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Aiming to ward off ‘spiral of decline’ in aging rural South African population

Older man sitting outside in rural South Africa

Researchers analyzed data collected as part of the HAALSI study to learn more about the self-reported physical activity (PA) levels of a population over 40 years old. Factors such as being male, over the age of 80, in a higher wealth category, obesity, and poorer functional capacity correlated with lower levels of physical activity. The paper is published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. “These findings…

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Exercise may lower risk of types of breast cancer that are more difficult to treat

Harvard Bell Fellow Lindsay Kobayashi, PhD, is co-lead author on a study published in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment that has found that among post-menopausal women, moderate-to vigorous-physical activity (e.g., cycling, running, swimming) measured throughout the lifetime is linked to a reduced risk of the types of breast cancer (triple negative) that are not as responsive to hormonal therapies and are, therefore, more difficult to treat. Physical activity across the…

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Low-cost, valid tool for researchers to assess nutrition and exercise in after-school programs

Harvard Pop Center faculty members Cassandra Okechukwu, ScD, MSN, and Steven Gortmaker, PhD, are co-authors on a study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity that evaluates a low-cost, practitioner-administered observational tool to assist researchers in validly assessing nutrition, physical activity and screen time in an after-school program setting.

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Study shows increased cardiometabolic risk for female workers prone to work-related stress who don’t get adequate sleep or exercise

Harvard Pop Center affiliated faculty member Orfeu Buxton served as PI on a recently published paper in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine that investigated the effect of work-related stress, sleep deficiency, and physical activity on 10-year cardiometabolic risk among an all-female worker population.

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Do Youth Compensate for Increased School-Day Activity?

In their recent study, “School-Day and Overall Physical Activity Among Youth“, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Pop Center faculty members Steven L. Gortmaker and SV Subramanian, find that increasing physical activity during the school day leads to greater physical activity outside the classroom.