Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · Sep 2014
Is exercise used as medicine? Association of meeting strength training guidelines and functional limitations among older US adults.
To determine the association between meeting strength training guidelines (≥2 times per week) and the presence of functional limitations among older adults. ⋯ Strength training is uncommon among older adults and even less common among those who need it the most. The potential for strength training to improve the public's health is therefore substantial, as those who have the most to gain from strength training participate the least.
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Preventive medicine · Sep 2014
Observational StudyPhysical and social home environment in relation to children's overall and home-based physical activity and sedentary time.
Given the obesity epidemic, it is critical to understand factors associated with youth physical activity and sedentary behavior at home, where youth spend significant time. We examined relationships between these child behaviors and home environment factors. ⋯ Physical and social home environment variables, especially when combined, were related to more child MVPA and less sedentary behavior. Results support addressing multiple home environment factors in childhood obesity prevention.
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Preventive medicine · Sep 2014
Cancer incidence due to excess body weight and leisure-time physical inactivity in Canada: implications for prevention.
This analysis aimed to estimate the number of incident cases of various cancers attributable to excess body weight (overweight, obesity) and leisure-time physical inactivity annually in Canada. ⋯ Thousands of incident cases of cancer could be prevented annually in Canada as good evidence exists for effective interventions to reduce these risk factors in the population.
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Preventive medicine · Sep 2014
ReviewAligning health information technologies with effective service delivery models to improve chronic disease care.
Healthcare reforms in the United States, including the Affordable Care and HITECH Acts, and the NCQA criteria for the Patient Centered Medical Home have promoted health information technology (HIT) and the integration of general medical and mental health services. These developments, which aim to improve chronic disease care, have largely occurred in parallel, with little attention to the need for coordination. In this article, the fundamental connections between HIT and improvements in chronic disease management are explored. We use the evidence-based collaborative care model as an example, with attention to health literacy improvement for supporting patient engagement in care. ⋯ HIT, and particularly mobile health, can enhance collaborative care interventions, and thus improve the health of individuals and populations when deployed in integrated delivery systems.
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Preventive medicine · Sep 2014
ReviewDriving towards obesity: a systematized literature review on the association between motor vehicle travel time and distance and weight status in adults.
Higher levels of sedentary behavior are associated with adverse health outcomes. Over-reliance on private motor vehicles for transportation is a potential contributor to the obesity epidemic. The objective of this study was to review evidence on the relationship between motor vehicle travel distance and time and weight status among adults. ⋯ Multilevel interventions that make alternatives to driving private motor vehicles more convenient, such as walking and cycling, are needed to promote healthy weight in the adult population.