Associations of physical activity, sedentary time, and physical fitness with mental health during pregnancy: The GESTAFIT project

Purpose:This study was aimed to analyze the associations of objectively measured physical activity(PA),sedentary time,and physical fitness with mental health in the early second trimester(16§2 gestational weeks)of pregnancy.Methods:From 229 women initially contacted,124 pregnant women participated in the present cross-sectional study.Data were collected between November 2015 and March 2017.The participants wore Actigraph GT3X+Triaxial accelerometers for 9 consecutive days to objectively measure their PA levels and sedentary time.A performance-based test battery was used to measure physical fitness.Self-report questionnaires assessed psychological ill-being(i.e.,negative affect,anxiety,and depression),and psychological well-being(i.e.,emotional intelligence,resilience,and positive affect).Linear regression analyses were adjusted for age,educational level,accelerometer wear time,miscarriages,and low back pain.Results:Moderate-to-vigorous PA was negatively associated with depression(b=0.222,adjusted R2=0.050,p=0.041).Higher levels of sedentary time were negatively associated with positive affect(b=0.260,adjusted R2=0.085,p=0.017).Greater upper-body flexibility was positively associated with better emotional regulation(b=0.195,adjusted R2=0.030,p=0.047).The remaining associations were not significant(all p>0.05).Conclusion:An active lifestyle characterized by higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous PA and lower levels of sedentary time during pregnancy might modestly improve the mental health of pregnant women.Although previous research has focused on the benefits of cardiorespiratory exercise,the present study shows that only upper-body flexibility is related to emotional regulation in early pregnant women.If the present findings are corroborated in further experimental research,physical exercise programs should focus on enhancing flexibility to promote improvements in emotional regulation during early second-trimester of pregnancy.

Association of objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time with health-related quality of life in women with fibromyalgia:The al-ándalus project

Purpose: To examine the association of physical activity(PA) intensity levels and sedentary time with health-related quality of life(HRQoL) in women with fibromyalgia and whether patients meeting the current PA guidelines present better HRQoL.Methods: This cross-sectional study included 407 women with fibromyalgia aged 51.4 ± 7.6 years. The time spent(min/day) in different PA intensity levels(light, moderate, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity(MVPA) and sedentary time were measured with triaxial accelerometry. The proportion of women meeting the American PA recommendations(>150 min/week of MVPA in bouts >10 min) was also calculated.HRQoL domains(physical function, physical role, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, emotional role, and mental health), as well as physical and mental components, were assessed using the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey.Results: All PA intensity levels were positively correlated with different HRQoL dimensions(r_(partial) between 0.10 and 0.23, all p < 0.05). MVPA was independently associated with social functioning(p < 0.05). Sedentary time was independently associated with physical function, physical role, bodily pain, vitality, social functioning, and both the physical and mental component summary score(all p < 0.05). Patients meeting the PA recommendations presented better scores for bodily pain(mean = 24.2(95%CI: 21.3-27.2) vs. mean = 20.4(95%CI: 18.9-21.9), p = 0.023)and better scores for social functioning(mean = 48.7(95%CI: 43.9-44.8) vs. mean = 42.3(95%CI: 39.8-44.8), p = 0.024).Conclusion: MVPA(positively) and sedentary time(negatively) are independently associated with HRQoL in women with fibromyalgia. Meeting the current PA recommendations is significantly associated with better scores for bodily pain and social functioning. These results highlight the importance of being physically active and avoiding sedentary behaviors in this population.