Agreement between student-reported and proxy-reported physical activity questionnaires.

Parents and 531 students (46% males, 78% white) completed equivalent questionnaires. Agreement between student and parent responses to questions about hypothesized physical activity (PA) correlates was assessed. Relationships between hypothesized correlates and an objective measure of student's moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in a subset of 177 students were also investigated.

Advanced pubertal status at age 11 and lower physical activity in adolescent girls.

Objective: To examine the relationship between pubertal timing and physical activity.

Study Design: A longitudinal sample of 143 adolescent girls was assessed at ages 11 and 13 years. Girls' pubertal development was assessed at age 11 with blood estradiol levels, Tanner breast staging criteria, and parental report of pubertal development.

Calibration of the biotrainer pro activity monitor in children.

The unique physical and movement characteristics of children necessitate the development of accelerometer equations and cut points that are population specific. The purpose of this study is to develop an ecologically valid cut point for the Biotrainer Pro monitor that reflects a threshold for moderate-intensity physical activity in elementary school children. A sample of 30 children (ages 8-12) wore a Biotrainer monitor while completing a series of 7 movement tasks (calibration phase) and while participating in an organized group activity (cross-validation phase).

Why are early maturing girls less active? Links between pubertal development, psychological well-being, and physical activity among girls at ages 11 and 13.

Previous research has shown that early maturing girls at age 11 have lower subsequent physical activity at age 13 in comparison to later maturing girls. Possible reasons for this association have not been assessed. This study examines girls' psychological response to puberty and their enjoyment of physical activity as intermediary factors linking pubertal maturation and physical activity.

A family consultation intervention for health-compromised smokers.

Although spousal support predicts the success of a smoker's cessation efforts, "social-support" interventions based on teaching partners better support skills have had consistently disappointing results. We examined the potential utility of a family consultation (FAMCON) intervention based on family-systems principles in a treatment-development project involving 20 couples in which one partner (the primary smoker) continued to smoke despite having or being at significant risk for heart or lung disease. The 50% rate of stable abstinence achieved by primary smokers over at least 6 months exceeds benchmark success rates reported in the literature for other comparably intensive interventions, suggesting that a couple-focused intervention different in concept and format from social-support interventions tested in the past may hold promise for health-compromised smokers.

Physical Activity Patterns of Singaporean Adolescents.

The purpose of this study was to document the level of physical activity and sedentary behavior in a representative sample of Singaporean adolescents. A random sample of 1,827 secondary school students from six secondary schools (929 boys, 898 girls, mean age 14.9 ± 1.

Validation of a 24-h physical activity recall in indigenous and non-indigenous Australian adolescents.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the concurrent validity of a modified version of the widely used previous day physical activity recall (PDPAR-24) self-report instrument in a diverse sample of Australian adolescents comprising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (A&TSI) and non-indigenous high school students. A sample of 63 A&TSI and 59 non-indigenous high school students (N=122) from five public secondary schools participated in the study. Participants completed the PDPAR-24 after wearing a sealed electronic pedometer on the previous day.

Promoting physical activity to older adults: a preliminary evaluation of three general practice-based strategies.

The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of an exercise scientist (ES) working in general practice to promote physical activity (PA) to 55 to 70 year old adults. Participants were randomised into one of three groups: either brief verbal and written advice from a general practitioner (GP) (G1, N=9): or individualised counselling and follow-up telephone calls from an ES, either with (G3, N=8) or without a pedometer (G2, N=11). PA levels were assessed at week 1, after the 12-wk intervention and again at 24 weeks.

Predictive validity of three ActiGraph energy expenditure equations for children.

Purpose: This study evaluated the predictive validity of three previously published ActiGraph energy expenditure (EE) prediction equations developed for children and adolescents.

Methods: A total of 45 healthy children and adolescents (mean age: 13.7 +/- 2.

Impaired fibrinolysis and risk for cardiovascular disease in the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.

Patients with the metabolic syndrome are insulin resistant and manifest a cluster of risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Impaired fibrinolysis and increased concentrations in blood of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) are related to insulin resistance and abdominal obesity and may contribute to the increased risk for cardiovascular disease in this group. Weight loss, metformin, and thiazolidinediones ameliorate insulin resistance and decrease concentrations of PAI-1.

Physical activity correlates in adolescent girls who differ by weight status.

Objective: This study compared correlates of physical activity (PA) among African-American and white girls of different weight groups to guide future interventions.

Research Methods And Procedures: Participants were 1015 girls (mean age, 14.6 years; 45% African-American) from 12 high schools in South Carolina who served as control subjects for a school-based intervention.

Accelerometer data reduction: a comparison of four reduction algorithms on select outcome variables.

Purpose: Accelerometers are recognized as a valid and objective tool to assess free-living physical activity. Despite the widespread use of accelerometers, there is no standardized way to process and summarize data from them, which limits our ability to compare results across studies. This paper a) reviews decision rules researchers have used in the past, b) compares the impact of using different decision rules on a common data set, and c) identifies issues to consider for accelerometer data reduction.

Conducting accelerometer-based activity assessments in field-based research.

Purpose: The purpose of this review is to address important methodological issues related to conducting accelerometer-based assessments of physical activity in free-living individuals.

Methods: We review the extant scientific literature for empirical information related to the following issues: product selection, number of accelerometers needed, placement of accelerometers, epoch length, and days of monitoring required to estimate habitual physical activity. We also discuss the various options related to distributing and collecting monitors and strategies to enhance compliance with the monitoring protocol.

Validity of accelerometry for measurement of activity in people with brain injury.

Purpose: To evaluate the validity of a uniaxial accelerometer (MTI Actigraph) for measuring physical activity in people with acquired brain injury (ABI) using portable indirect calorimetry (Cosmed K4b(2)) as a criterion measure.

Methods: Fourteen people with ABI and related gait pattern impairment (age 32 +/- 8 yr) wore an MTI Actigraph that measured activity (counts.min(-1)) and a Cosmed K4b(2) that measured oxygen consumption (mL.

Evidence based physical activity for school-age youth.

Objectives: To review the effects of physical activity on health and behavior outcomes and develop evidence-based recommendations for physical activity in youth.

Study Design: A systematic literature review identified 850 articles; additional papers were identified by the expert panelists. Articles in the identified outcome areas were reviewed, evaluated and summarized by an expert panelist.

Reliability and validity of physical fitness field tests for adults aged 55 to 70 years.

The aim of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of field tests for assessing physical function in mid-aged and young-old people (55-70 y). Tests were selected that required minimal space and equipment and could be implemented in multiple field settings such as a general practitioner's office. Nineteen participants completed 2 field and 1 laboratory testing sessions.

Physical activities and sedentary pursuits in African American and Caucasian girls.

The purposes of this study were to describe and compare the specific physical activity choices and sedentary pursuits of African American and Caucasian American girls. Participants were 1,124 African American and 1,068 Caucasian American eighth-grade students from 31 middle schools. The 3-Day Physical Activity Recall (3DPAR) was used to measure participation in physical activities and sedentary pursuits.

Myocarditis and sacroiliitis: 2 previously unrecognized manifestations of tumor necrosis factor receptor associated periodic syndrome.

Tumor necrosis factor receptor associated periodic syndrome (TRAPS) is an autosomic-dominant periodic syndrome associated with mutations in the extracellular domain of the 55 kDa TNF receptor. Clinically, episodes of severe myalgia, arthralgia/arthritis, sterile peritonitis, scrotal inflammation, serositis, migratory rash, conjunctivitis, and recurrent fever are characteristic. We describe a 9-year-old African American boy with the P46L mutation of the TNF receptor who presented with 2 previously unrecognized manifestations: sacroiliitis and myocardiopathy, both showing a reversible course.

Physical activity among children attending preschools.

Objectives: Obesity rates are increasing among children of all ages, and reduced physical activity is a likely contributor to this trend. Little is known about the physical activity behavior of preschool-aged children or about the influence of preschool attendance on physical activity. The purpose of this study was to describe the physical activity levels of children while they attend preschools, to identify the demographic factors that might be associated with physical activity among those children, and to determine the extent to which children's physical activity varies among preschools.

Test-retest reliability of four physical activity measures used in population surveys.

Accurate monitoring of prevalence and trends in population levels of physical activity (PA) is a fundamental public health need. Test-retest reliability (repeatability) was assessed in population samples for four self-report PA measures: the Active Australia survey (AA, N=356), the short International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ, N=104), the physical activity items in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS, N=127) and in the Australian National Health Survey (NHS, N=122). Percent agreement and Kappa statistics were used to assess reliability of classification of activity status as 'active', 'insufficiently active' or 'sedentary'.

Comparison of surveys used to measure physical activity.

Objective: To compare the level of agreement in results obtained from four physical activity (PA) measurement instruments that are in use in Australia and around the world.

Methods: 1,280 randomly selected participants answered two sets of PA questions by telephone. 428 answered the Active Australia (AA) and National Health Surveys, 427 answered the AA and CDC Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys (BRFSS), and 425 answered the AA survey and the short International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ).

A recombinant antibody increases cardiac contractility by mimicking phospholamban phosphorylation.

Many cardiovascular disease states end in progressive heart failure. Changes in intracellular calcium handling, including a reduced activity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium pump (SERCA), contribute to this contractile dysfunction. As the regulatory protein phospholamban can inhibit the calcium pump, we evaluated it as a potential target to improve cardiac function.

Influences of preschool policies and practices on children's physical activity.

The objective of this study was to determine if moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) of 3-5 year old preschool children varied with differences in policies/practices, and overall quality of preschools. A total of 266 children (47% males, 60% African American) from 9 preschools were observed for 1 hour on 3 different days. PA of children was observed twice per minute and scored as 1-5, with 1 for stationary/motionless and 5 for fast movement.

Indexes of insulin resistance and secretion in obese children and adolescents: a validation study.

Objective: To assess the concurrent validity of fasting indexes of insulin sensitivity and secretion in obese prepubertal (Tanner stage 1) children and pubertal (Tanner stages 2-5) adolescents using estimates from the modified minimal model frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIVGTT) as a criterion measure.

Research Design And Methods: Eighteen obese children and adolescents (11 girls and 7 boys, mean age 12.2 +/- 2.