Prospective Associations of Physical Activity and Health-Related Physical Fitness in Adolescents with Down Syndrome: The UP&DOWN Longitudinal Study

(1) Background: Numerous studies have focused on examining the association between PA levels and health-related physical fitness components in children or adolescents without disabilities. However, research on the association between PA and health-related physical fitness in adolescents with DS (Down syndrome) is limited, and most of the previous studies have been developed with a cross-sectional perspective. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the prospective association of accelerometer-based PA at baseline with health-related physical fitness at a 2-year follow-up in a relatively large sample of adolescents with DS from the UP&DOWN study. (2) Methods: A total of 92 adolescents with DS (58 males) between 11 and 20 years old with full data were eligible from an initial sample of 110 participants. Fitness was assessed by the ALPHA health-related fitness test battery for youth, and physical activity was assessed by Actigraph accelerometers. (3) Results: The high tertile of total PA was related to decreased motor (Beta [95% CI] = -1.46 [-2.88; -0.05]) and cardiorespiratory fitness (Beta [95% CI] = -2.22 [-4.42; 0.02]) in adolescents with DS. (4) Conclusions: In adolescents with DS, (i) PA level was not prospectively associated with muscular fitness and (ii) high levels of total PA at the baseline were inversely associated with motor and cardiorespiratory fitness at the 2-year follow-up. For comparative purposes, these relationships were also examined in a subsample of adolescents without DS

Changes in and the mediating role of physical activity in relation to active school transport, fitness and adiposity among Spanish youth: the UP&DOWN longitudinal study

Background Longitudinal changes in child and adolescent active school transport (AST), and the mediating role of different intensities of daily physical activity (PA) levels in relation to AST and physical fitness and adiposity indicators is unclear. This study aimed to: 1) describe longitudinal changes in AST, light PA (LPA), moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA), physical fitness and adiposity indicators over three time-points; and 2) investigate the mediating role of LPA and MVPA levels on associations between AST and physical fitness and adiposity indicators over three time-points among children and adolescents. Methods This longitudinal study comprised 1646 Spanish children and adolescents (48.8% girls, mean age 12.5 years +/- 2.5) at baseline, recruited from schools in Cadiz and Madrid. Mode of commuting to school was self-reported at baseline (T0, 2011-12), 1-year (T1) and 2-year follow-up (T2). PA was assessed using accelerometers. Handgrip strength, standing long jump and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) assessed physical fitness. Height, weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness were measured. Multilevel linear regression analyses assessed changes in AST, PA levels, physical fitness and adiposity indicators over three time-points (T0-T1-T2). Additionally, longitudinal path analysis (n = 453; mean age [years] 12.6 +/- 2.4) was used to test the mediating effects of LPA and MVPA levels on the association between AST and physical fitness and adiposity indicators. Results Multilevel analyses observed decreases in LPA between T0-T1 (beta = - 11.27; p < 0.001) and T0-T2 (beta = - 16.27; p < 0.001) and decreases in MVPA between T0-T2 (beta = - 4.51; p = 0.011). Moreover, changes over time showed increases in handgrip between T0-T1 (beta = 0.78; p = 0.028) and T0-T2 (beta = 0.81; p = 0.046). Path analyses showed that AST was directly positively associated with MVPA at T1 (all, beta approximate to 0.33; p < 0.001). MVPA at T1 mediated associations between AST and CRF at T2 (beta = 0.20; p = 0.040), but not the other outcomes. LPA did not mediate any associations. Conclusions Results from longitudinal path analysis suggest that participation in more AST may help attenuate declines in MVPA that typically occur with age and improve CRF. Therefore, we encourage health authorities to promote AST, as a way to increase MVPA levels and CRF among youth

Long-term leisure-time physical activity and risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: Dose-response associations in a prospective cohort study of 210 327 Taiwanese adults

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the dose–response associations of long-term leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) obtained from repeated measures with all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality outcomes in Taiwanese adults. Methods: We included 210 327 participants with self-reported LTPA at least in two medical examinations (867 968 data points) for up to 20 years (median, IQR: 4.8 years, 2.3–9.0). Dose–response relationships were modelled with restricted cubic spline functions and Cox regressions HRs (95% CIs) adjusted for main covariates. Results: During up to 23 years of follow-up (3 655 734 person-years), 10 539 participants died, of which 1919 of CVD. We observed an inverse, non-linear dose–response association between long-term LTPA and all-cause and CVD mortality. Compared with the referent (0 metabolic equivalent of task (MET) hours/week), insufficient (0.01–7.49 MET hours/week), recommended (7.50–15.00 MET hours/week) and additional (>15 MET hours/week) amounts of LTPA had a lower mortality risk of 0.74 (0.69–0.80), 0.64 (0.60–0.70) and 0.59 (0.54–0.64) for all-cause mortality and 0.68 (0.60–0.84), 0.56 (0.47–0.67) and 0.56 (0.47–0.68) for CVD mortality. When using only baseline measures of LTPA, the corresponding mortality risk was 0.88 (0.84–0.93), 0.83 (0.78–0.88) and 0.78 (0.73–0.83) for all-cause and 0.91 (0.81–1.02), 0.78 (0.68–0.89) and 0.80 (0.70–0.92) for CVD mortality. Conclusion: Long-term LTPA was associated with lower risks of all-cause and CVD mortality. The magnitude of risk reductions was larger when modelling repeated measures of LTPA compared with one measure of LTPA at baseline

Long-term leisure-time physical activity and risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: Dose-response associations in a prospective cohort study of 210 327 Taiwanese adults

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the dose–response associations of long-term leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) obtained from repeated measures with all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality outcomes in Taiwanese adults. Methods: We included 210 327 participants with self-reported LTPA at least in two medical examinations (867 968 data points) for up to 20 years (median, IQR: 4.8 years, 2.3–9.0). Dose–response relationships were modelled with restricted cubic spline functions and Cox regressions HRs (95% CIs) adjusted for main covariates. Results: During up to 23 years of follow-up (3 655 734 person-years), 10 539 participants died, of which 1919 of CVD. We observed an inverse, non-linear dose–response association between long-term LTPA and all-cause and CVD mortality. Compared with the referent (0 metabolic equivalent of task (MET) hours/week), insufficient (0.01–7.49 MET hours/week), recommended (7.50–15.00 MET hours/week) and additional (>15 MET hours/week) amounts of LTPA had a lower mortality risk of 0.74 (0.69–0.80), 0.64 (0.60–0.70) and 0.59 (0.54–0.64) for all-cause mortality and 0.68 (0.60–0.84), 0.56 (0.47–0.67) and 0.56 (0.47–0.68) for CVD mortality. When using only baseline measures of LTPA, the corresponding mortality risk was 0.88 (0.84–0.93), 0.83 (0.78–0.88) and 0.78 (0.73–0.83) for all-cause and 0.91 (0.81–1.02), 0.78 (0.68–0.89) and 0.80 (0.70–0.92) for CVD mortality. Conclusion: Long-term LTPA was associated with lower risks of all-cause and CVD mortality. The magnitude of risk reductions was larger when modelling repeated measures of LTPA compared with one measure of LTPA at baseline

Criterion Validity of the Sedentary Behavior Question From the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire in Older Adults

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background&lt;/strong&gt;: To assess the validity of the single question to determine sedentary behavior (SB) by using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) in older adults.&nbsp;&lt;strong&gt;Methods&lt;/strong&gt;: The sample included 163 participants (96 women) aged 65&ndash;92 years. Self-reported SB was obtained from the GPAQ. Objectively measured SB was assessed using the Intelligent Device for Energy Expenditure and Activity. Participants wore the Intelligent Device for Energy Expenditure and Activity continuously during 2 consecutive days while following their daily routine. The relative validity was assessed using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient (&lt;em&gt;&rho;&lt;/em&gt;), and the agreement was examined using mean bias and 95% limit of agreement with the Intelligent Device for Energy Expenditure and Activity as reference.&nbsp;&lt;strong&gt;Results&lt;/strong&gt;: The results showed small correlations (&lt;em&gt;&rho;&lt;/em&gt;&thinsp;=&amp;thinsp;.291,&nbsp;&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt;&thinsp;&lt;&thinsp;.001) between the SB from the GPAQ and the objective measures, and ranged from&nbsp;&lt;em&gt;&rho;&lt;/em&gt;&thinsp;=&amp;thinsp;.217 to&nbsp;&lt;em&gt;&rho;&lt;/em&gt;&thinsp;=&amp;thinsp;.491 depending on the potential moderator. Similarly, the GPAQ underestimates the SB for approximately 2&nbsp;hours per day in older adults (limit of agreement&thinsp;=&amp;thinsp;&minus;7.3 to 3.4&nbsp;h/d).&nbsp;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion&lt;/strong&gt;: The GPAQ may not be the most suitable questionnaire for measuring SB in this population and should be used with caution because those studies that use this questionnaire in older adults may have an inaccurate measurement of SB levels.&lt;/p&gt

Prospective Associations of Physical Activity and Health-Related Physical Fitness in Adolescents with Down Syndrome: The UP&DOWN Longitudinal Study

Background: Numerous studies have focused on examining the association between PA levels and health-related physical fitness components in children or adolescents without disabilities. However, research on the association between PA and health-related physical fitness in adolescents with DS (Down syndrome) is limited, and most of the previous studies have been developed with a cross-sectional perspective. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the prospective association of accelerometer-based PA at baseline with health-related physical fitness at a 2-year follow-up in a relatively large sample of adolescents with DS from the UP&DOWN study. (2) Methods: A total of 92 adolescents with DS (58 males) between 11 and 20 years old with full data were eligible from an initial sample of 110 participants. Fitness was assessed by the ALPHA health-related fitness test battery for youth, and physical activity was assessed by Actigraph accelerometers. (3) Results: The high tertile of total PA was related to decreased motor (Beta [95% CI] = -1.46 [-2.88; -0.05]) and cardiorespiratory fitness (Beta [95% CI] = -2.22 [-4.42; 0.02]) in adolescents with DS. (4) Conclusions: In adolescents with DS, (i) PA level was not prospectively associated with muscular fitness and (ii) high levels of total PA at the baseline were inversely associated with motor and cardiorespiratory fitness at the 2-year follow-up. For comparative purposes, these relationships were also examined in a subsample of adolescents without DS.This study was supported by the DEP 2010-21662-C04-00 grant from the National Plan for Research, Development and Innovation (R+D+I) MICINNV. V.C.-S. is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (IJC2018-038008-I)Ye

Prospective associations between physical fitness and executive function in adolescents: The UP&DOWN study

Introduction: The objective of the present work is to investigate the prospective associations between physical fitness components (cardiorespiratory fitness, motor fitness, and muscular strength) and two domains of executive function (working memory and inhibitory control) in adolescents.Methods: A total of 422 Spanish adolescents (13.35 +/- 1.54 years, at baseline) from the UP&DOWN study with assessments at baseline and at 2-year follow-up were included in the analysis. Physical fitness was assessed using the ALPHA Fitness Test Battery. Working memory was measured by the n-back task and inhibitory control by the go/no-go task. Relationships of physical fitness components with working memory and inhibitory control were examined using linear regression models, adjusted for confounders.Results: Higher baseline levels of the three physical fitness components (cardiorespiratory fitness, motor fitness, and muscular strength) individually predicted better performance on the working memory (beta(ranged), from .159 to .207; all

Handgrip strength and all-cause dementia incidence and mortality: findings from the UK Biobank prospective cohort study

Background: This study aimed to investigate the associations of grip strength with incidence and mortality from dementia and whether these associations differ by sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. Methods: A total of 466 788 participants of the UK Biobank (median age 56.5 years, 54.5% women). The outcome was all-cause dementia incidence and mortality and the exposure was grip strength. Grip strength was assessed using a Jamar J00105 hydraulic hand dynamometer. Results: Excluding the first 2 years of follow-up (landmark analysis), mean follow-up was 9.1 years (inter-quartile range: 8.3; 9.7) for incidence and 9.3 (inter-quartile range: 8.7; 10.0) for mortality. During this time, 4087 participants developed dementia, and 1309 died from it. Lower grip strength was associated with a higher risk of dementia incidence and mortality independent of major confounding factors (P &lt; 0.001). Individuals in the lowest quintile of grip strength had 72% [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.55; 1.92] higher incident dementia risk and 87% [95% CI: 1.55; 2.26] higher risk of dementia mortality compared with those in the highest quintile. Our PAF analyses indicate that 30.1% of dementia cases and 32.3% of dementia deaths are attributable to having low grip strength. The association between grip strength and dementia outcomes did not differ by lifestyle or sociodemographic factors. Conclusions: Lower grip strength was associated with a higher risk of all-cause dementia incidence and mortality, independently of important confounding factors