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Biomedical subjects

N Owen

Publications and source records attributed to N Owen.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Injury prevention and the promotion of physical activity: what is the nexus?

The promotion of physical activity is a public health priority for Australia. The new "National Physical Activity Guidelines for Australians" include a statement on additional health benefits of vigorous sporting and fitness activities. However, injury associated with sport and physical activity can lead to significant health care costs and consequent disabilities and reduced mobility may result in inactivity, this increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease and other health problems. Consideration of injury prevention principles when promoting physical activity is therefore crucial. There are several areas of research needed in this new field. These include the importance of good quality population monitoring and the use of other data sources to determine the population-wide consequences and health costs of injury sustained during sport and physical activity. The goal is to have evidence based, educational, regulatory and other preventive strategies that can be systematically evaluated by drawing on well organised, representative population-based injury data.

Athletic Injuries↗
PubMed2001

Associations of physical activity with body weight and fat in men and women.

OBJECTIVE: Increasing physical activity is strongly advocated as a key public health strategy for weight gain prevention. We investigated associations of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and occupational/domestic physical activity with body mass index (BMI) and a skinfold-derived index of body fat (sum of six skinfolds), among normal-weight and overweight men and women. DESIGN: Analyses of cross-sectional self-report and measured anthropometric data. SUBJECTS: A total of 1302 men and women, aged 18-78 y, who were part of a randomly selected sample and who agreed to participate in a physical health assessment. MEASUREMENTS: Self-report measures of physical activity, measured height and weight, and a skinfold-derived index of body fatness. RESULTS: Higher levels of LTPA were positively associated with the likelihood of being in the normal BMI and lower body fat range for women, but few or no associations were found for men. No associations were found between measures of occupational/domestic activity and BMI or body fat for men or women. CONCLUSION: By using a skinfold sum as a more direct measure of adiposity, this study extends and confirms the previous research that has shown an association between BMI and LTPA. Our results suggest gender differences in the relationship of leisure-time physical activity with body fatness. These findings, in conjunction with a better understanding of the causes of such differences, will have important public health implications for the development and targeting of weight gain prevention strategies.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2001

The effectiveness of callback counselling for smoking cessation: a randomized trial.

AIMS: The development of acceptable, widely available and effective smoking cessation methods is central to public health strategy for tobacco control. We examined the effectiveness of a telephone callback counselling intervention, compared to the provision of self-help resources alone. METHODS: Participants were 998 smokers calling a state-wide "Quitline" service randomly allocated to either callback counselling or ordinary care. The callback condition consisted of a series of brief counselling calls at strategic times in addition to ordinary care. The number of calls varied according to caller needs, and most occurred generally just before the person's quit day and in the week or two after it. The service was delivered by trained telephone counsellors. RESULTS: At the 3-month follow-up, significantly more participants in the callback group (24%) reported that they were quit, compared to those in the usual care comparison group (13%). The difference in point prevalence of smoking declined to 6% by the 12-month follow-up. Using sustained abstinence there was a significant benefit of callback counselling at 12-month follow-up. Treating dropouts as smokers reduced the overall magnitude of the effects somewhat. The benefit of callbacks was to marginally increase quit attempts and to significantly reduce relapse. CONCLUSION: Our findings are consistent with those of other studies demonstrating benefits of callback telephone counselling to facilitate cessation. Such counselling provides a flexible, relatively inexpensive and widely available form of cessation service. It appears to encourage a greater proportion of quit attempts and to reduce the rate of relapse among those quitting. Further research is required to determine ways to enhance effectiveness, particularly studies of how to reduce relapse.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Panic disorder with agoraphobia associated with dizziness: characteristic symptoms and psychosocial sequelae.

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of symptoms of panic disorder in a representative community sample of people with dizziness and to compare the profile of those whose panic was consistently linked to attacks of dizziness with those in whom dizziness was just one of many, variable somatic symptoms of panic. Validated questionnaires assessing physical and psychological symptoms, occupational disability, and handicap were administered to 128 people reporting dizziness in an epidemiological survey. Nearly two thirds of the sample reported having panic attacks, and one in four met key criteria for panic disorder. People whose panic symptoms were consistently associated with dizziness reported higher rates of vertigo than those with panic unrelated to dizziness, and higher rates of fainting, agoraphobic behavior, and occupational disability than either comparison group. Explanation of perceptual-motor triggers for disorientation may increase the predictability of attacks, thus reducing vulnerability to dizziness-provoked panic.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Age-related differences in physical activity levels of young adults.

PURPOSE: To examine age-related differences in the physical activity behaviors of young adults. METHODS: We examined rates of participation in vigorous- and moderate-intensity leisure-time activity and walking, as well as an index of physical activity sufficient for health benefits in three Australian cross-sectional samples, for the age ranges of 18--19, 20--24, and 25--29 yr. Data were collected in 1991, 1996, and 1997/8. RESULTS: There was at least a 15% difference in vigorous-intensity leisure-time physical activity from the 18--19 yr to the 25--29 yr age groups, and at least a 10% difference in moderate-intensity leisure-time physical activity. For the index of sufficient activity there was a difference between 9 and 21% across age groups. Differences in rates of walking were less than 8%. For all age groups, males had higher rates of participation for vigorous and moderate-intensity activity than did females, but females had much higher rates of participation in walking than males. Age-associated differences in activity levels were more apparent for males. CONCLUSIONS: Promoting walking and various forms of moderate-intensity physical activities to young adult males, and encouraging young adult females to adopt other forms of moderate-intensity activity to complement walking may help to ameliorate decreases in physical activity over the adult lifespan.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2001

Current injury or disability as a barrier to being more physically active.

PURPOSE: To assess the extent to which a current injury or disability is a significant barrier to being more active. METHODS: Data on current injury or disability as a reported barrier to being more physically active were extracted from an urban-representative population survey. Multivariate logistic regression analyses assessed the association between gender, educational attainment, age, body mass index, and current physical activity levels with injury or disability as a barrier. RESULTS: Twenty percent of the survey respondents gave current injury or disability as a reason for not being more active. There were no significant differences between male and female subjects. There was a significant trend toward a higher reporting of current injury or disability as a barrier, with increasing age (P < 0.001). High body mass index (P < 0.001) and current physical activity levels (P < 0.05) were significantly related to the injury or disability barrier. The only variables significantly independently associated in multivariate logistic regression analyses were age and body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: Current injury or disability as a barrier to increased physical activity was independently, and significantly, associated with both age and body mass index, after adjusting for other variables. The promotion of increased physical activity to older and overweight groups should focus on safe activities that do not aggravate previous injuries or disabilities.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2001

Acute mental stress elicits delayed increases in circulating inflammatory cytokine levels.

The influence of acute mental stress on cardiovascular responses and concentrations of inflammatory cytokines up to 2 h later was assessed in 12 subjects exposed to stress and in eight control subjects. Beat-by-beat recordings of finger blood pressure and heart rate were made at rest and during two behavioural tasks (colour-word interference and mirror tracing). Blood was drawn after adaptation and at 45 min and 2 h after the tasks, and assayed for interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), C-reactive protein (CRP) and haematocrit. Saliva was sampled periodically and assayed for free cortisol. The tasks were rated as stressful by the participants. The stress group showed significant increases in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (mean rises of 16.4+/-12.3 and 12.6+/-6.9 mmHg respectively) and heart rate (5.39+/-5.3 beats/min); these values returned to baseline during the recovery period. The IL-6 concentration was increased by 56% at 2 h after the tasks (P<0.05), while IL-1Ra was increased by 12.3% (P<0.01). No changes in cardiovascular variables or cytokine concentrations were observed in the control subjects, and haematocrit did not change. The magnitude of blood pressure responses during tasks was correlated positively with the IL-6 concentration after 45 min (r=0.70, P<0.05), and with the IL-1Ra concentration after 2 h (r=0.63, P<0.05). Increases in TNF-alpha after 2 h were correlated with heart rate responses to tasks (r=0.66, P<0.05). Associations between IL-6 and IL-1Ra concentrations were also recorded. This study indicates that inflammatory cytokines respond to acute mental stress in humans with delayed increases, and suggest that individual differences in cytokine responses are associated with sympathetic reactivity.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Characterization of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe orthologue of the human survival motor neuron (SMN) protein.

Childhood onset spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a common autosomal recessive disorder primarily characterized by the loss of lower alpha motor neurons. The underlying chromosomal defects causing SMA have been found in the survival motor neuron (SMN) gene. SMN has been shown previously to play a role in both snRNP biogenesis and mRNA processing, although direct evidence for the relationship between SMN and disease pathology has not been elucidated. SMN orthologues have been isolated in many species including Caenorhabditis elegans and Danio rerio. To study the function of SMN, we have identified and characterized the Schizosaccharomyces pombe orthologue of human SMN, smn1 (+). We have demonstrated that smn1 (+) is essential for viability in S.pombe and yeast expressing missense mutations in Smn1p, which mimic mutations in patients with Type I SMA, show significant mislocalization of the protein and a decrease in cell viability. Wild-type Smn1p is localized predominantly in the nucleus whereas yeast expressing Smn1p with missense mutations or deletions of specific domains of the protein accumulate cytoplasmic aggregates. Overexpression of Smn1p results in an increase in the growth rate of cells. Furthermore, mutations within two highly conserved protein interaction domains have a dominant-negative effect on growth, indicating that each domain is of functional significance in S.pombe. These dominant phenotypes can be suppressed by overexpression of murine Smn in the same cell. Given the structural and functional similarities between the protein in fission yeast and higher eukaryotes, S.pombe will be an ideal organism to study the role of SMN in RNA processing.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

Leisure-time, occupational, and household physical activity among professional, skilled, and less-skilled workers and homemakers.

BACKGROUND: Adults in lower status occupations are at higher risk of premature cardiovascular disease, for which physical inactivity is a major risk factor. While lower rates of leisure-time physical activity have been found to be associated consistently with lower income and education levels, the association between occupational and home-based physical activity with membership of different occupational categories is not well understood. METHODS: An urban-representative population data set derived from a self-completion questionnaire was used to examine both self-reported leisure-time physical activity and a combined measure of occupational/home-based physical activity of adult less-skilled, skilled, and professional workers and homemakers (3795 males; 4140 females). chi(2) analyses, ANOVA, and logistic regressions were used to examine the associations between occupational group membership and physical activity. RESULTS: After adjustment for age, body mass index, education, country of birth, marital status, and smoking, less-skilled workers were less likely to report any form of leisure-time physical activity. However, occupational category was not a strong predictor of participation in combined vigorous occupational/home physical activity. Homemakers and those in lower status occupations were less likely to report participation in vigorous leisure-time physical activity sufficient for cardiorespiratory fitness. With the inclusion of time spent in combined vigorous occupational/home physical activity, there was no longer an association of activity with occupational status for males. However, for females the association remained. CONCLUSIONS: The assessment of occupational and household physical activity in addition to leisure-time activity may be important for understanding associations between occupational categories, physical activity, and increased levels of health risk and for the development of physical activity promotion strategies.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Social-cognitive and perceived environment influences associated with physical activity in older Australians.

BACKGROUND: Regular physical activity in older adults can facilitate healthy aging, improve functional capacity, and prevent disease. However, factors associated with physical inactivity in older populations are poorly understood. This study attempts to identify social-cognitive and perceived environmental influences associated with physical activity participation in older populations. METHODS: In a randomly selected sample of 449 Australian adults age 60 and older, we assessed self-reported physical activity and a range of social-cognitive and perceived environmental factors. Respondents were classified as sufficiently active and inactive based on energy expenditure estimates (kcal/week) derived from self-reported physical activity. Two logistic regression models, with and without self-efficacy included, were conducted to identify modifiable independent predictors of physical activity. RESULTS: Significantly more males than females were physically active. Physical activity participation was related to age with a greater proportion of those age 65-69 being active than those age 60-64 or 70 or older. High self-efficacy, regular participation of friends and family, finding footpaths safe for walking, and access to local facilities were significantly associated with being active. CONCLUSION: Identifying predictors of physical activity in older populations, particularly social support, facility access, and neighbourhood safety, can inform the development of policy and intervention strategies to promote the health of older people.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

The Australian National Workplace Health Project: design and baseline findings.

BACKGROUND: This paper describes the study design, recruitment, measurement, and initial recruitment outcomes of Australia's largest workplace intervention trial, the National Workplace Health Project. METHODS: This was a cluster-randomized trial of socio-behavioral and environmental interventions focusing on key behaviors of physical activity, healthy food choices, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption, as well as motivational readiness for change. Twenty worksites were randomized separately for each intervention using a two-by-two factorial design. All participants underwent a health risk appraisal and measurements were made at baseline and at 1 and 2 years. RESULTS: The overall response rate for the baseline survey was 73% with 61% attending the health risk appraisal. The sample was predominantly male, English-speaking, married, blue-collar workers. Overall, 12% reported unsafe alcohol consumption, 26% were current smokers, 44% were physically inactive, 74% ate at most one piece of fruit per day, and 26% ate at most one serving of vegetables per day. Intervention and control conditions were similar at baseline for the primary outcomes, except that a higher proportion of the sociobehavioral intervention condition was more physically active (59%) than the corresponding control condition (53%). CONCLUSIONS: This study will permit the rigorous evaluation of the efficacy of sociobehavioral and environ mental intervention approaches to workplace health promotion. Although participants were randomized by worksite, intervention and control conditions were similar at baseline; any differences in the primary out come variables will be controlled for in the analysis.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Computer use and physical inactivity in young adults: public health perils and potentials of new information technologies.

Physical inactivity contributes to premature mortality and morbidity and increasing prevalences of overweight and obesity in industrialized countries. Computer use is an increasingly common sedentary behaviour, potentially displacing physical activity. Physical activity and computer use were examined in 697 young adults (18-30 years). Energy expenditure estimates were derived from self-reported walking, moderate, and vigorous activity; participants were classified as sedentary, low, moderate, or high in their level of activity. For multivariate analyses, two categories of physical activity were used: inactive (sedentary/low activity; < 800 kcal.week-1) or active (moderate/high activity; > or = 800 kcal.week-1). Time spent in computer-related activities was summed, and computer use tertiles calculated (< 3 hours.week-1; 3-8 hours.week-1; > 8 hours.week-1). Those in the highest tertile of computer use were most likely to be inactive (p = 0.003) and most likely to report computer use as a barrier to physical activity (p < 0.001). The majority of those in the top two tertiles of computer use, and of the inactive, preferred obtaining information from computers than from conventional print media. These findings suggest that computer use plays a significant role in the discretionary time of young adults and is negatively associated with physical activity. Computer-mediated communication has potential in disseminating interventions to increase physical activity in young adults.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Behavioral epidemiology: a systematic framework to classify phases of research on health promotion and disease prevention.

Although the term "behavioral epidemiology" has been used in the literature since the late 1970s, it has not been clearly defined. A behavioral epidemiology framework is proposed to specify a systematic sequence of studies on health-related behaviors, leading to evidence-based interventions directed at populations. The phase are: 1--establish links between behaviors and health; 2--develop measures of the behavior; 3--identify influences on the behavior; 4--evaluate interventions to change the behavior; 5--translate research into practice. Mature research areas are expected to have more studies in the latter phases. Recent volumes of four journals (Annals of Behavioral Medicine, Health Psychology, Journal of Nutrition Education, Tobacco Control) were audited, and empirical studies were classified into these phases. Phase 3 studies were common (identifying influences on behaviors; 27% to 50%), and Phase 2 studies were least common (measurement; 0% to 15%). Annals of Behavioral Medicine and Health Psychology were low on Phase 4 (intervention studies; 9% and 11%, respectively). The Journal of Nutrition Education was the only journal reviewed that had a substantial number (20%) of Phase 5 studies (translating research into practice). The behavioral epidemiology framework can be used to evaluate the status of research on health behaviors and to guide research policies.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed2000

Interactive health communication in preventive medicine: internet-based strategies in teaching and research.

Interactive health communication using Internet technologies is expanding the range and flexibility of intervention and teaching options available in preventive medicine and the health sciences. Advantages of interactive health communication include the enhanced convenience, novelty, and appeal of computer-mediated communication; its flexibility and interactivity; and automated processing. We outline some of these fundamental aspects of computer-mediated communication as it applies to preventive medicine. Further, a number of key pathways of information technology evolution are creating new opportunities for the delivery of professional education in preventive medicine and other health domains, as well as for delivering automated, self-instructional health behavior-change programs through the Internet. We briefly describe several of these key evolutionary pathways. We describe some examples from work we have done in Australia. These demonstrate how we have creatively responded to the challenges of these new "information environments," and how they may be pursued in the education of preventive medicine and other health care practitioners and in the development and delivery of health behavior-change programs through the Internet. Innovative and thoughtful applications of this new technology can increase the consistency, reliability, and quality of information delivered.

Australia↗
PubMed2000

The association between television viewing and overweight among Australian adults participating in varying levels of leisure-time physical activity.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of physical activity on the association between television viewing and overweight (body mass index (BMI) > or =25 kg/m2). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study administered by interview to adults randomly selected from the electronic white pages. SUBJECTS: 3392 adults (64% response rate) from a representative population sample in the State of New South Wales, Australia. MEASUREMENTS: Self-reported height and weight, two-week leisure-time physical activity recall, one-week average television viewing recall. RESULTS: BMI and physical activity patterns were both associated with hours of television watched. Compared to those participants who reported watching less than one hour of television per day, those watching 1 to 2.5 hours were 93% more likely to be overweight (BMI>/=25 kg/m2), those watching 2.5 to 4 hours were 183% more likely to be overweight, those watching more than 4 hours per day were four times more likely to be overweight. Physical activity was not directly associated with being overweight, but an interaction between activity and television watching was present. Respondents in the low, moderate and high physical activity categories who reported watching more than 4 hours of television per day were twice as likely to be overweight compared to those who watched less than one hour of television per day, irrespective of physical activity participation. CONCLUSIONS: With approximately half the Australian adult population overweight or obese, these findings indicate that public health strategies to reduce overweight and prevent weight gain may need to focus on reducing sedentary behaviours such as television viewing in addition to increasing physical activity.

Adolescent↗