Wendy J Brown

Wendy J Brown
University of Queensland | UQ · School of Human Movement Studies

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729
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Publications

Publications (729)
Article
Background: Type 2 diabetes is a major cause of illness and disability and physical activity reduces these risks. The SMART Health study aim was to compare the efficacy of a multicomponent intervention to promote aerobic physical activity and resistance training in schoolteachers at risk of or diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, with and without a tec...
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Objective The objective of this study was to compare the effects of novel, time-efficient, low-volume combined aerobic and resistance high-intensity interval training (C-HIIT), and current exercise guidelines (210 min/week of combined moderate-intensity continuous training (C-MICT)), with waitlist control (CON) on glycaemic control in people with t...
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Poor diet is a major risk factor for non-communicable disease. The aims of this study were to describe temporal patterns and seasonal changes in diet across the year in Australian adults. A total of 375 adults from a prospective cohort study conducted between 1 December 2019 and 31 December 2021 in Adelaide, Australia, were asked to complete the Di...
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Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate prospective associations between participation in sports/recreational activities and the occurrence of moderate‐to‐severe psychological distress over 2 years in a sample of mid‐aged Australians. Methods This prospective study used data from 6699 adults aged 40+ years, living in Brisbane in 2007,...
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Background There is little long-term causal evidence on the effect of physical activity on health-related quality of life. This study aimed to examine the associations between longitudinal patterns of physical activity over 15 years and health-related quality of life in both the physical and mental health domains, in a cohort of middle-aged Austral...
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Background Optimal patterns of accrual of recommended levels of physical activity (PA) for prevention of hypertension and obesity are not known. The overall aim of this study was to investigate whether different patterns of accumulation of PA are differentially associated with hypertension and obesity in Australian women over 21 years. Specifically...
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The aim of this prospective cohort study was to compare changes in lifestyle behaviours over nine years in women who were and were not diagnosed with osteoarthritis (OA). Data were from the 1945–51 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (aged 50–55 in 2001) who completed written surveys in 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010. The sampl...
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Background Sleep, sedentary behavior, and physical activity have fundamental impacts on health and well-being. Little is known about how these behaviors vary across the year. Purpose To investigate how movement-related behaviors change across days of the week and seasons, and describe movement patterns across a full year and around specific tempor...
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Background Women’s physical activity varies across the adult lifespan. However, changes in physical activity among mid-aged women are not well understood. We analysed 21 years of data from women born in 1946–51 to identify: (1) trajectories of physical activity in the transition from mid- to old-age and (2) determinants of different physical activi...
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Purpose The aim was to use accelerometer data to describe day-to-day variability in physical activity in a single week, according to sociodemographic variables, in mid-aged Australian adults. Methods Data were from participants in the How Areas in Brisbane Influence HealTh and AcTivity (HABITAT) study who took part in a 2014 sub-study (N = 612; Me...
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Issue Addressed Referral to supervised physical activity (PA) programs is an effective treatment for military service veterans (MSVs) suffering from a range of chronic diseases. However, many MSVs fail to maintain PA regimes once discharged from supervision. This pilot study assessed Active Choices , a stepped‐down program to support MSVs in the tr...
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Background Obesity is a growing, global public health issue. This study aimed to describe the weight management strategies used by a sample of Australian adults; examine the socio-demographic characteristics of using each strategy; and examine whether use of each strategy was associated with 12-month weight change. Methods This observational study...
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Importance: Obesity is a major global health concern. A better understanding of temporal patterns of weight gain will enable the design and implementation of interventions with potential to alter obesity trajectories. Objective: To describe changes in daily weight across 12 months among Australian adults. Design, setting, and participants: Thi...
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Objective: This cluster-controlled pilot study assessed the efficacy and feasibility of 'Fit2Drive', a depot-delivered, high-intensity interval (HIIT) program to improve the cardio-respiratory fitness (CRF) of truck drivers. Methods: Companies of local delivery drivers (44 men; mean [SD] age = 50.5 [9.8] years; Brisbane, Australia) were assigned...
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The IOC made recommendations for recording and reporting epidemiological data on injuries and illness in sports in 2020, but with little, if any, focus on female athletes. Therefore, the aims of this supplement to the IOC consensus statement are to (i) propose a taxonomy for categorisation of female athlete health problems across the lifespan; (ii)...
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Background Pedometers have been shown to be effective for increasing physical activity, however the potential additional effects of activity trackers, and their added capacity to simultaneously modify sedentary behaviour, has not been thoroughly explored. This study aimed to explore the comparative effectiveness of two activity trackers and a pedom...
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Objectives: To assess evidence on the impact of acute and chronic high intensity interval training (HIIT) and sprint interval training (SIT) on work-related performance tests of cognitive function in adults. Methods: The databases PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, PsycINFO, Embase and the Cochrane Library were searched for relevant articles up to August 2...
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Abstract Background Weather is a potentially important influence on how time is allocated to sleep, sedentary behaviour and physical activity across the 24-h day. Extremes of weather (very hot, cold, windy or wet) can create undesirable, unsafe outdoor environments for exercise or active transport, impact the comfort of sleeping environments, and i...
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Abstract Background For adults, vacations represent a break from daily responsibilities of work – offering the opportunity to re-distribute time between sleep, sedentary behaviour, light physical activity (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) across the 24-h day. To date, there has been minimal research into how activity behaviour...
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We appreciate the interest of Anamege and Perez-Carreno in our article titled ‘Assessing patterns of change in lifestyle behaviours by parity: a longitudinal cohort study’.¹ We are also grateful to the editor for the opportunity to respond and to provide further details about our work. We excluded all respondents with implausible energy intake (n =...
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Background To examine associations between user engagement and activity-sleep patterns in a 12-week m-health behavioural intervention targeting physical activity and sleep. Methods This secondary analysis used data pooled from two Randomised Control Trials (RCT, [Synergy and Refresh]) that aimed to improve physical activity and sleep (PAS) among p...
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Background and objective Despite the known health benefits of physical activity (PA), pregnancy is a time of marked decline in PA levels. To provide women with reliable and trustworthy information, and to encourage greater participation in PA during pregnancy, many governments have developed guidelines for PA during pregnancy. Our aim was to synthe...
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Objectives Insufficient physical activity (PA) and prolonged sitting time (ST) increase the risk of chronic disease and mortality. Caring for young children can potentially impact maternal PA and sedentary behaviours. The aims of this study were to explore the levels of PA and ST in women with young children (infants, toddlers and preschoolers) and...
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Background Physical activity has known benefits during pregnancy; however, the optimum volume of physical activity through the different stages of pregnancy is not well known. Objectives The aims of this study were to investigate the associations of physical activity volume in pregnant women in each trimester of pregnancy with maternal and infant...
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Background: Achieving system-level, sustainable ‘scale-up’ of interventions is the epitome of successful translation of evidence-based approaches in population health. In physical activity promotion, few evidence-based interventions reach implementation at scale or become embedded within systems for sustainable health impact. This is despite the va...
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Diabetes is on the rise as the worldwide population ages. While physical activity can help protect against diabetes, ageing is commonly associated with reduced physical activity. This study aimed to examine if physical activity differs by diabetes status in mid-aged adults, how this association changes over time, and whether physical activity-relat...
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Background Raw data from accelerometers can provide valuable insights into specific attributes of physical activity, such as time spent in intensity-specific activity. The aim of this study was to describe physical activity assessed with raw data from triaxial wrist-worn accelerometers in mid-age Australian adults. Methods Data were from 700 mid-a...
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Background The time constraints and reprioritization of personal health associated with having children may lead women to adopt less healthy lifestyles. We assessed the patterns of change in weight and lifestyle behaviours associated with having children and whether these differ between primiparous and multiparous women. Methods Data were from Sur...
Preprint
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Background: Raw accelerometry data can provide valuable insights into specific attributes of physical activity, such as time spent in intensity-specific activity. The aim of this study was to describe physical activity assessed with raw triaxial wrist-worn accelerometers in mid-age Australian adults. Methods: Data were from a sub-sample of a popula...
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People with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are at a greater risk of cardiovascular disease than the general population. Both non‐modifiable (age) and modifiable (low aerobic fitness, high body fatness) factors are separately predictive of cardiovascular risk, although they often occur concomitantly. This study aimed to examine the (1) association between ag...
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Objectives To develop Australian guidelines on physical activity/exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Design Critical 'umbrella' reviews of the scientific evidence, combined with adaptation of recently published guidelines. Method A five stage approach included: identification of key source documents (including national PA/exercis...
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Purpose: The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature on accelerometer-measured physical activity and health outcomes in adults. Methods: Eight electronic databases were searched for relevant articles published up to March 2021. Only population-based studies of adults (≥18 years) which directly compared two or more categorie...
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Background In some occupational groups, prolonged standing is associated with adverse symptoms. While the introduction of sit-stand workstations in office-workers is increasingly common, the profile of symptom development is not known. Objectives To identify and describe the location, intensity, quality, and timing of symptoms experienced by offic...
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STUDY QUESTION Do extrinsic factors including lifestyle, psychosocial factors and healthcare professional engagement independently contribute to weight gain in women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)? SUMMARY ANSWER Women with PCOS had a higher rate of weight gain than women without PCOS which was most marked in those with unhealth...
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Background To determine the relationship between clusters of back pain and joint pain and prescription opioid dispensing. Methods Of 11,221 middle-aged participants from the Australian Longitudinal Study of Women’s Health, clusters of back pain and joint pain from 2001 to 2013 were identified using group-based trajectory modelling. Prescription op...
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Background The aims were to compare: (1) baseline weights and weight gain trajectories; (2) sociodemographic, behavioural and health characteristics driving weight gain; and (3) estimated average weight in 20 years’ time, in two cohorts of young women. Methods Data were from 16066 participants in two population-based cohorts of young adult women,...
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Bicycling has multiple health benefits. Child-rearing may influence bicycling, but little is known about the impact of this between men’s and women’s bicycling, or of number and ages of children on bicycling. This study examined the longitudinal associations between having dependent children and bicycling for transportation and recreation over 4 ye...
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Objectives: People with mental illness may be vulnerable to psychological distress and reduced well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to assess psychosocial and lifestyle predictors of distress and well-being in people with mental illness during the pandemic. Method: People with mental illness who participated in an e...
Preprint
BACKGROUND Guidelines on physical activity/exercise during pregnancy recommend all women without contraindications engage in regular physical activity to improve both their own health and the health of their baby. Many women are uncertain how to safely engage in physical activity/exercise during this life-stage and are increasingly using mobile app...
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Objective A stepped-down program is one where clients transition from the care of a health professional to self-managed care. This study reviewed the effectiveness of stepped-down interventions to promote self-managed physical activity for health in military service veterans. Design Systematic review. Methods Literature searches of 11 electronic...
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This study assessed cardio‐respiratory fitness (CRF), and 24‐hour sleep, sedentary behaviour (SB) and physical activity (PA) in Australian truck drivers. Participants (n=37 men) attended clinic sessions for an exercise test to exhaustion to establish CRF, and wore an accelerometer (ActigraphGT3X+) to estimate sleep, SB, and PA. Relative to normativ...
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Purposes: The aims of this study were to investigate the cross-sectional and prospective associations between accelerometer-measured physical activity and cardiometabolic health in the transition to adulthood. Methods: Data from the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort were analysed (N=2,280). Moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA...
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Background: While women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a higher prevalence of overweight/obesity and increased weight gain than women without PCOS, the association of lifestyle behaviours with weight change is not known. Methods: We used data from the 1973–78 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health for longitudinal...
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Background: Physical activity levels decrease during pregnancy, and the time course of return to prepregnancy levels is unclear. This study aimed to describe changes in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and sitting time from 16 to 24 weeks of pregnancy to 12, 24, and 48 months postpartum in women with different education levels in Brazil. Met...
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STUDY QUESTION Are physical activity (PA) and body mass index (BMI) associated with irregular periods and heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) in Australian women? SUMMARY ANSWER Overweight and obese women have higher odds of both irregular periods and HMB than underweight/normal-weight women, but high levels of PA reduce the odds of HMB. WHAT IS KNOWN...
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Introduction : Little is known about the joint effects of physical activity and sleep difficulties on hypertension. The aim of this study was to examine the joint associations of physical activity and sleep difficulties with the incidence of hypertension in mid-aged women. Study Design : Prospective cohort study. Main Outcome Measures : Mid-aged...
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Abstract Background To examine if a composite activity-sleep behaviour index (ASI) mediates the effects of a combined physical activity and sleep intervention on symptoms of depression, anxiety, or stress, quality of life (QOL), energy and fatigue in adults. Methods This analysis used data pooled from two studies: Synergy and Refresh. Synergy: Phys...
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The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted lifestyle behaviour as public health initiatives aim to “flatten the curve”. This study examined changes in activity patterns (physical activity, sedentary time, sleep), recreational physical activities, diet, weight and wellbeing from before to during COVID-19 restrictions in Adelaide, Australia. Thi...
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The aim of this study was to compare the associations between indicators of energy intake and expenditure with excess weight and obesity in women who work full-time in sedentary and less sedentary jobs. Data were from 3444 participants the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, who reported their weight, dietary intake, physical activity...
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Background Current evidence suggests that overweight and obesity are important risk factors for urinary incontinence in women. However, little is known about the relationships between body mass index (BMI), physical activity and urinary incontinence in women in their 20s. Objectives The aims were to: 1) compare prevalence rates of urinary incontin...
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Obesity during pregnancy is associated with the development of adverse outcomes, including gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). GDM is highly associated with obesity and independently increases the risk of both complications during pregnancy and future impaired glycemic control and risk factors for cardiovascular disease for both the mother and chi...
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Background Almost one in three Australian adults are now obese, and the rate continues to rise. The causes of obesity are multifaceted and include environmental, cultural and lifestyle factors. Emerging evidence suggests there may be temporal patterns in weight gain related, for example, to season and major festivals such as Christmas, potentially...
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Interrelationships between neighborhood walkability, area disadvantage, and crime may contribute to the inconsistent associations between crime and walking. We examined associations between crime and walking, and tested for differences by neighborhood disadvantage while addressing these additional complexities. Participants ( n = 6,680) from 200 ne...
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Objectives People with mental illness may be vulnerable to decline in mental health and reduced physical activity because of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions. The aim of this study was to inform the design of physical activity interventions for implementation under these conditions to improve/maintain well-being and physical activi...
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Objective There are concerns that lumbar spine imaging represents low value care. Our aim was to examine the use of lumbar spine imaging [radiography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)] over 20 years, and costs and person-level characteristics of imaging in a large cohort of Australian women. Methods The Australian Longitu...
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Background: Dementia is the second leading cause of death in the United Kingdom, affecting 7.1% of older adults. One in five dementia cases in Europe can be attributable to physical inactivity. We examined the association between physical activity at age 50 or older and risk of dementia over 15 years. Methods: The English Longitudinal Study of A...
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Background: This study compared the efficacy of two multi-component m-health interventions with a wait-list control group on body weight (primary outcome), and secondary outcomes of cardiovascular risk factors, lifestyle behaviours, and mental health. Methods: Three-arm randomised controlled trial (Enhanced: physical activity, diet, sleep, Tradi...
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Evidence of prospective associations between participation in sports and recreational activities (SRAs) and health outcomes at the population level are scarce. We investigated the associations between participation in SRAs and 6‐year incidence of hypertension, diabetes and obesity in a cohort of mid‐age Australian adults. We analysed data from the...
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Aim The aim was to describe the characteristics of young adult women who report urinary incontinence (UI), the types of UI they experience, the strategies they use or consider important for managing UI, and help‐seeking behavior. Methods Data were from the 1989‐1995 Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health cohort (n = 8457) at age 22 to 27...
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Background: Few studies have examined relationships between physical activity (PA) during mid-age and health costs in women. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between PA levels and trajectories over 12 years with medical and pharmaceutical costs in mid-age Australian women. Methods: Data from 6953 participants in the Australi...
Preprint
BACKGROUND A stepped-down program is one in which clients transition from the care of a health professional to self-managed care. Very little is known about the effectiveness of stepped-down physical activity (PA) programs for military service veterans. OBJECTIVE This study will test Active Choices, a stepped-down behavioural support program desig...
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Full-text available
Background A stepped-down program is one in which clients transition from the care of a health professional to self-managed care. Very little is known about the effectiveness of stepped-down physical activity (PA) programs for military service veterans. Objective This study will test Active Choices, a stepped-down behavioral support program design...
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Reduced occupational energy expenditure and increased energy intake are important contributors to the increasing prevalence of obesity. The aim of this study was to examine whether sedentary occupations, and specific indicators of energy intake and expenditure are associated with obesity risk in Australian women. Data were from 3,444 participants i...
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Objectives: Examining mediators of intervention efficacy in an m-health intervention targeting physical activity and sleep in 160 Australian adults. Design: Nationwide randomised controlled trial. Main outcome measures: Moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA), assessed using the Active Australia Questionnaire; sleep quality (Pitts...
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Studies of parks and physical activity rarely identify the actual spaces participants use. Using data from the HABITAT project, a longitudinal cohort of mid-to older-aged (40–70 years) respondents (n = 11,036) living in Brisbane Australia, this study examined (1) the demographic characteristics of users and non-users of parks; (2) the park used and...
Preprint
Full-text available
Background: Few studies have examined relationships between physical activity (PA) during mid-age and health costs in women. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between PA levels and trajectories over 12 years with medical and pharmaceutical costs in mid-age Australian women. Methods: Data from 6,953 participants in the Australian...
Preprint
Full-text available
Background: Few studies have examined relationships between physical activity (PA) during mid-age and health costs in women. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between PA levels and trajectories over 12 years with medical and pharmaceutical costs in mid-age Australian women. Methods : Data from 6,953 participants in the Australia...
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Objective Lifestyle is the first‐line treatment for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This study examines the physical activity (PA) levels and sedentary behaviours of women with and without PCOS, and their alignment with the PCOS PA guideline. Methods This cross‐sectional study on women (aged 22‐27 years) in the Australian Longitudinal...
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Study question: Do physical activity (PA), sitting time (ST) and body mass index (BMI) affect fertility over a 15-year period in Australian women? Summary answer: Moderate and high levels of PA confer advantages for fertility in women with normal BMI, but increased risk of infertility was observed in obese women. What is known already: Higher...