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Physical Activity And The Urban Environment: An Evaluation Of Chinatown, New York City, Elza Guzman

Doctor of Occupational Therapy Doctoral Projects

There is an intricate relationship between participation in occupations that involve physical activity and overall health and well-being. Occupational therapy emphasizes the physical environment as a critical factor that serves as a support or barrier to occupational performance. However, there are few evaluations of densely populated urban neighborhoods for the features that promote physical activity. Chinatown, New York City, was selected as a case study for an environmental evaluation because it has defined boundaries and recent studies have identified chronic conditions of Chinatown residents that may be prevented or managed through physical activity.

This project used an occupational therapy perspective …

The Relationship Between Physical Activity Level And Perceptions Of Body Image-- A High School Female Perspective: A Convergent Parallel Mixed Methods Design, Nicole Anne Ludwa

Education Dissertations and Projects

Despite all the known social, mental, and physical benefits of physical activity, a large percentage of girls choose to engage in even less physical activity than they did as young children. Social acceptance is at its highest during the adolescent age and societal differences generated from parents, friends, and the media have created women whose general life contentment is often correlated to their perceived body image.

This mixed methods study—based on the social learning, social comparison, and feminist theories—sought to explore how physical activity level affects body image in high school females. The Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A; Kowalski, …

Physical Activity Levels In Total Hip Arthroplasty Comparing The Direct Anterior Approach To The Direct Lateral Approach: A Prospective Cohort Study, Abdulaziz N. Aljurayyan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a cost-effective surgical procedure to treat patients with end-stage hip arthritis with high patient satisfaction. Different surgical approaches to the hip have been used to successfully perform THA. However, the role of these surgical approaches on physical activity and early functional recovery in THA patients remains controversial.

In this thesis, we prospectively evaluated physical activity levels in patients with end-stage hip OA whom are undergoing elective THA. The primary focus was to evaluate the impact of different surgical approaches on physical activity levels as a measure of functional recovery in the immediate postoperative period.

Due …

Assessing Physical Activity And Sedentary Time In The Early Years, Leigh M. Vanderloo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The overall purpose of this dissertation was to explore young children’s (18 months to 5 years) physical activity and sedentary time. Study 1 assessed the physical activity and sedentary time among a sample of toddlers from London, Canada using two data processing approaches. Study 2 explored the impact of three different early learning environments, and their respective characteristics (e.g., staff behaviours, equipment, sedentary opportunities, etc.), on preschoolers’ activity levels. Study 3 examined differences in two popular accelerometers used to measure young children’s physical activity and sedentary time to better understand measurement discrepancies.

Study 1 revealed that toddlers engaged in 37.27 …

Associations Between Physical Activity, Physical Fitness, And Falls Risk In Healthy Older Individuals, Christopher Deane Vaughan

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess relationships between objectively measured physical activity, physical fitness, and the risk of falling. Methods: A total of n=29 subjects completed the study, n=15 male and n=14 female age (mean±SD)= 70± 4 and 71±3 years, respectively. In a single testing session, subjects performed pre-post evaluations of falls risk (Short-from PPA) with a 6-minute walking intervention between the assessments. The falls risk assessment included tests of balance, knee extensor strength, proprioception, reaction time, and visual contrast. The sub-maximal effort 6-minute walking task served as an indirect assessment of cardiorespiratory fitness. Subjects traversed a …

The Combined Effects Of Acute Exposure To Simulated Altitude And Moderate Intensity Aerobic Exercise On Measures Of Cognition, Laura Q. Jimenez

Open Access Dissertations

The present study was conducted to examine the behavioral cognitive and neurophysiological effects of acute exposure to simulated moderate and high altitudes at rest and during exercise in an effort to delineate whether there is a level of simulated altitude beyond which cognition and neurophysiological function are impaired and whether exercise improves or worsens cognitive function during exposure to simulated altitude. Dependent variables included accuracy and reaction time on a number of behavioral cognitive tasks, and the amplitude and latency of their associated event-related potentials. Fourteen recreationally active college students (M=9, F=5) aged 18-35 participated in this study, which consisted …

Effects Of Television Viewing On Psycho-Physiological And Behavioral Outcomes, Brittany Star Overstreet

Doctoral Dissertations

Purpose: To determine the effects of television viewing during exercise on 1) preference for exercise and 2) treadmill walking time. Methods: Twenty-five insufficiently active adults (mean±standard deviation; age: 46±12 years; Body mass index: 31±5 kilogram/squared meter (kg/m²) were recruited for this study. In part 1, participants performed three randomized 1/3-mile walking bouts at an intensity equivalent to 70% of their oxygen consumption at ventilatory threshold (VO₂-at-VT). During these exercise bouts, individuals viewed 1) their favorite television program (FavTV), 2) a standardized nature program (NatTV) or 3) no-TV program (NoTV). A behavioral choice paradigm was used to …

Relationship Quality, Engagement, Hope, Self-Worth, And Health-Risk Behaviors In A Physical Activity-Based Positive Youth Development Program, Shaina Cole Riciputi

Open Access Theses

Physical activity-based positive youth development (PYD) programs have the potential to promote positive psychosocial and personal growth (Fraser-Thomas, Côté, & Deacon, 2005) and reduce health risk behaviors in youth (Tebes et al., 2007). Engagement, a motivationally-oriented construct representing the subjective quality of youths’ connection to a program (Skinner, Kindermann, Connell, & Wellborn, 2009), may help promote the positive outcomes associated with PYD participation. Based on competence motivation theory (Harter, 2012), program staff may affect engagement by providing instructional feedback related to program activities, and by fostering the interpersonal climate within the program. This study examined whether youths’ perceptions of their …

Social Comparison Processes As Contributors To Consistent Physical Activity., Holly M. Knight

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined the impact that attention to social comparison (SC) information may have on consistency in physical activity (PA) behaviors across genders. SC factors, including SC frequency, SC direction and trait tendency to compare (SCO) were assessed within the Dynamic Relapse Model (DRM) as markers of PA consistency within men and women. Participants were N=200 individuals engaging in physical activity at YMCA gym facilities. Data collection utilized cross-sectional methods including anthropomorphic data collection at the point of recruitment and online selfreport measures post-recruitment. High adherence to regular physical activity was observed, with participants reporting infrequent slips in PA …

Change In Preschoolers’ Health-Related Quality Of Life Following The Implementation Of A Childcare Physical Activity Intervention, Stephanie Truelove

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Being active offers many physical and emotional benefits contributing to a higher health-related quality of life (HRQOL); however, this relationship remains unexplored among preschoolers. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the Supporting Physical Activity in the Childcare Environment intervention on preschoolers’ HRQOL. Childcare centres were randomized to the experimental (n = 11) or control (n = 11) condition and preschoolers’ HRQOL was measured using the parent-report Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (three subscales: physical, psychosocial, and total) at baseline and at 8-weeks. Three univariate ANCOVAs were conducted to compare HRQOL (experimental and …

Feasibility Of A Combined Physical Activity And Sleep Education Intervention For Girls Living In A Low Socioeconomic Status Urban Community, Cory J. Greever

Doctoral Dissertations

Declining sleep duration and poor sleep quality is a public health epidemic disproportionately effecting elementary age girls living in low socioeconomic status urban communities. The Girls Dancing and Sleeping for Health (Girls DASH) program was designed to test the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a combined physical activity and sleep education program in this population. In combination with baseline data from a previously conducted intervention in elementary age urban girls living in a low SES community in Springfield, MA, results from a cross-sectional analysis indicated that greater screen time was positively associated with parental reports of child’s sleep quality. Additionally, …

The Preferences Of Exercise And Physical Activity In Individuals With An Intellectual Disability, Zachary J. Burt

MSU Graduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the preferences of exercise and physical activity in individuals with an intellectual disability. It took place during Bear Play, a physical activity program geared towards working with individuals with a disability at Missouri State University. This project was facilitated through the partnership of Missouri State University's Kinesiology department and the Arc of The Ozarks. A convenience sample was drawn from individuals participating in the program during the 2015-2016 academic year. Each participant was asked to complete a survey. Data were collected by using a survey administered on an IPAD and covered many …

Factors Influence High School Students' Enrollment In Elective Physical Education: A Mixed Method Study, Summer Davis

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors influencing high school students’ enrollment in elective physical education (PE). Three groups of students emerged based on enrollment choice: those enrolling in elective PE (CPE, 26%), those not enrolling (NPE, 38%), and those who were uncertain about their enrollment in elective PE (UPE, 36%). Participants (n=69) completed the Expectancy-Value and Sport Motivation questionnaires to measure their motivation in PE, and a subsection of students (n=47) wore accelerometers for approximately four days to measure their habitual weekday physical activity (PA). Qualitative data were collected using open-ended questions and semi-structured focus group …

The Interrelations Between Work Factors, Family And Work Health Climate, Work Schedule, And Individual Behaviors, Jennifer C. Buden

Master's Theses

Background: The rates of obesity in the United States continue to rise, particularly with disparities in high stress, low job control occupations such as corrections. Employers are in a unique position to improve employee health through development of Total Worker Health interventions that integrate worker safety and health promotion to improve employee health and well-being.²⁵ Understanding influences on health behaviors in the workplace such as social support, and work schedules as well as family environment, may aide in developing worksite preventive strategies with the anticipation of chronic disease reduction and weight management. Purpose: The purpose of these studies was …

The Association Between Social Cohesion And Physical Activity In Communities Across Canada: A Multilevel Analysis, Calvin Yip

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Background: In Canada, only 15% of adults meet physical activity guidelines for optimal health. Previous research has suggested that social cohesion may promote physical activity.

Objective: To assess the association between social cohesion and physical activity among adults aged 18 to 64 years in Canada.

Methods: Data from the 2009-2010, 2011-2012, and 2013-2014 cycles (N=245,150) of the Canadian Community Health Survey were used. Physical activity level was operationalized using average daily energy expenditure, social cohesion was determined by self-rated sense of belonging to the local community, and communities were represented by Canada’s Forward Sortation Areas. Multilevel regression models were used …

Associations Between Physical And Sedentary Activity Regularity And Sleep In Preschoolers And Kindergartners, Kara Mcrae Duraccio

Theses and Dissertations

Short sleep duration in childhood has been associated with an increased risk of overweight and obesity. Research suggests that physical activity might mediate this association; however, studies examining associations between physical activity and sleep in young children have reported equivocal findings. A possible explanation for these inconsistencies is that past studies have looked at total physical activity counts rather than examining physical activity regularity. We aim to explore the relationship of regular physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep in preschoolers and kindergartners. 131 children (ages 4-6) were included in this study. Each child wore a waist-worn accelerometer for three days …

Physical Activity Improves Depressive Symptoms In Older Adults, Karen Lee Fahey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Engaging in physical activity can help older adults to take part in community activities, maintain relationships, and initiate new friendships, thus preventing loneliness and depression. The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to evaluate whether participation in physical activity improved depressive symptoms in 15 older adults at a local senior center. Pender’s health promotion model was used to determine nursing and behavioral science views on components that affect health behavior. The Exercise Benefit/Barrier Scale (EBBS) survey was evaluated before implementation of the walking program to measure the benefits of and barriers to exercise. The EBBS results showed that …

Total Energy Expenditure In Captive Sapajus Apella, Wren Edwards

Theses and Dissertations

Primates expend approximately 50% less energy (kcal/day) for their body size than other eutherians. Using the doubly labeled water method, I investigated total energy expenditure (TEE) and physical activity in Sapajus apella. S. apella TEE was similar (p=0.67) to other platyrrhines, but 54% lower than expected for body mass.

The Role Of Physical Activity Enjoyment In The Pathways From Social And Physical Environments To Physical Activity Of Early Adolescent Girls, Elizabeth Lauren Budd

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2013, only 27.1 % of adolescents (age 10-19) met the daily physical activity (PA) recommendations of 60 minutes of PA a day. 1 Inactivity is highly prevalent among youth and especially prevalent among adolescents. This inactivity can have harmful and costly, immediate and long-term repercussions on physical, mental, and social health.28 Health behaviors throughout childhood, including PA, are predictive of health behaviors throughout adulthood.9 Girls experience the steepest decline in PA in early adolescence compared to boys and any other age group, which positions them on a lifelong trajectory of inactivity and increased risk for disease.2,4 Among early adolescent …

A Social Network Analysis Of Active Transportation Policy Networks, Marissa Zwald

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: In an effort to increase physical activity, communities are recognizing the importance of policy and environmental changes to facilitate active transportation. However, evidence on the policy partnerships and processes to achieve such policy and environmental changes, particularly in non-health sectors, is lacking.

Methods: An online social network survey was administered in Fall 2015 to organizations engaged in active transportation policies in six cities across the United States. In addition to individual and organizational characteristics, relationships between organizations were assessed, including: level of collaboration around active transportation policies, frequency of contact, resource sharing to support active transportation, and perceived decisional …

An Examination Of The Effects Of Air Pollution And Physical Activity On Markers Of Acute Airway Oxidative Stress And Inflammation In Adolescents, Emilia Pasalic

Public Health Theses

INTRODUCTION: Airway inflammatory response is widely believed to be a central mechanism in the development of adverse health effects related to air pollution exposure. Increased ventilation and inspiratory flow rates due to physical activity in the presence of air pollution will increase the inhaled dose of air pollutants. However, physical activity can also affect lung function and may moderate the relationship between air pollution and lung function. The mechanisms that underpin the complex interplay between air pollution, physical activity, and lung function may be more sensitive to the inhaled dose of air pollution than to ambient air pollution exposure alone. …

The Development Of An Employee Wellness Program Within A Mid-Sized Company, Patricia J. Elkon

Public Health Capstone Projects

INTRODUCTION: With over 160 million Americans currently in the workforce, employee wellness programs have proven to be a viable method of reaching a large population with an objective of improving health outcomes. These programs can encourage the awareness of health-related issues including nutrition, physical activity, preventative health screening, and stress management, and they also can serve to improve employee morale and/or engagement. Moreover, they can often help to reduce healthcare costs to both the organization and the individual employees.

AIM: The purpose of this capstone was to design a framework for an employee wellness program that could be utilized within …

Physical Activity: Lack Of Mitigation Of Adverse Effect Of Pro-Inflammatory Diet, Aivi T. Doan

Master's Theses

BACKGROUND: To date, no studies have evaluated if moderate and/or vigorous PA physical activity (mv-PA) mitigates the adverse effect of a pro-inflammatory diet. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and constructed the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) score. Expenditure of mv-PA was obtained from two sources. Multivariate Logistic Regression was performed to calculate Odds Ratios (OR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Participants with a DII score in the top quartile were 33% more likely to exhibit elevated CRP than persons with a DII score in the lowest quartile (referent). …

Selected Health Behaviors Among Undergraduate College Students In Different Academic Disciplines, Patrick C. Gathman

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Physical activity, campus recreation (CR) use, body mass index (BMI), and varied health indices were compared between academic discipline (AD) groups and sex. Participants (n = 219) were classified as AD I (kinesiology and physical education majors), AD II (health science majors and nursing majors), and AD III (representative sample of other non-health-related majors) in order to make between group comparisons based on the amount of emphasis placed on physical activity and health-related content within different disciplines. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between the academic discipline groups for International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) scores, CR minutes, CR days, CR time per day, vigorous physical activity (VPA), and perceived-health score; and between sex for BMI, VPA, sitting (SIT), fiber intake, and fruit and vegetable intake. When measuring CR use in total minutes per semester, days per semester, and minutes per day AD I was higher than AD II by 100%, 66%, and 21%, respectively; and AD I was higher than AD III by 247%, 160%, and 27%, respectively. The results indicate a positive relationship between the emphasis placed physical activity and health within an academic discipline and the degree to which students participate in physical activity, positive health behaviors and perceived health.

Predicting Student Involvement In Campus Recreation Programs, Nicole Grabowski

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Purpose: To identify factors that predict the frequency of campus recreation (CR) use at a 4-year, public university in the mid-Atlantic region.

Methods: Students were given an online survey to collect a variety of student lifestyle and health information, including campus residency status, gender, year, height, weight, academic discipline, semester credit hour enrollment, and job hours per week during the semester. Analysis participants (n = 1561) were divided into two subsets, one with 90% of the subjects, and one with 10% of the subjects. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed on the 90% subset with the predictor variables. Two …

Objective Assessment Of Physical Activity In Adults With Down Syndrome, Jasmine Symone Curtis

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine whether cut-points developed for the general population provide different estimates of physical activity (PA) levels in adults with Down syndrome (DS) compared to cut-points developed specifically in adults with DS. This study also attempted to objectively measure the PA levels of adults with DS and to determine if they meet the recommended amount of PA to obtain health benefits. Thirteen adults with DS wore an accelerometer to determine time spent in moderate, vigorous, and moderate-to-vigorous PA. Results indicated that different sets of cut-points responded differently in classifying moderate and vigorous PA levels, …

Physical Health Gaps And Disparities Faced By Refugees And Immigrants, Anna Ma

Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy Theses and Projects

This Master’s project aimed to address the health disparity in physical activity for the refugee and immigrant community through an educational and occupational therapy approach at MORE in St. Paul, MN. The purpose of the Master’s project will address the Healthy Leading Indicator of physical activity with the students at MORE in St. Paul, MN (Healthy People, 2014). The organization is dedicated to empowering refugees and immigrants within the community to meet their basic needs including services in education, advocacy, and mental health of their clients (MORE, n.d.). The mission is to provide resources and overall support to help members …

Physical Activity Differences Related To Gender And Grade Level In Middle School Students, Casey Reeves

Graduate Theses

In the last 35 years, the United States youth has experienced a significant rise in obesity levels, and a significant decline in physical activity levels (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2015a; CDC, 2009). A variety of research has been conducted on the implications of decreasing levels of physical activity (PA). However, theories are mixed on when this rapid decline of participation in PA is occurring. The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to identify a significant gap in PA levels between females and males and 2) to identify the age/grade in which the projected discrepancy develops. The …

The Effects Of Whole Body High-Intensity Interval Training On Collegiate Female Soccer Players 2016, Whitney Frary

Master's Theses

Soccer is considered a high intensity sport that requires a high level of both aerobic and anaerobic fitness. A whole body high-intensity interval training adaptation has been shown to benefit both of these systems over a short period of time. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a five week whole-body high intensity interval training program on female collegiate soccer players performance in speed, acceleration, agility, vertical jump, aerobic capacity, physical self perception, and physical enjoyment. Participants were from the SUNY Cortland women’s soccer team who participated in a five- week training protocol three days a …

Employee Participation In A College Based Wellness Program: Leader Support, Incentives, Job Satisfaction, Absenteeism, And Self-Efficacy, Tara Rebekah Rouse

Dissertations

This study investigated employee participation in a college based wellness program using the following factors: leader support, incentives, job satisfaction, absenteeism, and self-efficacy. Specifically, the research was conducted to determine whether there was a significant relationship or difference in participation in a college based wellness program when looking at leader support, incentives, and individual self-efficacy and if participation made any difference on job satisfaction and/or absenteeism. The theoretical framework of this research is based on Bandura’s social learning theory, also known as social cognitive theory and was supplemented using Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior. This study could be beneficial to …