The understanding, application and influence of complexity in national physical activity policy-making.

Background: Complexity theory and systems-thinking are increasingly popular in physical activity (PA) research and policy discourse. The impact of this perspective shift, across many sectors, may be underwhelming. We explore why, by focusing on how these concepts are understood and applied by PA policy-makers.

A modified Delphi study to gain consensus for a taxonomy to report and classify physical activity referral schemes (PARS).

Background: Physical Activity Referral Schemes (PARS), including exercise referral schemes, are a popular approach to health improvement, but understanding of effectiveness is limited by considerable heterogeneity in reporting and evaluation. We aimed to gain consensus for a PARS taxonomy as a comprehensive method for reporting and recording of such schemes.

Methods: We invited 62 experts from PARS policy, research and practice to complete a modified Delphi study.

Challenges, opportunities and solutions for local physical activity stakeholders: an implementation case study from a cross-sectoral physical activity network in Northeast England.

Background: Increasingly, national policy initiatives and programmes have been developed to increase physical activity (PA). However, challenges in implementing and translating these policies into effective local-level programmes have persisted, and change in population PA levels has been small. This may be due to insufficient attention given to the implementation context, and the limited interactions between local policy-makers, practitioners and researchers.

The Northumberland Exercise Referral Scheme as a Universal Community Weight Management Programme: A Mixed Methods Exploration of Outcomes, Expectations and Experiences across a Social Gradient.

Exercise referral schemes (ERS) are internationally recognised, yet little attention has been paid to discrete referral groups or the influence of wider social determinants of health. The primary quantitative element of this mixed methods study used a mixed effects linear model to examine associations of sociodemographic predictors, obesity class and profession of referrer on weight and physical activity (PA) variables for weight-related referrals ( = 3624) to an established 24-week ERS. Chained equations modelling imputed missing data.

Inequities and inequalities in outdoor walking groups: a scoping review.

Background: Outdoor walking groups are widely-used programmes aimed at improving physical activity and health outcomes. Despite being promoted as accessible and inclusive, emerging work highlights participation biases based on gender, age and socioeconomic status, for example. To explicate the impact of outdoor walking groups on physical activity inequities, we conducted a scoping review of published outdoor walking group literatures.

Prototyping for public health in a local context: a streamlined evaluation of a community-based weight management programme (Momenta), Northumberland, UK.

Objectives: Stakeholder co-production in design of public health programmes may reduce the 'implementation gap' but can be time-consuming and costly. Prototyping, iterative refining relevant to delivery context, offers a potential solution. This evaluation explored implementation and lessons learnt for a 12-week referral-based weight-management programme, 'Momenta', along with feasibility of an iterative prototyping evaluation framework.

How do participant experiences and characteristics influence engagement in exercise referral? A qualitative longitudinal study of a scheme in Northumberland, UK.

Objectives: Exercise referral schemes (ERSs) are internationally widespread. This study aimed to gain an insight into differential engagement through understanding participant experiences of patients referred by healthcare professionals to one such scheme in the UK.

Design: The study employed a qualitative longitudinal approach using semistructured interviews, with results reported using Consolidated criteria for Reporting Qualitative research guidelines.

Food intake and appetite following school-based high-intensity interval training in 9-11-year-old children.

Using a randomised cross-over design, free-living lunch intake and subjective appetite were examined in 10 children (9.8 ± 0.6 years) following high-intensity interval training (HIIT) versus a control sedentary (SED) period, within a school setting.

Retrospective cohort study of the South Tyneside Exercise Referral Scheme 2009-14: predictors of dropout and barriers to adherence.

Background: Exercise Referral Schemes (ERS) are a prevalent method of increasing physical activity levels. However, they suffer from participant dropout and research predicting dropout or barriers to adherence are limited. This study aimed to focus upon the effect of referral characteristics on dropout, dropout predictors and whether self-reported barriers to exercise predict dropout.

Comparison of short-term energy intake and appetite responses to active and seated video gaming, in 8-11-year-old boys.

The acute effects of active and seated video gaming on energy intake (EI), blood glucose, plasma glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-17-36) and subjective appetite (hunger, prospective food consumption and fullness) were examined in 8-11-year-old boys. In a randomised, crossover manner, twenty-two boys completed one 90-min active and one 90-min seated video gaming trial during which food and drinks were provided ad libitum. EI, plasma GLP-17-36, blood glucose and subjective appetite were measured during and following both trials.

Acute effects of active gaming on ad libitum energy intake and appetite sensations of 8-11-year-old boys.

The present study examined the acute effects of active gaming on energy intake (EI) and appetite responses in 8-11-year-old boys in a school-based setting. Using a randomised cross-over design, twenty-one boys completed four individual 90-min gaming bouts, each separated by 1 week. The gaming bouts were (1) seated gaming, no food or drink; (2) active gaming, no food or drink; (3) seated gaming with food and drink offered ad libitum; and (4) active gaming with food and drink offered ad libitum.

An evaluation of the efficacy of the exercise on referral scheme in Northumberland, UK: association with physical activity and predictors of engagement. A naturalistic observation study.

Objectives: Exercise on referral schemes (ERS) are widely commissioned in the UK but there is little evidence of their association with physical activity levels. We sought to assess the Northumberland exercise on referral scheme in terms of increased levels of physical activity and identify predictors of engagement.

Design: A naturalistic observational study.

Influence of netball-based exercise on energy intake, subjective appetite and plasma acylated ghrelin in adolescent girls.

This study explored 5-day regulation of exercise-induced energy expenditure, energy intake, and hormonal appetite, via acylated ghrelin, after acute exercise. Using a randomized crossover design, 10 female adolescents (13-15 years old) completed two 7-day treatment weeks (2 days of maintenance, 1 day of treatment, and a 4-day follow-up), interspersed with a 1-week period. On day 3, 47 min of netball-based exercise or sedentary activity was imposed with a test meal 1 h later.