Search Results (549)

University students often intend to exercise regularly but fail to translate intention into action. The present study tested which post-intentional processes distinguish successful from unsuccessful intenders in self-reported regular leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) enactment. Chinese undergraduates from 10 universities completed a three-wave survey administered at roughly two-week intervals. Habit automaticity was assessed at Wave 1, intention together with action planning and coping planning at Wave 2, and self-reported regular-exercise status at Wave 3. Because the dependent variable was assessed using a single stage-based self-report item, the findings should be interpreted as explaining self-reported regular-exercise status rather than objectively measured MVPA volume, frequency, or intensity. Primary analyses focused on students classified as intenders under the prespecified threshold (n = 1119 of N = 1670) and used hierarchical logistic regression to predict Wave 3 active versus inactive status. Under the primary threshold, 43.23% of participants were successful intenders and 23.77% were unsuccessful intenders, yielding an intention-behavior gap of 35.48% among intenders. Confirmatory factor analyses supported treating action planning and coping planning as distinct constructs. Among intenders, stronger action planning, stronger habit automaticity, and stronger intention strength independently predicted greater odds of meeting the regular-exercise criterion at follow-up. Coping planning did not show unique predictive value once action planning, habit automaticity, and intention strength were considered simultaneously, and no planning × habit interaction was supported. The pattern was robust across three alternative intention thresholds. These findings suggest that, among already motivated university students, successful exercise enactment depends less on coping planning alone than on a combination of commitment, concrete scheduling, and emerging behavioral automaticity. Interventions for student physical activity may therefore benefit from emphasizing detailed action planning and repeated performance in stable contexts. Full article

Background: We examined whether higher access to parks and greenspace is independently associated with an increase in physical activity and lower rates of obesity when neighbourhood walkability is accounted for and whether neighbourhood walkability and park access have synergistic effects on these outcomes. Materials and Methods: We used cross-sectional data from the Canadian Community Health Survey between 2007 and 2014 for adults aged 20 to 74 in Ontario, Canada. Neighbourhood-level park access exposures included size of parks and number of parks within 800 m of residential areas, and neighbourhood walkability was based on a validated index. The main outcomes were physical activity during leisure time (LPA), both leisure and transportation physical activity (LTPA), and obesity. Descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted, stratified by age groups, accounting for sex, income, ethnicity, and season. Results: Among 41,945 respondents, park access was associated with higher LPA and LTPA, with effects modified by neighbourhood walkability (p < 0.001). Physical activity was highest in neighbourhoods with high walkability and park access and lowest in low walkability areas without parks. In highly walkable neighbourhoods, ≥1 small- or medium-sized park was associated with 29% higher odds of LPA (OR: 1.29, 95%CI: 1.21–1.37) and 48% higher odds of LTPA (OR: 1.48, 95%CI: 1.38–1.57) than low walkability/no park access. In contrast, associations were modest in low-walkability neighbourhoods (4–7%). High walkability was also associated with lower obesity and marked reductions when combined with very high access to large parks (OR: 0.72, 95%CI: 0.55–0.94). Findings were consistent across age groups. Conclusions: High neighbourhood walkability was the strongest predictor of physical activity and lower obesity risk, with park access providing additional benefits primarily in already walkable environments. These findings suggest that population health interventions targeting urban design need to consider the combined benefits of neighbourhood walkability and park access on health. Full article

Adolescent gambling is a growing public health concern as opportunities expand across both physical and digital environments. This study examined gender differences in on-site and online gambling among Finnish adolescents and assessed associations with school engagement, family context, peer activities, and co-occurring risk behaviors. Data were obtained from the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD), collected from Finnish adolescents aged 15–16 in 2024 (boys: n = 1706; girls: n = 1588). Associations with past-12-month gambling were analyzed using Rao–Scott’s chi-square tests, F tests, and multinomial logistic regression, examining gender interactions. Gambling was more common among boys than girls: 7% of boys had gambled on-site only, 3% online only, and 11% both during the past 12 months. Among girls, the corresponding proportions were 0–2%. Skipping school, spending leisure time with friends, risky sexual behavior, and problematic substance use were associated with increased odds of both gambling types, whereas parental control was associated with decreased odds. Problematic social media increased the odds of on-site gambling, while problematic gaming decreased the odds. Several associations with online gambling differed by gender. These findings support multi-level prevention targeting family, school, peer, and behavioral risk factors. Full article

Objective: Against the backdrop of high-intensity academic evaluations, this study examines the longitudinal associations linking leisure-time physical activity (PA) with context-specific anxiety symptoms among university faculty. It further examines the cross-lagged indirect role of emotional exhaustion (EE) and the contrasting moderating effects of challenge and hindrance academic stressors. Methods: A three-wave cross-lagged panel design spanning six months was employed to track 356 faculty members from five universities in China. Validated scales were utilized to measure leisure-time PA, challenge/hindrance academic stressors, EE, and context-specific anxiety symptoms across three critical academic periods (T1, T2, and T3). Data were analyzed using Mplus 8.3 for longitudinal measurement invariance, cross-lagged path modeling, and Bootstrap mediation and moderation tests. Results: After controlling for baseline autoregressive effects, T1 leisure-time PA significantly and negatively predicted T2 EE (β = −0.16, p < 0.01), which in turn positively predicted T3 context-specific anxiety symptoms (β = 0.31, p < 0.001). The longitudinal indirect pathway linking T1 PA to T3 context-specific anxiety symptoms through T2 EE was statistically significant (95% CI [−0.088, −0.017]). Furthermore, the two types of stressors exhibited contrasting moderating effects on the PA-EE relationship. High challenge stressors strengthened the negative association between PA and subsequent EE (Simple Slope = −0.32, p < 0.001). Conversely, high hindrance stressors were associated with a reversal of the slope, wherein higher PA involvement was associated with higher subsequent EE (Simple Slope = 0.12, p < 0.05), a pattern consistent with what has been termed an “exercise paradox.” Conclusions: In this three-wave observational study, regular leisure-time PA was longitudinally associated with, but did not demonstrably cause, lower subsequent context-specific anxiety symptoms among university faculty, with this association potentially operating through reduced emotional exhaustion. The strength of this association was contingent on the type of academic stress: challenge stressors appeared to strengthen the negative association between leisure-time PA and subsequent EE, whereas high-intensity hindrance stressors were associated with a reversal of the predictive pattern. These findings, given the observational design, are best interpreted as longitudinal predictive patterns rather than causal effects. They suggest that interventions targeting faculty well-being may benefit from combining administrative burden reduction with individual recovery support, though direct experimental verification is needed. Full article

Background/Objectives: Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) impose a substantial socioeconomic burden on health systems through direct costs and indirect costs from productivity loss due to health-related absenteeism. While lifestyle factors are crucial for NCD prevention, evidence regarding their association with absenteeism in middle-income countries, such as Brazil, remains limited. In this context, the present study aims to analyze factors associated with the odds, duration, and costs of health-related absenteeism in São Paulo City, Brazil. Methods: Quantitative analysis was performed using microdata from the São Paulo Health Survey 2003, 2008, and 2015 (ISA-Capital). Logistic and negative binomial regression models identified factors associated with the odds and duration of health-related absenteeism. The human capital approach was used to estimate indirect costs (Int$ PPP), while two-part regression models (logit and generalized linear model) and average marginal effects (ME) identified cost-associated factors. Results: Tobacco use and NCD diagnoses (hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases) significantly increased the odds and duration of absenteeism. Conversely, meeting recommended leisure-time physical activity levels was associated with lower indirect costs (ME = −33.94, p < 0.05). Higher costs were significantly driven by tobacco use (ME = 48.68, p < 0.01) and NCD, namely cardiovascular diseases (ME = 62.73), diabetes (ME = 55.18), hypertension (ME = 52.13), and obesity (ME = 36.45), all with p < 0.05. Conclusions: Promoting leisure-time physical activity and tobacco cessation may be important strategies for public health policies aiming to enhance productivity by reducing the frequency, duration, and economic burden of health-related absenteeism, complementing the necessary diagnosis and monitoring of NCD. Full article

Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) is associated with positive self-rated health (SRH); however, evidence regarding different practice patterns and potential racial differences among university students remains limited. The objective of this study was to estimate the association between LTPA patterns and positive SRH among university students who entered higher education in 2025 at a public university in Brazil. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 1143 first-year undergraduates. Positive SRH (defined as reporting “good” or “very good” health) was used as the outcome. LTPA (walking and activities of moderate and vigorous intensity) was classified as inactive, insufficiently active, weekend warrior, or regularly active based on the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on physical activity. The analyses were stratified by self-reported race/skin color (White students vs. students from other racial/ethnic groups). Prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated using Poisson regression. The prevalence of positive SRH was 44.6% among White students and 41.1% among other racial/ethnic group students. Among White students, positive SRH was associated with walking performed at weekend warrior (PR = 2.08; 95% CI: 1.33–3.24) and regular levels (PR = 1.51; 95% CI: 1.06–2.14), as well as with vigorous-intensity activity in a weekend warrior pattern. Among other racial/ethnic group students, positive SRH was associated with regular walking (PR = 1.34; 95% CI:1.05–1.71) and with vigorous-intensity activity at both insufficient and regular levels. LTPA was positively associated with SRH, with variations according to intensity, practice patterns, and race/skin color, indicating that benefits are not homogeneous across groups. Full article

Entering higher education brings about changes in students’ daily lives, which tend to reduce their participation in leisure-time physical activities. This situation requires university administrators to incorporate such activities into governance and planning mechanisms, such as the Institutional Development Plan, which is understood as a symbolic commitment (i.e., a rhetorical agenda). This study aimed to analyze the attention given to leisure-time physical activities in the Institutional Development Plan at a Brazilian higher education institution. It is a qualitative, exploratory, and documentary study based on a thematic analysis of the Institutional Development Plan of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (2025–2030). The results indicate that leisure-time physical activities are present in the document, primarily in the form of services intended for students. Most mentions are linked to the strategic axis “Policy for artistic, cultural, and sports development,” with a predominance of actions focused on participation-oriented sports as an end in themselves and, to a lesser extent, on health promotion. It is concluded that leisure-time physical activities are part of the institutional rhetorical agenda, which may favor their implementation as a decision-making agenda throughout the term of the Institutional Development Plan. Full article

Introduction: Motor reserve (MR) has been hypothesized as a protective factor against age-related and pathological motor decline, potentially enhancing quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the influence of MR on motor performance, assessed via mobile health technology (MHT), in drug-naïve Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. Methods: Consecutive drug-naïve PD patients and age-matched healthy controls (HC) underwent cognitive and motor assessments. Turning MHT parameters were extracted from the Timed Up and Go test (TUG) performed at self-selected and fast speeds. Participants were categorized into high- or low-MR groups based on the Motor Reserve Index questionnaire (MRIq). Results: Forty-five PD patients and forty healthy controls (HC) were enrolled. PD patients showed longer TUG durations and altered performance compared to HC. No differences were found between high and low motor reserve (MR) groups in demographics or clinical severity. However, high-MR patients exhibited shorter turn duration and higher angular velocities at both self-selected (p < 0.005) and fast speeds (p < 0.05). MR subdomains related to physical and care activities correlated with MHT turning metrics, unlike housework and leisure domains. Conclusions: the findings highlighted the relevance of MR on motor performances assessed by MHT in drug naïve PD, independently from motor severity. Full article

Background/Objectives: To evaluate construct (convergent and divergent) validity and conduct confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD) Wellness Assessment (NWA) tool. Methods: A cross-sectional survey validation study utilizing secondary data. We assessed Spearman correlations between NWA and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), NWA and Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ) and NWA and Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) scores to determine construct validity. A CFA was conducted to test the appropriateness of a three-factor model for NWA. Results: Data from 149 participants were used to assess construct validity and from 180 participants for CFA. Both correlations between NWA mental wellness domain and SF-36 mental component scores and between NWA emotional/spiritual wellness domain and SF-36 emotional well-being scores were 0.61 (p < 0.001 for both). The correlation between NWA physical wellness domain and SF-36 physical component score was −0.06 (p = 0.45). The correlations of NWA with GLTEQ overall and with health contribution scores were 0.26 and 0.30, respectively (p < 0.001 for both). The correlations of all NWA domain and MFIS subscale scores ranged between −0.42 and −0.25 (p < 0.05). The CFA model’s comparative fit index was 0.90. Conclusions: The NWA physical wellness domain did not demonstrate strong convergent validity, as mental and emotional/spiritual wellness domains did. All domains showed strong divergent validity, and CFA showed evidence supporting a three-factor model. Future efforts will emphasize refining and reevaluating the physical wellness domain until it achieves strong psychometric properties. Full article

Background: Favorable attitudes toward regular leisure-time physical activity may not always translate into intention if adolescents feel ambivalent about the behavior. This study tested whether felt ambivalence weakens the prospective attitude–intention association and the indirect effect of attitude on later behavior through intention. Methods: Chinese adolescents (N = 1714; Grades 7–12; mean age = 15.0 years) completed a three-wave survey at approximately two-week intervals. Wave 1 assessed attitudes toward regular leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, felt ambivalence, and physical activity habit; Wave 2 assessed intention; and Wave 3 assessed leisure-time physical activity. Moderated mediation was tested in a structural equation model adjusting for habit, gender, and grade. Results: More favorable baseline attitudes predicted stronger intention two weeks later, and intention predicted greater self-reported leisure-time physical activity at follow-up. Felt ambivalence significantly moderated the attitude–intention pathway such that the association was weaker at higher levels of ambivalence. The conditional indirect effect of attitude on later leisure-time physical activity through intention was significant at low, mean, and high ambivalence, but decreased as ambivalence increased. Conclusions: Favorable attitudes may be insufficient when adolescents remain conflicted about physical activity. The present study provides prospective support for a theoretically relevant moderation pattern in which felt ambivalence weakens the attitude–intention pathway, but it does not establish ambivalence as a key explanatory mechanism. Full article

Background/Objectives: In an effort to clarify the mechanisms underlying the relationship between physical activity (PA) and mental well-being, emerging evidence points to a potentially important role of beliefs about PA’s impact on mental health. Nevertheless, research in this area remains scarce. This cross-sectional study examined whether belief in the mental health benefits of PA mediates the relationship between PA level and mental well-being among university students. Methods: A total of 339 university students, aged 18–28, completed the Godin–Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, and a newly developed Belief in the Mental Health Benefits of Physical Activity Scale. Results: Structural equation modelling indicated a non-significant direct effect of PA level on mental well-being. However, a significant indirect effect was observed, with higher PA level being associated with stronger belief in the mental health benefits of one’s own PA, which in turn was related to better mental well-being. Conclusions: The findings suggest that PA level is indirectly associated with mental well-being through belief in the mental health benefits of PA among university students. These findings highlight the potential importance of PA-related beliefs in mental health promotion and point to indirect psychological pathways that may link PA and mental well-being, warranting further longitudinal examination. Full article

With the continuous development of the construction industry, work pressure faced by construction workers has been increasing, leading to a growing prominence of job burnout that adversely affects workers’ physical and mental health as well as work efficiency. Constantly exposed to high-pressure environments, construction workers are prone to symptoms such as emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and diminished personal accomplishment, which in turn impair their work performance and quality of life. However, existing literature has largely overlooked the potential role of leisure activities such as music in alleviating job burnout. Although music is widely recognized as an effective tool for emotional regulation, its application and impact among construction workers remain underexplored. Based on a sample of 1086 construction workers (71.09% male, 48.99% aged 36–45), this study examines four dimensions of music engagement, including Time Commitment (TC), Economic Spending (ES), Emotional Investment (EI), and Personal Participation (PP), and investigates how these dimensions, through the mediating role of leisure crafting (LC), negatively influence job burnout (JB) among this population. This study employed covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) with a sample of 1086 construction workers (71.09% male, 48.99% aged 36–45) to examine how four dimensions of music engagement, namely Time Commitment (TC), Economic Spending (ES), Emotional Investment (EI), and Personal Participation (PP), influence job burnout through leisure crafting. The results show that: (1) time commitment, economic spending, emotional investment and personal participation all have a negative influence on job burnout; and (2) leisure crafting mediates the effect of music engagement by construction workers on job burnout. This study emphasizes the necessity of incorporating mental health interventions into high-pressure work environments, providing guidance for companies to develop more flexible and effective employee care and welfare policies. This research therefore holds significant theoretical and practical value, as it promotes sustainable development in the construction industry, improves workers’ well-being and enhances the design of related work environments. Full article

Background: Overweight and obesity are emerging public health concerns among young adults. However, evidence on associated sociodemographic, dietary, and lifestyle factors among young industrial workers in low- and middle-income countries remains limited. This study aimed to identify factors associated with overweight and obesity among Vietnamese young industrial workers aged 18–30 years. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 2295 young industrial workers (55.6% men and 44.4% women) recruited from factories and industrial zones in three geographic regions of Vietnam. Sociodemographic characteristics, dietary habits, lifestyle behaviors, and physical activity were assessed using a structured questionnaire. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from self-reported height and weight and classified using WHO Western Pacific Region (WPRO) cut-offs; overweight/obesity was defined as BMI ≥ 23.0 kg/m². Physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire—Long Form (IPAQ-LF) and categorized by total MET-min/week according to IPAQ scoring guidelines. Logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Overall, 10.4% of participants were overweight (BMI 23.0–24.9 kg/m²) and 7.0% were obese (BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m²), yielding a combined prevalence of 17.4%. After multivariable adjustment, increasing age (aOR = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.10–1.20), male sex (aOR = 2.10; 95% CI: 1.59–2.76), and regular alcohol consumption (aOR = 1.37; 95% CI: 1.04–1.81) were independently associated with higher odds of overweight/obesity, while residence in the Southern region was inversely associated (aOR = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.42–0.76). High total physical activity (vs. low activity) was positively associated with overweight/obesity, whereas moderate physical activity was not independently associated. Other dietary behaviors were not significantly associated after adjustment. Conclusions: Among Vietnamese young industrial workers, overweight and obesity were associated with age, sex, alcohol consumption, and geographic region. The observed association with high total physical activity likely reflects the occupational context of physical activity in this population, highlighting the importance of distinguishing between occupational and leisure time physical activity when interpreting physical activity obesity relationships. These findings underscore the relevance of early, workplace relevant prevention strategies targeting modifiable behaviors, particularly alcohol use. Full article

Background: Video gaming is a highly prevalent leisure activity globally, with complex associations across multiple health domains. Methods: This narrative review critically appraised the existing literature identified through targeted searches of PubMed and Google Scholar to synthesise evidence on associations between video gaming and psychosocial stress, physical activity, sleep quality, eating behaviour, and diet quality. Theoretical, biological, and psychosocial mechanisms underlying these relationships were examined, and methodological limitations and research gaps were identified. Results: The relationships between video gaming and health outcomes appear bidirectional and context dependent. While video gaming may provide short-term stress relief and social connection, frequent or prolonged gaming may be associated with sedentary behaviour, physical inactivity, impaired sleep quality, disrupted eating patterns, and poorer diet quality. These associations may vary by age, sex, gaming duration, timing, content, and motivational drivers. Gaming-related cognitive absorption and physiological arousal may influence appetite regulation, sleep onset, and stress responses, while temporal displacement and environmental factors, such as food availability and marketing exposure, also contribute. Conclusions: An integrated biopsychosocial framework is proposed to describe the interconnected pathways through which video gaming may influence health, incorporating biological arousal, psychological immersion, and social and environmental contexts. Significant gaps remain, including the scarcity of longitudinal studies, limited consideration of moderating factors, and inconsistent measurement of gaming behaviours. Addressing these gaps is essential for refining public health surveillance and supporting the development of evidence-based strategies that promote healthy gaming behaviours while preserving potential psychosocial benefits. Full article

People in midlife interact with several different environments during their daily life including employment, leisure, commuting, and various family responsibilities, a concept defined as activity space. However, little is known about how these activity spaces contribute to individuals’ daily health behavior choices. The Everyday Environments and Experiences (E3) study was conducted to explore these relationships. In this paper, we provide a reproducible GPS processing workflow to generate time-weighted exposure measures (activity spaces) inferred from 21 days of continuous GPS monitoring among 340 midlife adults in Cook County, Illinois (n = 340) from the E3 study. Data from waist-mounted GPS devices that recorded one-minute location epochs were aggregated after excluding time spent within an 800 m buffer around the home. For each epoch, we derived proximity and kernel density measures for eleven food and physical-activity-related location types (e.g., supermarkets, fitness facilities), along with twenty-six environmental context variables (e.g., land use, crime, population density). Time-weighted averages characterized each participant’s typical non-home environmental exposure. After adjustment for environmental context, age and gender were generally unrelated to activity-space measures. However, Black and Hispanic participants (as compared to White participants) spent less time near both food and physical-activity resources, suggesting systemic inequities in access beyond neighborhood composition. These findings highlight the need to move beyond static residential measures toward time-weighted, dynamic assessments of environmental exposure. They also indicate that racial and ethnic disparities in routine activity space may reflect structural inequities shaping daily physical activity and access to healthy food. Future research is needed to explore how these observed disparities translate into differences into disease risk, using longer exposure periods and different geographic settings to identify causal pathways and inform multi-level interventions. Full article