125 research outputs found
Do country-level environmental factors explain cross-national variation in adolescent physical activity? A multilevel study in 29 European countries
Background: Worldwide, roughly 80% of adolescents fail to meet World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations regarding physical activity, though there is substantial variation in adolescent physical activity prevalence across countries. This study explored whether country-level environmental differences explained cross-national variation in adolescent moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) and vigorous-intensity activity (VPA). Method: Using the data of 138,014 11- to 15-year-olds from 29 European countries in the 2013/2014 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study, multilevel regression models examined the influence of four types of country-level environmental factors (physical, socio-cultural, economic, and political) on self-reported individual-level physical activity (MVPA and VPA). Results: The environmental variables explained 38% of country-level variance in MVPA and 81% of country-level variance in VPA. Lower annual average national temperature, higher community safety, lower average national household income and a weaker physical education policy were significantly associated with more MVPA. Greater urbanisation, lower annual average national temperature, higher adult physical activity and higher average national household income were significantly associated with more VPA. Conclusions: The findings showed that national differences in the physical, socio-cultural and economic environment were related to adolescent physical activity. They point to potential avenues for future research looking at interactions between individual and environmental factors.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe
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Exploratory randomised controlled trial of a mindfulness-based weight loss intervention for women
To explore the efficacy of a mindfulness-based weight loss intervention for women. Sixty-two women (ages 19-64; BMI 22.5-52.1) who were attempting to lose weight were randomised to an intervention or control condition. The former were invited to attend four 2-h workshops, the latter were asked to continue with their normal diets. Data were collected at baseline, 4 and 6 months. BMI, physical activity, mental health. At 6 months intervention participants showed significantly greater increases in physical activity compared to controls (p<.05) but no significant differences in weight loss or mental health. However, when intervention participants who reported 'never' applying the workshop principles at 6 months (n=7) were excluded, results showed both significantly greater increases in physical activity (3.1 sessions per week relative to controls, p<.05) and significantly greater reductions in BMI (0.96 relative to controls, equivalent to 2.32 kg, p<0.5). Reductions in BMI were mediated primarily by reductions in binge eating. Despite its brevity, the intervention was successful at bringing about change. Further refinements should increase its efficacy
Morphological Plant Modeling: Unleashing Geometric and Topological Potential within the Plant Sciences
The geometries and topologies of leaves, flowers, roots, shoots, and their arrangements have fascinated plant biologists and mathematicians alike. As such, plant morphology is inherently mathematical in that it describes plant form and architecture with geometrical and topological techniques. Gaining an understanding of how to modify plant morphology, through molecular biology and breeding, aided by a mathematical perspective, is critical to improving agriculture, and the monitoring of ecosystems is vital to modeling a future with fewer natural resources. In this white paper, we begin with an overview in quantifying the form of plants and mathematical models of patterning in plants. We then explore the fundamental challenges that remain unanswered concerning plant morphology, from the barriers preventing the prediction of phenotype from genotype to modeling the movement of leaves in air streams. We end with a discussion concerning the education of plant morphology synthesizing biological and mathematical approaches and ways to facilitate research advances through outreach, cross-disciplinary training, and open science. Unleashing the potential of geometric and topological approaches in the plant sciences promises to transform our understanding of both plants and mathematics
Associations between perceived social and physical environmental variables and physical activity and screen time among adolescents in four European countries
The study was supported from European Regional Development Fund-Project “Effective Use of Social Research Studies for Practice” (No. CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_025/0007294) and the Czech Science Foundation under reg. No. 18-24977S.Objectives: Associations between the perceived social and physical environment and self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and screen time (ST) were examined among adolescents in four European countries. Methods: Representative samples were surveyed with standardised methodologies. Associations between environmental variables and meeting MVPA recommendations and tertiles of ST were tested in gender-specific logistic regression models. Moderation by country and country-specific relationships were also examined. Results: The most consistent findings across countries were found for the significant associations between neighbourhood social environment and MVPA in both boys and girls. Significant associations with the physical environment varied more between countries and by gender. The most consistent negative associations with ST were found for the social environmental variable of having parental rules for spending time outside the home. Conclusions: The present findings provided evidence for the generalisability of the associations between environmental correlates and MVPA across four European countries. The findings show clear differences in correlates for MVPA and ST. Further research is needed to better understand the unique aspects of the social and physical environment which explain each of the two behaviours.PostprintPeer reviewe
Recommendations for promoting physical activity for children and adolescents in Germany. A consensus statement
Sedentary behavior among Spanish children and adolescents: findings from the ANIBES study
Background: An increase of sedentary behaviors far from the Mediterranean lifestyle is happening in spite of the
impact on health. The aims of this study were to describe sedentary behaviors in children and adolescents.
Methods: A representative sample of 424 Spanish children and adolescents (38% females) involved in the ANIBES
study was analyzed regarding their sedentary behaviors, together with the availability of televisions, computers, and
consoles by means of the HELENA sedentary behavior questionnaire.
Results: For the total sample of children, 49.3% during weekdays and 84% during weekends did not meet the
recommendation of less than 2 hours of screen viewing per day. The use of TV was higher during weekdays
(p < 0.05) and there were significant differences between adolescents and children (16.9 vs. 25.1%, p < 0.05). The use
of computer, console games and of internet for non-study reasons was higher during weekends (p < 0.001).
Adolescents played more computer games and used more internet for non-study reasons than children during
both weekdays and weekends (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). The use of internet for academic reasons was
lower in children (p < 0.001) than adolescents during weekends; however, no significant differences were found
between sexes. In addition, more than 30% of the children and adolescents had at least one electronic device in
their bedrooms.
Conclusions: Spanish children and adolescents are not meeting the recommendations regarding the maximum of
screen viewing (<2 h/day), especially during the weekend, for all of sedentary behaviors. Urgent strategies and
intervention studies are needed to reduce sedentary behavior in young people.The ANIBES study was financially supported by a grant from Coca-Cola Iberia
through an agreement with the Spanish Nutrition Foundation (FEN). The
funding sponsors had no role in the design of the study, in the collection,
analyses, or interpretation of the data; in the writing of the manuscript, and
in the decision to publish the results
Root angle in maize influences nitrogen capture and is regulated by calcineurin B-like protein (CBL)-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 15 (ZmCIPK15)
Crops with reduced nutrient and water requirements are urgently needed in global agriculture. Root growth angle plays an important role in nutrient and water acquisition. A maize diversity panel of 481 genotypes was screened for variation in root angle employing a high-throughput field phenotyping platform. Genome-wide association mapping identified several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with root angle, including one located in the root expressed CBL-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 15 (ZmCIPK15) gene (LOC100285495). Reverse genetic studies validated the functional importance of ZmCIPK15, causing a approximately 10° change in root angle in specific nodal positions. A steeper root growth angle improved nitrogen capture in silico and in the field. OpenSimRoot simulations predicted at 40 days of growth that this change in angle would improve nitrogen uptake by 11% and plant biomass by 4% in low nitrogen conditions. In field studies under suboptimal N availability, the cipk15 mutant with steeper growth angles had 18% greater shoot biomass and 29% greater shoot nitrogen accumulation compared to the wild type after 70 days of growth. We propose that a steeper root growth angle modulated by ZmCIPK15 will facilitate efforts to develop new crop varieties with optimal root architecture for improved performance under edaphic stress
The soil microbiome reduces Striga infection of sorghum by modulation of host-derived signaling molecules and root development
Sorghum bicolor is one of the most important cereals in the world and a staple crop for smallholder famers in sub-Saharan Africa. However approximately 20% of sorghum yield is annually lost on the African continent due to infestation with the root parasitic weed Striga hermonthica. Existing Striga management strategies often show an inconsistent to low efficacy. Hence, novel and integrated approaches are needed as an alternative strategy. Here, we demonstrate that the soil microbiome suppresses Striga infection in sorghum. We associate this suppression with microbiome-mediated induction of root endodermal suberization and aerenchyma formation, and depletion of haustorium inducing factors (HIFs), root exudate compounds that are critical for the initial stages of Striga infection. We further identify microbial taxa associated with reduced Striga infection with concomitant changes in root cellular anatomy and differentiation as well as HIF degradation. Our study describes novel microbiome-mediated mechanisms of Striga suppression, encompassing repression of haustorium formation and induction of physical barriers in the host root tissue. These findings open new avenues to broaden the effectiveness of Striga management practices
Variation in population levels of sedentary time in European children and adolescents according to cross-European studies: a systematic literature review within DEDIPAC
peer-reviewedBackground: A high amount of sedentary time has been proposed as a risk factor for various health outcomes in
adults. While the evidence is less clear in children and adolescents, monitoring sedentary time is important to
understand the prevalence rates and how this behaviour varies over time and by place. This systematic literature
review aims to provide an overview of existing cross-European studies on sedentary time in children (0-12y) and
adolescents (13-18y), to describe the variation in population levels of sedentary time, and to discuss the impact of
assessment methods.
Methods: Six literature databases were searched (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, SportDiscus and OpenGrey),
followed by backward- and forward tracking and searching authors’ and experts’ literature databases. Included
articles were observational studies reporting on levels of sedentary time in the general population of children
and/or adolescents in at least two European countries. Population levels were reported separately for children
and adolescents. Data were reviewed, extracted and assessed by two researchers, with disagreements being
resolved by a third researcher. The review protocol is published under registration number CRD42014013379
in the PROSPERO database.
Forty-two eligible articles were identified, most were cross-sectional (n = 38). The number of included
European countries per article ranged from 2 to 36. Levels of sedentary time were observed to be higher in
East-European countries compared to the rest of Europe. There was a large variation in assessment methods
and reported outcome variables. The majority of articles used a child-specific questionnaire (60 %). Other
methods included accelerometers, parental questionnaires or interviews and ecological momentary assessment
tools. Television time was reported as outcome variable in 57 % of included articles (ranging from a mean
value of 1 h to 2.7 h in children and 1.3 h to 4.4 h in adolescents), total sedentary time in 24 % (ranging
from a mean value of 192 min to 552 min in children and from 268 min to 506 min in adolescents).
A substantial number of published studies report on levels of sedentary time in children and
adolescents across European countries, but there was a large variation in assessment methods. Questionnaires
(child specific) were used most often, but they mostly measured specific screen-based activities and did not
assess total sedentary time. There is a need for harmonisation and standardisation of objective and subjective
methods to assess sedentary time in children and adolescents to enable comparison across countries
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