On the associations between physical activity and quality of life: findings from an Australian nationally representative panel survey

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the associations between the frequency of moderate or vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and quality of life (QoL) measures using longitudinal data and panel regression models on a large, representative sample of the Australian population

Long-term dynamics in physical activity behaviour across the transition to parenthood

Gaining a deeper understanding of the dynamic relationships between the transition to parenthood and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) amongst men and women in Australia

Influencia del nivel de actividades físicas sobre la aptitud física y la calidad de vida, vinculada a la salud, en ancianos portadores o no de diabetes mellitus tipo 2

INTRODUÇÃO: O exercício físico é considerado um dos componentes para melhoria das condições de saúde em diabéticos tipo 2. Além disso, alguns estudos têm sugerido que níveis mais elevados de aptidão física também podem melhorar a qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde (QVRS). No entanto, não existem estudos publicados que sejam especificamente concebidos para examinar esta relação. OBJETIVO: O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o efeito do nível de atividade física sobre a aptidão física e QVRS e determinar se existem diferenças quando indivíduos com e sem diabetes mellitus tipo 2 são comparados. MÉTODO: Cinquenta e quatro participantes com diabetes tipo 2 e 54 participantes pareados por idade sem diabetes foram voluntários para participar deste estudo. A aptidão física (teste de levantar da cadeira de 30 segundos, teste de caminhada de seis minutos e teste de sentar e alcançar) e QVRS (VC-36) foram avaliadas. RESULTADOS: Os participantes com diabetes tipo 2 apresentaram menores escores médios para o teste de sentar e alcançar e uma maior pontuação em relação ao escore do componente mental do que os controles. Quando os dois grupos foram classificados quanto ao nível de atividade física, foram encontradas diferenças significativas em relação a função social, saúde mental, saúde geral e vitalidade, entre os pacientes insuficiente e minimamente ativos. CONCLUSÃO: Os participantes com maiores níveis de prática de atividade física também relataram melhor aptidão física, a qual, juntamente com as melhorias na QVRS, pode ter implicações clínicas na prevenção e tratamento do diabetes mellitus tipo 2.Introduction: Physical exercise is considered to improve different health outcomes in type 2 diabetic patients. In addition, a few studies have suggested that higher levels of fitness might also enhance health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, there are no published studies that were specifically designed to examine this relationship. Objective: The aim of the current study was to assess the effect of physical activity level on physical fitness and HRQoL and determine whether differences existed when comparing people with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: Fifty-four participants with type 2 diabetes and 54 age-matched participants without diabetes volunteered to participate in this study. Physical fitness (30-second chair stand test, six-min walk test and sit-and-reach test) and HRQoL (36-item Short Form Health Survey) were assessed. Results: Participants with type 2 diabetes had lower mean scores for sit and reach and higher mental component score than control participants. When both groups were categorized regarding their level of physical activity significant differences were found in relation to social function, mental health, general health and vitality between poorly and minimally active patients. Conclusions: Participants with the greater levels of physical activity also reported better physical fitness which together with the improvement in HRQoL may have clinical implications in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.Introducción: Los ejercicios físicos son considerados como siendo uno de los componentes para la mejoría de las condiciones de salud en diabéticos tipo 2. Además de eso, algunos estudios han sugerido que niveles más altos de aptitud física también pueden mejorar la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS). No obstante, no hay estudios publicados que hayan sido planeados, específicamente, para examinar esta relación. Objetivo: El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el efecto del nivel de actividades físicas sobre la aptitud física y la CVRS, y determinar si hay diferencias cuando se comparan individuos con y sin diabetes mellitus tipo 2. Método: Cincuenta y cuatro participantes, con diabetes tipo 2, y 54 participantes, de edades comparables, sin diabetes, fueron voluntarios a fin de participar en este estudio. La aptitud física (prueba de 30 segundos para levantarse de la silla, prueba de caminata de seis minutos y prueba de sentarse y alcanzar algo) y la CVRS (VC-36) fueron evaluadas. Resultados: Los participantes con diabetes tipo 2 presentaron menores puntuaciones en promedio para la prueba de sentarse y alcanzar algo, y una puntuación más alta en componente mental en comparación con los participantes de control. Cuando los dos grupos fueron clasificados con respecto al nivel de actividades físicas, se encontraron diferencias significativas con referencia a función social, salud mental, salud general y vitalidad, entre los pacientes insuficiente y mínimamente activos. Conclusión: Los participantes con niveles más altos de prácticas de actividades físicas también mostraron mejor aptitud física, la cual, conjuntamente con las mejorías en la CVRS, puede tener implicaciones clínicas para la prevención y el tratamiento de la diabetes mellitus tipo 2

The relationship between nutritional status, functional capacity, and health-related quality of life in older adults with type 2 diabetes: a pilot explanatory study

Objective: To explore the relationship between nutritional status, functional capacity and healthrelated quality of life (HRQoL) in older adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting and participants: Forty two non-insulin dependent older adults from a primary care center in Seville, Spain. Measurements: Function was assessed with a battery of standardized physical fitness tests. Nutritional status was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and the European Quality of Life Questionnaire (EQ-5D-3L) was used to assess HRQoL. Results: There was an association between MNAnutritional status and lower body strength as assessed by the chair sit-stand test (rho= .451; p= .037) and between MNA-nutritional status and EQ-5D-3L-HRQoL (EQ-5D-3Lutility, rho= .553; p<.001 and EQ-5D-3LVAS rho= .402; p<.001). An MNA item by item correlation analysis with HRQoL and lower limb strength demonstrated that HRQoL appears to be related to functional capacity (principally lower body strength, motor agility and cardiorespiratory fitness) among participants. These results were maintained when correlations were adjusted for co-morbidity. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that nutritional status is moderately associated with HRQoL and lower limb strength in patients with T2DM. Our data suggest that more emphasis should be placed on interventions to encourage a correct diet and stress the needed to improve lower body strength to reinforce better mobility in T2DM populatio

Evaluation and assessment of non-specific lower back pain in the subacute phase : effectiveness of a web-based exercise program in office workers suffering from sub-acute non-specific low back pain

Programa de Doctorado en Actividad Física, Rendimiento Deportivo y SaludLower back pain has in most cases an unknown origin and affects individuals¿ quality of life, their family and social relationships, and their ability to and capabilities at work. In Spain this problem has significant economic consequences. It is estimated that the total annual average cost of episodes of sickness absence caused by lower back pain surpasses 195 million euros per year, the bulk of which is due to the condition becoming chronic among those who suffer from it. Experts acknowledge the need to manage this ailment, and scientific evidence has demonstrated that physical exercise helps improving health-related quality of life among affected individuals and reduces the socio-economic impact from the disease. We propose that a cost-effective and efficient strategy to deal with this could rely on web-based interventions at the workplace, which have been shown to be effective in improving fitness levels and promoting an active lifestyle among the general population. However, no studies have addressed the effects of these interventions on subjects who experience lower back pain. Besides, there is currently no available tool to test the risk of chronicity of non-specific lower back pain in Spain and no data at all on fitness and quality-of-life profiles or on trunk muscle endurance for workers affected by this condition. Gathering such data is of uttermost importance for the assessment and monitoring of lower back pain among this population. The aims of this thesis are threefold. Firstly, we investigate and adapt the English Start Back Screening Tool for its potential use in the assessment of the risk of chronicity in non-specific lower back pain in Spain. Secondly, we explore the fitness and quality-of-life profiles of office workers affected by sub-acute, non-specific lower back pain and the validity of the well-established Ito¿s trunk muscle endurance test for this subpopulation. Thirdly, we test the effectiveness of a nine-month web-based intervention consisting of exercise and postural education on key lower back pain associated outcomes. Our global sample is composed of 228 office workers from a Spanish university, out of which 137 had been diagnosed with sub-acute, non-specific lower back pain at recruitment. Our treatment is the above mentioned web-based exercise programme and postural education intervention and our outcome measures are musculoskeletal-related fitness, clinical characteristics associated with lower back pain, and the number of episodes of lower back pain at baseline and after nine months. Key results indicate that the use of the Start Back Screening Tool can be extended to the Spanish population and that office workers affected by sub-acute, non-specific lower back pain have poorer fitness and quality-of-life profiles than age-matched office workers without this condition. They also show that Ito¿s lumbar trunk muscle endurance tests is valid and reliable for use among office workers with sub-acute, non-specific lower back pain and that the intervention we propose enhances quality-of-life, functional and lumbar trunk muscle endurance capacity, and decreases the risk of chronicity and non-specific lower back pain episodes. Overall, the contents of this thesis advance knowledge on the evaluation and assessment of patients with sub-acute, non-specific lower back pain, contribute to the literature on the adaptation of assessment instruments to the Spanish context, and provide important practical insights on how health-related policy could tackle lower back pain through web-based re-education interventions.Universidad Pablo de Olavide. Departamento de Fisiología, Anatomía y Biología CelularPostprin

Relationship between the level of physical activity and sedentary, overweight and health-related quality of life in scholar-age asthmatic children: an explanatory study in Seville

The aim of this study was: 1) To determine the differences between normal-weight asthmatic children and overweight asthmatic children in terms of HRQoL and amount of physical activity and sedentary and 2) To determine the relationship between amount of physical activity, sedentary and BMI and their influence on the HRQoL of this population in Seville. Method. We used a cohort design study that included 69 school-age children with controlled persistent asthma. The measures included in the study were: the questionnaire PAQL (S), to assess the HRQoL of children and the IPAQ-A questionnaire to assess the amount of physical activity and sedentary lifestyle of children. BMI was also calculated and determined if the participant was of normal-weight or overweight. Results. Overweight children scored worse on HRQoL and IPAQ-A values than their peers with normal-weight. Positive correlations were also observed between BMI and the amount of sedentary lifestyle. Negative correlations were observed between BMI and the amount of physical activity and also negative correlations were observed between BMI and HRQoL. Conclusion. BMI negatively affect HRQoL in school- age asthmatic childre

Relationship between health-related fitness and quality of life in elderly with type 2 diabetes: an exploratory study in the province of Seville

Under a Creative Commons license.[Objetivos]: Caracterizar a la población adulta-mayor afectada por diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM2) tratada en las consultas de atención primaria en cuanto al nivel de condición física relacionada con la salud (CFRS) y calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS), y por otro lado, corroborar si existe relación entre los diferentes test de CFRS y la CVRS. [Método]: Se utilizó un diseño transversal observacional de casos y controles para comparar la CFRS y la CVRS (evaluada mediante el cuestionario EQ-5D-3L) entre 42 pacientes con DM2 y 54 pacientes sin DM2, y se estableció la relación existente entre la CFRS y la CVRS en los pacientes con DM2. [Resultados]: En cuanto a la CFRS, los pacientes con DM2 obtuvieron mayores resultados en el test de dinamometría manual que sus pares sin dicha afección (p < 0,025). Los valores alcanzados en el test sit and reach fueron mayores en el grupo control que en el grupo DM2 (p < 0,001). No se detectaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en cuanto a la CVRS entre ambos grupos. El coeficiente de correlación de Pearson desveló un nivel de correlación de moderado a alto entre los componentes de la CVRS y los test de fuerza, movilidad y equilibrio que componen la CFRS (p < 0,05). [Conclusiones]: Este estudio muestra la asociación existente entre la CVRS evaluada con el EQ-5D-3L y los test de fuerza, movilidad y equilibrio dinámico en pacientes con DM2 tratados en atención primaria, cualidades vitales para el desarrollo de las actividades de la vida diaria de estos pacientes.[Objectives]: To characterize the type 2 diabetic (DM2) population treated in primary care consultations in regard of Health-Related Fitness (HRF) and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), and, on the other hand, to confirm if there is a relationship between HRF and HRQoL in DM2 patients. [Methods]: A cross-sectional, observational, case-control study was performed to compare the HRF and HRQoL between 42 DM2 patients and 54 patients without DM2 and the relationship between these two concepts was revealed. [Results]: In regard of HRF, statistically significant differences were found in the hand dynamometer test in favor of DM2 patients group (p = , 025) and statistically significant differences were achieved in favor of the reference group in sit and reach test (p = , 001). Pearson's correlation coefficient revealed a moderate to high level of correlation between the different dimensions and index of EQ-5D-3L and strength, mobility and balance tests (p < ,05). [Conclusions]: This study showsthe relationship between EQ-5D-3L componentsand strength, mobility and balance tests in DM2 patients treated in primary care, key functional capacities to a correct development of daily activities in these patients.A los autores del presente trabajo les gustaría agradecer la colaboración prestada por el Centro de Salud Los Bermejales por financiar parcialmente este proyecto.Open Access funded by Consejería de Educación, Cultura y Deporte de la Junta de Andalucía.Peer Reviewe

Test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change scores for fitness assessment in older adults with type 2 diabetes

Click on the DOI link to access the article (may not be free).Purpose: To assess the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and to determine the minimal detectable change (MDC95) scores of the data for the Hand Grip Strength Test, the Chair Sit and Reach Test (CSRT), the Timed "Up and Go" (TUG) test, the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) and 30 seconds Sit to Stand Test (30s-STS) test in older adults with type 2 NIDDM. Design: Test-retest reliability. Methods: Eighteen subject participated in two sessions (1 week apart), which included the different tests. Findings: High ICCs (>= 0.92) were found for all tests. The MDC95 scores were as follows: 4.0 kg for Hand Grip Strength Tests, 7.5 cm for the right leg-CSRT, 9.0 cm for the left leg-CSRT, 1.0 second for the TUG test, 27 m for the 6MWT, and 3.3 repetitions for the 30s-STS test. Conclusions: All tests evaluated are reliable outcome measures for type 2 NID-DM patients. Clinical relevance: This study has generated novel MCD95 data, which will assist nursing practitioners in both prescribing the most beneficial exercise and interpreting posttreatment changes after rehabilitation in patients with T2DM

Identifying the features of an exercise addiction: A Delphi study

Objectives There remains limited consensus regarding the definition and conceptual basis of exercise addiction. An understanding of the factors motivating maintenance of addictive exercise behavior is important for appropriately targeting intervention. The aims of this study were twofold: first, to establish consensus on features of an exercise addiction using Delphi methodology and second, to identify whether these features are congruous with a conceptual model of exercise addiction adapted from the Work Craving Model. Methods A three-round Delphi process explored the views of participants regarding the features of an exercise addiction. The participants were selected from sport and exercise relevant domains, including physicians, physiotherapists, coaches, trainers, and athletes. Suggestions meeting consensus were considered with regard to the proposed conceptual model. Results and discussion Sixty-three items reached consensus. There was concordance of opinion that exercising excessively is an addiction, and therefore it was appropriate to consider the suggestions in light of the addiction-based conceptual model. Statements reaching consensus were consistent with all three components of the model: learned (negative perfectionism), behavioral (obsessive–compulsive drive), and hedonic (self-worth compensation and reduction of negative affect and withdrawal). Conclusions Delphi methodology allowed consensus to be reached regarding the features of an exercise addiction, and these features were consistent with our hypothesized conceptual model of exercise addiction. This study is the first to have applied Delphi methodology to the exercise addiction field, and therefore introduces a novel approach to exercise addiction research that can be used as a template to stimulate future examination using this technique