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The Lancet Physical Activity 2021 Series

July 21, 2021

Ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, The Lancet launches its third Series on physical activity, which extends our knowledge base from previous Series’ (2012 and 2016) on the importance of regular physical activity and sport to our health and wellbeing. In the past decade, not enough progress has been made to improve physical activity worldwide, with adolescents and people living with disabilities (PLWD) among the least likely populations to have the support needed to meet WHO’s physical activity guidelines. Physical inactivity is linked to an increased risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. But the health benefits also include improvements in mental health, dementia and cognitive function, sleep, preventing falls, and fall-related injuries. Increasingly recognised are the co-benefits of physical activity promotion such as improved air quality and climate mitigation.

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Importance of all movement behaviors in a 24-hour period for overall health

December 4, 2021

Physical inactivity and childhood obesity are well-recognized public health concerns that are associated with a range of adverse health outcomes. Historically, the benefits of physical activity (e.g., moderate-to-vigorous physical activity-MVPA) to overall health have dominated discussions and emerging evidence indicates that a broader, more integrated approach is needed to better understand and address current public health crises. Existing guidelines for children and youth around the world only focus on MVPA, and recently sedentary behavior, despite an accumulating body of evidence showing that light-intensity physical activity (LPA) such as walking can provide important health benefits. Furthermore, there is accumulating support for the importance of adequate sleep and that these behaviors moderate the health impact of each other. Ignoring the other components of the movement continuum (i.e., sleep, sedentary time, LPA) while focusing efforts exclusively on MVPA (accounting for <5% of the time in a 24 h period) limits the potential to optimize the health benefits of movement behaviors. In order to address this limitation, experts in Canada are currently developing the world's first Integrated 24 Hour Movement Behaviour Guidelines for Children and Youth to help advance an integrated healthy active living agenda that has the potential to significantly improve the overall health and well-being of children and youth.

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The impact of social relationships on initiation in adapted physical activity for individuals with acquired disabilities

December 4, 2021

Limited research has explored the factors that promote initiation of adapted physical activity (PA) for individuals with acquired disabilities. Thus, the current paper explores the role of social support in initiating PA among this population. Participants consisted of civilians (n ¼ 15; age: 19–73 years) and military personnel (n ¼ 18; age: 30–68 years) with acquired disabilities (e.g., spinal cord injuries, limb amputation). Two semi-structured interviews were conducted exploring perceptions and participation of adapted sport and PA. An inductive thematic analysis was performed to identify patterns relating to social support and PA initiation. Four social support networks were identified — family, peers, coaches, and community. Findings were presented using creative non-fiction. The results illustrate the complexity and critical value of social support in adapted PA, highlight the nuances that arise in the availability and expression of social, and provides the foundation for further exploration of the significance of social support for people with acquired disabilities.

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Neighborhood, Family and Peer-Level Predictors of Obesity-Related Health Behaviors Among Young Adolescents

May 31, 2021

Objective: This longitudinal study examines peer social functioning (PSF), familism, and neighborhood socioeconomic status (NSES) on adolescents' obesity risk. Methods: Participants ( N = 2,144) were originally sampled from 16 middle schools in Southern California (45% male; 45% Hispanic) as part of an alcohol and other drug use prevention program (CHOICE). Multilevel regression modeling tested main effects and interaction terms of PSF, familism, and NSES assessed at Wave 5 ( M age = 14.15) on body mass index and risk of obesity-related behaviors at Wave 6. Results: Higher PSF predicted healthier eating habits, less screen time, and more physical activity. Higher familism also predicted more physical activity. The positive effect of PSF on healthy eating was stronger among youth who reported higher familism. PSF also moderated the associations of NSES with healthy eating and physical activity. Conclusion: Findings emphasize the importance of targeting both peer and family factors, which may be more amenable to change than NSES.

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What a difference a day makes: Promoting 24-Hour Movement

Research Highlights

The Lancet Physical Activity 2021 Series

Importance of all movement behaviors in a 24-hour period for overall health

The impact of social relationships on initiation in adapted physical activity for individuals with acquired disabilities

Neighborhood, Family and Peer-Level Predictors of Obesity-Related Health Behaviors Among Young Adolescents

Summary of Data Categories Collected

Our Publications

Effect of peers and friends on youth physical activity and motivation to be physically active

The effect of peer influence on the amount of physical activity performed in 8- to 12-year-old boys

The social context moderates the relationship between neighborhood safety and adolescents' activities

Influence of peers and friends on children's and adolescents' eating and activity behaviors

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