Sleep characteristics across the lifespan in 1.1 million people from the Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States: a systematic review and meta-analysis

We aimed to obtain reliable reference charts for sleep duration, estimate the prevalence of sleep complaints across the lifespan and identify risk indicators of poor sleep. Studies were identified through systematic literature search in Embase, Medline and Web of Science (9 August 2019) and through personal contacts. Eligible studies had to be...

Socio-economic inequalities in the effectiveness of workplace health promotion programmes on body mass index: An individual participant data meta-analysis

This individual participant data meta-analysis assessed the effectiveness of workplace health promotion programmes on body mass index (BMI) across socio-economic groups and whether study and intervention characteristics explained inequalities in effectiveness. Studies were eligible if they assessed the effect of a workplace health promotion...

Socioeconomic inequalities in effectiveness of and compliance to workplace health promotion programs: an individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis

Background: This individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis aimed to investigate socioeconomic inequalities in effectiveness on healthy behavior of, and compliance to, workplace health promotion programs. Methods: Dutch (randomized) controlled trials were identified and original IPD were retrieved and harmonized. A two-stage meta-analysis was...

Socioeconomic inequalities in reach, compliance and effectiveness of lifestyle interventions among workers: protocol for an individual participant data meta-analysis and equity-specific reanalysis

Introduction Obesity and unhealthy behaviour are more prevalent among workers with a low compared with a high socioeconomic position (SEP), and thus contribute to socioeconomic health inequalities. The occupational setting is considered an important setting to address unhealthy behaviours due to the possibility to efficiently reach a large group...

Naar een beweegvriendelijke omgeving: een onderzoek naar kenmerken van de woonomgeving en beweeggedrag van ouderen in Spijkenisse [To an ‘activity-friendly’ living environment: A study on characteristics of the living environment and physical activity of older people in Spijkenisse]

Background: Many older persons prefer to live independent as long as possible. A living environment facilitating physical activity may be important for this purpose, but the design of ‘activity-friendly’ living environments for older persons remains less clear. In a study in Spijkenisse (the Netherlands), characteristics of the living...

The role of smoking in social networks on smoking cessation and relapse among adults: A longitudinal study

Understanding the spread of smoking cessation and relapse within social networks may offer new approaches to further curb the smoking epidemic. Whether smoking behavior among social network members determines smoking cessation and relapse of adults however, is less known. For this study, longitudinal data of 4623 adults participating in the...

Residential area characteristics and disabilities among dutch community-dwelling older adults

Background: Living longer independently may be facilitated by an attractive and safe residential area, which stimulates physical activity. We studied the association between area characteristics and disabilities and whether this association is mediated by transport-related physical activity (TPA). Methods: Longitudinal data of 271 Dutch...

The role of high-intensity physical exercise in the prevention of disability among community-dwelling older people

Background: Moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is considered important to prevent disability among community-dwelling older people. To develop MVPA programs aimed at reducing or preventing disability more insight is needed in the contributions of exercise duration and intensity and the interplay between the two. Methods: Longitudinal...

Physical activity in non-frail and frail older adults

Introduction Physical activity (PA) is important for healthy ageing. Better insight into objectively measured PA levels in older adults is needed, since most previous studies employed self-report measures for PA assessment, which are associated with overestimation of PA. Aim This study aimed to provide insight in objectively measured indoor and...

How many walking and cycling trips made by elderly are beyond commonly used buffer sizes: Results from a GPS study

In choosing appropriate buffer sizes to study environmental influences on physical activity, studies are hampered by insufficient insight into the distance elderly travel actively. This study aims at getting insight into the number of trips walked and cycled within various buffer sizes using GPS measures. Data were obtained from the Elderly And...

Characteristics of residential areas and transportational walking among frail and non-frail Dutch elderly: does the size of the area matter?

Background: A residential area supportive for walking may facilitate elderly to live longer independently. However, current evidence on area characteristics potentially important for walking among older persons is mixed. This study hypothesized that the importance of area characteristics for transportational walking depends on the size of the...

Unhealthy behaviour is contagious: An invitation to exploit models for infectious diseases

We argue that the spread of unhealthy behaviour shows marked similarities with infectious diseases. It is therefore interesting and challenging to use infectious disease methodologies for studying the spread and control of unhealthy behaviour. This would be a great addition to current methods, because it allows taking into account the dynamics...

Equity-specific effects of 26 dutch obesity-related lifestyle interventions

Context: Reducing health inequalities is a policy priority in many developed countries. Little is known about effective strategies to reduce inequalities in obesity and its underlying behaviors. The goal of the study was to investigate differential effectiveness of interventions aimed at obesity prevention, the promotion of physical activity or...

Changes in smoking, sports participation and overweight: Does neighborhood prevalence matter?

We investigated whether the prevalence of health-related behaviors and overweight in neighborhoods is associated with changes in smoking, sports participation and overweight over 13 years of follow-up in Dutch adults residing in 86 neighborhoods of Eindhoven in 1991. We showed that living in neighborhoods with a high prevalence of non-smoking,...

Road traffic noise, air pollution components and cardiovascular events

Traffic noise and air pollution have been associated with cardiovascular health effects. Until date, only a limited amount of prospective epidemiological studies is available on long-term effects of road traffic noise and combustion related air pollution. This study investigates the relationship between road traffic noise and air pollution and...

Urban road traffic noise and annoyance: The effect of a quiet facade

Long-term road traffic noise exposure is associated with an increase in morning tiredness