly sedentary individuals. Additional investigations into different sitting contexts, enhanced measurement techniques, and expanded surveillance may also be warranted

Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Alcohol Intake, and Metabolic Syndrome Incidence in Men

Purpose To prospectively examine the independent and joint effects of alcohol consumption and cardiorespiratory fitness on the incidence of metabolic syndrome in a cohort of men. Methods A prospective examination of 3,411 apparently healthy men at baseline, who came to the Cooper Clinic (Dallas, Texas) for at least 2 preventive visits (1979–2010). Primary exposure variables were cardiorespiratory fitness and alcohol intake; the outcome measure was metabolic syndrome (MetS) and the components thereof. Cox proportional hazard models were computed to assess the relationship between the exposure variables and the incidence of MetS while adjusting for confounders. Results Over a mean follow-up period of 9 years (SD=7.8), 276 men developed MetS. In multivariable analysis, a dose-response relationship was observed between increased levels of fitness and reduced MetS risk (moderate fitness: HR=0.60, 95%CI 0.43–0.82; high fitness: HR=0.49, 95%CI 0.35–0.69). When examining the independent effects of alcohol, light drinking increased the risk for MetS by 66% (HR=1.66, 95%CI 1.11–2.48). No statistically significant interaction effect was observed between alcohol and fitness in relation to MetS (P = 0.32). When assessing the relation between each exposure and the components of MetS, higher fitness consistently reduced the risk of all components; whereas lower alcohol intake reduced the risk of elevated glucose and blood pressure and increased the risk for low HDL-c. Conclusions Among this cohort of men, higher fitness levels reduced the risk for MetS and its components. The relation between alcohol intake levels and metabolic risk was more complex and not reflected when examining MetS as a whole

Differential use of strategic constructs of the transtheoretical model across accelerometer-determined sedentary time

Objectives: In this study, we investigated the differences in strategic constructs of the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) across accelerometer-determined sedentary time. Methods: A total of 201 college students participated in a TTM questionnaire for sedentary behavior and wore an accelerometer for 7 consecutive days to assess sedentary time. Multivariate analyses of variances (MANOVA) with post hoc pairwise comparisons were conducted to determine mean differences in the strategic constructs across quintiles of sedentary time. Tests for linear trends were conducted using orthogonal polynomial coefficients. Results: Compared with participants in higher quintiles of sitting time, 8 out of 10 processes of change (eg, mostly consciousness raising [n2p = .09]) were used significantly more frequently by those in the lowest quintile (p < .05) with negative linear trends (trend < .05). We found no statistically significant differences in the constructs of self-efficacy and decisional balance across the quintiles. Conclusions: Based on this preliminary analysis it appears that several intervention methods such as awareness raising, incentivization, self-motivation, and social norm building would be more beneficial to reduce sitting time or to protect their current sitting time from relapse.Peer reviewedCommunity Health Sciences, Counseling and Counseling Psycholog

Associations Between School Transport and Obesity by Gender, Grade, Physical Activity, Race/Ethnicity, and Economic Disadvantage

Declining rates of active transportation to school have coincided with the childhood obesity epidemic. The contribution of school transport modes to obesity among children may vary by sociodemographic characteristics. PURPOSE: To examine the prevalence of school transport modes and obesity by gender, grade, physical activity, race/ethnicity, and economic disadvantage in a representative sample of Texas school children. METHODS: Cross-sectional data on reported sociodemographic characteristics, school transport mode, and physical activity behavior were collected from the Texas School Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN) Survey, 2015-2016. Measured height and weight were used to calculate BMI and classify 4th, 8th, and 11th grade students by obesity status. The sampling frame had 14,976 students from 359 schools to provide weighted state-level estimates by grade. Associations were conducted between school transport modes and obesity. Interaction terms were included to test if school transport mode-obesity associations differed by gender, grade, physical activity, race/ethnicity, or economic disadvantage. RESULTS: Active and passive school transport modes were not significantly associated with obesity (p\u3e0.05). Gender, grade, physical activity, race/ethnicity, and economic disadvantage were significantly associated with obesity (p\u3c0.05). Bike to school by race/ethnicity and walk to school by grade were significantly associated with obesity (p\u3c0.05), after controlling for all other sociodemographic characteristics. Hispanic/African American students who biked to school were significantly more likely to have obesity compared to White/Other students who did not bike to school (OR=5.48, p\u3c0.05, 95% CI: 1.25, 24.00). Students in 8th grade who walked to school were significantly less likely to have obesity than 4th/11th grade students who did not walk to school (OR=0.42, p\u3c0.05, 95% CI: 0.19, 0.91). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that associations between active school transport modes and obesity differ by sociodemographic characteristics, including race/ethnicity and grade. Population-based approaches to childhood obesity prevention may benefit from understanding disparities in opportunities for school transport modes

Taking the next step: a systematic review and meta-analysis of physical activity and behavior change interventions in recent post-treatment breast cancer survivors

Research has shown that recent post-treatment breast cancer survivors face significant challenges around physical activity as they transition to recovery. This review examined randomized controlled trials targeting physical activity behavior change in breast cancer survivors <5 years post-treatment and describes 1) characteristics of interventions for breast cancer survivors as well as 2) effect size estimates for these studies

Factors Related to Accelerometer-determined Patterns of Physical Activity in Adults: The Houston TRAIN Study

Meeting U.S. Physical Activity (PA) Guidelines has health benefits. Yet, little is known about the factors related to changes in PA over time, particularly among minority populations. PURPOSE: To examine sociodemographic, PA preferences, and health factors related to accelerometer-derived patterns of 1-year PA change in the Houston Travel Related Activity in Neighborhoods (TRAIN) Study, a majority-minority cohort. METHODS: Participants wore an ActiGraph wGT3X-BT monitor and completed self-report surveys at baseline and follow-up. Valid wear time was defined as ≥ 4 days, ≥ 10 hrs/day. PA was stratified by meeting Guidelines using total MVPA, defined by Freedson. Four PA patterns were defined: (i) ‘maintain high’ activity above Guidelines, (ii) ‘increased’ to meet Guidelines, (iii) ‘decreased’ from meet to not meet Guidelines, and (iv) ‘maintained low’ activity. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine associations between studied factors and each PA pattern, with the ‘maintain high’ group as referent. RESULTS: Complete data were available for 153 adults (19% maintained high activity, 8.5% increased, 13% decreased, 59.5% maintained low activity). Controlling for all variables, males (OR = 0.3, 95% CI = 0.1, 0.9) had lower odds of being in the ‘maintain low’ group. Blacks (vs. whites, OR = 18.8, 95% CI = 2.6, 275.0), those liking biking (vs. strongly liking, OR = 4.6, 95% CI = 1.3, 15.6), and older participants (vs. younger, on continuous scale, OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 1.0, 1.1) had higher odds of being in the ‘maintain low’ group. Factors directly associated with being in the ‘increased’ group were being black (vs. white, OR = 17.9, 95% CI = 1.3, 120.9), strong dislike for biking (vs. strongly liking OR = 25.2, 95% CI = 1.6, 401.3), and having more chronic diseases (vs. less, on continuous scale, 95% CI = 1.5, 11.7). Having low educational attainment (vs. high, OR = 0.04, 95% CI = 0.0, 0.9) was inversely associated with being in the ‘increased’ group. No studied factors were significantly associated with being in the ‘decreased’ group. CONCLUSION: PA patterns are dynamic and suggest that sociodemographic, PA preferences, and health factors relate to change patterns over time. Future studies should examine the role of these factors over longer follow-up periods, and consider these factors when designing interventions

Issues in accelerometer methodology: the role of epoch length on estimates of physical activity and relationships with health outcomes in overweight, post-menopausal women

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Current accelerometer technology allows for data collection using brief time sampling intervals (i.e., epochs). The study aims were to examine the role of epoch length on physical activity estimates and subsequent relationships with clinically-meaningful health outcomes in post-menopausal women.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data was obtained from the Woman On the Move through Activity and Nutrition Study (n = 102). Differences in activity estimates presented as 60s and 10s epochs were evaluated using paired t-tests. Relationships with health outcomes were examined using correlational and regression analyses to evaluate differences by epoch length.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Inactivity, moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity (MVPA) were significantly higher and light-intensity activity was significantly lower (all <it>P </it>< 0.001) when presented as 10s epochs. The correlation between inactivity and self-reported physical activity was stronger with 10s estimates (<it>P </it>< 0.03); however, the regression slopes were not significantly different. Conversely, relationships between MVPA and body weight, BMI, whole body and trunk lean and fat mass, and femoral neck bone mineral density was stronger with 60s estimates (all <it>P </it>< 0.05); however, regression slopes were similar.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings suggest that although the use of a shorter time sampling interval may suggestively reduce misclassification error of physical activity estimates, associations with health outcomes did not yield strikingly different results. Additional studies are needed to further our understanding of the ways in which epoch length contributes to the ascertainment of physical activity in research studies.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>Clinical Trials Identifier: NCT00023543</p