Browsing by Author "Suarez-Reyes, Monica"

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    Accelerometer-Measured Daily Step Counts and Adiposity Indicators among Latin American Adults: A Multi-Country Study
    (2021) Ferrari, Gerson; Marques, Adilson; Barreira, Tiago V.; Kovalskys, Irina; Gomez, Georgina; Rigotti, Attilio; Cortes, Lilia Yadira; Garcia, Martha Cecilia Yepez; Pareja, Rossina G.; Herrera-Cuenca, Marianella; Guajardo, Viviana; Leme, Ana Carolina B.; Guzman Habinger, Juan; Valdivia-Moral, Pedro; Suarez-Reyes, Monica; Ihle, Andreas; Gouveia, Elvio R.; Fisberg, Mauro
    The aim of the present study was to examine the sex-related associations between accelerometer-measured daily step counts and adiposity indicators in adults from eight Latin American countries. We analyzed data from 2524 adults (aged 18-65 years) from the Latin American Study of Nutrition and Health. Device-measured daily step counts were measured by accelerometers (ActiGraph GT3X). The outcomes were body mass index (BMI; (kg/m2), waist and neck circumference (in cm). Overall, the mean of daily steps counts, BMI, waist and neck circumference were 10699.8, 27.3, 89.6, and 35.8. Weak and negative associations were observed between daily steps counts and BMI (r = -0.17; p < 0.05) and waist circumference (r = -0.16; p < 0.05); however, step counts was not associated with neck circumference. Daily steps counts were negatively associated with BMI (beta: -0.054; 95%CI: -0.077; -0.012) and waist circumference (-0.098; -0.165; -0.030) independently of age and socioeconomic level. In men, there were significant negative associations between daily steps counts with BMI (-0.075; -0.119; -0.031) and waist circumference (-0.140; -0.233; -0.048), and in women, there was no significant association with either of the body composition indicators. The findings from this study need to be examined in prospective settings that use device-measured from Latin America.
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    Factors influencing the implementation of the Health Promoting University initiative: experiences of Ibero-American universities
    (2021) Suarez-Reyes, Monica; Munoz Serrano, Monica; Van den Broucke, Stephan
    The Health Promoting University (HPU) concept encourages universities to incorporate health into the university context. HPU initiatives exist worldwide, yet information on how universities translate the HPU concept into actions is scarce. This study aimed to identify the factors influencing the implementation of HPU initiatives in Ibero-American universities. Semi-structured interviews were held with seventeen representatives of universities in Ibero-America that had implemented an HPU initiative. All interviewees had been involved in the initiative and had occupied a position of responsibility for at least 1 year before the study. The interviews were carried out remotely, and the data were analyzed using an inductive approach. The main factors influencing the implementation of an HPU initiative were political support by the university authorities, coordination structure, funding, collaboration inside and outside university and participation of the university community. Among them, political support by the university authorities was considered the most important, although some initiatives succeeded without it and managed to obtain support during the implementation process. This study is one of the first to investigate the factors influencing the implementation of the HPU concept. A better understanding of these factors would enable universities to address them to develop the HPU initiative in the best possible conditions.
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    How do universities implement the Health Promoting University concept?
    (2019) Suarez-Reyes, Monica; Munoz Serrano, Monica; Van den Broucke, Stephan
    The Health Promoting University (HPU) concept encourages universities to incorporate health into the university culture, processes and policies in an effort to promote the health of the university community. Universities worldwide have adopted the approach and a framework for action has been developed to guide universities to become a HPU. However, information on how universities translate the framework into actions is scarce. This study explored the way in which 54 universities from 25 countries across the world implemented the HPU framework. An online questionnaire was used to assess the action areas and items of work addressed by the universities and to determine their adherence to the components of the HPU framework: use of the whole systems approach; multiservice collaboration; recognition by the university authorities; funding availability; membership of a HPU network and evaluation of the initiative. The results showed that these components were addressed by most universities. A Multi Correspondence and cluster analysis identified four types of universities based on the implementation of the components: 'emerging' HPUs that are not recognized by the university authorities and tend to not apply the whole systems approach or evaluation of the initiative, and 'established' HPUs that are recognized by the authorities, apply the whole systems approach and evaluate the initiative but that differ with regard to funding and membership of a HPU network. These results demonstrate that universities implement the HPU framework for action differently in order to become a Health Promoting University.
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    Time reallocation of physical behaviours induced by endurance exercise in physically active individuals
    (2023) Hayes-Ortiz, Thomas; Suarez-Reyes, Monica; Galgani Fuentes, José Eduardo; Zbinden-Foncea, Hermann; Fernandez-Verdejo, Rodrigo
    Increasing moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) through exercise requires reallocating time from other physical behaviour(s). We aimed to determine the reallocations induced by endurance exercise in physically active individuals. We also searched for behavioural compensatory responses, and explored the effect of exercise on daily energy expenditure. Fourteen participants (8 women; median age 37.8 [IQR 29.9-48.5] yr) exercised on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings (cycling MVPA, 65 min/session; "exercise days"), and avoided exercising on Tuesday and Thursday ("rest days"). Time spent on sleep, sedentary behaviour, light-intensity physical activity, and MVPA was determined each day by accelerometers and logs. An energy expenditure index was computed considering minutes spent on each behaviour and fixed metabolic equivalents. We found that all participants had lower sleep and higher total (including exercise) MVPA on exercise days compared to rest days. Thus, on exercise vs. rest days, sleep was lower (490 [453-553] vs. 553 [497-599] min/day, respectively, P < 0.001), and total MVPA was higher (86 [80-101] vs. 23 [15-45] min/day, respectively; P < 0.001). No differences in other physical behaviours were detected. Notably, exercise not only induced reallocations (i.e. less time in other behaviours) but also behavioural compensatory responses in some participants (e.g. increased sedentary behaviour). This rearrangement of physical behaviours manifested in exercise-induced increases in energy expenditure from 96 to 232 MET x min/day. In conclusion, active individuals reallocated time from sleep to accommodate morning exercise. Yet exercise induced variable rearrangements of behaviours, with some individuals manifesting compensatory responses. Understanding individual rearrangements may help improve exercise interventions.