“Virtual Surf Booth”: Assessment of a Novel Tool and Data Collection Process to Measure the Impact of a 6-Week Surf Programme on Mental Wellbeing

Surf therapy is increasingly used as a health intervention, but evidence of its mental health benefits remains unclear. This longitudinal mixed-method study assessed the usability and acceptability of a novel online data collection tool and process to measure the impact of a surf programme on acute and chronic mental wellbeing. Fifteen women attending a 6-week surf programme in the UK were asked to complete a tool consisting of video recordings, word association and the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being scale (SWEMWBS). Usability and acceptability were assessed through focus groups and quantitative data. The data generated in the focus groups, video recordings and word association were analysed via reflexive thematic analysis, and SWEMWBS presented descriptively. Participants perceived the tool as easy to use due to the completion time and its functionalities, and useful for self-reflection. Facilitating conditions such as timing and location, areas for improvement such as increased privacy, accessibility, incentivisation, and factors impacting data generated were further identified. Data collected covered both acute and chronic mental wellbeing and showed a positive relationship between surf and mental wellbeing. Further research is needed to confirm these findings in diverse populations, identify potential moderators, and confirm the validity of this tool and process

Barriers and facilitators to physical activity in second-generation British Indian women:a qualitative study

Aim To understand the barriers to and motivations for physical activity among second-generation British Indian women. Subject Approximately 50% of British South Asians are UK-born, and this group is increasing as the second-generation also have children. Previous research into the barriers to and facilitators for physical activity has focused on migrant, first-generation populations. Qualitative research is needed to understand a) how we might further reduce the gap in physical activity levels between White British women and British Indian women and b) the different approaches that may be required for different generations. Methods Applying a socioecological model to take into account the wider social and physical contexts, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 28 Indian women living in Manchester, England. Interviews with first-generation British Indian women were also included to provide a comparator. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, thematically coded and analysed using a grounded theory approach. Results Ways of socialising, concerns over appearance while being physically active, safety concerns and prioritising educational attainment in adolescence were all described as barriers to physical activity in second-generation British Indian women. Facilitators for physical activity included acknowledging the importance of taking time out for oneself; religious beliefs and religious groups promoting activity; being prompted by family illness; positive messages in both the media and while at school, and having local facilities to use. Conclusions Barriers to physical activity in second-generation Indian women were very similar to those already reported for White British women. Public health measures aimed at women in the general population may also positively affect second-generation Indian women. First-generation Indian women, second-generation children and Muslim women may respond better to culturally tailored interventions

Assessing the impact of road traffic on cycling for leisure and cycling to work.

BACKGROUND: To explore the relationship between leisure and commuter cycling with objectively measured levels of road traffic and whether any relationship was affected by traffic levels directly outside of home or in local neighbourhood. FINDINGS: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from the UK European Prospective Investigation of Cancer (EPIC) Norfolk cohort in 2009. We used a geographical information system (GIS) and gender specific multivariate models to relate 13 927 participants' reported levels of cycling with an index of road traffic volume (Road Traffic Volume Index Score--RTVIS). RTVIS were calculated around each participants home, using four distance based buffers, (0.5 km, 1 km, 2 km and 3.2 km). Models were adjusted for age, social status, education, car access and deprivation. Both genders had similar decreases in leisure cycling as traffic volumes increased at greater distances from home (OR 0.42, (95% CI 0.32-0.52, p < 0.001) for women and OR 0.41, (95% CI 0.33-0.50, p < 0.001) for men in the highest quartile at 3.2 km). There was no effect of traffic volumes at any distance on commuter cycling. CONCLUSIONS: Traffic volumes appear to have greater impact on leisure cycling than commuter cycling. Future research should investigate the importance of traffic on different types of cycling and include psychosocial correlates.RIGHTS : This article is licensed under the BioMed Central licence at http://www.biomedcentral.com/about/license which is similar to the 'Creative Commons Attribution Licence'. In brief you may : copy, distribute, and display the work; make derivative works; or make commercial use of the work - under the following conditions: the original author must be given credit; for any reuse or distribution, it must be made clear to others what the license terms of this work are

A systematic review of studies probing longitudinal associations between anxiety and anorexia nervosa

The current study aimed to establish whether anxiety predicts subsequent anorexia nervosa onset and maintenance. A systematic review of longitudinal studies assessing the association between stable anxiety exposures (e.g. trait anxiety/anxiety disorder pathology) and anorexia nervosa development or maintenance was undertaken. Eight studies met inclusion criteria. Seven probed the association between anxiety and anorexia nervosa onset, and one assessed the association between anxiety and anorexia nervosa maintenance. Individuals with anorexia nervosa were more likely to report childhood anxiety compared to healthy individuals, but whether childhood anxiety explains unique variance in anorexia nervosa development is unclear. Current evidence does not support longitudinal associations between specific anxiety disorders (independently of other anxiety disorders) and subsequent anorexia nervosa onset, however anxiety disorder diagnosis in general may predict increased anorexia nervosa risk. The single study probing the association between anxiety and anorexia nervosa maintenance did not find evidence supporting a relationship. The quality of individual studies was fair to high, however the body of evidence was of low quality. Further research that minimises bias, allowing for strong conclusions concerning longitudinal associations between anxiety and subsequent anorexia nervosa outcomes, is required to inform anorexia nervosa aetiology. This in turn may promote improved prevention and treatment

The effect of weight-bearing exercise on the mechanisms of bone health in young females: A systematic review

Weight-bearing exercise (WBE) has been identified as an appropriate approach for increasing peak bone mass, however, there is a lack of specific physical activity recommendations in this area. Thus, the aim of this systematic review is to determine the optimal mode of WBE, specifically identifying the intensity, duration, frequency, and load, to elicit the optimal effect on bone mass in young females, aged 5-18. A literature search was conducted from the 28(th) of June to the 20(th) of July 2021 using PubMed/Medline, Web of Science and SPORTDiscus. The search produced 1405 results, of which 15 were deemed appropriate for inclusion. The majority of studies (n=12) found a significant positive effect for at least one bone measure through their respective WBE exposure (p<0.05). Bone mass accrual was found to be site-specific depending on WBE exposure type, load, and maturity status. Also, longitudinal effects on bone mass accrual were found exclusively in gymnastics participants, even if participation level decreased (i.e., retirement). The results of this study support the use of WBE to improve parameters of bone health. However, further research is needed as the optimal mode of WBE to elicit the optimal effect on bone mass is still unclear

A qualitative exploration of English black adults’ views of strength and balance activities in mid-life

BACKGROUND: Public health guidelines state that all adults should undertake muscle and bone strengthening and balance training activities at least twice a week to support their physical function and maintain independent health. This is intended to maintain strength in adulthood and offset natural declines in bone density and muscle mass. Most older adults do not meet this guideline with low levels of compliance among older black people. This study explored the experiences of physical activity relating to strength and balance activities, amongst black men and women living in England, aged 50–70. METHODS: Participants were recruited by phone via a network of research recruitment specialists across England. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 25 black people aged 50–70 living in England. An inductive thematic analysis was conducted. RESULTS: We found there was only a very general understanding of the importance of maintaining body strength and balance, and low salience: strength and balance activities were not seen to be an important part of participants’ lives. Most participants only wanted to be strong enough to get on with ‘normal life’ and not to build strength or balance. Participants aged 50–70 were likely to think they were too young to worry about strength and balance, which tended to be mentioned only if someone had experienced a problem. Participants reported that NHS staff, especially physiotherapists are a key source of information on the topic and could therefore be useful in future prevention strategies. CONCLUSION: Public health recommendations stress the importance of increasing participation in regular strength and balance activities as people age, to reduce the risk of falls and maintain independence. This study has shown that among the black middle-aged adults we interviewed, the knowledge and salience of this message is low. Public health approaches should be taken to communicate the importance of enhancing strength and balance as people approach older age, including communication and education programmes led by health professionals, who were viewed with authority amongst these participants

Are perceptions of the environment in the workplace ‘neighbourhood’ associated with commuter walking?

Walking for the daily commute is one potential strategy for increasing physical activity levels. Understanding the behaviour-specific environmental correlates associated with commuter walking will help effective interventions to be identified and developed. The aim of this study was to examine the associations of perceptions of the environment in the workplace ‘neighbourhood’ and commuter walking. Participants in the baseline survey of the Walking Works intervention study reported perceptions of ten environmental attributes in their workplace neighbourhood, availability of public transport, time spent walking to and from work in the last seven days, their participation in physical activity and socio-demographic characteristics (n=676). We built a series of multivariate logistic regression models to examine associations between each environmental item, public transport availability and commuter walking. Half (52%) of respondents were classified as commuter walkers (n=352) (66% female; 47% aged <30 years). Respondents were significantly more likely to walk for their daily commute if they reported there to be convenient walking routes (OR (odds ratio) 2.05, 95% CI (confidence interval) 1.23-3.42), suitable pavements (OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.23-4.04), maintained pavements (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.02-2.62) or convenient public transport (OR 4.98, 95% CI 3.34-7.44) after adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics, free car parking at work and distance lived from work. Creating ‘pedestrian friendly’ environments in workplace surroundings may be important for encouraging walking for the daily commute to work. Such environments would include convenient routes, suitable and maintained pedestrian infrastructure and convenient access to public transport. Improving and maintaining the walking environment around existing workplaces and ensuring infrastructure around new workplaces is designed to support commuter walking should be considered a priority area for investment

The relationship between active travel to school and health-related fitness in children and adolescents: a systematic review

Background: Active travel to school (ATS) has been identified as an important source of physical activity for youth. However, the relationship between ATS and health-related fitness (HRF) among youth remains unclear. Methods: A systematic search of seven electronic databases (EMBASE, OVID MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus and TRIS on line) was conducted in December 2009 and studies published since 1980 were considered for inclusion. Results: Twenty seven articles were identified that explored the relationship between ATS and the following aspects of HRF: weight status/body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular fitness and flexibility. Forty-eight percent of the studies that examined the relationship between ATS and weight status/body composition reported significant associations, this increased to 55% once poor quality studies were removed. Furthermore, the findings from five studies, including one longitudinal study, indicate that ATS is positively associated with cardiorespiratory fitness in youth. However, the evidence for the relationships between ATS and muscular fitness or flexibility is equivocal and limited by low study numbers. Conclusions: There is some evidence to suggest that ATS is associated with a healthier body composition and level of cardiorespiratory fitness among youth. Strategies to increase ATS are warranted and should be included in whole-of-school approaches to the promotion of physical activity

Recruiting participants to walking intervention studies: a systematic review

Most researchers who are conducting physical activity trials face difficulties in recruiting participants who are representative of the population or from specific population groups. Participants who are often the hardest to recruit are often those who stand to benefit most (the least active, from ethnic and other minority groups, from neighbourhoods with high levels of deprivation, or have poor health). The aim of our study was to conduct a systematic review of published literature of walking interventions, in order to identify the impact, characteristics, and differential effects of recruitment strategies among particular population groups. We conducted standard searches for studies from four sources, (i) electronic literature databases and websites, (ii) grey literature from internet sources, (iii) contact with experts to identify additional "grey" and other literature, and (iv) snowballing from reference lists of retrieved articles. Included studies were randomised controlled trials, controlled before-and-after experimental or observational qualitative studies, examining the effects of an intervention to encourage people to walk independently or in a group setting, and detailing methods of recruitment. Forty seven studies met the inclusion criteria. The overall quality of the descriptions of recruitment in the studies was poor with little detail reported on who undertook recruitment, or how long was spent planning/preparing and implementing the recruitment phase. Recruitment was conducted at locations that either matched where the intervention was delivered, or where the potential participants were asked to attend for the screening and signing up process. We identified a lack of conceptual clarity about the recruitment process and no standard metric to evaluate the effectiveness of recruitment. Recruitment concepts, methods, and reporting in walking intervention trials are poorly developed, adding to other limitations in the literature, such as limited generalisability. The lack of understanding of optimal and equitable recruitment strategies evident from this review limits the impact of interventions to promote walking to particular social groups. To improve the delivery of walking interventions to groups which can benefit most, specific attention to developing and evaluating targeted recruitment approaches is recommended