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New Technologies and Strategies for Sustainable Healthy Lifestyles: Promoting Physical Activity and Healthy Nutrition Habits

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Health, Well-Being and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 August 2021) | Viewed by 8204

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Marianna Bellafiore

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Guest Editor

Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
Interests: innovative tools and strategies for monitoring and developing food, physical, and emergent literacy in preschool children; physical exercise programs for improving psychophysical health in older, overweight, and/or diabetic people; new tools and strategies related to sport performance

Dr. Stefano De Dominicis

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Guest Editor

Københavns Universitet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Interests: communication and persuasion processes in sport and health through the use of new technologies; psychological skills training and its effects on athletic and non-athletic peak performance and talent growth and expression; leadership and group processes (relationships, behaviors, and norms) and their effects on individual athletes and teams processes; people–environment interactions and reciprocal influences in promoting physical activity, health, and sustainable behaviors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The aging of the population, the increasing obesity rates, the rise in chronic diseases, and new unexpected global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic pose some major challenges for individuals and communities in terms of healthy lifestyles. Despite these negative trends, there is hope as most risks for preventable chronic conditions are related to changeable unhealthy behaviors like poor diet and physical inactivity. Different solutions have been proposed and have proven to be most effective when they are supported by theory-driven, individualized, personalized, just-in-time, long-term actions that raise awareness, coach individuals, and promote behavioral change toward health and wellbeing. Within such a realm, accessible, user-friendly, widespread technologies can be leveraged to deliver such interventions and help individuals and communities to embrace long-term healthy lifestyles. Such interdisciplinary integration is desirable; yet, interventions are fragmented and largely left to market-driven decisions, rather than to sound theoretical and applied scientific practice. The goal of this Special Issue is to collect studies that disentangle and leverage the opportunities arising in the digital age by ensuring the application of digital tools and new technological advances as valuable assets for sustainable health and wellbeing promotion, with a specific focus on physical activity and healthy nutrition.

Prof. Dr. Marianna Bellafiore
Dr. Stefano De Dominicis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

physical activity
nutrition
lifestyle
digital tools
technology
wearables

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 1097 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Stay Home, Stay Active with SuperJump^®: A Home-Based Activity to Prevent Sedentary Lifestyle during COVID-19 Outbreak

by Alice Iannaccone, Andrea Fusco, Salvador J. Jaime, Sara Baldassano, Jill Cooper, Patrizia Proia and Cristina Cortis

Sustainability 2020, 12(23), 10135; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su122310135 - 04 Dec 2020

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3242

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the intensity of SuperJump^® workout as a home-based activity for fulfilling physical activity recommendations during COVID-19 home-confinement. Seventeen (males: n = 10; females: n = 7) college students (age: 25.8 ± 2.7 years; height: 1.7 ± 0.1 m; weight: 66.2 ± 12.1 kg) participated in the study. To assess the intensity of the activity (30-min), heart rate (HR), expressed as percentages of age-predicted maximal HR (%HRmax), and session ratings of perceived exertion (sRPE), collected on a CR10 scale, were used. %HRmax data were categorically separated in five classes of intensity according to the American College of Sport Science’s guidelines. Enjoyment was evaluated using the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES). Repeated measures ANOVA was used to evaluate differences (p < 0.05) in relation to gender and exercise intensity. No gender difference emerged for %HRmax and sRPE. Significantly higher (p < 0.05) %HRmax were found for the moderate intensity (47.1 ± 34.4%) with respect to very light (3.6 ± 6.9%), light (14.5 ± 23.3%) and vigorous (34.6 ± 39.6%) and for the vigorous intensity with respect to very light; no near maximal to maximal values were observed. Subjects perceived SuperJump^® as moderate (sRPE = 3.1 ± 1.2) while showing high levels of enjoyability (PACES = 86.6 ± 16.2%). SuperJump^® can be classified as moderate-to-vigorous activity, representing an effective alternative and enjoyable home-based activity for preventing the effects of a sedentary lifestyle during home-confinement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technologies and Strategies for Sustainable Healthy Lifestyles: Promoting Physical Activity and Healthy Nutrition Habits)

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Review

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14 pages, 653 KiB

Open AccessReview

New Technologies for Promoting Physical Activity in Healthy Children and in Children with Chronic Respiratory Diseases: A Narrative Review

by Velia Malizia, Giuliana Ferrante, Salvatore Fasola, Laura Montalbano, Giovanna Cilluffo and Stefania La Grutta

Sustainability 2021, 13(21), 11661; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132111661 - 21 Oct 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1860

Abstract

Physical activity (PA) is proven to benefit children and adolescents in several ways. New technologies may provide children with stimulating modalities for organizing their leisure time, accessing fitness programs, and obtaining daily goal reminders and peer support. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, following WHO recommendations for PA is difficult for many children, especially for those living in urban areas. Therefore, the use of digital tools to support and maintain PA could be useful in healthy children, as well as in those with chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs). This narrative review aims to summarize the most recent evidence about the role of new technologies in promoting PA in healthy children and in those with CRDs, in supporting PA during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in enhancing psychological wellbeing in this age group. The use of technological devices for promoting PA, such as web/mobile apps and games, has been proven to be effective both in healthy children and in those with CRDs. In conclusion, new technologies are very promising in terms of feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy in promoting PA. Further studies are required to evaluate the long-term health benefits of using these technologies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technologies and Strategies for Sustainable Healthy Lifestyles: Promoting Physical Activity and Healthy Nutrition Habits)

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12 pages, 998 KiB

Open AccessReview

Effective Strategies for Promoting Physical Activity through the Use of Digital Media among School-Age Children: A Systematic Review

by Giovanni Angelo Navarra, Ewan Thomas, Antonino Scardina, Mohammad Izadi, Daniele Zangla, Stefano De Dominicis, Pietro Cataldo, Patrizia Proia and Marianna Bellafiore

Sustainability 2021, 13(20), 11270; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132011270 - 13 Oct 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2439

Abstract

Digital media are widespread among school-age children, and their incorrect use may lead to an increase in sedentary levels and the consequences associated with it. There are still few studies that have investigated whether physical activity levels could be increased through their use. The aim of this study was to systematically review the scientific literature in order to identify whether digital strategies and technologies are capable of increasing the level of physical activity. A literature search was performed using the following databases: Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The main outcomes evaluated the increase in physical activity levels, the number of steps, and the reduction of sedentary behaviors. Two trained researchers independently assessed eligible studies against eligibility criteria, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias. The Downs and Black checklist was used to assess the quality of the included studies. A total of 15 studies (1122 children) were included in this systematic review, with a mean age of 8.45 ± 0.70 years. Quality assessment of the studies observed a “moderate quality” of the included records. The results of this systematic review highlight that digital media can be applied as a way to improve the levels of physical activity in children to contrast a sedentary lifestyle. The main limitations of the study are the heterogeneity within the exercise protocols and the paucity of studies involving school-age children. More research is needed to confirm our findings also due to continuing technological progress. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technologies and Strategies for Sustainable Healthy Lifestyles: Promoting Physical Activity and Healthy Nutrition Habits)

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