Publications by authors named "Willem VAN Mechelen"

Background: There is insufficient evidence to provide recommendations for leisure-time physical activity among workers across various occupational physical activity levels. This study aimed to assess the association of leisure-time physical activity with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality across occupational physical activity levels.

Methods: This study utilized individual participant data from 21 cohort studies, comprising both published and unpublished data.

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Objective: Health effects of different physical activity domains (ie, during leisure time, work and transport) are generally considered positive. Using data, we assessed independent associations of occupational and leisure-time physical activity (OPA and LTPA) with all-cause mortality.

Design: Two-stage individual participant data meta-analysis.

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Objectives: Corporate executive job demands may lead to poor sleep habits, increasing their risk for cardiometabolic disease. This study aimed to describe and explore associations between objectively measured habitual sleep characteristics and cardiometabolic disease risk of corporate executives, while accounting for occupational, psychological, and lifestyle factors.

Methods: Habitual sleep was measured using wrist-worn actigraphy and a sleep diary over seven consecutive days in 61 (68.

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Background: Although the prescription of physical activity in clinical care has been advocated worldwide, in the Netherlands, "Exercise is Medicine" (E = M) is not yet routinely implemented in clinical care.

Methods: A set of implementation strategies was pilot implemented to test its feasibility for use in routine care by clinicians in 2 departments of a university medical center. An extensive learning process evaluation was performed, using structured mixed methods methodology, in accordance with the Reach, Effect, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance framework.

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Purpose: A lifestyle front office (LFO) in the hospital is a not yet existing, novel concept that can refer patients under treatment in the hospital to community-based lifestyle interventions (CBLI). The aim of this study was to identify implementation barriers and facilitators regarding the implementation of an LFO in the hospital from the perspective of CBLI-professionals and to develop evidence-based implementation strategies to reduce these identified barriers.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews until data saturation, with 23 lifestyle professionals working in the community.

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Background: To better understand physical activity behavior and its health benefits in people living with health conditions, we studied people with and without 20 different self-reported health conditions with regard to (1) their physical activity levels, (2) factors correlated with these physical activity levels, and (3) the association between physical activity and all-cause mortality.

Methods: We used a subsample (n = 88,659) of the Lifelines cohort study from the Netherlands. For people living with and without 20 different self-reported health conditions, we studied the aforementioned factors in relation to physical activity.

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Introduction: The number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of exercise among cancer survivors has increased in recent years; however, participants dropping out of the trials are rarely described. The objective of the present study was to assess which combinations of participant and exercise program characteristics were associated with dropout from the exercise arms of RCTs among cancer survivors.

Methods: This study used data collected in the Predicting OptimaL cAncer RehabIlitation and Supportive care (POLARIS) study, an international database of RCTs investigating the effects of exercise among cancer survivors.

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Objective: The aim of the study is to explore the barriers and facilitators of participation and key components for sleep health programs designed for corporate work environments.

Methods: Semistructured interviews with corporate executives and occupational medicine specialists in the decision making and management of workplace health promotion programs (WHPP) within their companies were held before and during COVID-19. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic content analysis to identify themes.

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Objective: This study aimed to determine the longitudinal associations between self-reported sleep duration and cardiometabolic disease (CMD) risk in corporate executives.

Methods: Self-reported sleep duration and lifestyle, occupational, psychological, and anthropometrical, blood pressure and blood marker variables were obtained from 1512 employees at annual health risk assessments in South Africa between 2016 and 2019. Gender-stratified linear mixed models, adjusting for age, lifestyle, occupational and psychological covariates were used to explore these longitudinal associations.

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Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dementia, depression and cancers, are on the rise worldwide and are often associated with a lack of physical activity (PA). Globally, the levels of PA among individuals are below WHO recommendations. A lack of PA can increase morbidity and mortality, worsen the quality of life and increase the economic burden on individuals and society.

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Purpose: This individual participant data meta-analysis (IPD-MA) assesses exercise effects on self-reported cognitive functioning (CF) and investigates whether effects differ by patient-, intervention-, and exercise-related characteristics.

Methods: IPD from 16 exercise RCTs, including 1987 patients across multiple types of non-metastatic cancer, was pooled. A one-stage IPD-MA using linear mixed-effect models was performed to assess exercise effects on self-reported CF (z-score) and to identify whether the effect was moderated by sociodemographic, clinical, intervention- and exercise-related characteristics, or fatigue, depression, anxiety, and self-reported CF levels at start of the intervention (i.

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Objectives: Emerging evidence suggests contrasting health effects for leisure-time and occupational physical activity. In this systematic review, we synthesized and described the epidemiological evidence regarding the association between occupational physical activity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.

Methods: A literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Evidence-Based Medicine Reviews, from database inception to 17 April 2020.

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Background: A randomised trial of European Fans in Training (EuroFIT), a 12-week healthy lifestyle program delivered in 15 professional football clubs in the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and the United Kingdom, successfully increased physical activity and improved diet but did not reduce sedentary time. To guide future implementation, this paper investigates how those effects were achieved. We ask: 1) how was EuroFIT implemented? 2) what were the processes through which outcomes were achieved?

Methods: We analysed qualitative data implementation notes, observations of 29 of 180 weekly EuroFIT deliveries, semi-structured interviews with 16 coaches and 15 club representatives, and 30 focus group discussions with participants (15 post-program and 15 after 12 months).

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Article Synopsis
  • A dedicated lifestyle front office (LFO) can enhance patient-centered lifestyle care by connecting healthcare with community-based initiatives, crucial for preventing noncommunicable diseases.
  • The LOFIT study will conduct two randomized controlled trials in the Netherlands focused on patients with (cardio)vascular and musculoskeletal disorders, comparing an intervention group receiving lifestyle coaching to a usual care control group.
  • The primary outcome will measure health risk and lifestyle factors through a composite score, while secondary outcomes will assess various health markers and patient behaviors.
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Objectives: Athletes with impairments play sports with a risk of sustaining head injuries and concussions. However, the scientific knowledge needed to improve care is lacking. This qualitative study explores English blind 5-a-side footballers' perceptions of concussion, concussion risks and prevention to improve para concussion care.

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Mukherjee, S, Fok, JR, and van Mechelen, W. Electrical stimulation and muscle strength gains in healthy adults: A systematic review. J Strength Cond Res 37(4): 938-950, 2023-Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) is a popular method for strength gains among athletes and fitness enthusiasts.

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This paper investigated facilitators and barriers to implementing the European Football Fans in Training program (EuroFIT) in professional sports clubs in England, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal. We analyzed qualitative data collected at clubs that delivered EuroFIT, based on semi-structured interviews with coordinating staff (n = 15), coaches (n = 16), and focus group interviews with participants (n = 108), as well as data from clubs that considered delivering EuroFIT in the future, based on interviews with staff (n = 7) and stakeholders (n = 8). Facilitators for implementation related to the content and structure of the program, its evidence-base, and the context for delivery in the football stadia.

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Background: Injury risk is high in Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) students. Insights into specific injury locations per sex, setting, sports, and curriculum year are needed to develop preventive measures.

Purpose: To compare injury distributions by body locations in PETE students and how these distributions differ by sex, type, onset, curriculum year, settings, or sports.

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Aims: To investigate the effectiveness of a 3-year worksite lifestyle intervention on cardiovascular metrics and to study whether outcomes are influenced by baseline subclinical atherosclerosis (SA) by non-invasive imaging.

Methods And Results: A randomized controlled trial was performed to compare a lifestyle intervention with standard of care in asymptomatic middle-aged subjects, stratified by SA. The intervention consisted of nine motivational interviews during the first year, followed by three further sessions between Years 1 and 3.

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Objective: To develop a trail running injury screening instrument (TRISI) for utilisation as clinical decision aid in determining if a trail runner is at an increased risk for injury.

Design: Multiple methods approach.

Methods: The study utilised five phases 1) identification of injury risk factors 2) determining the relevance of each identified risk factor in a trail running context, 3) creating the content of the Likert scale points from 0 to 4, 4) rescaling the Likert scale points to determine numerical values for the content of each Likert scale point, and 5) determining a weighted score for each injury risk factor that contributes to the overall combined composite score.

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Objective: To investigate the construct validity of the Steep Ramp Test (SRT) by longitudinally comparing the correlation between maximum short exercise capacity of the SRT and direct measurements of peak oxygen consumption (Vopeak) during or shortly after treatment in patients with breast cancer and the potential effect of chemotherapy-induced symptom burden.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: Multicenter.

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Objectives: Despite the many proven advantages of a physically active lifestyle in patient populations, prescription of exercise is currently not widely implemented in routine clinical practice. The aims of this study were twofold: (1) to assess perceptions of clinicians on the current practice of exercise is medicine (E=M) prescription in two Dutch university medical centres and (2) to determine their perceived barriers and facilitators for the implementation of E=M in routine clinical care in Dutch university medical centres.

Design: A mixed methodologies study, using both online questionnaires and semi-structured interviews.

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Objective: To review and frequently update the available evidence on injury risk factors and epidemiology of injury in trail running.

Design: Living systematic review. Updated searches will be done every 6 months for a minimum period of 5 years.

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Background: Increased physical activity (PA), reduced time spent sedentary (SED), healthier diet and reduced body weight may all have a positive impact on cardiometabolic risk. The relative importance of change in each of these variables on cardiometabolic risk, however, is unclear. We therefore sought to investigate the relative contributions of changes in PA, SED, diet and body weight on cardiometabolic risk.

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