Physical activity in overweight and obese adults with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders

Objectives: Provide a comprehensive profile of physical activity in overweight and obese adults with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders (SZO/SA), and compare physical activity levels measured objectively with accelerometry in overweight and obese adults with SZO/SA with users of mental health services (NHANES 2003-2004). Design: Randomized clinical trial; Weight Assessment and Intervention in Schizophrenia Treatment (WAIST) Study: baseline data collected 2005-2008. Setting: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA Participants: Community-dwelling adults diagnosed with SZO/SA, experiencing mild psychiatric symptoms (PANSS27 kg/m2. Measurements: Self-reported physical activity questionnaire, objectively measured physical activity (accelerometry), and physical fitness. Results: Household activities were the primary source of activity (women 474, men 284 mins/wk, p<0.001). Walking for transportation or leisure was reported by 64% (n=163) of participants. Occupational activities were limited due to low employment rate (~15%). Other than household activities, no differences in subjective physical activity were noted by gender, race, or age groups. On average, 81%, 17%, and 2% of the participant’s monitoring time was classified as sedentary, light, and moderate-vigorous activity, respectively, using accelerometry. Total (mins/day and counts/min) and light activity (mins/day) but not moderate-vigorous activity (mins/day) were significantly greater in users of mental health services than adults with SZO/SA (p<0.01). Only 2 of 105 were classified as fit. No association was observed between objective and subjective physical activity and physical fitness. Subjective physical activity was associated with function and general health status but not psychiatric symptoms. Conclusion: Overweight and obese adults with SZO/SA were extremely sedentary; unfit; engaged in unstructured, intermittent, low-intensity physical activity; less active than users of mental health services. Physical activities were generally limited to walking for transportation or leisure, and household activities. Public Health Significance: These findings provide the first quantitative and comprehensive profile of physical activity in adults with SZO/SA. This extremely sedentary lifestyle is alarming, significantly lower than other inactive US populations, costly for the individual and community, and warrants immediate action. Interventions should focus on decreasing sedentary time in addition to promoting all aspects of physical activity in overweight and obese adults with SZO/SA

The influence of exercise and BMI on injuries and illnesses in overweight and obese adults: a randomized control trial

BACKGROUND: Medically treated injuries have been shown to increase with increasing body mass index (BMI). Information is lacking on the frequency and type of injuries and illnesses among overweight and obese adults who engage in regular physical activities as part of weight loss or weight gain prevention programs. METHODS: Sedentary adults with BMIs between 25 and 40 kg/m(2 )(n = 397) enrolled in one of two randomized clinical trials that emphasized exercise as part of a weight loss or weight gain prevention program. Interventions differed by duration of the exercise goal (150, 200, or 300 minutes/week or control group). Walking was prescribed as the primary mode of exercise. At six month intervals, participants were asked, "During the past six months, did you have any injury or illness that affected your ability to exercise?" Longitudinal models were used to assess the effects of exercise and BMI on the pattern of injuries/illnesses attributed to exercise over time; censored linear regression was used to identify predictors of time to first injury/illness attributed to exercise. RESULTS: During the 18-month study, 46% reported at least one injury/illness, and 32% reported at least one injury that was attributed to exercise. Lower-body musculoskeletal injuries (21%) were the most commonly reported injury followed by cold/flu/respiratory infections (18%) and back pain/injury (10%). Knee injuries comprised one-third of the lower-body musculoskeletal injuries. Only 7% of the injuries were attributed to exercise alone, and 59% of the injuries did not involve exercise. BMI (p ≤ 0.01) but not exercise (p ≥ 0.41) was significantly associated with time to first injury and injuries over time. Participants with higher BMIs were injured earlier or had increased odds of injury over time than participants with lower BMIs. Due to the linear dose-response relationship between BMI and injury/illness, any weight loss and reduction in BMI was associated with a decrease risk of injury/illness and delay in time to injury/illness. CONCLUSIONS: Overweight and obese adults who were prescribed exercise as part of weight loss or weight gain prevention intervention were not at increased risk of injury compared to overweight adults randomized not to participate in prescribed exercise. Since onset of injury/illness and pattern of injuries over time in overweight and obese individuals were attributed to BMI, weight reduction may be an avenue to reduce the risk of injury/illness in sedentary and previously sedentary overweight and obese adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00177502 and NCT0017747

Interpregnancy weight retention patterning in women who breastfed

This study compares weight change in lactating women with an 18-month interpregnancy interval with woman who also breastfed but did not have an immediate subsequent pregnancy. Cases were women who breastfed an index infant for 6 months and subsequently became pregnant within 18 months (cases = 25), and the controls also breastfed an index infant for 6 months but had no ensuing pregnancy (controls = 20) within 18 months. The pattern of postpartum weight retention following the initial pregnancy was not statistically different in cases compared to the controls. However, following their ensuing subsequent pregnancy, cases were 1.3 kg heavier than their average weight after their baseline pregnancy ( P = 0.02). The best predictor of this greater weight was their weight change during the interpregnancy interval ( P = 0.03). Total weight gain during the gestational period of the subsequent pregnancy was not associated with the greater weight following the subsequent pregnancy. Likewise, estimates of the amount of energy as calories or physical activity levels were not significant predictors of this greater weight following the subsequent pregnancy. These findings suggest that monitoring of postpartum weight, even in breastfeeding women, is essential. These findings indicate that breastfeeding women begin the next postpartum interval weighing more than the amount observed in the initial postpartum period. J. Matern.–Fetal Med. 7:89–94, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/35150/1/7_ftp.pd

The Role of Social Media in Adolescent Loneliness and Mental Health Problems: Current Evidence and Suggestions for Future Work

Adolescents are spending more time interacting with peers online than in person, evidencing the need to examine this shift’s implications for adolescent loneliness and mental health. The current review examines research documenting an association between social media use and mental health, and highlights several specific areas that should be further explored as mechanisms within this relationship. Overall, it appears that frequency of social media use, the kind of social media use, the social environment, the platform used, and the potential for adverse events are especially important in understanding the relationship between social media use and adolescent mental health

Effect of Ethnicity and Geographical Location on Body Weight, Dietary Restraint, and Abnormal Eating Attitudes

Previous studies have examined the effect of ethnicity on obesity, concerns about shape and weight, and attitudes about eating. We hypothesized that geographical location would also influence these variables, and that students growing up in the northern part of the United States and attending northern colleges would differ from students from the South. To examine this, we studied a random sample of 275 African‐Americans (AA) and 224 white college students in the entering class of two northern colleges (University of Pittsburgh or University of Massachusetts) or two southern colleges (Augusta or Paine College). All subjects were weighed and completed the Revised Restraint Scale and the EAT‐26. AA women were heavier than white women, with no differences due to geographical location. Despite being thinner, white women reported more dietary restraint than AA women. This difference between AA and white women was apparent in both northern and southern college students. In contrast, geographical location was the strongest determinant of bulimic attitudes; both men and women at northern colleges reported higher bulimia scores than those at southern schools. Thus ethnicity appears to be a major determinant of body weight and attitudes about shape and dieting, whereas geographical location appears to exert greater influence on bulimic attitudes. 1993 North American Association for the Study of Obesity (NAASO

Rural Healthcare Providers’ Perceptions of Patient Financial Well-Being and Integrating Financial Capability Services

This exploratory study documents rural healthcare providers’ perspectives on patients’ financial well-being, and the feasibility of integrating financial capability supports into healthcare services. Surveys (n = 132) and online focus groups (n = 17) in 2019 were used to collect data. Three key findings were that rural healthcare providers: (i) recognize the influence of financial capability on patients’ health outcomes and healthcare access, (ii) saw a need for resources to support patients’ financial capability, and (iii) do not feel well-positioned to address patients’ financial needs. Implications include the need for tools, resources, partnership strategies, and programs that support rural patients’ financial capability.This accepted article is Bartholomae, S., Kiss, El., Collins, J.M., Johnson, C.L., Janney, C.A., Rural Healthcare Providers’ Perceptions of Patient Financial Well-Being and Integrating Financial Capability Services. Family & Consumer Sciences. September 2021, 20(1); 27-41. doi: 10.1111/fcsr.12415. Posted with permission

Weight loss among women and men in the ASPIRE‐VA behavioral weight loss intervention trial

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134097/1/oby21574_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134097/2/oby21574.pd