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The aims of this study were to examine cross-sectional, and longitudinal association of different measures of obesity and physical fitness with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in adolescents with Down syndrome. Longitudinal analysis included 90 adolescents with Down syndrome. Obesity and physical fitness were measured following the ALPHA battery. Blood pressure and blood samplings (glucose, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and serum lipid triglycerides levels (mg/dl) were determinated. In cross-sectional analyses, obesity was positively associated with single CVD risk factors and CVD risk factor index (all p <.05). In the prospective analyses, obesity was not associated with single CVD risk factors, but components of physical fitness at baseline impact in some single CVD risk factors (all p <.05). Obesity might be more strongly related to current cardiovascular-health, while components of physical fitness might be more related to future cardiovascular-health in adolescents with Down syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the longitudinal relationships between objectively measured total volume and specific intensities of physical activity (PA) with academic performance in a large sample of youth aged 6‐18 years. A longitudinal study of 1046 youth (10.04 ± 3.10 years) from Spain was followed over 2 years. PA (volume and intensity) was measured by accelerometry. Academic performance was assessed through grades reported on the transcript at the end of the academic year (Mathematics, Language, an average of these two core subjects, and grade point average [GPA]). Longitudinal relationships between PA and four indicators of academic performance were examined using covariance and regression analyses, adjusted for a variety of confounders. Youth Quartile 2 for PA volume at baseline obtained better scores than those who participated in Quartiles 1 or 4 volumes of PA in GPA 2 years later (p = 0.006). There were generally no longitudinal associations between specific PA intensities and any of the academic performance indicators (all p > 0.170). However, a change in light PA over 2 years was inversely associated with three academic indicators in youth (βrange, ‐.103 to ‐ 090; all P < 040). Findings suggest that participants in Quartile 2 volume of PA had a better GPA in comparison with Quartiles 1 and 4 volumes of PA during youth, but there was no association with changes in PA volume over time. PA intensity was generally unrelated to academic performance during youth. However, there was an inverted u‐shape relationship between light PA changes and GPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the bidirectional longitudinal associations of several markers of fatness and physical fitness in adolescents with Down syndrome. Methods: This study comprised a total of 111 adolescents (41 females), aged from 11 to 20 years with complete data at the baseline. We had a drop‐out of <10% from the baseline to the 2‐year follow‐up. The ALPHA health‐related fitness test battery for youth was used. Results: Our results show that all fatness variables at the baseline were associated with a 2‐year change in cardiorespiratory fitness (β ranging from −0.32 to −0.38; all p <.05), but not with muscular and motor fitness (p >.05). However, no associations were found between physical fitness components as predictors and fatness indicators (p >.05). Conclusions: Results suggest that reducing fatness during adolescence might represent a modifiable factor to improve cardiorespiratory fitness at the 2‐year follow‐up, but not vice versa since associations were not bidirectional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aims of the present study were to analyze the associations between the socio-demographic and familiar circumstances with: (i) the total leisure-time sedentary behavior (SB) assessed by accelerometry, and (ii) the domain-specific leisure-time SB (i.e., screen-based, educational-based, social-based, and other-based SB), in a sample of Spanish youth. Method: The sample consisted of 1,543 youth (12.02 ± 2.51 years) included in the UP&DOWN study. SB was evaluated by accelerometry and questionnaire. Nationality, location of school, type of school, socio-economic status, parental educational level, parental occupation status, family structure, number of siblings and position among siblings were self-reported by participants or their parents. Linear mixed models, including school and city as random effects, were performed. Results: Several associations were found; however, socio-demographic and family circumstances differently associated with SB according to the domain-specific SB, the sex and the type of day. For example, participants with a father holding a high-skilled occupation spent lower time in screen-based SB during weekdays; and mother occupation status of high qualification was related to higher educational-based SB in boys. Having three or more sibling was associated with lower total SB in boys, while having an obese mother was related to higher screen-based SB on weekends both in boys and girls. Conclusions: Socio-demographic and familiar circumstances are associated with SB in young people, so future interventions should consider multiple and sex-specific factors for reduce SB of young people, focusing especially on youth with a low number of siblings and with parents holding low-skilled employments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although clinical gait speed may indicate health and well-being in older adults, there is a lack of studies comparing clinical tests with ambulatory gait speed with regard to several health outcomes. Objective The objective of this study was to examine the associations of clinical gait speed, measured by the 2.44-m walk test and the ambulatory gait speed with several physical, mental, and cognitive health outcomes in older adults. Design A cross-sectional design was used. Methods The study population comprised 432 high-functioning, community-dwelling older adults (287 women) aged between 65 and 92 years. Clinical and ambulatory gait speeds were measured using the 2.44-m walk test and a portable gait analysis device, respectively. Multiple linear regressions were used to examine the association of clinical and ambulatory gait speeds with several health outcomes (body mass index, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, chronic conditions, self-rated health, exhaustion, upper- and lower-body strength, physical and mental health status, cognitive status, and self-rated cognitive status). Results The results showed that the average gait speed for clinical and ambulatory measures cannot be directly compared. Clinical gait speed was associated with 7 health outcomes, and the ambulatory gait speed was associated with 6 health outcomes. The significant associations between measures of gait speed and the health outcomes converged in 5 of the 13 health outcomes studied; however, the strength of associations was singly different between measures. Limitations The short monitoring time, the inability to distinguish between the ambulatory gait speed inside the home and outdoor gait speed, and the under-representative sample are limitations of the study. Conclusion The results indicated differences in the number and strength of associations between clinical and ambulatory gait speed. Both measures have construct validity because they have been associated with physical and health outcomes; however, they may have different predictive validity. Further research should be conducted to compare their predictive validity in longitudinal designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The purposes of this research were to study the convergent validity of the Mode and Frequency of Commuting To and From School Questionnaire using objectively assessed steps and time spent in different physical activity intensities and to compare the self-reported versus objective journey time in Spanish youths. Methods: Three hundred and eighty-nine Spanish youth aged 7–19 years were asked to complete the questionnaire and wore an accelerometer for five days. The objective commuting distance and time from home to school were estimated using Google MapsTM. Results: There were significant differences between passive and walking participants on step numbers, sedentary time and physical activity levels (except for vigorous physical activity in children). For children, a mean difference of −4.03 minutes between objective measured and self-reported journey time was found (95% limits of agreement were 13.55 and −21.60 minutes). For adolescents, the mean difference was −1.39 minutes (95% limits of agreement were 15.23 and −18.02 minutes). Conclusions: The findings indicated that the Mode of Commuting To and From School Questionnaire showed a convergent validity to assess this behaviour in Spanish youths. Self-reported journey time for walking is comparable to Google MapsTM in adolescents but not in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of the present study were to assess the association of environmental perception with objective and self-reported physical activity (PA) and the relation between environmental perception and meeting PA recommendations on children and adolescents. A sample of 1520 youth (770 boys) aged 8-18 years (12.1 ±2.5 years) from the UP&DOWN study were included in the data analyses. Environmental perception was assessed with the short adapted version of the ALPHA environmental questionnaire. PA was objectively (accelerometers) and self-reported measured (PA Questionnaire for Children, Patient-centered Assessment and Counseling for Exercise Questionnaire and Finnish PA Index). Linear regression models were used to assess the association of environmental perception with PA. Bivariate logistic regression models were used to assess differences between environmental perception and meeting PA recommendations. Environmental perception was positively associated with both objective and self-reported PA. Some differences were found in the association of environmental perception and PA between sex- and age-specific groups. Youth who perceived a more favourable environment were more likely to meet PA recommendations (at least 60 min . day-1 of moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA)). Results suggest that environmental perceptions of children and adolescents may play an important role in achieving higher levels of PA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to identify potential correlates of sedentary time and television (TV) viewing time in youth with Down syndrome (DS). A total of 98 adolescents with DS (63 males) aged 11–20 years old participated in this study. Total sedentary time was measured using accelerometers, while total TV viewing time and potential correlates were measured using proxy-report questionnaire. Analyses of covariance and a stepwise multiple linear regression were performed to examine correlates of total sedentary time and total TV viewing time. Different potential correlates were associated with total sedentary time (mother age, mother TV viewing time, perceived benefits of physical activity, birth order and having nearby shops in the neighbourhood) and total TV viewing time (father TV viewing time, TV viewing time with parents, family dietary habits during watching TV and weekend days time indoor). The identification of correlates associated with sedentary behaviour, principally those considered modifiable such as social and environmental factors, may contribute to development strategies to decrease sedentary behaviour in adolescents with DS and consequently promote a healthier lifestyle. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Backgrounds Unhealthy body composition is a cause for concern across the lifespan. Objective The objective of this study was to examine the independent and combined associations between neonatal and current body composition with academic performance among youth. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted with a total of 1557 youth (745 girls) aged 10.4 ± 3.4 years. Birth weight and length at birth were self-reported. Current body composition was assessed by body mass index ( BMI), waist circumference ( WC) and percentage of body fat ( BF%). Academic performance was assessed through schools records. Results Birth weight was related to all academic variables in boys, independent of potential confounders, including BMI; whereas WC, BMI and BF% were related to all academic performance indicators in both boys and girls, independent of potential confounders, including birth weight (all P < 0.05). In addition, the combined adverse effects of low birth weight and current overweight on academic performance were observed in both boys and girls for grade point average ( GPA) indicator. Boys in the group with none adverse effect had significantly higher scores in GPA (score +0.535; 95% confidence interval, 0.082-0.989) than boys in the group of both adverse effects ( P < 0.007); among girls, GPA score was higher in the group with none adverse effect than in the groups with one or two adverse effects ( P for trend = 0.029). Conclusions Neonatal and current body composition, both independently and combined, may influence academic performance in youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed at analyzing the associations between latent transitions based on sedentary time and physical activity levels and changes in Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), positive affect, and negative affect over two years in children and adolescents. Longitudinal design. Participants were 1099 children and adolescents (544 girls) aged 8–18 years old (11.72 ± 2.39 years). Sedentary and physical activity levels were assessed by accelerometry. Well-being was approached through self-reported HRQoL, positive affect, and negative affect. Latent profile and latent transition analysis were developed at baseline and 2-year follow-up. Furthermore, we analyzed the cross-sectional relationship between lifestyle profiles and well-being, as well as the associations between profiles transitions and changes in well-being indicators. Four profiles were identified at both time-points, respectively: highly sedentary (7.7% and 8.3%), sedentary (34.4% and 35.9%), active (46.3% and 44.3%), and highly active (11.6% and 11.5%). Participants belonging to the highly active profiles showed better HRQL (p < 0.05 at both timepoints) than sedentary participants, and better positive affect (p < 0.05 at follow-up) than those in sedentary and active profiles. Lifestyle profiles were unstable to moderate stable, where sedentary and active profiles were the most stable patter (63.7% and 61.9%, respectively), and highly sedentary and highly active were the least (34.1% and 38.3%, respectively). Changing from an active to a sedentary profile was associated with a significantly greater decrease on the positive affect than keeping on active or changed from a sedentary to an active profile, whereas changing to an active profile attenuated the decrease in HRQoL. This study identified lifestyle profiles transitions among young population, and demonstrates the importance of these behaviors patterns on well-being indicators. These findings suggest the development of practical interventions aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles (i.e., increasing PA and reducing ST) in those youth with sedentary profiles, which will cause an increase on feelings of well-being. • Four profiles were found (highly sedentary, sedentary, active, and highly active). • Active profiles were associated with better HRQoL and positive affect. • Lifestyle profiles were unstable to moderate stable, ranging from 34.1% to 63.7%. • Changing to a sedentary profile caused a greater decrease on positive affect. • Changing to an active profile attenuated the decrease in HRQoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]