Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · Aug 2016
ReviewCorrelates of physical activity in children and adolescents with physical disabilities: A systematic review.
The benefits of physical activity (PA) for children with disabilities are well documented, and children with physical disabilities (PD) are often less active than peers with other disability types. Various correlates associated with PA in children with PD have been identified in separate studies, and a thorough analysis of these correlates could aid in understanding and designing interventions that promote children with PD to be more physically active. The purpose of this systematic review was to provide a comprehensive summary of the correlates of PA in children with PD. ⋯ The correlates of PA in children with PD are multifaceted and along many dimensions. This review can have implications for future studies and these may confirm the consistency of variables related to PA. Insights derived from the outcomes may also foster the measurement of the magnitude of associations that could assist the development of future interventions.
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Preventive medicine · Aug 2016
Comparative StudyPrevalence and trends in physical activity among older adults in the United States: A comparison across three national surveys.
This paper examined how many older adults (65+years) are meeting physical activity (PA) Guidelines (PAG; 150min/week of moderate-to-vigorous PA) using data from three leading national surveys (NHANES, BRFSS and NHIS). The proportion of individuals meeting aerobic PAG was determined for the most recent cycle available for each survey (NHANES 2011-12, NHIS and BRFSS 2013). We also assessed whether PAG adherence has changed over time. ⋯ The proportion of older adults meeting PAG in the NHIS survey, the only survey where PA questions remained the same over time, increased from 25.7% in 1998 to 35.8% in 2013 (P<0.01). Point-estimates for activity levels are different between surveys but they consistently identify sub-groups who are less active. Although older adults are reporting more activity over time, adherence to aerobic and strength training PAG remains low in this population and there is a need for effective interventions to prevent age-related declines in PA and address health disparities among older adults.
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Preventive medicine · Aug 2016
Review Meta AnalysisParticipant-level meta-analysis of mobile phone-based interventions for smoking cessation across different countries.
With meta-analysis, participant-level data from five text messaging-based smoking cessation intervention studies were pooled to investigate cessation patterns across studies and participants. Individual participant data (N=8315) collected in New Zealand (2001-2003; n=1705), U. K. (2008-2009; n=5792), U. ⋯ Subgroup analyses were conducted but few significant findings were noted. Text messaging-based smoking cessation programs increase self-reported quitting rates across a diversity of countries and cultures. Efforts to expand these low-cost and scalable programs, along with ongoing evaluation, appear warranted.
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Preventive medicine · Aug 2016
Persistent disparities in obesity risk among public schoolchildren from childhood through adolescence.
Arkansas is among the poorest states and has high rates of childhood obesity. In 2003, it became the first state to systematically screen public schoolchildren for unhealthy weight status. This study aims to examine the socioeconomic disparities in Body Mass Index (BMI) growth and the risk of the onset of obesity from childhood through adolescence. ⋯ This analysis stresses the need for policies to narrow the socioeconomic gradient and identifies important time periods for preventative interventions in childhood obesity.
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Preventive medicine · Aug 2016
ReviewObservational Park-based physical activity studies: A systematic review of the literature.
This article reports the outcomes of a systematic review of observational park-based physical activity (PA) studies. Five electronic databases and the Active Living Research website were searched in July 2015 to identify relevant articles. Studies were included if they: a) reported observational data collected at outdoor park-based settings during free living conditions, b) reported results of a park audit, c) included PA as an outcome measure of the park audit, and d) were published after 1990 in English-language peer-review journals. ⋯ Fifteen studies examined gender differences in MVPA. Among these, 12 (87%) reported more males engaging in MVPA than females. Results of this review highlight the need for innovative strategies to promote MVPA among park users and to increase park use among children.