This brief report provides an overview of the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance (AHKGA); an introduction to the Global Matrix 4.0; an explanation of the value and opportunities that the AHKGA efforts and assets provide to the physical activity research, policy, practice, and advocacy community; an outline of the series of papers related to the Global Matrix 4.0 in this issue of the Journal of Physical Activity and Health; and an invitation for future involvement.The AHKGA was formed to help power the global movement to get kids moving. In 2019-2021, we recruited countries to participate in the Global Matrix 4.0, a worldwide initiative to assess, compare, and contrast the physical activity of children and adolescents.A total of 57 countries/jurisdictions (hereafter referred to as countries for simplicity) were recruited. The current activities of the AHKGA are summarized. The overall findings of the Global Matrix 4.0 are presented in a series of papers in this issue of the Journal of Physical Activity and Health.The Global Matrix 4.0 and other assets of the AHKGA are publicly available, and physical activity researchers, practitioners, policy makers, and advocates are encouraged to exploit these resources to further their efforts.
No abstract is provided for this article.
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of age and leg length on the energy-expenditure predictions of five activity monitors. Participants (N = 86, ages 8–40 years) performed three progressive bouts of treadmill activity ranging from 4 to 12 km/hr. Differences between measured energy expenditure (VO 2 ) and activity-monitor-predicted energy expenditure were assessed across five leg length categories to determine the influence of leg length. Accelerometer counts or pedometer steps along with age, weight, and leg length accounted for 85–94% of measured energy expenditure. The addition of age and leg length as predictor variables explained a larger amount of variance in energy expenditure across all speeds. Differences in leg length and age might affect activity-monitor validity and, therefore, should be controlled for when estimating physical activity energy expenditure.
Hypertension is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality with surveillance often based on self-reported data. A systematic review and meta-analysis was completed to determine what empirical evidence exists regarding the agreement between measured and self-reported estimates of hypertension. Four electronic databases were searched to identify observational and experimental studies on adult populations. Searching identified 144 studies that examined the relationship between self-reported and directly-measured hypertension. Studies demonstrate that the prevalence of hypertension based on self-report is underestimated and that awareness levels are low and highly variable, ranging from 0 to 97%. Meta-analysis generated overall awareness estimates of 58% at the 140/90 mmHg cut-off and 62% at the 160/95 mmHg cut-off. Awareness levels were consistently higher for females. In many of the reviewed studies, standard guidelines for blood pressure measurement were not being followed or reporting of guideline compliance was poor. Lack of awareness is an important public health issue, yet this review demonstrates that the current practice of surveillance based on awareness alone is insufficient. These data indicate the importance of directly measuring blood pressure according to standardized protocols wherever possible, and increasing population awareness both to increase the validity of self-report and to ensure early diagnosis and treatment. Keywords: Hypertension awareness, systematic review, self-report, direct measure, blood pressure
No abstract is provided for this article.
The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth are novel in how they integrate the guideline recommendations for the full continuum of movement behaviours, from sleep to vigorous physical activity. Research suggests that the integrated guidelines strategy is perceived favourably, and this study is the first to compare this strategy to traditional segregated guidelines on its effectiveness to disseminate health information. Specifically, this study explored (1) the influence of the integrated guidelines strategy on parents' message receipt and message enactment to support their child meet the guidelines, and (2) the relationship between message receipt and message enactment in a youth movement behaviour context. In this prospective randomized experiment, parents (n= 162) were randomized to read integrated, segregated, or control guidelines and complete pre, post, and 2-week follow-up surveys. Repeated-measures ANOVAs revealed significantly higher message enactment outcomes among participants in the integrated guidelines group (p< .05). Message receipt and enactment outcomes were significantly correlated (r> .171, p< .05). These findings highlight that parents' initial receipt of a message is important for subsequent behaviour change in a youth movement behaviour context. Furthermore, the integrated guidelines strategy may have an advantage in promoting guideline update and should continue to be explored.
This study explored the influence of modernity on the physical activity behaviors (e.g., intensity and timing) of children.Children aged 8-13 yr living a traditional lifestyle (Old Order Amish [OOA], n = 68; Old Order Mennonite [OOM], n = 120) were compared with children living a contemporary lifestyle (rural Saskatchewan [RSK], n = 132; urban Saskatchewan [USK], n = 93). Physical activity was objectively assessed for seven consecutive days using Actigraph 7164 accelerometers. Custom software was used to reduce the raw accelerometer data into standardized outcome variables.On weekdays, there were group differences in moderate physical activity between all lifestyle groups (OOA > OOM > USK > RSK). On the weekend, the group differences in moderate physical activity persisted between, but not within, lifestyle groups (OOA = OOM > USK = RSK). During school hours, all groups had similar activity and inactivity periods; however, they differed in magnitude, with the OOA and OOM being both more sedentary and more active. In comparison with the children in school, the OOA and the OOM children had 44% lower sedentary time out of school compared with only 15% lower for RSK and USK children.Although cross sectional, these data suggest that contemporary/modern living is associated with lower levels of moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity compared with lifestyles representative of earlier generations. Analyzing the physical activity and inactivity patterns of traditional lifestyle groups such as the OOA and the OOM can provide valuable insight into the quantity and quality of physical activity necessary to promote health.
No abstract is provided for this article.
Canadian public health messages relating to physical activity have historically focused on the prescription of purposeful exercise, most often assessing leisure-time physical activity (LTPA). Although LTPA contributes to total energy expenditure (TEE), a large part of the day remains neglected unless one also considers the energy expended outside of purposeful exercise. This paper reviews the potential impact of incidental (non-exercise or non-purposeful) physical activity and lifestyle-embedded activities (chores and incidental walking) upon TEE and indicators of health. Given that incidental movement occurs sporadically throughout the day, this form of energy expenditure is perhaps most vulnerable to increasingly ubiquitous mechanization and automation. The paper also explores the relationship of physical inactivity, including sleep, to physical activity, TEE, and health outcomes. Suggestions are provided for a more comprehensive physical activity recommendation that includes all components of TEE. Objective physical activity monitors with time stamps are considered as a better means to capture and examine human movements over the entire day.
No abstract is provided for this article.
