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Sports Practices and Cardiovascular Risk in Teenagers.
Scherr, C, Fabiano, LCC, Guerra, RL, Belém, LHJ, Câmara, ACG, Campos, A
Arquivos brasileiros de cardiologia. 2018;(3):248-255
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of deaths in the world, and many events could be prevented by healthy life habits. OBJECTIVES To compare the occurrence of cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents enrolled at public schools in the city of Rio de Janeiro, including a renowned school for sport practices. METHODS Cross-sectional study, convenience sampling of 422 students enrolled at the Experimental Olympic Gymnasium (EOG) and at Figueiredo Pimentel School (FP). Using descriptive analyses, continuous variables were expressed as mean and standard deviation or median and interquartile ranges, and the Student's t-test or the chi-square test, respectively, was used for comparisons. The sports were classified according to the metabolic equivalent of task (MET) (below or above 5). RESULTS We included 274 students enrolled at the EOG and 148 at FP. Mean age was similar between schools -12.5 ± 1.6 years at FP and 12.6 ± 0.9 at the EOG; 65.5% of the students at FP and 43.8% of the students at the EOG were female (p < 0.01). Significant differences in the prevalence of hypertension (20% vs. 6.3%, p < 0.01) and borderline cholesterol levels (27.7% vs. 17.3%, p = 0.01) were found between FP and EOG students, respectively. CONCLUSION High prevalence of hypertension, overweight/obesity and altered blood lipid profile was found in this group of adolescents. Regular sports training program combined with little influence of their eating habits outside school may contribute to a better metabolic profile and reduction in cardiovascular risk factors in students. Public health measures are also need.
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Effects of a strategy for the promotion of physical activity in students from Bogotá.
Gutiérrez-Martínez, L, Martínez, RG, González, SA, Bolívar, MA, Estupiñan, OV, Sarmiento, OL
Revista de saude publica. 2018;:79
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the effect of the promotion of physical activity during recess on the levels of physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and adiposity of Colombian students. METHODS Three schools were randomly selected by an intervention group in Bogotá, Colombia, in 2013: Intervention (Active Module of Active Recess - MARA) + Text Messages (SMS) (MARA+SMS group), intervention (MARA group), control (control group). Intervention was implemented for ten weeks. The duration and intensity of physical activity and sedentary behaviors were measured objectively using accelerometers Actigraph-GT3X+. Adiposity was measured by body mass index and fat percentage. We measured at baseline (T0) and during the tenth week of intervention (T1). We evaluated the effect of the intervention using a difference-in-difference analysis (DID). RESULTS We included 120 students (57.5% girls; mean age = 10.5 years; standard deviation [SD] = 0.64). There was a significant increase in the mean daily minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity in the MARA group (Difference T1-T0 = 6.1 minutes, standard error [SE] = 3.49, p = 0.005) in relation to the control group. There were no significant changes in the minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity in the MARA+SMS group (Difference T1-T0 = -1.0 minute; SE = 3.06; p = 0.363). The minutes decreased in the control group (Difference T1-T0 = -7.7 minutes; SE = 3.15; p = 0.011). The minutes of sedentary behaviors decreased in the MARA and MARA+SMS groups and increased in the control group (MARA Difference T1-T0 = -15.8 minutes; SE = 10.05; p= 0.279; MARA+SMS Difference T1-T0 = -11.5 minutes; SE = 8.80; p= 0.869; Control Difference T1-T0 = 10.9 minutes; SE = 9.07; p = 0.407). There was a higher participation in the MARA group in relation to the MARA+SMS group (MARA group = 34.4%; MARA+SMS group = 12.1%). There were no significant changes in adiposity at 10 weeks according to difference-in-differences analysis (body mass index p: ΔMARA+SMS group versus Δcontrol group = 0.945, ΔMARA group versus Δcontrol group = 0.847, ΔMARA+SMS group versus ΔMARA group = 0.990; FP p ΔMARA+SMS group versus Δcontrol group = 0.788, ΔMARA group versus Δcontrol group = 0.915, ΔMARA+SMS group versus ΔMARA group = 0.975). CONCLUSIONS The Active Module of Active Recess is a promising strategy to increase physical activity levels and decrease sedentary behavior in students. The addition of Text Messages was not associated with increased moderate to vigorous physical activity or changes in adiposity.
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Availability of food and beverage items on school canteen menus and association with items purchased by children of primary-school age.
Clinton-McHarg, T, Janssen, L, Delaney, T, Reilly, K, Regan, T, Nathan, N, Wiggers, J, Yoong, SL, Wyse, R, Grady, A, et al
Public health nutrition. 2018;(15):2907-2914
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OBJECTIVE To (i) describe the proportion of foods and beverages available on school canteen menus classified as having high ('green'), moderate ('amber') or low ('red') nutritional value; (ii) describe the proportion of these items purchased by students; and (iii) examine the association between food and beverage availability on school canteen menus and food and beverage purchasing by students. DESIGN A cross-sectional study was conducted as part of a larger randomised controlled trial (RCT). SETTING A nested sample of fifty randomly selected government schools from the Hunter New England region of New South Wales, Australia, who had participated in an RCT of an intervention to improve the availability of healthy foods sold from school canteens, was approached to participate. SUBJECTS School principals, canteen managers and students. RESULTS The average proportion of green, amber and red items available on menus was 47·9, 47·4 and 4·7 %, respectively. The average proportion of green, amber and red items purchased by students was 30·1, 61·8 and 8·1 %, respectively. There was a significant positive relationship between the availability and purchasing of green (R 2=0·66), amber (R 2=0·57) and red menu items (R 2=0·61). In each case, a 1 % increase in the availability of items in these categories was associated with a 1·21, 1·35 and 1·67 % increase in purchasing of items of high, moderate and low nutritional value, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The findings provide support for school-based policies to improve the relative availability of healthy foods for sale in these settings.
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Effect of default menus on food selection and consumption in a college dining hall simulation study.
Radnitz, C, Loeb, KL, Keller, KL, Boutelle, K, Schwartz, MB, Todd, L, Marcus, S
Public health nutrition. 2018;(7):1359-1369
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OBJECTIVE To test an obesity prevention strategy derived from behavioural economics (optimal defaults plus delay), focused on changing the college dining hall service method. DESIGN After a uniform pre-load, participants attended an experimental lunch in groups randomized to one of three conditions: a nutrient-dense, lower-fat/energy lunch as an optimal default (OD); a less-nutrient-dense, higher-fat/energy lunch as a suboptimal default (SD); or a free array (FA) lunch. In the OD condition, students were presented a menu depicting healthier vegetarian and omnivore foods as default, with opt-out alternatives (SD menu) available on request with a 15 min wait. In the SD condition, the same menu format was used with the positioning of food items switched. In the FA condition, all choices were presented in uniform fonts and were available immediately. SETTING Private rooms designed to provide a small version of a college dining hall, on two campuses of a Northeastern US university. SUBJECTS First-year college students (n 129). RESULTS There was a significant main effect for condition on percentage of optimal choices selected, with 94 % of food choices in the OD condition optimal, 47 % in the FA condition optimal and none in the SD condition optimal. Similarly, energy intake for those in the SD condition significantly exceeded that in the FA condition, which exceeded that in the OD condition. CONCLUSIONS Presenting menu items as optimal defaults with a delay had a significant impact on choice and consumption, suggesting that further research into its long-term applicability is warranted.
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Stress, Anxiety, and Weight Gain among University and College Students: A Systematic Review.
Haidar, SA, de Vries, NK, Karavetian, M, El-Rassi, R
Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2018;(2):261-274
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stress and anxiety levels are elevated among university and college students. Although high stress levels can lead to an increase in adiposity, it is not clear whether stress and anxiety experienced when in university or college have an influence on students' weight. OBJECTIVE The aim of this systemic review was to investigate whether stress and anxiety levels encountered during university and college enrollment were associated with higher adiposity or weight changes among students. METHOD A search strategy was used to identify peer-reviewed studies published between 1985 and March 2017 using the following databases: Medline using Ovid; PubMed, CINAHL using EBSCO, Embase using Ovid, PSYCHINFO, and Open Access Theses and Dissertation. Two reviewers independently assessed the title, abstract, and then the full article of the studies that met the inclusion criteria. Data were extracted and quality assessment was conducted for the included studies. RESULTS Twenty-five observational studies were identified in this review (23 cross-sectional and two longitudinal); 11 found that there was no association between stress and body mass index or weight change. In addition, five studies did not find a significant association between anxiety and body mass index. A few studies revealed stress and anxiety might be associated with higher or lower weight status, thus there is a possibility that stress can increase or decrease weight, demonstrating that a bidirectional influence on body mass index may exist. CONCLUSIONS The current data in this review are inadequate to draw firm conclusions about the role of stress on weight change in university and college students. The inconsistency of results in the literature reviewed for this article suggest that a focus on longitudinal studies with adequate sample size would better evaluate the relationship between stress or anxiety and its influence on weight status or weight change among college and university students.
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Health-Promotion Intervention Increases Self-Reported Physical Activity in Sub-Saharan African University Students: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study.
Heeren, GA, Jemmott, JB, Marange, CS, Rumosa Gwaze, A, Batidzirai, JM, Ngwane, Z, Mandeya, A, Tyler, JC
Behavioral medicine (Washington, D.C.). 2018;(4):297-305
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To evaluate the efficacy of a health-promotion intervention in increasing self-reported physical activity among university students in Sub-Saharan Africa. Randomly selected second-year students at a university in South Africa were randomized to an intervention based on social cognitive theory: health-promotion, targeting physical activity and fruit, vegetable, and fat consumption; or HIV risk-reduction, targeting sexual-risk behaviors. Participants completed assessments via audio computer-assisted self-interviewing pre-intervention and 6 and 12 months post-intervention. A total of 176 were randomized with 171 (97.2%) retained 12 months post-intervention. Generalized-estimating-equations analyses indicated that the health-promotion-intervention participants were more likely to meet physical-activity guidelines than were control participants, post-intervention, adjusting for pre-intervention physical activity (odds ratio [OR] = 3.35; 95% CI: 1.33-8.41). Health-promotion participants reported a greater number of days they did vigorous-intensity (risk ratio [RR] = 2.01; 95% CI: 1.43-2.83) and moderate-intensity (RR = 1.40; 95% CI: 1.01-1.95) aerobic activity, but not strength-building activity (RR = 1.37; 95% CI: 0.091-2.07). The intervention reduced self-reported servings of fried foods (mean difference = -0.31; 95% CI: -0.60, -0.02). The findings suggest that theory-based, contextually appropriate interventions may increase physical activity among university students in Sub-Saharan Africa.
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Effect of an Intervention Program Based on Active Video Games and Motor Games on Health Indicators in University Students: A Pilot Study.
Zurita-Ortega, F, Chacón-Cuberos, R, Castro-Sánchez, M, Gutiérrez-Vela, FL, González-Valero, G
International journal of environmental research and public health. 2018;(7)
Abstract
(1) Background: High levels of physical inactivity caused by sedentary digital screen leisure constitute one of the main causes of the high levels of obesity observed in today’s society; (2) Methods: The present study aims to analyse the effect of a 12-week intervention program based on the application of active video games and motor games on health status indicators, problematic use of video games, and resilience capacity in university students. Besides, the content blocks of the Physical Education (PE) field are worked on through these devices, revealing their potential as an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) resource. A longitudinal study with a pre-experimental design with pretest⁻posttest measurements in a single group (n = 47) was performed, using as main instruments a Tanita TBF300® bioimpedance scale, the 20mSRT test for maximum oxygen consumption (VO²max), the Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet Test (KIDMED), the Questionnaire for Experiences Related to Video games (QERV) and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC); (3) Results: The main results were a discrete improvement in the percentage of fat mass and VO²max, representing a small effect size in both cases. The quality of the diet followed and the confidence and tolerance for adversity as a resilience factor were also improved, representing a medium size effect for this last variable; (4) Conclusions: Despite the limitations of this study as it does not have a control group, the main conclusions are that active video games and motor games can be a motivational resource to follow an active lifestyle, helping to improve health status indicators in young adults.
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Gastroesophageal reflux symptoms among Italian university students: epidemiology and dietary correlates using automatically recorded transactions.
Martinucci, I, Natilli, M, Lorenzoni, V, Pappalardo, L, Monreale, A, Turchetti, G, Pedreschi, D, Marchi, S, Barale, R, de Bortoli, N
BMC gastroenterology. 2018;(1):116
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BACKGROUND Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders worldwide, with relevant impact on the quality of life and health care costs.The aim of our study is to assess the prevalence of GERD based on self-reported symptoms among university students in central Italy. The secondary aim is to evaluate lifestyle correlates, particularly eating habits, in GERD students using automatically recorded transactions through cashiers at university canteen. METHODS A web-survey was created and launched through an app, ad-hoc developed for an interactive exchange of information with students, including anthropometric data and lifestyle habits. Moreover, the web-survey allowed users a self-diagnosis of GERD through a simple questionnaire. As regard eating habits, detailed collection of meals consumed, including number and type of dishes, were automatically recorded through cashiers at the university canteen equipped with an automatic registration system. RESULTS We collected 3012 questionnaires. A total of 792 students (26.2% of the respondents) reported typical GERD symptoms occurring at least weekly. Female sex was more prevalent than male sex. In the set of students with GERD, the percentage of smokers was higher, and our results showed that when BMI tends to higher values the percentage of students with GERD tends to increase. When evaluating correlates with diet, we found, among all users, a lower frequency of legumes choice in GERD students and, among frequent users, a lower frequency of choice of pasta and rice in GERD students. DISCUSSION The results of our study are in line with the values reported in the literature. Nowadays, GERD is a common problem in our communities, and can potentially lead to serious medical complications; the economic burden involved in the diagnostic and therapeutic management of the disease has a relevant impact on healthcare costs. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating the prevalence of typical GERD-related symptoms in a young population of University students in Italy. Considering the young age of enrolled subjects, our prevalence rate, relatively high compared to the usual estimates, could represent a further negative factor for the future economic sustainability of the healthcare system.
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Can I still eat it? Using problem-based learning to test the 5-second rule and promote scientific literacy.
Hussa, EA
FEMS microbiology letters. 2018;(21)
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Defining appropriate student learning outcomes for general education science courses is a daunting task. We must ask ourselves how to best prepare our students to understand the role of science in their lives and in society at large. In the era of social media and armchair experts, life-changing scientific advancements such as vaccination are being dismissed or actively resisted, emphasizing the critical need to teach science literacy skills. One active classroom method known as problem-based learning promotes self-motivated learning and synthesis skills that, when applied in a science-literacy context, can provide students with the ability to generate informed opinions on new scientific advances throughout their lifetime. This piece describes one such problem-based course, designed to tackle the scientific basis (or lack thereof) of the 5-second rule for eating food dropped on the floor. In this course, first year students experimentally engage this issue, while also applying their developing skill set to sort out scientific controversies such as vaccine safety and genetically modified foods.
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Effects of Before-School Physical Activity on Obesity Prevention and Wellness.
Whooten, RC, Perkins, ME, Gerber, MW, Taveras, EM
American journal of preventive medicine. 2018;(4):510-518
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INTRODUCTION The effects of Build Our Kids Success-a 12-week, 1-hour before-school physical activity program-on BMI and social-emotional wellness among kindergarten to eighth grade students was examined. STUDY DESIGN This was a nonrandomized trial. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS Participants were from 24 schools in Massachusetts; there were 707 children from kindergarten to eighth grade. INTERVENTION Children registered for Build Our Kids Success in 2015-2016 participated in a 2 days/week or 3 days/week program. Nonparticipating children served as controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES At baseline and 12 weeks, study staff measured children's heights/weights; children aged ≥8 years completed surveys. Main outcomes were 12-week change in BMI z-score, odds of a lower BMI category at follow-up, and child report of social-emotional wellness. Analyses were completed in March-June 2017. RESULTS Follow-up BMI was obtained from 67% of children and self-reported surveys from 72% of age-eligible children. Children in the 3 days/week group had improvements in BMI z-score (-0.22, 95% CI= -0.31, -0.14) and this mean change was significantly different than the comparison group (-0.17 difference, 95% CI= -0.27, -0.07). Children in the 3 days/week group also had higher odds of being in a lower BMI category at follow-up (OR=1.35, 95% CI=1.12, 1.62); significantly different than the comparison group (p<0.01). Children in the 2 days/week program had no significant changes in BMI outcomes. Children in the 3 days/week group demonstrated improvement in their student engagement scores (0.79 units, p=0.05) and had nonsignificant improvements in reported peer relationships, affect, and life satisfaction versus comparison. The 2 days/week group had significant improvements in positive affect and vitality/energy versus comparison. CONCLUSIONS A 3 days/week before-school physical activity program resulted in improved BMI and prevented increases in child obesity. Both Build Our Kids Success groups had improved social-emotional wellness versus controls. TRIAL REGISTRATION This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT03190135.