The descriptive epidemiology of accelerometer-measured physical activity in older adults.

BACKGROUND: Objectively measured physical activity between older individuals and between populations has been poorly described. We aimed to describe and compare the variation in accelerometry data in older UK (EPIC-Norfolk) and American (NHANES) adults. METHODS: Physical activity was measured by uniaxial accelerometry in 4,052 UK (49-91 years) and 3459 US older adults (49-85 years). We summarized physical activity as volume (average counts/minute), its underlying intensity distribution, and as time spent 809 counts/minute is used 18.7% of people reached the 30 min/day threshold. By comparison, 2.5% and 9.5% of American older adults accumulated activity at these levels, respectively. CONCLUSION: As assessed by objectively measured physical activity, the majority of older adults in this UK study did not meet current activity guidelines. Older adults in the UK were more active overall, but also spent more time being sedentary than US adults.This work was supported by programme grants from the Medical Research Council [G9502233; G0401527] and Cancer Research UK [C864/A8257]. A grant from Research into Ageing [262] funded the 3rd health check clinic. KW is supported by a British Heart Foundation Intermediate Basic Science Research Fellowship [FS/12/58/29709], and AJMC, SJG, NJW, and SB are supported by MRC programme grants [MC_UU_12015/3 and MC_UU_12015/4].This is the final version of the article. It was first available from BioMed Central via http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12966-015-0316-

Low urine pH and acid excretion do not predict bone fractures or the loss of bone mineral density: a prospective cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The acid-ash hypothesis, the alkaline diet, and related products are marketed to the general public. Websites, lay literature, and direct mail marketing encourage people to measure their urine pH to assess their health status and their risk of osteoporosis.</p> <p>The objectives of this study were to determine whether 1) low urine pH, or 2) acid excretion in urine [sulfate + chloride + 1.8x phosphate + organic acids] minus [sodium + potassium + 2x calcium + 2x magnesium mEq] in fasting morning urine predict: a) fragility fractures; and b) five-year change of bone mineral density (BMD) in adults.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Design: Cohort study: the prospective population-based Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine associations between acid excretion (urine pH and urine acid excretion) in fasting morning with the incidence of fractures (6804 person years). Multiple linear regression was used to examine associations between acid excretion with changes in BMD over 5-years at three sites: lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip (n = 651). Potential confounders controlled included: age, gender, family history of osteoporosis, physical activity, smoking, calcium intake, vitamin D status, estrogen status, medications, renal function, urine creatinine, body mass index, and change of body mass index.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There were no associations between either urine pH or acid excretion and either the incidence of fractures or change of BMD after adjustment for confounders.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Urine pH and urine acid excretion do not predict osteoporosis risk.</p

Stärkung der Bildungsqualität durch Regionalisierung?

Otto J, Sendzik N, Berkemeyer N, Manitius V. Stärkung der Bildungsqualität durch Regionalisierung? In: Ratermann M, Stöbe-Blossey S, eds. Governance von Schul- und Elementarbildung. Vergleichende Betrachtungen und Ansätze der Vernetzung. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften; 2012: 193-211

Schulnetzwerke im Übergang. Das Beispiel „Schulen im Team“.

Järvinen H, Otto J, Sartory K, Sendzik N. Schulnetzwerke im Übergang. Das Beispiel „Schulen im Team“. In: Berkemeyer N, Beutel S-I, Järvinen H, van Ophuysen S, eds. Übergänge bilden – Lernen in der Grund- und weiterführenden Schule. Neuwied: Carl Link Verlag; 2012: 208-237

Das Regionale Bildungsbüro als Boundary-Spanner? Eine Betrachtung des kommunalen Managements interschulischer Netzwerke.

Sendzik N, Otto J, Berkemeyer N, Bos W. Das Regionale Bildungsbüro als Boundary-Spanner? Eine Betrachtung des kommunalen Managements interschulischer Netzwerke. In: Hornberg S, Parreira do Amaral M, eds. Deregulierung im Bildungswesen. Münster: Waxmann; 2012: 331-350