Journal of physical activity & health最新文献

{"title":"Reclaiming Public Parks and Public Health: Community-Led Safe Passages and Physical Activity in South Los Angeles, California.","authors":"Jason A Douglas, Shutong Huo, Juan Carlos Ruiz Malagon, Valeria Delgado, Melissa Ramos, Ben Taco Owens, Kevin Twin Orange","doi":"10.1123/jpah.2026-0178","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2026-0178","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Safe passage interventions aim to enhance public safety and improve access to community resources, including public parks, in underserved communities. However, no studies have directly compared community- and police-led safety interventions with respect to park-based moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). To address this gap, we compared associations between Community-led Safe Passage Services (SPS) and the Los Angeles Police Department Community Safety Partnership (CSP) program with MVPA in South Los Angeles public parks.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted structured observations of 3997 park users across 8 SPS and 9 CSP parks in South Los Angeles using the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities and the Physical Activity Resource Assessment. We applied t tests, analysis of variance, and hierarchical linear models to examine MVPA across park intervention types.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, MVPA was higher in SPS parks (P < .001). Black, male, teen, and adult park users exhibited significantly higher MVPA in SPS parks (P < .001). A hierarchical linear model controlling for sex, age, race, and park conditions indicated that Black park users were significantly less physically active in CSP parks (P = .05). Conversely, Black park users had significantly higher MVPA in SPS parks (P = .034). Intervention type was a stronger predictor of MVPA than park features and amenities, whereas incivilities were negatively associated with MVPA (P < .001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Community-led safety interventions may promote physical activity among Black park users. These findings suggest that community-led public park safety models are a promising approach for advancing health equity.</p>","PeriodicalId":16812,"journal":{"name":"Journal of physical activity & health","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148794738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recruiting Older Adults Into a Community-Based Research Study in Northern Ireland: Strategies, Rates, and Timescales.","authors":"Conor Cunningham, Michael Adams, Maeve O'Doherty, Heather Spence, Ruth D Neill, Malcolm Brown, Chris Callaghan, Ellen Elizabeth A Simpson, Margaret E Cupples, Suzanne M McDonough, Roger O'Sullivan, Wendy Hardeman, Marie H Murphy, Mark A Tully","doi":"10.1123/jpah.2025-0306","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2025-0306","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Recruiting older adults to public health interventions is challenging, and underrepresentation can have important consequences for research outcomes and scalability. This paper reports the process of recruiting participants and the effectiveness of strategies employed in the \"Walk with Me\" study, a physical activity intervention targeting older adults in areas of socioeconomic disadvantage in Northern Ireland.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Thirty-eight community organizations and 10 general practices located in areas of socioeconomic disadvantage were involved in recruiting activity over an 18-month period. Recruitment methods included letters from general practices and the distribution of study information through local community organizations. Demographic information about participants and how they heard about the study were collected as part of baseline data collection for the trial.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 364 participants recruited, information on recruitment source was available from 355 (124 males, 230 females, and 1 who did not identify as either male or female). Of these, 328 (92.4%) self-reported that they were recruited via a letter from their general practitioner, and 27 (7.6%) reported being recruited from other sources. Postintervention focus groups with 30 participants identified their reasons for participating included a perception that their general practitioner had selected them personally, it provided an opportunity for a health check as access to a general practitioner can be difficult, and they were encouraged to participate by family members.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Recruitment to community-based interventions requires partnerships with general practices to ensure successful completion. Findings provide insight into the recruitment of older adults in a community-based physical activity intervention.</p>","PeriodicalId":16812,"journal":{"name":"Journal of physical activity & health","volume":" ","pages":"1-7"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148761111","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring Sedentary Time as a Moderator in the Relationship Between COVID-19 Symptom Burden and Mental Health Outcomes in 4 African Countries.","authors":"Leapetswe Malete, Chelsi Ricketts, Vida Korleki Nyawornota, Emily Hayashi, Reginald Ocansey, Dale Joachim, Rosemary C Muomah, Joyce Ndabi, Dawn Tladi, JohnBosco C Chukwuorji, Clement Adamba, Omphile Hubona, Sampson K Nwonyi, Doris A Tay, Samuel K Donkor, Oscar C Nyanyofio, Aarushi Lokhande, Noel Mann","doi":"10.1123/jpah.2025-0511","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2025-0511","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Physical inactivity and mental distress were prevalent across African populations during COVID-19. However, limited research has explored the role of sedentary time in shaping mental health outcomes during the pandemic. In this study, sedentary time during COVID-19 and its moderating role in the relationship between COVID-19 symptom burden and mental health outcomes were examined in Botswana, Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Cross-sectional data (April 2020 to November 2022) from 3125 adults (male = 52.3%, Mage = 27.05, SD = 8.91) were analyzed. Participants completed self-report measures of COVID-19 symptoms (eg, persistent cough and unusual fatigue), physical activity and sedentary time (International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form), as well as anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7) and depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Median sedentary time per day was lower in Nigeria (median = 120, interquartile range = 150) and Tanzania (median = 120, interquartile range = 180) than in Botswana and Ghana (median = 180, interquartile range = 180). Overall, sedentary time moderated the positive relationship between COVID-19 symptom burden and depressive symptoms (B = 0.60, P = .012), with stronger associations at higher sitting time (simple slope: B = 2.27, P < .001). At the country level, this moderating effect was observed only in Ghana (B = 1.38, P < .001; simple slope: B = 2.40, P < .001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings highlight cross-country variation in sedentary time during the pandemic and suggest that greater sedentary time exacerbated the relationship between COVID-19 symptom burden and depressive symptoms, particularly in Ghana. Context-specific factors and differing pandemic responses may help explain these country-level differences.</p>","PeriodicalId":16812,"journal":{"name":"Journal of physical activity & health","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148760937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How Life-Course Trajectories of Physical Activity Track With Cognitive Decline.","authors":"Francesca R Marino, Huitong Ding, Honghuang Lin, Rhoda Au, Phillip H Hwang","doi":"10.1123/jpah.2026-0133","DOIUrl":"10.1123/jpah.2026-0133","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Physical activity (PA) may help to delay or possibly prevent cognitive decline and dementia. However, few studies have adopted a life-course approach to prospectively examine repeated measures of PA in relation to cognitive decline.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Framingham Heart Study Offspring and Omni 1 participants without prevalent dementia who had ≥3 self-reported PA measures and ≥2 cognitive domain factor score measures were included (n = 2229). Memory, executive function, and language factor scores were previously derived using bifactor confirmatory factor analysis models. Group-based multitrajectory models characterized PA patterns over the adult life-course (ages 17-96 y). Linear mixed-effects models estimated annual changes in cognitive domain factor scores across PA trajectory groups over the same time period.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We identified 4 PA trajectories: (1) stabilizers: decline from early adulthood through midlife and then stable after age 50 (n = 176), (2) decliners: constant decline over adulthood (n = 526), (3) reversers: increase from early adulthood through midlife and then decline after age 70 (n = 1145), and (4) plummeters: slow decline from early adulthood through midlife and then sharp decline after age 75 (n = 382; reference). Compared with the reference group, stabilizers had 0.012 SD/year (95% CI, 0.004-0.02) slower memory decline, 0.012 SD/year (95% CI, 0.005-0.02) slower executive function decline, and 0.015 SD/year (95% CI, 0.007-0.02) slower language decline. Decliners had slower cognitive decline across all domains, and reversers had slower language decline.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our findings suggest that sustaining PA in mid-to-late life and preventing later life declines may help mitigate cognitive decline with aging.</p>","PeriodicalId":16812,"journal":{"name":"Journal of physical activity & health","volume":" ","pages":"1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13621797/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148685198","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bikepool-A School-Based Program to Teach Children How to Bike.","authors":"Johannes Brandl, Christian Schmidt, Florian Trinks, Abdurrahim Aydogan, Hanna Backhausen, Heiko Ziemainz, Karim Abu-Omar","doi":"10.1123/jpah.2026-0125","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2026-0125","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Cycling contributes substantially to public health and sustainable mobility. For children and adolescents, safe participation in active transport depends on the acquisition of age-appropriate cycling competences. Schools offer a unique setting to promote cycling skills with broad and equitable reach. This study evaluates bikepool, a large-scale, school-based cycling program implemented across the German federal state of Hesse.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A mixed-methods evaluation was conducted using a quasi-experimental pre-post design. Cycling competence changes were measured in secondary school students (N = 182) with a standardized skills test developed for this study. Self-reported cycling frequency was assessed via questionnaires in an intervention group (n = 109) and a control group (n = 112). Subgroup analyses examined whether intervention effects differed by initial skill level.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Students' safety-related cycling performance improved significantly following participation in the program across most test components. The largest absolute gains were observed among students with the lowest baseline cycling competence. In contrast, participation in the program was not associated with higher self-reported cycling frequency compared with nonparticipating students.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>As a large-scale, school-based program, bikepool can significantly improve students' cycling competence across several safety-related cycling tasks. However, competence gains alone did not translate into increased cycling frequency, underscoring the need for multicomponent strategies that include supportive social and environmental conditions. Beyond intervention effects, the study points to blind spots in cycling-related physical activity research, particularly the lack of standardized assessments of cycling competence and limited surveillance of children's ability to participate safely in active mobility.</p>","PeriodicalId":16812,"journal":{"name":"Journal of physical activity & health","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148685159","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Moderating Role of Perceived Neighborhood Environment on Physical Activity and BMI Outcomes of a Diet and Physical Activity Intervention Among Latina Breast Cancer Survivors.","authors":"Courtney M Hill, Eileen Rillamas-Sun, Amanda M Marín-Chollom, Kathleene T Ulanday, Pamela A Koch, Isobel R Contento, Ann Ogden Gaffney, Dawn L Hershman, Heather Greenlee","doi":"10.1123/jpah.2025-0934","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2025-0934","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>The neighborhood influences lifestyle interventions for cancer survivors. We evaluated the moderating role of perceived neighborhood environment on physical activity outcomes of a diet and physical activity intervention tailored to urban Latina breast cancer survivors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This secondary data analysis included a subset of Latina breast cancer survivors (n = 86) who participated in ¡Mi Vida Saludable! (n = 167), a randomized trial evaluating eHealth and in-person diet and physical activity interventions. The eHealth component included motivational and informational messaging, and the in-person component included nutrition and physical activity education. We assessed neighborhood aesthetics and walkability perceptions at baseline. Moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and body mass index were assessed at baseline and 6 and 12 months. Generalized estimating equations estimated intervention effects on MVPA and body mass index. Interaction terms tested whether perceived neighborhood aesthetics and walkability moderated intervention effects.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Latinas with lower incomes and less education more commonly reported low perceived neighborhood aesthetics and walkability. Lower perceptions negatively moderated the effects of the eHealth intervention on change in MVPA between baseline and 6 months: 6-month MVPA change from the eHealth intervention was 501 minutes per week lower (95% CI, -837 to -165) comparing low versus high perceived neighborhood aesthetics and 454 minutes per week lower (95% CI, -799 to -109) comparing low versus high perceived neighborhood walkability. Neighborhood perceptions did not moderate effects of the in-person intervention on MVPA or body mass index at any time point.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Among urban Latina breast cancer survivors, poorer neighborhood perceptions were associated with smaller physical activity improvements following an eHealth intervention. Future interventions should account for neighborhood perceptions.</p>","PeriodicalId":16812,"journal":{"name":"Journal of physical activity & health","volume":" ","pages":"1-13"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148685209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intersectionality and Physical Activity Participation in Aotearoa, New Zealand: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Using Active NZ Survey.","authors":"Shelby Carr, Adrian Bauman, Justin Richards","doi":"10.1123/jpah.2026-0252","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2026-0252","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Physical activity participation varies across demographic groups; however, less is known about how intersecting sociodemographic characteristics influence the likelihood of meeting physical activity guidelines in Aotearoa, New Zealand. This study explored the type and number of characteristics most strongly associated with reduced odds of meeting physical activity guidelines in New Zealand.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The Active New Zealand 2023 adult and young people surveys were used. Sociodemographic characteristics included age, gender, ethnicity, deprivation, and disability. Multivariable logistic regression analyses estimated the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association between meeting physical activity guidelines and the number and type of demographic characteristics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 5890 young people, the lowest odds of meeting physical activity guidelines were among participants identifying as Asian (OR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.39-0.59), when holding other characteristics constant. Of 15,836 adults, the lowest odds were among participants with a disability (OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.44-0.58). For both samples, the odds of meeting physical activity guidelines lowered for every increment in the number of characteristics. After stratifying by gender, young males had lower odds of meeting physical activity guidelines across each count of characteristics compared with young females (one characteristic: OR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.36-0.56; 2 characteristics: OR = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.21-0.36; 3 or more characteristics: OR = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.10-0.29).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The findings from this study highlight the need to account for the intersectionality of individuals' sociodemographic characteristics when designing future physical activity programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":16812,"journal":{"name":"Journal of physical activity & health","volume":" ","pages":"1-6"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148685187","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors That Influence Physical Activity in the Southern Region of Saudi Arabia: A Qualitative Study.","authors":"Ali Alzahrani, Anne Grunseit, Nikki Percival, Klaus Gebel","doi":"10.1123/jpah.2025-0413","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2025-0413","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Physical activity (PA) is vital for health. Yet, participation levels in Saudi Arabia remain among the lowest globally. While Saudi Arabia's southern region has a cooler climate and a natural environment more conducive to activity, surprisingly, rates are lower than in the rest of the country. This area presents distinct cultural, social, and environmental challenges that influence how people engage in PA. This study explored how adults in the southern region of Saudi Arabia make sense of their decisions and experiences regarding PA. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 participants from various backgrounds. The interview questions were informed by the social-ecological model, and the data were analyzed inductively to identify themes. Two overarching themes were generated: \"Release with Restrictions,\" which captures the apparently liberating mental and physical aspects of PA, and \"PA as Investment,\" which highlights a strategic approach to decision making regarding engagement in PA. Participants often saw PA as a physical and mental outlet, but their ability to participate was constrained by safety concerns, social norms, and competing demands. Gender-specific barriers were particularly notable, with women facing higher costs, fewer accessible facilities, and stricter cultural expectations. While recent reforms under Saudi Vision 2030 have expanded access to female PE in schools, increased women-only fitness facilities, and improved public spaces for PA, cost-related barriers for women remain a challenge. Environmental issues, such as poor infrastructure and safety risks, further limited PA engagement. Participants also viewed PA as a form of investment in their well-being, driven by both immediate benefits, like stress relief, and longer-term health outcomes. Decisions around PA often reflected a personal cost-benefit analysis, weighing time, money, and opportunity. While recent government initiatives have helped shift norms and improve infrastructure, persistent gender inequities and unequal access highlight the need for inclusive policies and targeted campaigns that promote PA and active transport, especially among women. Systemic change where PA promotion is complemented by addressing gender inequity in access to facilities, greater local investment in safe walking and cycling infrastructure, and monitoring of response to changes in the policy and physical context is needed.</p>","PeriodicalId":16812,"journal":{"name":"Journal of physical activity & health","volume":" ","pages":"1-14"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148669868","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Perspectives of Australian Children and Mothers of South Asian Origin on Children's Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Intervention Strategies.","authors":"Susan Paudel, Cynthia Smith, Jenny Veitch, Ana Maria Contardo Ayala, Susan M Sawyer, Kylie D Hesketh","doi":"10.1123/jpah.2026-0109","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2026-0109","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Australian children of South Asian ethnicity are underrepresented in research on physical activity and sedentary behavior. Understanding the factors that shape these behaviors is essential for developing culturally responsive interventions. This Australian qualitative study explored South Asian children's and mothers' perceptions of these behaviors and their preferences for child-focused intervention programs.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Online interviews were conducted with 10 mother-child dyads (children aged 10-12 y) and 14 additional mothers with children aged 2-12 years. Interviews were conducted in English and lasted between 15 and 60 minutes. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis in NVivo 15.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Children and mothers offered complementary perspectives that provided a nuanced understanding of children's physical activity and sedentary behavior. Key themes related to physical activity included child-related factors (such as interest, perceived benefits), parental role as facilitators and gatekeepers, supportive home environment, role of school and peers, neighborhood environment and opportunities, and cultural norms. Key themes related to sedentary behavior included perceptions about screen use, access to personal digital devices, screen time practices at home, and the role of siblings and peers. Children and mothers preferred an in-person activity-oriented physical activity program, delivered in English by friendly instructors and involving parents, siblings, and school friends. Mothers emphasized tailoring programs by age and providing additional support for girls.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>A range of factors shape South Asian children's physical activity and sedentary behavior. Barriers unique to this group stem from cultural and gender norms that influence parents' (especially mothers') confidence and skills to support children's physical activity.</p>","PeriodicalId":16812,"journal":{"name":"Journal of physical activity & health","volume":" ","pages":"1-12"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148630236","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Parent-Reported 24-Hour Movement Behaviors and Executive Functions for Preschool Children: Evidence From Iraq.","authors":"Abdelrahman Ibrahim, Ali Burhan Hawar, Mohammed Saad Jebur, Mayada H Ahmed, Mohammed Saleh Khaleel Alsamarae","doi":"10.1123/jpah.2026-0141","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2026-0141","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Growing evidence highlights the importance of 24-hour movement behaviors for children's executive functions. However, evidence from Arab countries, particularly Iraq, remains limited.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional sample of 210 preschool children (4-6 y old) was randomly selected from 14 kindergartens in Samarra, Iraq during the 2025-2026 academic year. Daily time spent in light, moderate, and vigorous physical activity; sedentary behavior; recreational screen time; and sleep duration was reported by parents using an Arabic 24-hour time log with acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach α = .77). Executive functions were measured using the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders Revised task. Pearson correlations were used as descriptive indicators, and multiple regression and compositional data analysis using isometric log-ratio balances were applied for inferential interpretation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders Revised scores were positively associated with moderate to vigorous physical activity and sleep duration and negatively associated with sedentary behavior and recreational screen time (all P < .001). Compositional data analysis showed that isometric log-ratio balances representing moderate to vigorous physical activity relative to remaining behaviors, as well as sleep relative to waking behaviors, were significantly associated with higher Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders Revised scores (P < .001). In contrast, the balance between screen time and nonscreen sedentary behavior was not statistically significant.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>A balanced daily routine, characterized by active movement, sufficient sleep, and limited screen time, was associated with better executive function performance in early childhood.</p>","PeriodicalId":16812,"journal":{"name":"Journal of physical activity & health","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148620257","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}