A Novel Survey for Assessing Health-Promoting School Practices and Capacity: Validation and Adaptability to Physical Activity.

Background: Understanding current practice is crucial for implementing Health Promoting Schools (HPS) and Whole School Approaches to Physical Activity (WSA-PA). This study validated two survey tools to assess HPS and WSA-PA implementation, respectively.

Methods: Content validity was established via literature review and expert and target group consultations.

Scalability and scaling-up strategy of a physical activity policy intervention in Australian childcare centres.

There is an urgent need for scalable interventions to promote physical activity in early childhood. An early childhood education and care (ECEC) physical activity policy intervention with implementation support strategies (Play Active) has been proposed for scale-up in Australia. This study sought to assess the scalability of Play Active and describe the Play Active scaling-up strategy.

Gender gap in physical activity and sport participation across the lifespan in Australia between 2016 and 2023.

Background: The primary aim of this study was to examine the gender gap in specific types of leisure-time physical activity (including sport and active recreation) in Australians across the lifespan from 2016 to 2023. The secondary aim of this study was to examine trends in participation in specific types of leisure-time physical activity from 2016 to 2023.

Methods: This repeated cross-sectional study included sport and active recreation data from Ausplay (2016–2023) from a representative sample of participants aged five years and above in Australia.

Exploring meso- and macro-level contextual factors associated with inequalities in program adoption during statewide scale-up of TransformUs Primary, a whole-school physical activity intervention.

Background: Contextual influences on program implementation exist across micro (individual), meso (organization), and macro (government/environment) system levels, yet macro factors are less frequently explored in implementation research. This retrospective study explored differences in adoption across meso- and macro-system levels using data from the 2018-2022 state-wide hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial of TransformUs Primary, a whole-school physical activity intervention. Aims were to: (1) assess differences in contextual characteristics between adopting and non-adopting schools and implications for equity, and (2) assess associations between macro-level events and dissemination events with program adoption over time.

Daily steps and health outcomes in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.

Background: Despite the rapid increase in evidence from the past decade on daily steps and health-related outcomes, existing systematic reviews primarily focused on few outcomes, such as all-cause mortality. This study synthesised the prospective dose-response relationship between daily steps and health outcomes including all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, cognitive outcomes, mental health outcomes, physical function, and falls.

Methods: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched PubMed and EBSCO CINAHL for literature published between Jan 1, 2014, and Feb 14, 2025, supplemented by other search strategies.

Sustainable chronic disease prevention at scale: Evaluation of the Get Healthy Service, a telephone and online coaching service.

Objective: The Get Healthy Service (GHS) is a free telephone and online health coaching service for adults delivered across New South Wales, Australia, since 2009. The GHS was first evaluated over 10 years ago and was shown to be effective. Using recent data, we investigated characteristics conducive to program completion and whether program impact has been sustained at scale.

Chance or Strategy? Assessing the Unanticipated Policy Window for Active Transportation During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review.

Unlabelled: Physical activity (PA) policy is essential for promoting population-level PA by coordinating efforts across various sectors. Global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic can open policy windows, enabling rapid implementation of innovative policies. This study examined how policy windows shaped active transportation (AT) policies during the pandemic, resulting in infrastructural changes.

Prevalence of Physical Activity Initiatives in Australian Primary Schools: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Issue Addressed: Schools are a key setting for influencing children's physical activity and sedentary behaviour. The broad adoption of guideline-informed initiatives is essential to achieve population-wide health benefits. However, there is limited evidence on the implementation of recommended physical activity initiatives in Australian primary schools.

Associations between change in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and sedentary behaviour with risk of recurrent cardiovascular events among individuals with coronary heart disease: A prospective cohort study.

Background: Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and limiting time in sedentary behaviour (SB) are recommended for the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD). Little is known about MVPA and SB changes and recurrent cardiovascular events. This study explores the associations between changes in MVPA and SB for recurrent cardiovascular events among individuals with CHD.

Device-captured incidental physical activity, sedentary behaviour and all-cause mortality risk.

Background: Incidental physical activity from normal daily living may be a more feasible approach to improve health status in adults who are unwilling or unable to complete traditional structured exercise. We aimed to determine if incidental physical activity can attenuate or eliminate the all-cause mortality risk associated with high-sedentary behaviour.

Methods: We examined the tertile-based joint associations of accelerometry-derived sedentary behaviour and (a) total incidental vigorous (VPA), (b) total incidental moderate to vigorous (MVPA), (c) vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity (VILPA; incidental bouts <1 min) and (d) moderate to vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity (MV-ILPA; incidental bouts <3 min) with mortality risk.

Population level effects of the active kids program on children and adolescents' physical activity and sport participation in NSW, Australia.

Background: Active Kids was a universal program that aimed to reduce the cost of sport and active recreation programs for all school-enrolled children and adolescents (4.5-18 years) in New South Wales (NSW), Australia through provision of $100 vouchers. This study assesses trends in physical activity and sport participation in children and adolescents in NSW during its implementation to determine population level program effects.

Independent and joint associations of sedentary behaviour and physical activity with risk of recurrent cardiovascular events in 40,156 Australian adults with coronary heart disease.

Objective: Explore the independent and joint associations between sedentary behaviour and physical activity with cardiovascular events, among individuals with coronary heart disease (CHD).

Methods: Cohort study including Australians ≥45 years with CHD (2006-2020). Time in sedentary behaviour, walking, moderate-, and vigorous- physical activity were self-reported.

FirstCPR: A pragmatic community organisation-based cluster randomised trial to increase community training and preparedness to respond to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Background: Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation improve out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival. However, basic life support (BLS) skills are low.

Aim: The FirstCPR cluster randomised controlled trial aimed to test the effectiveness of a community organisation-targeted BLS education and training approach.

Dose Response of Incidental Physical Activity Against Cardiovascular Events and Mortality.

Background: Few middle-aged and older adults engage in regular leisure-time exercise. Incidental physical activity (IPA) encompasses activities of daily living outside the leisure-time domain. No dose-response study is available to guide IPA-focused interventions and guidelines.

Developing physical Activity and Sedentary behaviour thresholds for the Secondary prevention of Heart disease (DASSH): a cohort mortality survival tree analysis.

Background: The dose-response relationship between physical activity and sedentary behaviour (SB) with mortality in people with coronary heart disease (CHD) is unclear. The aim was to identify moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and SB thresholds for mortality risk.

Methods: This prospective cohort study comprised Australian participants aged ≥ 45 years with self-reported CHD (2006-2020).

Physical activity policies in the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries: a qualitative study with document analysis.

Background: The Gulf states have some of the lowest physical activity levels and some of the highest obesity rates globally. Understanding physical activity policies is important but under-researched in this region.

Purpose: To analyse physical activity policies in terms of structures, formulation, implementation and evaluation in the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE)).

Heart2Heart: a digital peer support programme for people with heart disease: protocol for a community-based, investigator-blinded randomised controlled trial conducted in Australia.

Introduction: Cardiac rehabilitation is known to reduce morbidity and improve quality of life in people living with heart disease, however, adherence, access and completion of these programmes is suboptimal. Peer support may offer an opportunity to close this service gap. The aim of the study is to determine whether the effectiveness of a digital peer support programme for people living with heart disease is effective in improving social connectedness, clinical and patient-reported outcomes and experience measures.

Scale-up influences and definitions of scale-up 'success': evidence from globally scaled interventions.

The World Health Organization ExpandNet framework for scaling up contains key recommendations to support the scaling of health interventions globally. Despite being widely used, it is not known how the framework informs intervention scale-up nor how 'successful' scale-up is defined. Using data from the Scaling Up InTErventions' study, this paper assessed adoption of framework components using an international sample of scaled-up physical activity and nutrition interventions, and explored individuals' definitions of scale-up 'success'.

Promotion of Physical Activity by Health Professionals (PROMOTE-PA): protocol for effectiveness outcomes in a hybrid type I effectiveness-implementation cluster randomised controlled trial.

Promotion of physical activity by health professionals can increase physical activity participation among patients, however, implementing physical activity promotion within hospital systems is lacking. The Promotion of Physical Activity by Health Professionals (PROMOTE-PA) study is a hybrid type I effectiveness-implementation cluster randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of support for physical activity promotion by health professionals on physical activity participation of patients. Health professionals delivering outpatient healthcare services within four local health districts and one specialty health network in New South Wales, Australia will be included.

Involving national stakeholders in a systems approach to map drivers of childhood obesity and actions to prevent childhood obesity in Denmark: the Generation Healthy Kids Study.

Background: Childhood obesity is a preventable global public health challenge, increasingly recognized as a complex problem, stemming from complex drivers. Obesity is characterized by multiple interdependencies and diverse influences at different societal levels. Tackling childhood obesity calls for a holistic approach that engages with complexity and recognizes that there is no single "magic bullet" intervention to prevent obesity.

Gender differences in physical activity and sport participation in adults across 28 European countries between 2005 and 2022.

Objective: There is a lack of understanding of the specific types and intensities of physical activity driving the gender gap in overall levels of physical activity, and how these activities are changing over time. We examined the gender gap in specific types and intensities of physical activities in European adults from 2005 to 2022.

Study Design And Methods: This repeated cross-sectional study included data from adults from the Eurobarometer (2005-2022) from 28 European countries.

Increasing Reported Physical Activity Among Australian Adults: Progress Toward a Healthy Older Age.

Background/objectives: A globally aging population necessitates public health action that supports healthy aging. Although it is well established that participation in physical activity (PA), sport, and active recreation are important for healthy aging, PA levels remain generally lower among older adults. This study examines trends in physical activities that older adults engage in and identifies disparities in activities across subgroups as defined by age, gender, and socioeconomic status.