710 research outputs found
Checklist of health promotion environments at worksites (CHEW): Development and measurement characteristics
No full textPurpose. Health promotion policy frameworks, recent theorizing, and research all emphasize understanding and mobilizing environmental influences to change particular health-related behaviors in specific settings. The workplace is a key environmental setting. The Checklist of Health Promotion Environments at Worksites (CHEW) was designed as a direct observation instrument to assess characteristics of worksite environments that are known to influence health-related behaviors. Methods. The CHEW is a 112-item checklist of workplace environment features hypothesized to be associated, both positively and negatively, with physical activity, healthy eating, alcohol consumption, and smoking. The three environmental domains assessed are (1) physical characteristics of the worksite, (2) features of the information environment, and (3) characteristics of the immediate neighborhood around the workplace. The conceptual rationale and development studies for the CHEW are described, and data from observational studies of 20 worksites are reported. Results. The data on CHEW-derived environmental attributes showed generally good reliability and identified meaningful sets of variables that plausibly may influence health-related behaviors. With the exception of one information environment attribute, intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.80 to 1.00. Descriptive statistics on selected physical and information environment characteristics indicated that vending machines, showers, bulletin boards, and signs prohibiting smoking were common across worksites. Bicycle racks, visible stairways, and signs related to alcohol consumption, nutrition, and health. promotion were relatively uncommon. Conclusions. These findings illustrate the types of data on environmental attributes that can be derived, their relevance for program planning, and how they can characterize variability across worksites. The CHEW is a promising observational measure that has the potential to assess environmental influences on health behaviors and to evaluate workplace health promotion programs
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Ecological Moderators of the Relation Between Neighborhood Safety and Physical Activity
No full textObjective: Targeting neighborhood characteristics (e.g., pedestrian infrastructure) is a promising mechanism to increase physical activity (PA). However, the association with neighborhood safety and PA is unclear. An ecological approach, which considers multiple levels of influence, may help clarify the association. The current dissertation bridged the PA and injury prevention fields by assessing multilevel moderators of the association between neighborhood safety and PA.Methods: The three samples were overweight/obese adults from San Diego, CA (Study 1, n=298), adolescents from Seattle, WA and Baltimore, MD (Study 2, n=878) and older adults from Seattle, WA (Study 3, n=367). The PA outcomes were self-reported active transport and leisure-time PA, and objective moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). Study 1 assessed perceived neighborhood safety (e.g., safety from crime, pedestrian safety). Studies 2 and 3 assessed objectively-measured pedestrian streetscape safety. Moderators were from individual/demographic, psychosocial, home and neighborhood environment levels. Results: Fifteen of the 17 significant (p<.10) moderators found across studies were from individual/demographic or psychosocial levels. Though some moderators were shared across outcomes within the same study (e.g., sex and BMI in Study 1 or barriers in Study 2), race/ethnicity was the only significant moderator across studies (Studies 1 & 2). White non-Hispanic participants benefitted most in safe vs. unsafe neighborhoods, but there were few benefits among minorities. In Studies 2 & 3, the utility of the new objective streetscape safety measure was demonstrated. It was significantly positively associated with neighborhood-based PA among older adults, but negatively associated among adolescents. Conclusion: The association of neighborhood safety with PA was complex and varied by subgroup. The findings demonstrate the utility of an ecological approach to better understand PA, particularly exploring cross-level interactions. Both perceived and objectively-assessed neighborhood safety had subgroup-specific effects, suggesting each age-group should be targeted separately (e.g., targeting pedestrian safety for older adults). More research is needed that incorporates objectively-assessed pedestrian safety, and interventions should tailor based on individual/demographic and psychosocial characteristics. Interventions can modify safety-related streetscape characteristics to reduce or eliminate traffic-related fatalities and injuries among pedestrians, and may have a dual benefit of facilitating greater physical activity in neighborhoods
Health Place
No full textWe examined frequency of use of 11 physical activity (PA) locations among 539 San Diego children (45.0% males, 41.2% Latinos; mean \ub1 SD age: 6.6 \ub1 0.7 years) and explored associations between location use, PA and potential correlates. Parents reported child's use (visits/week) of 11 locations. Child PA was assessed by accelerometry (subsample n = 178). The most frequently used locations (mean \ub1 SD times/week) were homes (3.2 \ub1 2.3) and parks/playground (1.6 \ub1 1.3). Children used 4.0 \ub1 2.0 locations in a typical week, and made a total of 12.5 \ub1 6.8 visits/week to all locations. Latinos used fewer locations regularly (3.6 \ub1 2.1 vs. 4.3 \ub1 1.9 locations; p < 0.001) and had fewer visits to all locations (11.4 \ub1 7.4 vs. 13.2 \ub1 6.4 visits/week; p = 0.003) than non-Latinos. Accelerometry-assessed vigorous PA (VPA) was positively associated with the number of locations regularly used (
f = 0.04, p = 0.03) and total visits to all locations among Latinos (
f = 0.09, p = 0.005). Parental PA support was positively associated with locations used (
f = 0.64, p < 0.001) and visits to all locations (
f = 2.56, p < 0.001). Children using a greater variety of locations did more VPA. Latinos making more total visits to all locations had higher VPA.MC_U106179474/MRC_/Medical Research CouncilUnited Kingdom/087636/WT_/Wellcome TrustUnited Kingdom/R01 DK072994/DK/NIDDK NIH HHSUnited States/T32 HL079891/HL/NHLBI NIH HHSUnited States/U48 DP000036/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHSUnited States/F31KD079345/PHS HHSUnited States/R01DK072994/DK/NIDDK NIH HHSUnited States/T32HL079891/HL/NHLBI NIH HHSUnited States/U48DP000036/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHSUnited States
Age and gender differences in objectively measured physical activity in youth
No full textTROST. S. G., R. R. PATE, J. F. SALLIS, P. S. FREEDSON, W. C. TAYLOR, M. DOWDA, and J. SIRARD. Age and gender differences in objectively measured physical activity in youth. Med. Sci. Sports Ererc., Vol. 34, No. 2, pp. 350-355, 2002. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate age and gender differences in objectively measured physical activity (PA) in a population-based sample of students in grades 1-12. Methods: Participants (185 male, 190 female) wore a CSA 7164 accelerometer for 7 consecutive days. To examine age-related trends. students were grouped as follows: grades 1-3 (N = 90), grades 4-6 (N = 91), grades 7-9 (N = 96). and grades 10-12 (N = 92). Bouts of PA and minutes spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and vigorous PA (VPA) were examined. Results: Daily MVPA and VPA exhibited a significant inverse relationship with grade level, with the largest differences occurring between grades 1d-3 and 4-6. Boys were more active than girls; however, for overall PA, the magnitudes of the gender differences were modest. Participation in continuous 20-min bouts of PA was low to nonexistent. Conclusion: Our results support the notion that PA declines rapidly during childhood and adolescence and that accelerometers are feasible alternatives to self-report methods in moderately sized population-level surveillance studies
The History of Philosophy
No full textThis year’s symposium will explore and celebrate the thought of one of the leading and most innovative philosophers of our time, John Sallis, who is the Frederick J. Adelmann, S.J. Professor of Philosophy at Boston College. He previously held Chairs at Pennsylvania State University, Vanderbilt University, Loyola University of Chicago, and Duquesne University, where he co-founded the Simon Silverman Phenomenology Center. He is the founding editor of the journal Research in Phenomenology, and General Editor of Studies in Continental Thought for Indiana University Press. He has lectured extensively in Europe, Asia, North and South America and is the author of more than 20 books encompassing the areas of ancient philosophy, German idealism, art, and contemporary philosophy in the phenomenological tradition.
This video (.mp4) is of Session 3: The History of Philosophy.
Saturday, October 27
9:00am - 12:00pm Session 3: The History of Philosophy – Africa Room, Student Union
Session Leader: David F. Krell
1. Drew Hyland, “On Translating John Sallis” - Timestamp: 0:12:30
2. Daniela Vallega-Neu, “John Sallis’ Liminal Phenomenology” - Timestamp: 1:06:15
3. Peg Birmingham, “John Sallis: On Sensibility and the Imagination” - Timestamp: 2:07:3
Growing evidence that physical activity-supportive neighbourhoods can mitigate infectious and non-communicable diseases
No full textIn the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, dubious assertions that population density increased spread of the virus led to premature and dangerous recommendations promoting suburban sprawl. In 2020, we published a commentary in Cities & Health to refute these recommendations. We hypothesized that features of activity-supportive environments, including high density, would be protective from severe COVID-19 outcomes. The goal of the present commentary is to examine evidence that has emerged during the pandemic to evaluate veracity of the predictions and recommendations we made in 2020. An updated analysis of cities from each continent supports our 2020 analysis that population density is not associated with COVID-19 mortality. Our earlier recommendations to promote activity-supportive environments to benefit both infectious and non-communicable diseases, and to ensure equity of access to such environments, are now supported by empirical studies. Evidence related to public transport shows mitigation of risk could be achieved by limiting riders, travelling during off-peak hours, enforcing physical distancing, requiring face coverings, and implementing strict cleaning protocols. There is substantial evidence that environmental features and interventions that support COVID-19 mitigation strategies also have additional health, environmental sustainability, and economic benefits.Urban Studie
Measuring psychological, social, and environmental influences on leisure-time physical activity among adults
No full textAssessment of sedentary behavior with the international physical activity questionnaire \ud \ud
No full textPurpose: This study explored definitions of sedentary behavior and examined the relationship between sitting time and physical inactivity using the sitting items from the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Methods: Participants (N = 289, 44.6% male, mean age = 35.93) from 3 countries completed self-administered long- and short-IPAQ sitting items. Participants wore accelerometers; were classified as inactive (no leisure-time activity), insufficiently active, or meeting recommendations; and were classified into tertiles of sitting behavior. Results: Reliability of sitting time was acceptable for men and women. Correlations between total sitting and accelerometer counts/min <100 were significant for both long (r = .33) and short (r = .34) forms. There was no agreement between tertiles of sitting and the inactivity category (kappa = .02, P = .68). Conclusion: Sedentary behavior should be explicitly measured in population surveillance and research instead of being defined by lack of physical activity. \u
Physical Activity and Food Environments: Solutions to the Obesity Epidemic
No full textCONTEXT: Environmental, policy, and societal changes are important contributors to the rapid rise in obesity over the past few decades, and there has been substantial progress toward identifying environmental and policy factors related to eating and physical activity that can point toward solutions. This article is a status report on research on physical activity and food environments, and it suggests how these findings can be used to improve diet and physical activity and to control or reduce obesity.
METHODS: This article summarizes and synthesizes recent reviews and provides examples of representative studies. It also describes ongoing innovative interventions and policy change efforts that were identified through conference presentations, media coverage, and websites.
FINDINGS: Numerous cross-sectional studies have consistently demonstrated that some attributes of built and food environments are associated with physical activity, healthful eating, and obesity. Residents of walkable neighborhoods who have good access to recreation facilities are more likely to be physically active and less likely to be overweight or obese. Residents of communities with ready access to healthy foods also tend to have more healthful diets. Disparities in environments and policies that disadvantage low-income communities and racial minorities have been documented as well. Evidence from multilevel studies, prospective research, and quasi-experimental evaluations of environmental changes are just beginning to emerge.
CONCLUSIONS: Environment, policy, and multilevel strategies for improving diet, physical activity, and obesity control are recommended based on a rapidly growing body of research and the collective wisdom of leading expert organizations. A public health imperative to identify and implement solutions to the obesity epidemic warrants the use of the most promising strategies while continuing to build the evidence base
A National Strategy for COVID Response and Pandemic Preparedness Must Address Noncommunicable Chronic Diseases
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