Association of level of leisure-time physical activity with risks of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease in an elderly Chinese population: a prospective cohort study

Background Implementing the current guidelines for leisure-time physical activity(LTPA)provides significant health benefits,especially for middle-aged adults,but it is unclear whether LTPA also translates into cardiovascular health benefits among elderly people.Therefore,we aimed to assess the association of LTPA with the risks of cardiovascular disease(CVD),including coronary heart disease(CHD)and stroke,and all-cause mortality in an elderly population.Methods In this prospective cohort study,32,942 participants aged 60 years or older who participated in a health check-up programme in China between 2010 and 2018 were included.We evaluated the morbidity and mortality risks through the Cox regression model,competing risk model and restricted cubic spline model.Results During a median of 6.84 years of follow-up,there were 6,857 elderly people with incident CVD;a total of 6,324 deaths occurred due to all causes and 2,060 deaths occurred due to CVD.Compared with the inactive group,reductions in CVD morbidity and mortality were observed,with hazard ratios(HRs)of 0.89(95%CI:0.83–0.96)and 0.81(95%CI:0.71–0.92)in the insufficiently active group,0.86(95%CI:0.80–0.92)and 0.79(95%CI:0.69–0.90)in the sufficiently active group,and 0.79(95%CI:0.70–0.89)and 0.58(95%CI:0.45–0.76)in the highly active group,respectively;but no significant reductions were observed in the very highly active group,with HRs of 0.87(95%CI:0.71–1.06)and 0.99(95%CI:0.70–1.40),respectively.Compared with the inactive group,reductions in all-cause mortality were also observed,with a HR of 0.90(95%CI:0.84–0.97)in the insufficiently active group,0.82(95%CI:0.77–0.89)in the sufficiently active group,0.77(95%CI:0.67–0.87)in the highly active group,and 0.80(95%CI:0.64–0.98)in the very highly active group.A restricted cubic spline diagram showed that there was an L-shaped association between LTPA and the risk of all-cause mortality but a U-shaped or reverse J-shaped relationship between LTPA and the risk of CVD morbidity and mortality,especially stroke.In addition,a subgroup analysis showed that elderly population who consistently performed LTPA for ten years or more had a lower risk of morbidity and mortality.Conclusions In an elderly population,even insufficient activity is associated with a decreased risk of all-cause mortality and CVD,and moderate levels of LTPA may be optimal for CVD prevention.In addition,elderly people who consistently perform LTPA over several years may experience greater health benefits.

Examining the relationship between sport and health among USA women:An analysis of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

Background：Research has been conducted linking sports participation and health in childhood and adolescence;however,little is known about the contribution of sport to women＇s health.The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between sport and women＇s health in the USA by analyzing data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System（BRFSS）.Methods：This study was a secondary data analysis of the 2013 national BRFSS survey.Unlike the BRFSS core component from previous years,in2013,participants were questioned extensively about their physical activity behaviors.Seventy-six different activities were identifie by the participants.Two researchers categorized the 76 activities as sport,conditioning exercise,recreation,or household tasks based on previously identifie categories.Logistic regression was utilized to calculate odds ratios and adjusted odds ratios for chronic diseases based on physical activity category.Results：Women who participated in sport had better health outcomes with significant y lower odds for all chronic diseases except asthma and better general health than women who participated in conditioning exercise,household tasks,or recreation,and many of the significan differences remained after controlling for demographic characteristics.Conclusion：Sport participation was associated with more positive health outcomes among women in the USA compared with the other categories.As a means to improve health of women,the USA could focus on efforts to increase sport participation among women.

Two NGO-Run Youth-Centers in Multicultural, Socially Deprived Suburbs in Sweden—Who Are the Participants?

Objective: Leisure-time is an important part of young people’s lives. One way to reduce social differences in health is to improve adolescents’ living conditions, for example by enhancing the quality of after-school activities. Multicultural, socially deprived suburbs have less youth participation in organized leisure-time activities. This study explores who the participants are at two NGO-run youth-centers in multicultural, socially deprived suburbs in Sweden and whether socio-demographic, health-related, and leisure-time factors affect the targeted participation. Methods: The study can be seen as an explanatory mixed-methods study where qualitative data help explain initial quantitative results. The included data are a survey with youth (n = 207), seven individual interviews with staff, and six focus-groups interviews with young people at two youth-centers in two different cities. Results and Conclusions: The participants in the youth-centers are Swedish born youths having foreign-born parents who live with both parents, often in crowded apartments with many siblings. Moreover they feel healthy, enjoy school and have good contact with their parents. It seems that strategies for recruiting youths to youth-centers have a large impact on who participates. One way to succeed in having a more equal gender and ethnicity distribution is to offer youth activities that are a natural step forward from children’s activities. The youth-centers’ proximity is also of importance for participation, in these types of neighborhoods.