Running Through the Haze: How Wildfire Smoke Affects Physical Activity and Mental Well-Being.

Background: With a warming climate, extreme wildfires are more likely to occur, which may adversely affect air quality, physical activity (PA), and therefore, mental well-being.

Methods: We assessed PA engagement and mental well-being between periods with and without wildfire smoke, and whether there were associations between changes in PA behavior and mental well-being. Questionnaires on PA and mental well-being during a period of wildfire smoke were completed by 348 participants; of these participants, 162 also completed a follow-up PA and mental well-being questionnaire during a period without wildfire smoke.

"Take a minute (or 60) to focus on yourself": Using autophotography to explore postpartum physical activity experiences and associated psychological constructs.

The demands of motherhood have been shown to negatively impact physical activity (PA) engagement. Participants in a larger PA-based study in British Columbia, Canada were invited to participate in this sub study. Forty-eight photos and descriptions were provided by 9 participants with infants 3-7 months of age.

A Pre-Post Study Design Exploring the Potential Benefits of a Hiking Intervention for Active and Inactive Older Adults.

Introduction: Physical activity (PA) is essential for healthy aging, yet PA levels are low in older adults. Group-based nature programming may be an ideal opportunity for engaging older adults in PA and improving health-related quality of life.

Methods: Twenty-seven older adults, 55-75 years of age (n = 14 active and n = 13 previously inactive), enrolled in a biweekly 8-week hiking program.

Exploring the Feasibility, Acceptability, and Potential Benefits of the Mom Movement Intervention (MOMmi).

Objective: To explore the feasibility, acceptability, and potential benefits associated with a mind-body intervention and varied delivery styles among women during the postpartum period.

Design: Mixed-methods feasibility study.

Setting: Fraser Valley, British Columbia, Canada.

Psychological and physiological effects of an acute bout of yoga before a simulated academic exam in university students.

Test anxiety is common among nursing students. Yoga is one form of physical activity which may be beneficial for pretest anxiety. Thirteen undergraduate students (85% nursing majors, 15% awaiting program entry, 20 ± 4.

How patients experience thyroid eye disease.

Objective: To determine the impact of thyroid eye disease (TED) on patients in various stages of the disease.

Background: TED is a debilitating and potentially sight-threatening inflammatory autoimmune disease that is frequently misdiagnosed. Challenging quality-of-life (QoL) issues can persist long after the active phase of disease has subsided.

Participant Bias in Community-Based Physical Activity Research: A Consistent Limitation?

Physical activity is a beneficial, yet complex, health behavior. To ensure more people experience the benefits of physical activity, we develop and test interventions to promote physical activity and its associated benefits. Nevertheless, we continue to see certain groups of people who choose not to, or are unable to, take part in research, resulting in "recruitment bias.

Describing and exploring physical activity experiences among adults with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-methods survey study.

Understanding if (and how) adults with cancer perceived their physical activity (PA) levels have changed (or not) since the COVID-19 pandemic and why this may have occurred is important. Given current gaps in knowledge, the purpose of this study was to explore PA experiences among adults with cancer amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Individuals were eligible if they were currently ≥19 years of age, had been diagnosed with cancer ≥18 years of age, and were living in Canada.

Describing Supportive Care Programming Access and Comfort Gathering through the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Observational Mixed Methods Study with Adults Affected by Cancer.

Supportive care programming helps many adults affected by cancer manage concerns related to their disease. Public health restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic have undoubtedly changed the nature of supportive care programming delivery. Yet, access to supportive care programming and comfort gathering through the pandemic are unknown.

Moms on the move: A qualitative exploration of a postpartum group exercise program on physical activity behaviour at three distinct time points.

Purpose: Physical activity (PA) after the birth of a child is associated with improved physical and mental health benefits. The aim of the study was to explore new mothers' experiences of PA before and after participation in a group-based PA program for new mothers. The study has three research questions: how new mothers felt; 1) about PA after the birth of their child 2) about engaging in a group-based PA program and 3) after the program ended about ongoing PA engagement.

Challenges in launching a community-based group walking program for adults affected by cancer.

Walking is one form of physical activity (PA) individuals affected by cancer have indicated strong preference for and interest in, regardless of disease or treatment status. We developed a community-based, outdoor, peer-led walking program for adults affected by cancer called Walk it Out (WIO). Over the span of six months, we were unable to meet targets for peer-leaders (to lead the walking groups; n = 5 self-identified) or participants (n = 0 self-identified; n = 3 recruited via peer-leaders).

Downstream processing of spray-dried ASD with hypromellose acetate succinate - Roller compaction and subsequent compression into high ASD load tablets.

Despite wide commercial application of hypromellose acetate succinate (HPMCAS) in spray-dried amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) drug products, little information is available in the references on downstream processing of spray-dried dispersions with HPMCAS. Poor flow and high dilution factor are a challenge in formulating spray-dried ASDs into tablets, leaving little space for other excipients facilitating binding and disintegration. Direct compression is not possible due to the poor powder flow of spray-dried ASDs.

Does Higher Self-Reported Cardiorespiratory Fitness Reduce the Odds of Hospitalization From COVID-19?

Background: Regular physical activity and higher cardiorespiratory (CR) fitness enhance immune function, possibly reducing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection severity. The aim was to assess the association between physical activity and self-reported CR fitness on COVID-19 infection characteristics.

Methods: Participants formerly testing positive for COVID-19 completed an online questionnaire measuring COVID-19 infection characteristics and complications, self-reported CR fitness level, physical activity, and sociodemographic and health-related characteristics.

International estimates of intended uptake and refusal of COVID-19 vaccines: A rapid systematic review and meta-analysis of large nationally representative samples.

Background: Widespread uptake of COVID-19 vaccines will be essential to controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccines have been developed in unprecedented time and quantifying levels of hesitancy towards vaccination among the general population is of importance.

Methods: Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies using large nationally representative samples (n ≥ 1000) to examine the percentage of the population intending to vaccinate, unsure, or intending to refuse a COVID-19 vaccine when available.

Active by nature: exploring cancer survivors' exercise barriers, facilitators, preferences, and psychosocial benefits of engaging in outdoor physical activity.

Introduction: Large numbers of cancer survivors struggle with mental health after cancer diagnosis. Cancer survivors are encouraged to engage in physical activity in order to improve physical and mental health. Additional benefits to physical activity engagement in natural environments have been reported but this has not been explored in cancer survivors.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Women's Physical Activity Behavior and Mental Well-Being.

Background: A global pandemic caused by COVID-19 resulted in restrictions to daily living for Canadians, including social distancing and closure of recreation facilities and provincial parks.

Methods: The objective of this study was to assess whether sex differences exist in physical activity and well-being since COVID-19 and to explore how barriers or facilitators to physical activity may explain these differences. Chi-square tests, independent t-tests and one-way ANOVAs were conducted to evaluate data provided by 1098 Canadians-215 men and 871 women.

Does body size impact muscle recruitment during law enforcement physical control simulator use?

This study examined muscle activation during the 'push-pull' component of law enforcement physical abilities testing and assessed activation differences based on sex, height, and body mass index. Fifty participants (40 male) completed the 'push-pull' task while surface electromyograms were recorded from ten upper and lower extremity muscles, and six trunk muscles. Muscle activation was amplitude-normalized to maximum voluntary isometric contraction and compared between sexes and tertiles of height and body mass index (BMI).

The Impact of COVID-19 on Physical Activity Behavior and Well-Being of Canadians.

A global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) resulted in restrictions to daily living for Canadians, including social distancing and closure of city and provincial recreation facilities, national parks and playgrounds. The objective of this study was to assess how these preemptive measures impacted physical activity behaviour and well-being of Canadians. An online survey was utilized to measure participant physical activity behavior, nature exposure, well-being and anxiety levels.

The Evaluation of a Health-Based Education and Behavioral Change Retreat on Quality of Life, Physical Activity and Psychosocial Health in Adult Cancer Survivors: An Exploratory Analysis.

Knights Cabin Cancer retreats may represent an ideal opportunity and environment to fill the gap in health education and behavioral change. It is unknown, however, whether the program improves quality of life, physical activity, and psychosocial health. Cancer survivors who enrolled in a retreat completed online questionnaires prior to and 3 months post to assess health-related quality of life, physical activity, and psychosocial variables; perceived stress, depression, and self-esteem.

The predictive relationship between baseline insulin and glucose with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis after 5 years in a multi-ethnic cohort.

Background And Aims: We aimed at exploring the relationship between baseline insulin and glucose and the progression of carotid atherosclerosis in a multi-ethnic cohort.

Methods: Males and females (n = 797) of European, Chinese, South Asian and Aboriginal origin were assessed as part of the Multicultural Community Health Assessment Trial (MCHAT) study for socio-demographics, smoking status, fasting insulin and glucose at baseline. IMT, plaque area and total area were assessed after 5 years.

Association between exercise-induced change in body composition and change in cardiometabolic risk factors in postmenopausal South Asian women.

The South Asian population suffers from a high prevalence of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). A unique obesity phenotype of elevated visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is associated with CVD risk among South Asians. Exercise-induced reduction in VAT and body fat is an effective mechanism to improve cardiometabolic risk factors but this has not been shown in South Asians.