Physical Activity Is Associated with Fewer Influenza and Pneumonia Deaths

Authors: Bryant Webber; Heather Yun; Geoffrey Whitfield After reviewing 25 studies during the pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that being physically inactive increases the chance of severe COVID-19 illness. Given emerging interest in the relationship between physical activity and infectious diseases, we explored the impact of types and amounts of […]

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From Alternative to Mainstay: the overwhelming evidence supporting physical activity as a treatment for anxiety and depression

Authors: Ben Singh, Timothy Olds, Rachel Curtis, Dot Dumuid, Rosa Virgara, Amanda Watson,  Kimberley Szeto, Edward O’Connor, Ty Ferguson, Emily Eglitis, Aaron Miatke, Catherine EM Simpson, Carol Maher.  Ben Singh, Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition, and Activity (ARENA), University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, Ben.Singh@unisa.edu.au In this blog, we provide an overview […]

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Career reflections from physical activity’s Scottish guru: 50 years of helping people to move more

BJSM Blog editors recently had the pleasure of interviewing Professor Nanette Mutrie MBE about her outstanding career in physical activity for health. We hope you enjoy reading what she had to say! Name: Nanette Mutrie Current role/position: Professor Emerita University of Edinburgh and Coaching and Education Officer Pickleball Scotland  Could you give us a career path/journey […]

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Making Every Move Count: Answering the World Health Organization’s Call to Implement the Global Action Plan on Physical Activity

April 6th is World Physical Activity Day. Established in 2002 by Agita Mundo with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), it is a perfect opportunity to reflect on where we are around the world and highlight bright spots for improvement. Here we present a Canadian example of answering the WHO’s call to action on […]

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Promoting physical activity for mental health in contexts of displacement

Promoting physical activity for mental health in contexts of displacement The global refugee crises Roughly 1% of the world’s population, equivalent to approximately 79.5 million people currently live in a context of displacement. This includes refugees, internally displaced people and asylum-seekers. The overwhelming majority (85%) reside in low-resourced environments, with both pre- and post-migration stressors […]

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Do smartphone applications and activity trackers increase physical activity in adults?

Part of the BJSM”s #KnowledgeTranslation blog series Mobile fitness applications (apps) and activity trackers are now more popular than ever. Sensors in smartphones and activity trackers enable users to easily monitor their physical activity by allowing for automated and continuous self-monitoring and feedback. This way, users are able to track their physical activity, such as […]

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Physical activity in a pandemic: Time for a new definition #Infographic

A new holistic and inclusive definition of physical activity might help us think differently Health behaviours have been drastically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the increase in sedentary behavior (characterized by low energy expenditure such as sitting time) and the levels of physical inactivity1,2 (people not meeting the recommended level of regular physical activity) are notable […]

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The answer to promoting physical activity is lying at our feet: dog-facilitated physical activity interventions

Part of the BJSM’s #KnowledgeTranslation blog series   Approximately 30% of the households in high income countries own dogs, yet it is estimated that up to half of these dog owners do not walk with their dogs regularly. Promoting more dog walking seems like a logical way to enhance both human and canine health. The […]

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The Erasmus+ #MovementForMovement resources for physical activity, noncommunicable diseases, surgery, and pregnancy

  The World Health Organization (WHO)[i] recently published new guidance on the physical activity recommendations for populations across the life course, together with a whole systems approach[ii] to supporting greater physical activity levels in individuals and society. These recommendations supplement the existing UK Chief Medical Officers 2019 physical activity guidance[iii] and provide strategic and technical […]

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