Spatial Structure of Urban Residents’ Leisure Activities: A Case Study of Shenyang, China

The spatial characteristics of residents’ leisure activities not only reflect their demand for urban leisure space but also affect the urban spatial layout. This study takes Shenyang, China as an example and analyzes the characteristics of residents’ leisure activities through questionnaires. On this basis, it uses point of interest data and mobile phone signaling data to identify various types of residential and leisure functional relationships, and uses spatial analysis and community detection to assess the distance characteristics, flow patterns, and community structure of residents’ leisure activities, so as to discuss the spatial structure of residents’ leisure activities in Shenyang. The results showed that: (1) in addition to leisure at home, Shenyang residents mainly went to shopping malls, supermarkets,and parks for leisure activities, and the proportions of residents of the two types of leisure activities were approximately equal;(2) the average distances that residents traveled for shopping and park leisure were near in the middle and far in the periphery, and the travel costs of peripheral residents for centrally located leisure were higher than those for residents in central areas;(3) the flow patterns of the residential-shopping and residential-park functional relationships displayed clustering mode characteristics, and Shenyang presented a significant monocentric structure;and (4) residents’ shopping activities were concentrated in the southern community, and walking in the park activities were concentrated in the western community. Residents’ leisure activities were characterized by centripetal agglomeration,which was prone to problems such as traffic congestion and big city diseases. The spatial expansion process in the city was characterized by obvious directional inheritance and path dependence, and the construction of sub-cities is needed to improve the related service facilities.

Associations between residence and cognitive function among Chinese older adults: the mediating role of leisure activity

Background:Cognitive function is a current research hotspot,residence may be related to differences in cognitive function,and the mediating role of leisure activities are limited in Chinese research.This study used leisure activities as a mediating variable to investigate the mediating role of leisure activity between place of residence(city-town-rural)and cognitive function among Chinese older,this is where the innovation of the article comes in.Methods:Using cross-sectional data from the 2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey,Pearson correlation analyses were employed to examine the relationships among various indicators.Mediation analyses were conducted using the SPSS PROCESS macro program,version 3.5,written by Hayes,to explore the mediating effects of leisure activity between place of residence and cognitive function in older adults.Results:A total of 10955 older adults were included in this study,with a mean age of(84.23±11.57)years.Among them,2739(24.8%)lived in the city,3627(33.1%)in town,and 4615(42.1%)in rural areas;their leisure activity score was(5.34±3.77),and their cognitive function score was(24.69±6.65).Place of residence,leisure activities,and cognitive function were significantly correlated(P<0.01).Using city as a reference,place of residence is negatively associated with cognitive function,and place of residence not only had a direct effect on cognitive function in older adults:town-cognitive function(effect=–0.399;95%confidence interval(CI)=(–0.685,–0.113));rural-cognitive function(effect=–0.42;95%CI=(–0.698,–0.141)).There were also indirect effects on cognitive function through the pathway of leisure activity:town-leisure activity-cognitive function(effect=–0.17;95%CI=(–0.246,–0.1)),rural-leisure activity-cognitive function(effect=–0.199;95%CI=(–0.272,–0.13)).Conclusion:Leisure activities play a partially mediating role between the impact of place of residence and cognitive function in Chinese older adults,and it is vital to pay attention to the impact of place of residence on the cognitive function of older adults in various aspects,and to increase the participation rate of older adults in leisure activities,which is beneficial to the prevention of cognitive decline and the protection of older adult’s physical and mental health.

A Case-Control Study on Leisure Time Physical Activity (LTPA) during the Last Three Months of Pregnancy and Foetal Outcomes in Italy

The association between Leisure Time Physical Activity (LTPA) during pregnancy and foetal outcomes has been extensively investigated. However, epidemiological studies specifically referred to LPTA in the last months of pregnancy are scarce. We evaluated the association between LPTA and the risk of both preterm delivery and small for gestational age (SGA) during the last three months of pregnancy in Italy. A nationwide case-control study was performed in nine Italian cities. A total of 299 preterm delivery, 364 SGA and 855 controls were enrolled in the study. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess socio-demographic variables, medical and reproductive history, life-style habits and LTPA referred to the last three months of pregnancy. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed in order to estimate Odds ratios and 95% CI. LTPA during the last three months of pregnancy decreases the risk of preterm delivery (adjusted OR = 0.56;95% CI 0.39 - 0.79). Among the different types of physical activity, walking, the most frequently referred activity, appears significantly protective against preterm delivery (adjusted OR = 0.53;95% CI 0.36 - 0.81). Moreover, a small protective effect of walking was evidenced against SGA (adjusted OR = 0.72;95% CI 0.51 - 1.00). In conclusion, a mild physical activity such as walking in the last three months of pregnancy seems to reduce the risk of preterm delivery and, at a lesser extent, of SGA, confirming the beneficial effects of physical activity along the whole pregnancy.

The Role of Traditional Irrigation Canals in a Long Term Environmental Perspective A Case Study in Southern France： The Durance Basin

The agricultural sector is often considered to be the largest water consumer and the policy aimed at saving irrigation water exists across Europe. The flip-side of such policy, however, is the disappearance of traditional irrigation canals since farmers are encouraged to turn to drip irrigation and overhead irrigation gradually. Given this, we would like to argue that traditional irrigation canals need to be reexamined. Such canals are not only built aquatic infrastructure, they are also the product of a culture and social relationship with water in the Mediterranean region. Canals form a complex system which is driven by environmental, economic and social factors. Our sociological and environmental research in Provence （and around the Durance basin more specifically） points up how the very dense territorial network of gravity-fed canals is useful in water management, as well as in other shared uses over the long-term. The findings underscore the positive environmental role played by these historical and anthropogenic constructions. They contribute to refilling the aquifer and also act as a valuable environmental good and service （e.g., run-off regulation, biodiversity, landscape, recreation, etc.）. Further, several local actors have underscored their role as part of an intangible cultural heritage and as important for the area＇s economic and social development. Such canals play a central role in sustainable development since beyond their productive role in agriculture, they play a social role （new uses） and an ecological role （as reservoirs for biodiversity and ecological corridors）.

AB030.Usability of ArtontheBrain:A visual-arts based mobile health solution to promote quality of life in older adults with low vision due to age-related macular degeneration

Background:Taking part in productive and enjoyable recreational activities has been shown improve quality of life for people of all ages and capabilities.However,vision loss can have a significant impact on participation in important leisure activities.This is especially the case for the elderly,whose lowered mobility is further impacted by vision loss.Technology can offer solutions to bridging some barriers caused by these deficits by bringing leisure activities to the user in the form of mobile applications.As such,the purpose of the present study was to evaluate the accessibility and usability of the ArtOnTheBrain application,a visual art based mobile health solution to promote brain health and well-being,by older adults with low vision due to age-related macular degeneration(AMD).Methods:There were a total of 16 participants(age range,65-93 years,M=79,10 males).All had a diagnosis of AMD with visual acuities in the better eye between 20/60 and 20/200.Additionally,all participants had accessed rehabilitation services and most had experience using a computer at home.Using an Apple iPad Air(2013),they were asked to interact with the ArtOnTheBrain website’s Learn(e.g.,Listen to artwork description)and Play(e.g.,complete a word-search game)features with either the Safari or Google Chrome Internet apps.Using the Concurrent Think Aloud method,participants were asked to continuously comment on their activities and experiences with the app and verbalize their internal monologue while being audio and video recorded.These recordings were later transcribed verbatim and analysed using qualitative description and thematic analysis.Results:Participants’behaviours and verbal feedback were divided based on whether they presented as barriers or facilitators.Beginning with barriers,these were mostly related to the accessibility of the visual aspects of the applications interface(i.e.,contrast and font size),whereby participants requested additional control over the magnification options,both for text as well as images of the artwork.The main facilitator was the audio option built into the Learn tab,which allowed participants to listen to the artwork descriptions.Facilitators also included the aesthetics of the app,the perceived boost in confidence in interacting with technology,and the educational and leisure benefits.Conclusions:Older adults with low vision are faced with a decreased ability to engage in leisure activities.The development of technologies aimed at increasing the accessibility of leisure activities for these individuals is an important step in increasing their quality of life.As such,despite some of the accessibility challenges,the majority of participants viewed ArtontheBrain positively.Identifying the barriers and facilitators to its use is an important step in the development of this application in order to optimize its accessibility for older adults with low vision.Future work to be done with this application will be to evaluate the cognitive impact of ArtontheBrain on low vision users.

Poverty as a Determinant of Marital Status in the Douala Metropolis of Cameroon

This paper examines how poverty determines people’s marital status and their participation in the desired leading values of the metropolitan city of Douala.We used the quota sampling method in which the number of respondents selected from each division was determined by its population size,and then we divided the various divisions into clusters(neighbourhoods).We employed a systematic sampling method in the clusters in which we started with an nth subject and then selected every twentieth unit after the first.We sampled everyone:the married,divorcees,single and cohabiting people in order to understand how poverty determines their different marital statuses.We discovered that the more prestigious jobs people do,the more they earn and the higher the probability that they are married and either rent or own more expensive homes.Equally,the more people become jobless and have precarious jobs,the higher the rate of divorce,single,separated and cohabitating persons and the higher the probability that they are either dependent or homeless.However,marriage constrains people’s participation in the main values of their society,that is why married people diversify less their meals and leisure activities as compared to separated and engaged persons.

Twelve weeks of dance exergaming in overweight and obese adolescent girls:Transfer effects on physical activity,screen time,and self-efficacy

Background: Given the low levels of physical activity(PA) among adolescent girls in the US, there is a need to identify tools to motivate increased PA. Although there is limited evidence that adolescents transfer PA from one context to another, exergames(i.e., video games that require gross motor activity) may act as a gateway to promote overall PA outside game play. The purpose of this study was to examine potential transfer effects(i.e., influences on external behaviors and psychological constructs) of a 12-week exergaming intervention on adolescent girls' PA, screen time,and self-efficacy toward PA, as well as the intrinsic motivation of exergaming.Methods: Participants were 37 girls aged 14–18 years(65% African American, 35% white) who were overweight or obese(body mass index ≥ 85 th percentile) and were recruited from the community via school, physicians, news media, and social media websites. Adolescents were randomly assigned to a 12-week group exergaming intervention(thirty-six 60 min sessions of group-based dance exergaming in a research laboratory using Kinect for Xbox360(Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, USA)) or to a no-treatment control group. Outcome variables included objectively measured PA(total) and self-reported leisure-time PA(discretionary time only) 1 week before vs. 1 week after the intervention; selected type and intensity of PA when placed in a gym setting for 30 min("cardio free choice"); screen time; self-efficacy toward PA; and intrinsic motivation toward exergaming.Results: Attendance at the exergaming sessions was high(80%). Compared with the control group, the intervention group self-reported an increase in PA(p = 0.035) and fewer hours watching television or videos(p = 0.01) after the intervention, but there were no significant differences in sedentary, light, moderate, or vigorous PA measured by accelerometry. The intervention group significantly improved self-efficacy toward PA(p = 0.028). The intervention group highly rated intrinsic motivation toward exergaming.Conclusion: Exergaming for 12 weeks was associated with positive impacts on adolescent girls' self-reported PA, television viewing, self-efficacy,and intrinsic motivation. Future research is warranted to leverage exergames as an enjoyable, motivating, and effective PA tool.