Much time, effort and investment goes into the diagnosis of symptomatic cancer, with the expectation that this approach brings clinical benefits. This investment of resources has been particularly ...noticeable in the UK, which has, for several years, appeared near the bottom of international league tables for cancer survival in economically developed countries. In this Review, we examine expedited diagnosis of cancer from four perspectives. The first relates to the potential for clinical benefits of expedited diagnosis of symptomatic cancer. Limited evidence from clinical trials is available, but the considerable observational evidence suggests benefits can be obtained from this approach. The second perspective considers how expedited diagnosis can be achieved. We concentrate on data from the UK, where extensive awareness campaigns have been conducted, and initiatives in the primary-care setting, including clinical decision support, have all occurred during a period of considerable national policy change. The third section considers the most appropriate patients for cancer investigations, and the possible community settings for identification of such patients; UK national guidance for selection of patients for investigation is discussed. Finally, the health economics of expedited diagnosis are reviewed, although few studies provide definitive evidence on this topic.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) publishes the Diet and Physical Activity Guideline to serve as a foundation for its communication, policy, and community strategies and, ultimately, to affect ...dietary and physical activity patterns among Americans. This guideline is developed by a national panel of experts in cancer research, prevention, epidemiology, public health, and policy, and reflects the most current scientific evidence related to dietary and activity patterns and cancer risk. The ACS guideline focuses on recommendations for individual choices regarding diet and physical activity patterns, but those choices occur within a community context that either facilitates or creates barriers to healthy behaviors. Therefore, this committee presents recommendations for community action to accompany the 4 recommendations for individual choices to reduce cancer risk. These recommendations for community action recognize that a supportive social and physical environment is indispensable if individuals at all levels of society are to have genuine opportunities to choose healthy behaviors. This 2020 ACS guideline is consistent with guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association for the prevention of coronary heart disease and diabetes as well as for general health promotion, as defined by the 2015 to 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.
In the design of workplace health promotion programs (WHPPs), employee perceptions represent an integral variable which is predicted to translate into rate of user engagement (i.e., participation) ...and program loyalty. This study evaluated employee perceptions of three workplace health programs promoting nutritional consumption and physical activity. Programs included: (1) an individually tailored consultation with an exercise physiologist and dietitian; (2) a semi-tailored 12-week SMS health message program; and (3) a standardized group workshop delivered by an expert. Participating employees from a transport company completed program evaluation surveys rating the overall program, affect, and utility of: consultations (
= 19); SMS program (
= 234); and workshops (
= 86). Overall, participants' affect and utility evaluations were positive for all programs, with the greatest satisfaction being reported in the tailored individual consultation and standardized group workshop conditions. Furthermore, mode of delivery and the physical presence of an expert health practitioner was more influential than the degree to which the information was tailored to the individual. Thus, the synergy in ratings between individually tailored consultations and standardized group workshops indicates that low-cost delivery health programs may be as appealing to employees as tailored, and comparatively high-cost, program options.
Purpose: This study described how the Dutch and Canadian governments promote high performance sports, recreational sports, and physical activity (PA) among adults with disabilities on a national ...level.
Methods: An internet-based study was conducted to identify and select relevant documents and websites containing information about the national approach to promote disability sports and physical activities in the Netherlands and Canada.
Results: Both governments promote high performance sports in similar ways, but use different strategies to promote recreational sports and physical activities. The Dutch approach is characterized by using time-limited programs focusing on enhancement of sports infrastructure and inter-sector collaboration in which municipalities have key roles. The Canadian government promotes recreational sports in disabled populations by supporting programs via bilateral agreements with provinces and territories. Furthermore, the level of integration of disability sports into mainstream sports differs between countries.
Conclusions: The findings of this study may inspire policy makers from different countries to learn from one another's policies in order to optimize national approaches to promote disability sports and PA on all levels.
Implications for rehabilitation
It is recommended for policy makers of national governments to develop and implement policy programs that promote sports and physical activities among people with disabilities because of its potential impact on functioning, participation, quality of life, and health.
Insight into national approaches to promote sport and physical activities is relevant for rehabilitation practice to understand ongoing opportunities for people with disabilities to stay physically active after rehabilitation through participation in home and/or community-based sport and physical activities.
It seems worthwhile to integrate activities to promote sport and physical activities in rehabilitation in such a way that it fits with the current governmental approach.
It is recommended to set up international collaborations to develop and share knowledge about effective and sustainable national approaches to promote sports and physical activities among people with disabilities.
Food and Health in Early Modern Europe is both a history of food practices and a history of the medical discourse about that food. It is also an exploration of the interaction between the two: the ...relationship between evolving foodways and shifting medical advice on what to eat in order to stay healthy. It provides the first in-depth study of printed dietary advice covering the entire early modern period, from the late-15th century to the early-19th; it is also the first to trace the history of European foodways as seen through the prism of this advice. David Gentilcore offers a doctor’s-eye view of changing food and dietary fashions: from Portugal to Poland, from Scotland to Sicily, not forgetting the expanding European populations of the New World. In addition to exploring European regimens throughout the period, works of materia medica, botany, agronomy and horticulture are considered, as well as a range of other printed sources, such as travel accounts, cookery books and literary works. The book also includes 30 illustrations, maps and extensive chapter bibliographies with web links included to further aid study. Food and Health in Early Modern Europe is the essential introduction to the relationship between food, health and medicine for history students and scholars alike.
Despite the increased health risks of a sedentary lifestyle, only 49 % of American adults participate in physical activity (PA) at the recommended levels. In an effort to move the PA field forward, ...we briefly review three emerging areas of PA intervention research. First, new intervention research has focused on not only increasing PA but also on decreasing sedentary behavior. Researchers should utilize randomized controlled trials, common terminology, investigate which behaviors should replace sedentary behaviors, evaluate long-term outcomes, and focus across the lifespan. Second, technology has contributed to an increase in sedentary behavior but has also led to innovative PA interventions. PA technology research should focus on large randomized trials with evidence-based components, explore social networking and innovative apps, improve PA monitoring, consider the lifespan, and be grounded in theory. Finally, in an effort to maximize public health impact, dissemination efforts should address the RE-AIM model, health disparities, and intervention costs.
Purpose
The benefits of an active lifestyle are widely documented, yet studies show that only a small proportion of adults engage in sufficient levels of physical activity. The workplace presents an ...ideal avenue for delivering initiatives to promote physical activity, overcoming commonly cited barriers such as a ‘lack of time’ and providing access to a large intersection of society. The purpose of this study was to (1) explore the types of interventions workplaces implement to promote physical activity among staff, (2) describe the characteristics of those interventions, (3) understand whether these interventions positively impact on activity levels, and (4) assess the methodological quality of studies.
Methods
A systematic review of workplace physical activity interventions published up to April 2011 was conducted to identify types of interventions and their outcomes.
Results
Of the 58 studies included, the majority utilized health promotion initiatives. There were six physical activity/exercise interventions, 13 counselling/support interventions, and 39 health promotion messages/information interventions. Thirty‐two of these studies showed a statistically significant increase in a measure of physical activity against a control group at follow‐up.
Conclusions
While the studies included in this review show some evidence that workplace physical activity interventions can be efficacious, overall the results are inconclusive. Despite the proliferation of research in this area, there is still a need for more well‐designed studies to fully determine the effectiveness of workplace interventions for increasing physical activity and to identify the types of interventions that show the most promise.
Statement of contribution
What is already known on this subject?
Despite the recognized health benefits of regular physical activity, only a small proportion of adults engage in sufficient levels of physical activity.
The workplace presents an ideal avenue for the delivery of initiatives to promote physical activity.
Previous reviews have concluded that the efficacy of workplace physical activity interventions is unclear and that many published studies are of poor methodological quality.
What does this study add?
This systematic review includes more randomized controlled trials and quasi‐experimental studies than previously published reviews of workplace physical activity interventions.
While the studies included in this review do show some evidence that workplace physical activity interventions can be efficacious, overall the results are inconclusive.
This review highlights that there is still a need for further well‐designed studies to be carried out in order to evaluate the effectiveness of workplace interventions for increasing physical activity and identify the types of interventions that show the most promise.
Many health organizations have promoted the importance of the health-related benefits of physical fitness and physical activity. Studies have evaluated effective public health practice aiming to ...understand the cognition of physical activity among youths and adolescents. However, studies investigating the level of cognition and knowledge of physical fitness among Asian adults are lacking.
This study aimed to investigate the self-awareness level of physical fitness and exercise prescription and the demand for physical fitness assessment among Taiwanese adults.
In January-July 2019, a cross-sectional anonymous survey was conducted using Research Electronic Data Capture to gather data on demographic data, cognition investigation of physical fitness and exercise prescription, cognitive test of physical fitness and exercise prescription, and demand for physical fitness assessment.
The questionnaire was answered by 200 respondents. The rating for cognition investigation of physical fitness was 2.63-3.13 (unclear to mostly clear) and for exercise prescription was 2.05-2.76 (unclear) (rated on a 5-point Likert scale). Results show that lack of awareness was highest for health-related physical fitness, exercise prescription, and exercise progress planning. 98% of subjects did not know the latest recommended guidelines for physical activity, despite most agreeing that physical fitness and exercise are good for health. Most subjects (72%) indicated a willingness to accept self-pay service for physical fitness assessments.
This is the first study to report on the demand for cognition, assessment, and promotion of physical fitness among Taiwanese adults. The study shows that the subjects widely lack knowledge in the cognition of physical fitness and exercise prescription. Furthermore, a self-pay service for the physical fitness assessment and individualized exercise prescription were acceptable to most subjects, especially those undergoing regular health examinations. The findings are encouraging and will aid support for health organizations and professionals in the development and management of promotion strategies on health-related physical fitness in preventive medicine and health promotion.
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