http://hdl.handle.net/10453/148710 2026-04-09T21:00:15Z http://hdl.handle.net/10453/180645 Title: Physical activity policies in Saudi Arabia and Oman: a qualitative study using stakeholder interviews. Authors: Alzahrani, AA; Gelius, P; Bauman, AE; Gebel, K Abstract: BACKGROUND: Countries in the Middle East have some of the lowest rates of physical activity and some of the highest rates of obesity in the world. Policies can influence population levels of physical activity. However, there is a dearth of research on physical activity policies in the Gulf region. This qualitative study analyses cross-sectoral barriers and facilitators for the development, implementation and evaluation of physical activity policies in Saudi Arabia and Oman, two of the largest countries in the region. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 senior policymakers from the Ministries of Health, Education, and Sport in Saudi Arabia and Oman, and were examined using thematic analysis. RESULTS: We identified seven themes related to physical activity policies in Saudi Arabia and Oman: leadership; existing policies; physical activity programs related to policies; private sector policies; challenges; data/monitoring; and future opportunities. Both countries have a central document that guides policy-makers in promoting physical activity, and the available policies in both countries are implemented via multiple programs and initiatives to increase physical activity. Compared with Oman, in Saudi Arabia, programs from the non-profit sector, represented by community groups, play a more significant role in promoting physical activity outside the government framework. The private sector has contributed to promoting physical activity in both countries, but interviewees stated that more financial support is required. Policy limitations differ between Saudi Arabia and Oman: intersectoral collaboration in Oman is limited and mainly based on individuals' own initiative, while the health transformation in Saudi Arabia tends to slow down policy implementation in relevant areas. Physical education in Saudi Arabia and Oman is similar; however, increased support and collaboration between government agencies and the private sector for out-of-school sports academies are needed. CONCLUSIONS: This study addresses key gaps in analysing physical activity policies in Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Our study highlights the importance of increasing financial support, improving collaboration between governmental agencies and between them and the private sector and consolidating efforts to back physical activity policies and dismantle cross-sectoral barriers in Saudi Arabia and Oman. Educational institutions in Saudi Arabia and Oman play a crucial role in promoting physical activity from early childhood to young adults. Our insights assist policy-makers, public health officials and stakeholders in shaping effective physical activity-promoting policies, programs and interventions to prevent non-communicable diseases. Challenges identified in Saudi Arabia and Oman's policies will inform their future development. 2024-08-19T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10453/180640 Title: Promoting vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity (vilpa) in middle-aged adults: an evaluation of the movsnax mobile app. Authors: Thøgersen-Ntoumani, C; Grunseit, A; Holtermann, A; Steiner, S; Tudor-Locke, C; Koster, A; Johnson, N; Maher, C; Ahmadi, M; Chau, JY; Stamatakis, E Abstract: BACKGROUND: Most adults fail to meet the moderate to vigorous physical activity-based recommendations needed to maintain or improve health. Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity (VILPA) refers to short (1-2 min) high-intensity activities that are integrated into activities of daily living. VILPA has shown strong potential to improve health and addresses commonly reported barriers to physical activity. However, it is unknown how VILPA can best be promoted among the adult population. This study aimed to evaluate the usability, user engagement, and satisfaction of a mobile application (MovSnax) designed to promote VILPA. METHODS: A concurrent mixed methods design was used. It comprised four parts. Part A was a survey with n = 8 mHealth and physical activity experts who had used the app over 7-10 days. Part B was think-aloud interviews with n = 5 end-users aged 40-65 years old. Part C was a survey with a new group of 40-65-year-old end-users (n = 35) who had used the MovSnax app over 7-10 days. Part D was semi-structured interviews with n = 18 participants who took part in Part C. Directed content analysis was used to analyze the results from Parts A, B, and D, and descriptive statistics were used to analyze findings from Part C. RESULTS: Participants reported positive views on the MovSnax app for promoting VILPA but also identified usability issues such as unclear purpose, difficulties in manual data entry, and limited customization options. Across the different data collections, they consistently emphasized the need for more motivational features, clearer feedback, and gamification elements to enhance engagement. Quantitative assessment showed satisfactory scores on objective measures but lower ratings on subjective aspects, possibly due to unfamiliarity with the VILPA concept and/or technical barriers. CONCLUSIONS: The MovSnax app, tested in the present study, is the world's first digital tool aimed specifically at increasing VILPA. The findings of the present study underscore the need for further app refinement, focusing on clarifying its purpose and instructions, boosting user engagement through personalization and added motivational elements, enhancing accuracy in detecting VILPA bouts, implementing clearer feedback mechanisms, expanding customization choices (such as font size and comparative data), and ensuring transparent and meaningful activity tracking. 2024-08-12T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10453/180638 Title: Let's Be Clear-Health Impact Assessments or Assessing Health Impacts? Authors: Kim, J; Dannenberg, A; Haigh, F; Harris-Roxas, B 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10453/180405 Title: Decipher the role of cancer stem cells in colorectal cancer based on molecular pathology and its clinical significance Authors: Patel, A; Vora, H; Prajapati, BG; Singh, SK; Dua, K; Patel, A; Patel, S Abstract: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second deadliest and third most prevalent cancer globally. The occurrence of therapeutic failures due to metastasis, resistance, and recurrence are indeed challenging issues. Conventional therapy cannot give satisfactory outcomes in terms of disease-free and overall survival. The reasons are chemotherapy and radiotherapy targeting rapidly dividing cancer cells and terminally differentiated cells. Still, the root cause of cancer initiation believed to be cancer stem cells (CSC), remains unaffected. The CSC is also responsible for resistance and recurrence due to the presence of detoxifying transporter mechanisms, DNA damage-repair machinery, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cellular plasticity, and self-renewal potential. Recent shreds of evidence indicate the promotion of CSC stemness properties by chemotherapy and radiation that further extend its survival. Transcriptional factors like Nanog, MYC, and OCT4 are believed to fuel the CSC’s activity. The persistent flare-up of signaling pathways (Sonic Hedgehog, Wnt, JAK-STAT-MAPK, Notch) and its crosstalk produce vital cytokines that help CSC to sustain and promote tumorigenesis. The key cytokines that promote CSC are interleukin (IL)-4, 6, and 10, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and transforming growth factor-beta. The various biomarkers of CSC precisely, including CD44, CD133, CD166, CD200, and ALDH1, can provide the best promising approaches to deciding the appropriate treatment to target CSC. These can guide the oncologist about invasiveness, metastasis, prognosis, resistance, and recurrence. Many clinical trials are progressing in halting the transformation of normal stem cells to CSC based on targeting efflux transporters, microbiome, immunomodulation, signaling pathways, tumor metabolism, and microenvironment. Precision oncology based on targeting CSC by immune checkpoints may bring positive hope for the deadliest CRC in the future. 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z