Surveillance to improve physical activity of children and adolescents

The global transition to current low levels of habitual physical activity among children and adolescents began in the second half of the last century. Low physical activity harms health in both the short term (during childhood and adolescence) and long term (during adulthood). In turn, low physical activity could limit progress towards several sustainable development goals, undermine noncommunicable disease prevention, delay physical and mental health recovery from the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, increase health-care costs and hinder responses to climate change. However, despite the importance of physical activity, public health surveillance among children and adolescents is very limited globally and low levels of physical activity in children is not on the public health agenda in many countries, irrespective of their level of economic development. This article details proposals for improvements in global public health surveillance of physical activity from birth to adolescence based on recent systematic reviews, international collaborations and World Health Organization guidelines and strategies. Empirical examples from several countries illustrate how improved surveillance of physical activity can lead to public health initiatives. Moreover, better surveillance raises awareness of the extent of physical inactivity, thereby making an invisible problem visible, and can lead to greater capacity in physical activity policy and practice. The time has arrived for a step change towards more systematic physical activity surveillance from infancy onwards that could help inform and inspire changes in public health policy and practice globally. [Abstract copyright: (c) 2022 The authors; licensee World Health Organization.

Global matrix 4.0 physical activity report card grades for children and adolescents : results and analyses from 57 countries

Background: The Global Matrix 4.0 on physical activity (PA) for children and adolescents was developed to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the global variation in children’s and adolescents’ (5–17 y) PA, related measures, and key sources of influence. The objectives of this article were (1) to summarize the findings from the Global Matrix 4.0 Report Cards, (2) to compare indicators across countries, and (3) to explore trends related to the Human Development Index and geo-cultural regions. Methods: A total of 57 Report Card teams followed a harmonized process to grade the 10 common PA indicators. An online survey was conducted to collect Report Card Leaders’ top 3 priorities for each PA indicator and their opinions on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted child and adolescent PA indicators in their country. Results: Overall Physical Activity was the indicator with the lowest global average grade (D), while School and Community and Environment were the indicators with the highest global average grade (C+). An overview of the global situation in terms of surveillance and prevalence is provided for all 10 common PA indicators, followed by priorities and examples to support the development of strategies and policies internationally. Conclusions: The Global Matrix 4.0 represents the largest compilation of children’s and adolescents’ PA indicators to date. While variation in data sources informing the grades across countries was observed, this initiative highlighted low PA levels in children and adolescents globally. Measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, local/international conflicts, climate change, and economic change threaten to worsen this situation

Holistic movement practices: an emerging category of physical activity for exercise psychology

Background: Exercise psychology has an interest in physical activity behaviour and the psychological dimensions of physical activity delivery and outcomes. Holistic movement practices (HMPs) can be defined as physical practices embedded in holistic philosophies of well-being. As such, they go beyond what is typically offered in exercise contexts to purposefully include mental, emotional, social and/or spiritual components. Traditional Eastern movement practices (e.g., Yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong) are examples of HMPs, but a range of lesser known “Western-born” HMPs (e.g., 5Rhythms, Biodanza) also exist. HMPs have not yet received much structured attention within exercise psychology. Objective: to analyse the nature of HMPs and discuss their relevance to the field of exercise psychology, with a view to raising awareness of HMPs within exercise psychology as well as encouraging and supporting future research. Content: We discuss what we see as commonalities among HMPs and argue that it is useful to treat HMPs as a category of physical activity for exercise psychology, not only because they are forms of physical activity but also because psychological dimensions are an integral and purposeful part of these practices. We provide a tentative conceptualization of HMP philosophies, with brief examples, and consider how exercise psychology’s subfields of participation behaviour, delivery parameters, outcomes, and mechanisms are applicable to the study of HMPs. Last, we briefly explore research issues, including HMPs’ multicomponent nature, selected potential mechanisms, and methodologies. Conclusion: HMPs are part of the leisure-based physical activities landscape in many modern societies, and deserve attention by exercise psychologists. Their embeddedness in holistic philosophies and multicomponent nature provide unique opportunities and challenges for research in exercise psychology

When an activity is more than just exercise: a scoping review of facilitators and barriers for yoga participation

Barriers and facilitators for participating in sports and exercise may vary across different types of activities. Yoga, a comprehensive discipline originating in India, has increasingly gained a place among the physical activities on offer in modern-day society, where it is usually practiced in the form of physical postures, breath regulation and relaxation. Despite its increasing popularity and many potential health benefits, the uptake of yoga is quite low and appears mostly restricted to certain population subgroups. To elucidate factors affecting uptake, this scoping review aims to identify the range of facilitators and barriers for yoga participation in the general adult population. Eighty-eight studies mentioning factors facilitating or hindering yoga participation were identified from 10 electronic databases. Findings corresponding to study and participant characteristics were summarised quantitatively, while findings referring to facilitators and barriers were organised qualitatively using thematic analysis. Results identified facilitators and barriers in addition to those reported for conventional forms of physical activity (e.g. perceived mind–body-spiritual benefits, negative impressions of yoga). These may reflect additional features of yoga beyond exercise and will need further exploration. Understanding the different facilitators and barriers for yoga participation may be useful to enhance the promotion of yoga and consequently increase its uptake

Yoga not a (physical) culture for men? Understanding the barriers for yoga participation among men

Yoga offers an integrated approach to health and well-being that could potentially benefit men. This qualitative descriptive study examined men's perceptions of yoga, and identified barriers and possible facilitators for participation. Twenty-one non-yoga participant men, 18–60 years old, and living in Queensland, Australia, were interviewed. Two major barriers were identified using thematic analysis: (1) preference for other forms of physical activity, and (2) gender-related perceptions and pressures (i.e., perception of yoga as feminine, and presence of “bloke” culture and masculine ideals in society). Potential facilitators included: (1) acceptability of yoga among men, (2) providing brief information sessions, and (3) men-only classes. The non-competitive nature of yoga, in addition to being predominantly undertaken by women, makes it less appealing for men living in Australia. These barriers need to be considered if yoga is to be promoted as an option for men, particularly those not drawn to traditional sports or exercise

For Exercise, Relaxation, or Spirituality: Exploring Participation Motives and Conformity to Masculine Norms among Male and Female Yoga Participants

Yoga is a traditional practice from India with the potential to promote physical activity and health. Participation worldwide remains low, particularly among men. To better understand yoga participation parameters, with a special focus on what influences male participation, this study examined gender differences in participation motives and conformity to masculine norms. It also explored these factors across three participant subgroups who differed in their engagement with the physical and the more psycho-spiritual aspects of yoga. A total of 546 yoga participants (138 males, 399 females, 9 others), 18–73 years old, completed an online survey that included an adapted version of the Exercise Motivation Inventory–2 and three subscales from the Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory–46. Results showed significant gender differences in participation motives and conformity to masculine norms. Females were more motivated by positive affect, health/fitness, nimbleness, Mind–Body integration, and coping/stress management, whereas males were more motivated by supplementary activity and competition/social recognition. These differences should be considered in tailoring messages to promote uptake and continued participation. Furthermore, males were more likely than females to conform to emotional control and heterosexual self-presentation masculine norms. Future research may examine how differences in masculine norm adherence influences uptake, particularly among men

An Evaluation of Policies Promoting Physical Activity among Filipino Youth

Government is key to promoting physical activity at the population level through policy. The government was one of the physical activity indicators graded for the 2022 Philippine Physical Activity Report Card based on ten physical activity-related policies. This study aimed to evaluate the scope of the policies and to update these policies. Philippine government databases were searched for policies using physical activity-related key terms. Policies found were evaluated using the Wales Active Healthy Kids scoring rubric. The overall grade was converted to a letter grade based on the Global Matrix 4.0 grading system. The authors analyzed the policies’ scope and implications to practice and policy. Seven additional policies were found. Considering all 17 policies, the government indicator grade is now A- from the preliminary grade of B. The scope covers promoting physical activity mainly through sports participation and active transport among students, student-athletes, persons with disabilities, and the general population in school and community settings. The gap between government and overall physical activity (F) scores suggests the need for a comprehensive physical activity plan promoting various forms of physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior among all Filipino youth and across various settings. Crucial to achieving change is a well-coordinated, whole-of-systems approach to promoting active healthy lifestyles

Brief emotional eating scale: A multinational study of factor structure, validity, and invariance

This is an accepted manuscript of an article due to be published by Elsevier in Appetite. The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.Emotional eating or the tendency to eat in response to emotional states can be assessed using self-report measures. The Emotional Eating Scale-II is a commonly used and reliable instrument that measures the desire to eat in response to a range of unpleasant and pleasant emotions. The current study aimed to corroborate the validity of the EES-II and expand its utility by investigating its dimensionality and testing its measurement invariance in samples from English-speaking and non-English-speaking countries. Convergent and predictive validity in respect of food craving, eating, and health indicators were also examined. This cross-national study included a total of 2485 adult participants recruited from Finland, North America, Philippines, United Kingdom, China, Italy, Spain, and South Korea, who completed the EES-II in six different languages. Factor analyses supported a four-factor structure including valence (pleasant, unpleasant) and activation (high, low) for a 12-item English version and slightly modified non-English adaptations. The model exhibited good fit in all samples, and convergent validity was demonstrated. Full invariance of factor loadings and partial invariance of factor loading, intercepts, and error variances was established across samples for the English-language version. Structural equation models revealed that high activation (pleasant and unpleasant) states predicted food cravings and reported eating. Overall findings across multiple samples and countries supported the factorial structure, reliability, invariance, and validity of the resulting Brief Emotional Eating Scale (BEES). Keywords: brief measure, cross-cultural, factor analysis, food craving, self-report, reliabilit