Alexander Voukelatos | The University of New South Wales (original) (raw)
Papers by Alexander Voukelatos
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
The World Health Organisation defines health in terms of wellbeing, and wellbeing has become both... more The World Health Organisation defines health in terms of wellbeing, and wellbeing has become both a construct and a measure of impact in early intervention and prevention programs in schools. In Australia, schools report on their wellbeing initiatives and there is a plethora of government-funded wellbeing programs already in place in schools. However, education systems and stakeholders worldwide are facing significant challenges with mixed evaluation results of program impact and intervention effect. To better support students, schools, school-based healthcare workers, and community, it is important to know about the effectiveness of school-based programs; yet in the last decade, there has been no national appraisal of these programs in Australia. This systematic review aims to report on the effectiveness of Australian school-based wellbeing programs through a search of 13 databases. Out of 2888 articles, 29 met inclusion criteria. The results found that seventeen interventions comp...
Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 2010
Journal of Sport and Health Science, 2014
Falls among people aged 65 and older are a significant public health problem and one that is expe... more Falls among people aged 65 and older are a significant public health problem and one that is expected to increase as the population ages. Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that Tai Ji Quan can reduce falls and associated injuries among older adults. In this paper, we describe how Tai Ji Quan community programs are being utilized by public health and aging services organizations to reduce older adult falls. We conclude that, to have a population-level impact on reducing falls and improving the health of older adults, Tai Ji Quan interventions must be translated into community programs that meet the needs and abilities of older adults. These programs must be adapted to fit into existing community structures, disseminated through multiple delivery channels, adopted and implemented broadly by organizations, and institutionalized to ensure sustainability.
... committee Chris Rissel (chair), Freda Adler, Moonyen Atkinson, Monique Desmarchelier, Madelen... more ... committee Chris Rissel (chair), Freda Adler, Moonyen Atkinson, Monique Desmarchelier, Madelene Gavin, Daphne Grange, Marion Haas, Anne Keeling, Gary Khor, Paul Lam, Andrew Metcalfe, Christine Reilly, Marian Shanahan, Gai Stackpool and Alexander Voukelatos ...
Health Promotion Journal of Australia
International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, 2020
Purpose. This study investigated the effect of different sit-stand workstations on lumbar spine k... more Purpose. This study investigated the effect of different sit-stand workstations on lumbar spine kinematics, lumbar muscle activity and musculoskeletal pain. Methods. Thirty-two office workers were randomized to one of three sit-stand workstations (Group 1, ratio of minutes spent sitting to standing each hour at work 40:20, n = 8; Group 2, 30:30, n = 6; Group 3, 20:40, n = 7) and a control group (usual sitting, n = 11). Intervention groups (Groups 1, 2 and 3) were collapsed into one group for analysis (n = 21). Data on lumbar kinematics and muscle activity were only collected for 25 participants due to equipment availability. Results. Participants in the intervention group had lower overall lumbar spine flexion angles during the workday compared to the control group (mean difference 10.6°; 95% confidence interval [−18.1, −3.2]; p = 0.008; Cohen's d = 1.5). There were no between-group differences for the remaining kinematic measures (i.e., mean flexion angle in standing and sitting, mean side flexion angle in standing and sitting, and percentage of time in upright sitting), muscle activity or presence of musculoskeletal pain. Conclusions. Sit-stand workstations reduced overall lumbar spine flexion angles over the course of a workday but had no effect on other kinematic measures, lumbar spine muscle activity or musculoskeletal pain. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry identifier: ACTRN12615001018505..
Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 2009
Journal of occupational and environmental medicine, Jan 4, 2017
To examine the effects of different sit-stand protocols on work-time sitting and physical activit... more To examine the effects of different sit-stand protocols on work-time sitting and physical activity (PA) of office workers. Participants (n = 26, 77% women, mean age 42) were randomly allocated to usual sitting (control) or one of three sit-stand protocols (intervention) facilitated by height-adjustable workstations for a 4-week period between June and August 2015. Sitting, standing, and stepping time were assessed by inclinometry (activPAL); leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) by self-report. One-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and post-hoc (Bonferroni) tests explored between-group differences. Compared with baseline, intervention groups reduced work sitting time by 113 minutes/8-hour workday (95% confidence interval [CI] [-147,-79]) and increased work standing time by 96 minutes/8-hour workday (95% CI [67,125]) without significantly impacting LTPA/sleep time. Sit-stand protocols facilitated by height-adjustable workstations appear to reduce office workers' sitting time wi...
The objective of this rapid review is to provide an evidence base for the involvement of local co... more The objective of this rapid review is to provide an evidence base for the involvement of local councils with local health services in health promotion programs for adults aged 45 and over and the impact of these programs on physical activity, nutrition, and related health outcomes.
Preventive Medicine Reports, 2015
In older adults the relationships between health, fall-related risk factors, perceived neighborho... more In older adults the relationships between health, fall-related risk factors, perceived neighborhood walkability, walking behavior and intervention impacts are poorly understood. To determine whether: i) health and fall-related risk factors were associated with perceptions of neighborhood walkability; ii) perceived environmental attributes, and fall-related risk factors predicted change in walking behavior at 12 months; and iii) perceived environmental attributes and fall-related risk factors moderated the effect of a self-paced walking program on walking behavior. Randomized trial on walking and falls conducted between 2009 and 2012 involving 315 community-dwelling inactive adults ≥65 years living in Sydney, Australia. Measures were: mobility status, fall history, injurious fall and fear of falling (i.e., fall-related risk factors), health status, walking self-efficacy and 11 items from the neighborhood walkability scale and planned walking ≥150 min/week at 12 months. Participants with poorer mobility, fear of falling, and poor health perceived their surroundings as less walkable. Walking at 12 months was significantly greater in "less greenery" (AOR = 3.3, 95% CI: 1.11-9.98) and "high traffic" (AOR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.00-3.91) neighborhoods. The intervention had greater effects in neighborhoods perceived to have poorer pedestrian infrastructure (p for interaction = 0.036). Low perceived walkability was shaped by health status and did not appear to be a barrier to walking behavior. There appears to be a greater impact of, and thus, need for, interventions to encourage walking in environments perceived not to have supportive walking infrastructure. Future studies on built environments and walking should gather information on fall-related risk factors to better understand how these characteristics interact.
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2014
This study assessed the criterion validity and responsiveness of the Incidental and Planned Exerc... more This study assessed the criterion validity and responsiveness of the Incidental and Planned Exercise Questionnaire (IPEQ) specifically developed for aging research. The sample comprised 315 community-dwelling inactive older adults (mean age = 73.2 yr) who participated in a trial investigating the effect of a walking program on falls. At baseline, a subsample (n = 177) also wore an accelerometer (ActiGraph GT1M) for 7 d, and 126 of those had four valid days or more of accelerometer data. Validity coefficients (Spearman ρ) were calculated between accelerometer counts per minute, average steps per day, average moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) using two cut points (760 and 1041 counts per minute), and IPEQ-MVPA (the sum of physical activity hours per week derived from nine IPEQ items excluding the indoor chores question). Responsiveness was the mean IPEQ change in the intervention group divided by the SD of the mean change in control group. The correlation coefficients between IPEQ-MVPA and counts per minute per day and steps per day were 0.33 and 0.31, respectively. The coefficients with accelerometer MVPA at low and medium cut points were 0.29 and 0.33, respectively, and 0.26 and 0.35 for walking. The Bland-Altman plot showed increased errors with higher values of IPEQ-MVPA. IPEQ incidental physical activity questions and IPEQ as a whole were significantly correlated with accelerometer light intensity (100-760 counts per minute, ρ = 0.29 and 0.23). The 12-month responsiveness of total IPEQ was 0.30 and 0.44 for the "planned walking" item. IPEQ provides a practical and valid measure of MVPA in surveillance and intervention studies. Incidental activities are mostly of a light-intensity nature, and their low ambulatory component may explain the lower correlation between IPEQ as a whole and accelerometer measures.
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2008
wellness program provides the same benefits, the latter would be more achievable, less costly, an... more wellness program provides the same benefits, the latter would be more achievable, less costly, and hence far preferable to the former. One additional question for the authors: what were the outcomes in the subjects randomized to the delayed-entry arm once they completed their tai chi course? This information would be of interest, although consistent protective findings would be expected whether tai chi or placebo or Hawthorne effects were operating.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
The World Health Organisation defines health in terms of wellbeing, and wellbeing has become both... more The World Health Organisation defines health in terms of wellbeing, and wellbeing has become both a construct and a measure of impact in early intervention and prevention programs in schools. In Australia, schools report on their wellbeing initiatives and there is a plethora of government-funded wellbeing programs already in place in schools. However, education systems and stakeholders worldwide are facing significant challenges with mixed evaluation results of program impact and intervention effect. To better support students, schools, school-based healthcare workers, and community, it is important to know about the effectiveness of school-based programs; yet in the last decade, there has been no national appraisal of these programs in Australia. This systematic review aims to report on the effectiveness of Australian school-based wellbeing programs through a search of 13 databases. Out of 2888 articles, 29 met inclusion criteria. The results found that seventeen interventions comp...
Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 2010
Journal of Sport and Health Science, 2014
Falls among people aged 65 and older are a significant public health problem and one that is expe... more Falls among people aged 65 and older are a significant public health problem and one that is expected to increase as the population ages. Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that Tai Ji Quan can reduce falls and associated injuries among older adults. In this paper, we describe how Tai Ji Quan community programs are being utilized by public health and aging services organizations to reduce older adult falls. We conclude that, to have a population-level impact on reducing falls and improving the health of older adults, Tai Ji Quan interventions must be translated into community programs that meet the needs and abilities of older adults. These programs must be adapted to fit into existing community structures, disseminated through multiple delivery channels, adopted and implemented broadly by organizations, and institutionalized to ensure sustainability.
... committee Chris Rissel (chair), Freda Adler, Moonyen Atkinson, Monique Desmarchelier, Madelen... more ... committee Chris Rissel (chair), Freda Adler, Moonyen Atkinson, Monique Desmarchelier, Madelene Gavin, Daphne Grange, Marion Haas, Anne Keeling, Gary Khor, Paul Lam, Andrew Metcalfe, Christine Reilly, Marian Shanahan, Gai Stackpool and Alexander Voukelatos ...
Health Promotion Journal of Australia
International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, 2020
Purpose. This study investigated the effect of different sit-stand workstations on lumbar spine k... more Purpose. This study investigated the effect of different sit-stand workstations on lumbar spine kinematics, lumbar muscle activity and musculoskeletal pain. Methods. Thirty-two office workers were randomized to one of three sit-stand workstations (Group 1, ratio of minutes spent sitting to standing each hour at work 40:20, n = 8; Group 2, 30:30, n = 6; Group 3, 20:40, n = 7) and a control group (usual sitting, n = 11). Intervention groups (Groups 1, 2 and 3) were collapsed into one group for analysis (n = 21). Data on lumbar kinematics and muscle activity were only collected for 25 participants due to equipment availability. Results. Participants in the intervention group had lower overall lumbar spine flexion angles during the workday compared to the control group (mean difference 10.6°; 95% confidence interval [−18.1, −3.2]; p = 0.008; Cohen's d = 1.5). There were no between-group differences for the remaining kinematic measures (i.e., mean flexion angle in standing and sitting, mean side flexion angle in standing and sitting, and percentage of time in upright sitting), muscle activity or presence of musculoskeletal pain. Conclusions. Sit-stand workstations reduced overall lumbar spine flexion angles over the course of a workday but had no effect on other kinematic measures, lumbar spine muscle activity or musculoskeletal pain. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry identifier: ACTRN12615001018505..
Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 2009
Journal of occupational and environmental medicine, Jan 4, 2017
To examine the effects of different sit-stand protocols on work-time sitting and physical activit... more To examine the effects of different sit-stand protocols on work-time sitting and physical activity (PA) of office workers. Participants (n = 26, 77% women, mean age 42) were randomly allocated to usual sitting (control) or one of three sit-stand protocols (intervention) facilitated by height-adjustable workstations for a 4-week period between June and August 2015. Sitting, standing, and stepping time were assessed by inclinometry (activPAL); leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) by self-report. One-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and post-hoc (Bonferroni) tests explored between-group differences. Compared with baseline, intervention groups reduced work sitting time by 113 minutes/8-hour workday (95% confidence interval [CI] [-147,-79]) and increased work standing time by 96 minutes/8-hour workday (95% CI [67,125]) without significantly impacting LTPA/sleep time. Sit-stand protocols facilitated by height-adjustable workstations appear to reduce office workers' sitting time wi...
The objective of this rapid review is to provide an evidence base for the involvement of local co... more The objective of this rapid review is to provide an evidence base for the involvement of local councils with local health services in health promotion programs for adults aged 45 and over and the impact of these programs on physical activity, nutrition, and related health outcomes.
Preventive Medicine Reports, 2015
In older adults the relationships between health, fall-related risk factors, perceived neighborho... more In older adults the relationships between health, fall-related risk factors, perceived neighborhood walkability, walking behavior and intervention impacts are poorly understood. To determine whether: i) health and fall-related risk factors were associated with perceptions of neighborhood walkability; ii) perceived environmental attributes, and fall-related risk factors predicted change in walking behavior at 12 months; and iii) perceived environmental attributes and fall-related risk factors moderated the effect of a self-paced walking program on walking behavior. Randomized trial on walking and falls conducted between 2009 and 2012 involving 315 community-dwelling inactive adults ≥65 years living in Sydney, Australia. Measures were: mobility status, fall history, injurious fall and fear of falling (i.e., fall-related risk factors), health status, walking self-efficacy and 11 items from the neighborhood walkability scale and planned walking ≥150 min/week at 12 months. Participants with poorer mobility, fear of falling, and poor health perceived their surroundings as less walkable. Walking at 12 months was significantly greater in "less greenery" (AOR = 3.3, 95% CI: 1.11-9.98) and "high traffic" (AOR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.00-3.91) neighborhoods. The intervention had greater effects in neighborhoods perceived to have poorer pedestrian infrastructure (p for interaction = 0.036). Low perceived walkability was shaped by health status and did not appear to be a barrier to walking behavior. There appears to be a greater impact of, and thus, need for, interventions to encourage walking in environments perceived not to have supportive walking infrastructure. Future studies on built environments and walking should gather information on fall-related risk factors to better understand how these characteristics interact.
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2014
This study assessed the criterion validity and responsiveness of the Incidental and Planned Exerc... more This study assessed the criterion validity and responsiveness of the Incidental and Planned Exercise Questionnaire (IPEQ) specifically developed for aging research. The sample comprised 315 community-dwelling inactive older adults (mean age = 73.2 yr) who participated in a trial investigating the effect of a walking program on falls. At baseline, a subsample (n = 177) also wore an accelerometer (ActiGraph GT1M) for 7 d, and 126 of those had four valid days or more of accelerometer data. Validity coefficients (Spearman ρ) were calculated between accelerometer counts per minute, average steps per day, average moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) using two cut points (760 and 1041 counts per minute), and IPEQ-MVPA (the sum of physical activity hours per week derived from nine IPEQ items excluding the indoor chores question). Responsiveness was the mean IPEQ change in the intervention group divided by the SD of the mean change in control group. The correlation coefficients between IPEQ-MVPA and counts per minute per day and steps per day were 0.33 and 0.31, respectively. The coefficients with accelerometer MVPA at low and medium cut points were 0.29 and 0.33, respectively, and 0.26 and 0.35 for walking. The Bland-Altman plot showed increased errors with higher values of IPEQ-MVPA. IPEQ incidental physical activity questions and IPEQ as a whole were significantly correlated with accelerometer light intensity (100-760 counts per minute, ρ = 0.29 and 0.23). The 12-month responsiveness of total IPEQ was 0.30 and 0.44 for the "planned walking" item. IPEQ provides a practical and valid measure of MVPA in surveillance and intervention studies. Incidental activities are mostly of a light-intensity nature, and their low ambulatory component may explain the lower correlation between IPEQ as a whole and accelerometer measures.
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2008
wellness program provides the same benefits, the latter would be more achievable, less costly, an... more wellness program provides the same benefits, the latter would be more achievable, less costly, and hence far preferable to the former. One additional question for the authors: what were the outcomes in the subjects randomized to the delayed-entry arm once they completed their tai chi course? This information would be of interest, although consistent protective findings would be expected whether tai chi or placebo or Hawthorne effects were operating.