Posts Tagged: while results from a recent survey indicated an obesity rate of 10% among Beijing youth age groups 7C18?years-old Operating group about obesity problems in China WGOC)

Internationally, parks have been shown to be an important community asset

Internationally, parks have been shown to be an important community asset for physical activity (PA), but little is known about the relationship between park usage and physical activity in China. observed in parks than males, but were 66% more likely to be engaged in MVPA than males. Park users were more likely to be observed in MVPA between 6C9?am and when the temp was below 30?C. Chinese park users were more active (55%) than US studies in Tampa (30%), Chicago (49%), and Los Angeles Bivalirudin Trifluoroacetate supplier (34%). More study is necessary to recognize features of parks that are associated with higher PA so that effective interventions can be developed to promote active park use in Chinese citizens. Keywords: Physical activity, Obesity, China, Community Intro Rapid economic development in China has been accompanied by a corresponding increase in obesity. In China, the prevalence of obese adults has been reported as high as 17.7% with adult obesity at 5.6% (Li et al., 2005), while results from a recent survey indicated an obesity rate of 10% among Beijing youth age groups 7C18?years-old (Operating group about obesity problems in China (WGOC), 2004). Physical activity is a behavior of paramount importance, as engaging in recommended levels of physical activity can contribute to the prevention of chronic diseases, ideal mental health, and high quality of existence (Warburton et al., 2010). Insufficient physical activity and sedentary behavior are associated with early death, depression, hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and obesity (Warburton et al., 2010, Owen et al., 2010). Despite Bivalirudin Trifluoroacetate supplier Bivalirudin Trifluoroacetate supplier these impressive health benefits, longitudinal studies possess found that physical SFN activity rates are declining among Chinese occupants (Ng et al., 2014, Ng et al., 2009). In particular, weekly physical activity among adults fell by 32% between 1991 and 2006 (Ng et al., 2009). This quick decline is definitely of both general public health and economic importance, as one study estimated that China will spend nearly 9% of its GDP for prevention and control of chronic diseases related to diet, physical inactivity, and obesity by 2025 up from less than 4% in 2000 (Popkin et al., 2006). One effective strategy in the promotion of physical activity is the provision of safe, accessible, and free places for physical activity to occur, such as general public parks (Kaczynski and Henderson, 2008). Parks have been consistently shown to be an important community asset for physical activity over several studies in developed nations (Kaczynski and Henderson, 2008, Floyd et al., 2008, Cohen et al., 2007, Mowen et al., 2007). Parks are often free, open to the public and play an important role in promoting residents’ physical activity (Mowen et al., 2007, Timperio et al., 2008). It has been repeatedly reported that occupants’ participation in leisure time physical activity is definitely highly correlated with the characteristics and conditions of parks facilities (Vehicle Dyck et al., 2013, Prince et al., 2011), but the mind-boggling majority of these studies have been carried out in western populations. If Chinese general public health officials are going to efficiently leverage parks to promote physical activity, an understanding of who uses parks and the characteristics of the parks that encourage use and physical activity is imperative if to inform the development of parks that promote active use. China is undergoing a rapid process of urbanization. This greatly increases the number of people for whom parks are the only safe, free place for physical activity in the community. One study showed that the presence of parks in the community is related to walking among Chinese adults (Jia et al., 2014). However, no studies using observational methods to assess park use Bivalirudin Trifluoroacetate supplier and physical activity have been carried out in mainland China. The present study was carried out in Nanchang, a city in the southeast of China. It is the largest city in the Jiangxi province having a human population of just over five million in 2010 2010 (Nanchang Municipal People’s Authorities and Nanchang Economic Info Center). It is probably one of the most underdeveloped provinces in China having a GDP per capita of only 25,884 (about US$4000) compared to the national.