Role of Built Environments in Physical Activity, Obesity, and Cardiovascular Disease
Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the deadliest and fastest-growing cancers. Among HCC etiologies, metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has served as a major HCC driver due to its great potential for increasing cirrhosis. The obesogenic environment fosters a positive energy balance and results in a continuous rise of obesity and metabolic syndrome. However, it is difficult to understand how metabolic complications lead to the poor prognosis of liver diseases and which molecular mechanisms are underpinning MAFLD-driven HCC development. Thus, suitable preclinical models that recapitulate human etiologies are essentially required. Numerous preclinical models have been created but not many mimicked anthropometric measures and the course of disease progression shown in the patients. Here we review the literature on adipose tissues, liver-related HCC etiologies and recently discovered genetic mutation signatures found in MAFLD-driven HCC patients. We also critically review current rodent models suggested for MAFLD-driven HCC study.
In Brief This commentary discusses accomplishments, challenges, and future steps of Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities evaluation to systems thinking in the field of obesity prevention.
Evaluation and delivery of physical activity and exercise programs appear impeded by the substantial numbers of Americans who are unwilling or unable to participate regularly in physical activity. As a step toward identifying effective interventions, we reviewed available research on determinants relating to the adoption and maintenance of physical activity. We categorized determinants as personal, environmental, or characteristic of the exercise. We have considered supervised participation separately from spontaneous activity in the general population. A wide variety of determinants, populations, and settings have been studied within diverse research traditions and disciplines. This diversity and the varied interpretation of the data hinder our clearly summarizing the existing knowledge. Although we provide some directions for future study and program evaluation, there is a need for research that tests hypotheses derived from theoretical models and that has clear implications for intervention programs. We still need to explore whether general theories of health behavior or approaches relating to specific exercises or activities can be used to predict adoption and maintenance of physical activity.
This study examines the moderating effect of perceived safety on the association of green space with neighborhood social capital in older adults. Green space may play an important role for promoting neighborhood social capital and health for older adults; however, safety remains a significant challenge in maximizing the benefits of green space. Data were drawn from 647 independent-living seniors who participated in the Senior Neighborhood Quality of Life Study in the Seattle/King County and Baltimore/Washington DC region. The results suggest that certain green space elements, such as natural sights, may be beneficial to neighborhood social capital of older adults. However, other types of green space, such as parks and street trees, may be less advantageous to older adults who perceive their neighborhoods as unsafe for pedestrians. Findings highlight the importance of pedestrian safety in examining associations of green space with neighborhood social capital in older adults. Further studies using a longitudinal design are warranted to confirm the causality of the findings.
All 1210 manuscripts published in the 12 most prestigious health promotion research journals in 1994 were reviewed and coded based on stage of research and setting. Of the total, 34% were nonresearch articles, 35% were health-behavior research, and 31% were related to innovation, diffusion, and institutionalization. Of the 469 health behavior research articles, 57% were observation studies, 11% were methods development, 19% were intervention studies, 1% were meta-analyses, and 13% addressed diffusion and institutionalization. Half (46) of the intervention studies had randomized controlled designs. Studies were conducted in nonspecific community settings (206), health care settings (88), schools (75), specific community settings (53), workplaces (32), and universities (11).
Reducing certain sedentary behaviors (e.g., watching television, using a computer) can be an effective weight loss strategy for youth. Knowledge about whether behaviors cluster together could inform interventions.Estimates of time spent in 6 sedentary behaviors (watching television, talking on the telephone, using a computer, listening to music, doing homework, reading) were cluster analyzed for a sample of 878 adolescents (52% girls, mean age = 12.7 years, 58% Caucasian).The clusters were based on the sedentary behaviors listed above and compared on environmental variables (e.g., household rules), psychosocial variables (e.g., self-efficacy, enjoyment), and health behaviors (e.g., physical activity, diet).Four clusters emerged: low sedentary, medium sedentary, selective high sedentary, and high sedentary. Analyses revealed significant cluster differences for gender (p < .002), age (p < .002), body mass index (p < .001), physical activity (p < .01), and fiber intake (p < .01).Results suggest a limited number of distinct sedentary behavior patterns. Further study is needed to determine how interventions may use cluster membership to target segments of the adolescent population.
Purpose. Examine associations between worksite physical activity promotion strategies and employees' physical activity and sedentary behaviors. Design. Cross-sectional. Setting. Seattle–King County, Washington and Baltimore, Maryland–Washington, D.C. regions. Subjects. Adults working outside the home (n = 1313). Mean age was 45 ± 10 years, 75.8% of participants were non-Hispanic white, 56% were male, and 51% had income ≥$70,000/year. Measures. Participants reported demographic characteristics and presence/absence of nine physical activity promotion environment and policy strategies in their work environment (e.g., showers, lockers, physical activity programs). A worksite physical activity promotion index was a tally of strategies. Total sedentary and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) min/d were objectively assessed via 7-day accelerometry. Total job-related physical activity minutes and recreational physical activity minutes were self-reported with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Analysis. Mixed-effects models and generalized estimating equations evaluated the association of the worksite promotion index with physical activity and sedentary behavior, adjusting for demographics. Results. A higher worksite promotion index was significantly associated with higher total sedentary behavior (β = 3.97), MVPA (β = 1.04), recreational physical activity (β = 1.1 and odds ratio = 1.39; away from work and at work, respectively) and negatively with job-related physical activity (β = .90). Conclusions. Multiple worksite physical activity promotion strategies based on environmental supports and policies may increase recreational physical activity and should be evaluated in controlled trials. These findings are particularly important given the increasingly sedentary nature of employment. (Am J Health Promot 2011;25[4]:264–271.)
