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. This study aimed to provide insight in objectively measured indoor and outdoor PA of older adults, and in PA differences by frailty levels. Data were collected among non-frail (N = 74) and frail (N = 10) subjects, aged 65 to 89 years. PA, measured for seven days with accelerometers and GPS-devices, was categorized into three levels of intensity (sedentary, light, and moderate-to-vigorous PA). Older adults spent most time in sedentary and light PA. Subjects spent 84.7%, 15.1% and 0.2%per day in sedentary, light and moderate-to-vigorous PA respectively. On average, older adults spent 9.8 (SD 23.7) minutes per week in moderate-to-vigorous activity, and 747.0 (SD 389.6) minutes per week in light activity. None of the subjects met the WHO recommendations of 150 weekly minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA. Age-, sex- and health status-adjusted results revealed no differences in PA between non-frail and frail older adults. Subjects spent significantly more sedentary time at home, than not at home. Non-frail subjects spent significantly more time not at home during moderate-to-vigorous activities, than at home. Objective assessment of PA in older adults revealed that most PA was of light intensity, and time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA was very low. None of the older adults met the World Health Organization recommendations for PA. These levels of MVPA are much lower than generally reported based on self-reported PA. Future studies should employ objective methods, and age specific thresholds for healthy PA levels in older adults are needed. These results emphasize the need for effective strategies for healthy PA levels for the growing proportion of older adults. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0123168
MULTIFILE
Characteristics of the physical childcare environment are associated with children’s sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity (PA) levels. This study examines whether these associations are moderated by child characteristics. A total of 152 1- to 3-year-old children from 22 Dutch childcare centers participated in the study. Trained research assistants observed the physical childcare environment, using the Environment and Policy Assessment Observation (EPAO) protocol. Child characteristics (age, gender, temperament and weight status) were assessed using parental questionnaires. Child SB and PA was assessed using Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometers. Linear regression analyses including interaction terms were used to examine moderation of associations between the childcare environment and child SB and PA. Natural elements and portable outdoor equipment were associated with less SB and more PA. In addition, older children, boys and heavier children were less sedentary and more active, while more use of childcare and an anxious temperament were associated with more SB. There were various interactions between environmental factors and child characteristics. Specific physical elements (e.g., natural elements) were especially beneficial for vulnerable children (i.e., anxious, overactive, depressive/withdrawn, overweight). The current study shows the importance of the physical childcare environment in lowering SB and promoting PA in very young children in general, and vulnerable children specifically. Moderation by child characteristics shows the urgency of shaping childcare centers that promote PA in all children, increasing equity in PA promotion in childcare.
Several studies have suggested that precision livestock farming (PLF) is a useful tool foranimal welfare management and assessment. Location, posture and movement of an individual are key elements in identifying the animal and recording its behaviour. Currently, multiple technologies are available for automated monitoring of the location of individual animals, ranging from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) to ultra-wideband (UWB), RFID, wireless sensor networks (WSN) and even computer vision. These techniques and developments all yield potential to manage and assess animal welfare, but also have their constraints, such as range and accuracy. Combining sensors such as accelerometers with any location determining technique into a sensor fusion systemcan give more detailed information on the individual cow, achieving an even more reliable and accurate indication of animal welfare. We conclude that location systems are a promising approach to determining animal welfare, especially when applied in conjunction with additional sensors, but additional research focused on the use of technology in animal welfare monitoring is needed.
MULTIFILE
Gebruik van sensoren en data voor het monitoren van welzijn en gezondheid van mens en dier, raakt steeds meer ingeburgerd. Ook voor de paardenhouderij is het interessant om met behulp van sensoren de gezondheid en het welzijn van de paarden te volgen en in geval van ziekte of stress preventief te kunnen handelen. In tegenstelling tot het ruime aanbod voor de veehouderij, zijn er voor paarden nog weinig of geen sensoren beschikbaar voor gezondheidsmonitoring. In dit project zullen halsbanden voor paarden worden ontwikkeld met activiteitssensoren (accelerometers), die gedragsdata verzamelen. Deze data worden vertaald in informatie over het normale en afwijkende gedrag van de paarden. Activiteit en gedrag worden gekoppeld aan gezondheid en het welzijn van het paard. Doel is om een systeem te ontwikkelen waarbij gezondheid en welzijn van de paarden gemonitord wordt met behulp van deze sensor, en waarbij de eigenaar gewaarschuwd wordt wanneer veranderingen in gedrag optreden die voorspellend zijn voor ziekte, stress of afwijkingen.
The structure will be monitored real-time and reasons behind the damages will be found. Proposals for protecting the structure against earthquakes will be made. - Damage scenario of the building, in relation to the induced seismicity effects on structures in the region- Establishment of a real-time structural monitoring toolThe building will be instrumented with accelerometers and displacement crack sensors. Additionally to the monitoring efforts, the structure will also be modelled in FE computer simulations in an effort trying to find out possible future response of the monument to strong earthquakes. The monitoring data will be combined with FE simulations in concluding the response of the structure to recursive induced seismic events.
