BACKGROUND While community-wide interventions to promote physical activity have been encouraged in older adults, evidence of their effectiveness remains limited. We conducted a qualitative study among older adults participating in regular group exercise to understand their perceptions of the physical, mental, and social changes they underwent as a result of the physical activity. METHODS We c...

Background. Physical inactivity is a powerful risk factor for stroke and other chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to explore physical activity habits and preferences in the month leading up to a first-ever stroke, and to determine whether participants were aware of the link between stroke and physical activity. Methods. We undertook an observational study with 81 participants recently ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Adverse working conditions contribute to obesity and physical inactivity. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations of occupational factors with obesity and leisure-time physical activity among nurses. METHODS This study used cross-sectional data of 394 nurses (mean age 48 years, 91% females, 61% white) randomly selected from the California Board of Re...

Numerous epidemiologic studies report an inverse association between increasing levels of regular physical activity and reductions in major morbidity and mortality. Clinical guidelines emphasize the importance of specific amounts of regular physical activity, yet the majority of US adults do not meet these recommended levels. There are comparatively less data on nonexercise, or lifestyle, physi...

BACKGROUND Although positive effects of physical activity on mental health indicators have been reported, the relationship between physical activity and the development of specific mental disorders is unclear. METHOD A cross-sectional (12-month) and prospective-longitudinal epidemiological study over 4 years in a community cohort of 2548 individuals, aged 14-24 years at outset of the study. P...