Background: Whether simple lifestyle-integrated exercise training can improve insomnia remains unclear. In this study, we examined whether zero-time exercise, a simple exercise incorporated into daily routines without extra time, can improve sleep in physically inactive adults with insomnia.
Methods: This was a single-blinded, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial.
Promoting COVID-19 prevention is key to pandemic control and innovative interventions can help communicate reliable science to the public. Under the Hong Kong Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project, we developed and evaluated a pilot intervention for promoting COVID-19 prevention through a web-based family game, guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior and a strength-based approach. The "SMART Epidemic prevention" pilot theme was launched to the public on September 21, 2020 for 4 weeks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study examined the association between parity and incident type 2 diabetes in older Chinese women and estimated the mediation effect of adiposity indicators. A total of 11,473 women without diabetes at baseline from 2003 to 2008 were followed up until 2012. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to assess the association between parity and incident type 2 diabetes, and mediation analysis to estimate the mediation effect of adiposity indicators.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Non-diabetic overweight/obese metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) represents the largest subgroup with heterogeneous liver fibrosis risk. Metabolic dysfunction promotes liver fibrosis. Here, we investigated whether incorporating additional metabolic risk factors into clinical evaluation improved liver fibrosis risk stratification among individuals with non-diabetic overweight/obese MAFLD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Environ Res Public Health
November 2022
Introduction: We examined information and communications technology (ICT) use in family services and its perceived benefits and barriers amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong.
Methods: We invited all family service social workers of 12 NGOs to complete an anonymous online questionnaire in May 2020 (Part A) and a management representative from each NGO to provide written feedback on ICT use in January 2021 (Part B).
Results: In Part A, of 255 respondents (response rate: 67.
Background: The acceleration of population aging calls for simple and effective interventions catered for older people. Gerontechnology, the combination of gerontology and technology, can promote quality of life in older adults. However, public health-related events incorporating information communication technology (ICT) for older people have seldom been evaluated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMindfulness-based art therapy has shown to improve psychological well-being. Zentangle is an easy-to-learn, mindfulness-based art therapy suitable for everyone. We reported the transition from face-to-face to online Zentangle workshops in family social services during COVID-19.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPolygenic risk scores (PRS) have the potential to identify individuals at risk of diseases, optimizing treatment, and predicting survival outcomes. Here, we construct and validate a genome-wide association study (GWAS) derived PRS for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), using a multi-center study of six populations (6 059 NPC cases and 7 582 controls), and evaluate its utility in a nested case-control study. We show that the PRS enables effective identification of NPC high-risk individuals (AUC = 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe long-term effects of a low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) on mortality, accounting for the quality and source of the carbohydrate, are unclear. Hence, we examined the associations of LCDs with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a prospective cohort study. A total of 20,206 participants (13.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDelaying doctor consultation is harmful. Fear of COVID-19 leads to delays in seeking medical care at a time when pandemic information overflows. However, little is known about the role of COVID-19 related fear, attention to information, and fact-checking in such delay.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Psychiatry
December 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused distress in students globally. The mental health of international students studying abroad has been neglected during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially Chinese students who have been unfairly targeted. To explore and document the positive and negative experiences of a group of Hong Kong Chinese international students studying in the U.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProbationers, offenders with less serious and non-violent offences, and under statutory supervision, have low levels of self-esteem and physical health, and high level of family conflict, and poorer quality of family relationships. This study examined the effectiveness of the existing probation service and the additional use of a positive family holistic health intervention to enhance physical, psychological, and family well-being in probationers and relationships with probation officers. Probationers under the care of the Hong Kong Social Welfare Department were randomized into a care-as-usual control group (CAU), a brief intervention group (BI) receiving two 1-h individual sessions [of a brief theory-based positive family holistic health intervention integrating Zero-time Exercise (simple and easy-to-do lifestyle-integrated physical activity) and positive psychology themes of "Praise and Gratitude" in the existing probation service], or a combined intervention group (CI) receiving BI and a 1-day group activity with family members.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Chronic inflammatory diseases are linked to an increased risk of stroke events. The white blood cell (WBC) count is a common marker of the inflammatory response. However, it is unclear whether the WBC count, its subpopulations and their dynamic changes are related to the risk of fatal stroke in relatively healthy elderly population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Cigarette smoking is associated with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) risk. Whether quitting reduces the risk is unclear. We investigated the associations of NPC with duration of and age at quitting in an endemic region.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF