A pilot walking program promotes moderate-intensity physical activity during pregnancy.

Introduction: Walking may be a strategy for increasing moderate-intensity physical activity (MPA) during pregnancy.

Purpose: This study aimed to promote MPA among overweight and obese pregnant women, via walking, and to evaluate the effect of the intervention on maternal and birth outcomes.

Methods: Thirty-seven overweight or obese pregnant women were randomly assigned to a walking intervention or control group.

The energy expenditure of an activity-promoting video game compared to sedentary video games and TV watching.

Background: In the present study we investigated the effect of television watching and the use of activity-promoting video games on energy expenditure in obese and lean children.

Methods: Energy expenditure and physical activity were measured while participants were watching television, playing a video game on a traditional sedentary video game console, and while playing the same video game on an activity-promoting video game console.

Results: Energy expenditure was significantly greater than television watching and playing video games on a sedentary video game console when children played the video game on the activity-promoting console.

Accuracy of physical activity assessment during pregnancy: an observational study.

Background: Prenatal physical activity may improve maternal and infant health and lower future disease risk for both mother and baby; however, very few physical activity assessment methods have been validated for use during pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of a subjective physical activity record (PAR) and an objective activity monitor, against a reference standard to quantify moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in pregnant women. The reference standard was based on participant interviews to determine if a woman was an exerciser and confirmed with information obtained from the PAR and a heart rate monitor.

Activity-promoting video games and increased energy expenditure.

Objectives: To test the hypothesis that both children and adults would expend more calories and move more while playing activity-promoting video games compared with sedentary video games.

Study Design: In this single-group study, 22 healthy children (12 +/- 2 years; 11 male, 11 female) and 20 adults (34 +/- 11 years; 10 male, 10 female) were recruited. Energy expenditure and physical activity were measured while participants were resting, standing, watching television seated, sitting and playing a traditional sedentary video game, and while playing an activity-promoting video game (Nintendo Wii Boxing).

Changing the school environment to increase physical activity in children.

We examined the hypothesis that elementary school-age children will be more physically active while attending school in a novel, activity-permissive school environment compared to their traditional school environment. Twenty-four children were monitored with a single-triaxial accelerometer worn on the thigh. The students attended school in three different environments: traditional school with chairs and desks, an activity-permissive environment, and finally their traditional school with desks which encouraged standing.

The role of free-living daily walking in human weight gain and obesity.

Objective: Diminished daily physical activity explains, in part, why obesity and diabetes have become worldwide epidemics. In particular, chair use has replaced ambulation, so that obese individuals tend to sit for approximately 2.5 h/day more than lean counterparts.

Does Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis Contribute to Non-Shivering Thermogenesis?

We wanted to examine if spontaneous physical activity contributes to non-shivering thermogenesis. Ten lean, healthy male subjects wore a physical activity, micro-measurement system whilst the room temperature was randomly altered at two hourly intervals between thermoneutral (72°F), cool (62°F) and warm (82°F) temperatures. Physical activity measured during the thermoneutral, cooling and warming periods was not significantly different.

Energy expenditure of sedentary screen time compared with active screen time for children.

Objective: We examined the effect of activity-enhancing screen devices on children's energy expenditure compared with performing the same activities while seated. Our hypothesis was that energy expenditure would be significantly greater when children played activity-promoting video games, compared with sedentary video games.

Methods: Energy expenditure was measured for 25 children aged 8 to 12 years, 15 of whom were lean, while they were watching television seated, playing a traditional video game seated, watching television while walking on a treadmill at 1.

Laboratory measurement of posture allocation and physical activity in children.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to validate the combined use of inclinometers and accelerometers to measure body posture and movement in children in a laboratory setting.

Methods: We performed two separate experiments. In the first experiment, we tested the hypothesis that four inclinometers (tilt sensors) could be used to capture body posture in children.

Precision and accuracy of an ankle-worn accelerometer-based pedometer in step counting and energy expenditure.

Background: Walking is a widely used approach to increase physical activity levels in obese patients. In this paper, we investigate the precision and accuracy of an ankle-worn dual-axis accelerometer (Stepwatch) and investigate its potential application as a predictor of energy expenditure.

Methods: Twenty healthy subjects (10 lean, 10 obese) wore spring-levered (Accusplit), piezoelectric (Omron HF-100), and Stepwatch pedometers.