Dutch obesity intervention in teenagers: effectiveness of a school-based program on body composition and behavior.

Objective: To determine whether a multicomponent health promotion intervention for Dutch adolescents (defined as persons between 12 and 14 years of age) would be successful in influencing body composition and dietary and physical activity behavior in both the short and long terms.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Ten intervention and 8 control prevocational secondary schools.

The effects of exercise on cognition in older adults with and without cognitive decline: a systematic review.

Objective: To systematically review the effect of physical exercise on cognition in older adults with and without cognitive decline.

Data Sources: : Randomized controlled trials were identified by literature searches in PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, PsycINFO, and AgeLine.

Study Selection: Papers were included on the basis of predefined inclusion criteria.

The functional effects of physical exercise training in frail older people : a systematic review.

This systematic review describes the effect of exercise training on physical performance in frail older people. Randomized controlled trials were identified from searches in PubMed, EMBASE and CENTRAL from January 1995 through August 2007. Two reviewers independently screened the trials for eligibility, rated their quality, and extracted data.

Why did soft drink consumption decrease but screen time not? Mediating mechanisms in a school-based obesity prevention program.

Objectives: This paper aims to identify the mediating mechanisms of a school-based obesity prevention program (DOiT).

Methods: The DOiT-program was implemented in Dutch prevocational secondary schools and evaluated using a controlled, cluster-randomised trial (September 2003 to May 2004). We examined mediators of effects regarding (1) consumption of sugar containing beverages (SCB); (2) consumption of high caloric snacks; (3) screen-viewing behaviour; and (4) active commuting to school.

Acute physical activity and sports injuries in children.

An increase in the physical activity of individuals has many health benefits, but a drawback of an increase in physical activity is the risk of related injuries. To reduce the short- and long-term effects in terms of social and economic consequences, prevention of physical activity injuries is an important challenge. A sequence of prevention model has been proposed that aims to prevent physical activity injuries in different steps.

A brief review on correlates of physical activity and sedentariness in youth.

Introduction: Better understanding of the correlates of physical activity and sedentary behaviors in youth will support the development of effective interventions that promote a physically active lifestyle and prevent a sedentary lifestyle. The main goal of this systematic review is to summarize and update the existing literature on correlates of young people's physical activity, insufficient physical activity, and sedentary behavior.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted and included studies published between January 1999 and January 2005.

The motivation of children to play an active video game.

The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the effect of a weekly multiplayer class on the motivation of children aged 9-12 years to play an interactive dance simulation video game (IDSVG) at home over a period of 12 weeks. A sample of 27 children was randomly assigned to (1) a home group instructed to play the IDSVG at home; (2) a multiplayer group instructed to play the IDSVG at home and to participate in a weekly IDSVG multiplayer class. Participants were asked to play the IDSVG as often as they liked and report the playing time daily on a calendar for a 12-week period.

The effect of walking and vitamin B supplementation on quality of life in community-dwelling adults with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized, controlled trial.

Objectives: To examine the effect of walking and vitamin B supplementation on quality-of-life (QoL) in community-dwelling adults with mild cognitive impairment.

Methods: One year, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Participants were randomized to: (1) twice-weekly, group-based, moderate-intensity walking program (n = 77) or a light-intensity placebo activity program (n = 75); and (2) daily vitamin B pills containing 5 mg folic acid, 0.

Short-term effects of school-based weight gain prevention among adolescents.

Objective: To determine whether a multicomponent health promotion intervention for Dutch adolescents would be successful in influencing body composition and aerobic fitness.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Ten intervention and 8 control prevocational secondary schools.

Design of the Dutch Obesity Intervention in Teenagers (NRG-DOiT): systematic development, implementation and evaluation of a school-based intervention aimed at the prevention of excessive weight gain in adolescents.

Background: Only limited data are available on the development, implementation, and evaluation processes of weight gain prevention programs in adolescents. To be able to learn from successes and failures of such interventions, integral written and published reports are needed.

Methods: Applying the Intervention Mapping (IM) protocol, this paper describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of the Dutch Obesity Intervention in Teenagers (DOiT), a school-based intervention program aimed at the prevention of excessive weight gain.

Detection of memory impairment in the general population: screening by questionnaire and telephone compared to subsequent face-to-face assessment.

Background: Development of efficient methods for identifying subjects with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) from the general population is warranted, because these subjects represent an important group for (epidemiological) research purposes.

Objectives: (1) To describe a two-step population screening for identifying adults with MCI from the general population for research purposes, by questionnaire and telephone; (2) to compare screening by telephone (method 1) to a subsequent face-to-face assessment (method 2).

Methods: In method 1, subjects with memory complaints were identified from the general population (n = 5491) by a postal questionnaire.

Promoting physical activity with people in different places--a Dutch perspective.

This paper describes five recent Dutch studies of the effectiveness of physical activity interventions carried out in diverse settings: general practice (GP), aged care facilities, and workplaces. The stage-based physical activity counselling carried out in the GP setting demonstrated a beneficial effect on the determinants of physical activity, but did not show any additional effect on physical activity behaviour, compared with standard physical activity advice. In contrast, the stage-based intervention through the workplace was effective in increasing physical activity, due mostly to an increase in vigorous-intensity activities.

Effects of resistance and functional-skills training on habitual activity and constipation among older adults living in long-term care facilities: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Large-scale RCTs comparing different types of exercise training in institutionalised older people are scarce, especially regarding effects on habitual physical activity and constipation. This study investigated the effects of different training protocols on habitual physical activity and constipation of older adults living in long-term care facilities.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial with 157 participants, aged 64 to 94 years, who were randomly assigned to 1) resistance training; 2) all-round functional-skills training; 3) both; or 4) an 'educational' control condition.

Effects of exercise programs on falls and mobility in frail and pre-frail older adults: A multicenter randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: To determine the effects of moderate intensity group-exercise programs on falls, functional performance, and disability in older adults; and to investigate the influence of frailty on these effects.

Design: A 20-week, multicenter randomized controlled trial, with 52-week follow-up.

Setting: Fifteen homes for the elderly.

Cross-sectional relationship between physical fitness components and functional performance in older persons living in long-term care facilities.

Background: The age-related deterioration of physiological capacities such as muscle strength and balance is associated with increased dependence. Understanding the contribution of physical fitness components to functional performance facilitates the development of adequate exercise interventions aiming at preservation of function and independence of older people. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between physical fitness components and functional performance in older people living in long-term care facilities.

Once a week not enough, twice a week not feasible? A randomised controlled exercise trial in long-term care facilities [ISRCTN87177281].

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of three different training protocols on physical function of older adults living in long-term care facilities. Emphasis was placed on feasibility in real-life situations.

Methods: Subjects (N=224) were randomised to 6 months of twice weekly (1) resistance training; (2) all-round functional-skills training; (3) a combination of both; or (4) a control program.

Protocol for Project FACT: a randomised controlled trial on the effect of a walking program and vitamin B supplementation on the rate of cognitive decline and psychosocial wellbeing in older adults with mild cognitive impairment [ISRCTN19227688].

Background: The prevalence of individuals with cognitive decline is increasing since the number of elderly adults is growing considerably. The literature provides promising results on the beneficial effect of exercise and vitamin supplementation on cognitive function both in cognitively healthy as well as in the demented elderly.

Methods/design: The design is a two-by-two factorial randomised controlled trial.

Promoting physical activity using an activity monitor and a tailored web-based advice: design of a randomized controlled trial [ISRCTN93896459].

Background: Ageing is associated with a decrease in physical activity. This decrease particularly occurs during specific transitional life stages. Especially during adolescence and young adulthood a steep decrease in physical activity is observed.

Effect of a tailored physical activity intervention delivered in general practice settings: results of a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: We evaluated the effectiveness of a minimal intervention physical activity strategy (physician-based assessment and counseling for exercise [PACE]) applied in general practice settings in the Netherlands.

Methods: Randomization took place at the general practice level. Participants were patients aged 18-70 years of age who had been diagnosed with hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, or non-insulin-dependent diabetes and had not been regularly physically active in the past 6 months.

Worksite health promotion programs with environmental changes: a systematic review.

Background: It is now widely believed that health promotion strategies should go beyond education or communication to achieve significant behavioral changes among the target population. Environmental modifications are thought to be an important addition to a worksite health promotion program (WHPP). This review aimed to systematically assess the effectiveness of WHPPs with environmental modifications, on physical activity, dietary intake, and health risk indicators.

Effects of resistance and all-round, functional training on quality of life, vitality and depression of older adults living in long-term care facilities: a 'randomized' controlled trial [ISRCTN87177281].

Background: Regular physical activity may improve different aspects of wellbeing in older people, such as quality of life, vitality and depression. However, there is little experimental evidence to support this assumption. Therefore, we examined the effect of different training protocols on quality of life, vitality and depression of older adults living in long-term care facilities.

Vitamin B-12 status is associated with bone mineral content and bone mineral density in frail elderly women but not in men.

Subclinical vitamin B-12 deficiency is common in the elderly. Encouraged by early indications, we investigated the plasma vitamin B-12 status in association with bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) in frail elderly people. Data of 194 free-living Dutch frail elderly (143 women and 51 men) were available.