(Press-News.org) Previously identified associations between TV viewing and a less healthful diet may stem from exposure to advertisements of high calorie foods and 'distracted eating' rather than the activity of sitting itself, although sitting time remains an independent risk factor requiring public health focus. These findings are according to a new study by American Cancer Society investigators conducted in collaboration with the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition and the University of Texas School of Public Health. For their study, published in Preventive Medicine, researchers examined sedentary time based on data using an objective measure (accelerometers), and found that sedentary time was not linked to poorer diets among US adults.
Despite the health benefits associated with increasing physical activity, reducing sedentary time, and consuming a healthy diet, most Americans do not adhere to these behaviors. Previous research has found an inter-relationship among multiple health behaviors, such as physical activity, diet, smoking, and alcohol intake. For example, one study found that approximately 20% of a studied population had at least three lifestyle risk factors (e.g. smoking, physical inactivity), while other research has found that only 3% of US adults adhered to all the healthy lifestyle behaviors they examined: not smoking, having a healthy weight, eating sufficient fruits and vegetables, and meeting physical activity guidelines.
The relationship between sedentary behavior and dietary quality among adults has not been well-studied. Sedentary behavior is a relatively recent focus of scientific exploration, with accumulating evidence indicating that excessive time spent TV viewing, commuting in a motorized vehicle, or sitting at home or on the job is linked to adverse health outcomes, including an increased risk for obesity, certain cancers, and premature death, even while considering the protective effects of physical activity.
Previous studies have mostly relied on self-reported screen time or TV viewing, which are not representative of overall sedentary behavior. For their new study, investigators relied on data that used accelerometers, an objective measure of time spent in sedentary behavior to more accurately determine the exposure.
While every minute of additional moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity was related to a higher "Healthy Eating Index" (HEI) score, eating more fruits, and consuming fewer empty calories, more minutes per day spent in sedentary time was not significantly associated with overall dietary quality (HEI) and fruit and vegetables intake; however, more sedentary time was significantly associated with a lower intake of empty calories.
The researchers say their results, relying on accelerometer data to objectively measured sedentary time in relation to dietary quality are unique and have rarely been explored. They caution that although accelerometers are an objective measure of activity, they do not capture all forms of physical activity (e.g. cycling, swimming), and are not able to discern the specific type sedentary behavior performed. Furthermore, monitors were worn for only 4 to 7 days, so might not be representative of longer-term habitual activity levels.
Nonetheless, the authors say reducing and breaking up sedentary time might need to be targeted independently of encouraging adherence to dietary guidelines when designing and implementing programs aimed at chronic disease prevention.
INFORMATION:
Authors on the study include: Drs. Kerem Shuval, Binh T. Nguyen and Jeffrey Drope (American Cancer Society), as well as Drs. Amy L Yaroch (Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition) and Kelley Pettee Gabriel (University of Texas).
Article: Accelerometer determined sedentary behavior and dietary quality among US adults. Prev Med. 2015 Jul 2. pii: S0091-7435(15)00215-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2015.06.010.
The following press release and accompanying images can be found at: http://news.agu.org/press-release/suns-activity-controls-greenland-temperatures/
Sun's activity controls Greenland temperatures
AGU Contact:
Leigh Cooper
+1 (202) 777-7324
lcooper@agu.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The sun's activity could be affecting a key ocean circulation mechanism that plays an important role in regulating Greenland's climate, according to a new study. The phenomenon could be partially responsible for cool temperatures the island experienced in the late 20th century and potentially ...
WASHINGTON -- A new multispectral microscope, one capable of processing nearly 17 billion pixels representing 13 individual color channels in a single image, has been successfully demonstrated by a team of researchers from the United States and Australia. This is the largest such microscopic image ever created. This level of multicolor detail is essential for studying the impact of experimental drugs on biological samples and is an important advancement over traditional microscope designs, which have fallen short when it comes to imaging large, spectrally diverse samples. ...
(Boston)--Having high blood pressure in your 50's may impact your ability to keep track or plan ahead in your 80's.
This study reports a connection between high blood pressure at a younger age can affect cognition many years later. It currently appears in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
Life expectancy is on the rise and people the age of 80 are the fastest growing demographic in the world. Several studies have demonstrated that high cardiovascular risk at midlife, particularly hypertension, is linked to subsequent increased risk of dementia. However, there is ...
A newly identified species of feathered dinosaur is the largest ever discovered to have a well-preserved set of bird-like wings, research suggests.
Palaeontologists working in China unearthed the fossil remains of the winged dinosaur - a close cousin of Velociraptor, which was made famous by the Jurassic Park films.
Researchers say its wings - which are very short compared with other dinosaurs in the same family - consisted of multiple layers of large feathers. They found that the species' feathers were complex structures made up of fine branches stemming from a central ...
July 16, 2015, Shenzhen, China--The CONVERGE Consortium identifies two robust genetic variants for major depressive disorder (MDD). The findings, published online today in Nature, help enhance our understandings of the genetic basis of MDD.
The CONVERGE Consortium is comprised of international research organizations, including BGI, University of Oxford, Virginia Commonwealth University, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, etc.
Major depressive disorder, one of the most frequently encountered forms of mental illness and a leading cause ...
Scientists at VIB and KU Leuven have discovered that the protein APP plays a significant role in the development of fragile X syndrome (FXS) at young stages. They identified an unexpected biological pathway as a promising target to ameliorate deficits associated with FXS and autism. The results have recently been published in Neuron, one of the most influential journals in the field of neuroscience.
FXS is the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability worldwide, and the most frequent cause of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The syndrome is a consequence ...
uman-induced carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to the atmosphere are projected to rise to up to 30 gigatonnes of carbon per year by 2100, assuming a "business-as-usual" scenario. As a result, global mean temperatures are projected to increase by almost five degrees Celsius. According to a team of scientists from the Climate Change Research Centre at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia, the Australian Research Council's Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science and GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, these changes might have the power to shift ...
To achieve public support for a transformation to a low carbon society, politicians would be advised to implement a quantity-based energy quota system, with a fixed and decreasing cap on total use, rather than relying on carbon pricing and taxation mechanisms, according to a new study.
In a wide-ranging paper published in the Carbon Management journal, researchers from the Fleming Policy Centre - including Dr Victoria Hurth from Plymouth University - set out the potential of a policy framework termed Tradable Energy Quotas (TEQs) for meeting the ambitious carbon emissions ...
The research carried out at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) in collaboration with scientists at the University of Otago in New Zealand, tested the effects of lithium chloride on cartilage and found that it slowed the degradation associated with osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis results in degradation of cartilage in joints leading to pain and immobility. It currently affects a third of over 45s in the UK and there are currently no treatments that can prevent it.
The study used bovine cartilage samples exposed to inflammatory molecules to mimic the effects of arthritis ...
Rudeness in the workplace isn't just unpleasant: it's also contagious.
Encountering rude behavior at work makes people more likely to perceive rudeness in later interactions, a University of Florida study shows. That perception makes them more likely to be impolite in return, spreading rudeness like a virus.
"When you experience rudeness, it makes rudeness more noticeable," said lead author Trevor Foulk, a doctoral student in management at UF's Warrington College of Business Administration. "You'll see more rudeness even if it's not there."
The findings, published ...
