Education Commons^™

Mmp9 Mediates Acute Hyperglycemia-Induced Human Cardiac Stem Cell Death By Upregulating Apoptosis And Pyroptosis In Vitro, Santosh K. Yadav, Tyler N. Kambis, Sumit Kar, Song-Young Park, Paras K. Mishra

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Providing a conducive microenvironment is critical to increase survival of transplanted stem cells in regenerative therapy. Hyperglycemia promotes stem cell death impairing cardiac regeneration in the diabetic heart. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of high glucose-induced stem cell death is important for improving cardiac regeneration in diabetic patients. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9), a collagenase, is upregulated in the diabetic heart, and ablation of MMP9 decreases infarct size in the non-diabetic myocardial infarction heart. In the present study, we aim to investigate whether MMP9 is a mediator of hyperglycemia-induced cell death in human cardiac stem cells (hCSCs) in vitro. We created MMP9−/− hCSCs …

Effects Of Heated Water-Based Versus Land-Based Exercise Training On Vascular Function In Individuals With Peripheral Artery Disease, Song-Young Park, Alexei Wong, Won-Mok Son, Elizabeth J. Pekas

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is an atherosclerotic disease that is associated with poor vascular function, walking impairment, and reduced quality of life. Land-based exercise therapy (LBET) is frequently recommended to improve walking and reduce symptoms. Recently, evidence has suggested that heated-water exercise therapy (HWET) is an effective intervention for PAD. However, the efficacy of LBET versus HWET in PAD patients had not been elucidated. Therefore, we sought to compare effects of LBET with HWET on cardiovascular function, exercise tolerance, physical function, and body composition in PAD patients. PAD patients (n = 53) were recruited and randomly assigned to a …

Provider Reported Implementation Of Nutrition-Related Practices In Childcare Centers And Family Childcare Homes In Rural And Urban Nebraska, Dipti A. Dev, Aileen S. Garcia, David A. Dzewaltowski, Susan Sisson, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Zainab Rida, Natalie A. Williams, Carly Hillburn, Danae Dinkel, Deepa Srivastava, Christina Burger, Emily Hulse, Donnia Behrends, Natasha Frost

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Approximately 15 million children under age 6 are in childcare settings, offering childcare providers an opportunity to influence children’s dietary intake. Childcare settings vary in organizational structure – childcare centers (CCCs) vs. family childcare homes (FCCHs) – and in geographical location – urban vs. rural. Research on the nutrition-related best practices across these childcare settings is scarce. The objective of this study is to compare nutrition-related best practices of CCCs and FCCHs that participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) in rural and urban Nebraska. Nebraska providers (urban n = 591; rural n = 579) reported implementation …

Salt Restriction Lowers Blood Pressure At Rest And During Exercise Without Altering Peripheral Hemodynamics In Hypertensive Individuals, Stephen M. Ratchford, Ryan M. Broxterman, Taylor La Salle, Oh-Sung Kwon, Song-Young Park, Paul N. Hopkins, Russell S. Richardson, Joel D. Trinity

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Dietary salt restriction is a well-established approach to lower blood pressure and reduce cardiovascular disease risk in hypertensive individuals. However, little is currently known regarding the effects of salt restriction on central and peripheral hemodynamic responses to exercise in those with hypertension. Therefore, this study sought to determine the impact of salt restriction on the central and peripheral hemodynamic responses to static-intermittent handgrip (HG) and dynamic single-leg knee extension (KE) exercise in individuals with hypertension. Twenty-two subjects (14 men and 8 women, 51 ± 10 yr, 173 ± 11 cm, 99 ± 23 kg) forewent their antihypertensive medication use for …

Running Economy - A Comprehensive Review For Passive Force Generation, Christos Ziliaskoudis, Song-Young Park, Sang-Ho Lee

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Running economy is considered a major determinant of distance running performance. Enhancing the body’s ability for passive force generation could have a positive effect on running economy by minimizing the energy cost required for the propulsion of the body. Thus, the purpose of this comprehensive review was to provide a list of modifiable factors that promote this ability. The interest was focused on lower-limb stiffness, as it is a factor of great influence and at the same time can be modified with training and specific biomechanical adjustments. Although it appears that no clear instructions can be provided to athletes and …

Impacts Of Aquatic Walking On Arterial Stiffness, Exercise Tolerance, And Physical Function In Patients With Peripheral Artery Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Song-Young Park, Elizabeth J. Pekas, Yi-Sub Kwak

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is an atherosclerotic disease that is associated with attenuated vascular function, cardiorespiratory capacity, physical function, and muscular strength. It is essential to combat these negative effects on health by incorporating lifestyle interventions to slow disease progression, such as exercise. We sought to examine the effects of aquatic walking exercise on cardiovascular function, cardiorespiratory capacity [maximal volume of oxygen consumption (V̇o2max)], exercise tolerance [6-min walking distance (6MWD)], physical function, muscular strength, and body composition in patients with PAD. Patients with PAD (n = 72) were recruited and randomly assigned to a 12-wk aquatic walking training group …

Digital Divide Among Caregivers Of Chronic Disease Patients, Ayokunle Olagoke, Harveen Kaur, Ashley M. Hughes

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Expansive and rapid growth of technology creates unprecedented patient access to health information, including timely communication with care providers via patient portals and the ability to access information regarding specific disease(s) (e.g., cancer). However, several forms of digital engagement with health providers require access and use of reliable internet access. A “digital divide” is used to describe demographic differences which contribute to a patient’s use or disuse of patient portals; prior research have noted disparities in lack of reliable internet access. Despite the prevalence of informal caregivers in patient care, little is known about internet access and use among informal …

Incidence, Trends And Predictors Of Palliative Care Consultation Among Patients Admitted For Lvad Implantation In The United States, Olakanmi Olagoke, Olisa Ezegwu, Ayokunle Olagoke, Yasmeen Golzar

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Aim

Left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) have become an important part of advanced heart failure management either as a bridge to transplantation or destination therapy. Patients with advanced heart failure have a poor prognosis and may benefit from palliative care (PC) services. However, there is scarce data regarding the incidence, trends, and predictors of palliative care consultation among patients undergoing LVAD implantation. The main objective of this study is to assess the incidence, trends, and predictors of PC referral in LVAD recipients using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2010 till 2014.

Methods

We conducted a weighted analysis on …

Exploring Rural And Urban Go Nap Sacc Trained Child Care Providers Perceptions And Needs Regarding The Promotion Of Physical Activity And Healthy Eating, Kailey Snyder, Zainab Rida, Emily Hulse, Dipti Dev, Danae Dinkel

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Introduction: Early childhood is an optimal time to support the development of physical activity and healthy eating behaviors. As over half of children are cared for in family child care homes and child care centers it is crucial to ensure these behaviors are being supported in the childcare setting. One such process that supports provider’s education and implementation of healthy behaviors in the childcare setting is the Nutrition and Physical Activity Assessment in Child Care (Go NAP SACC). However, after participation in Go NAP SACC, little is known regarding how to further support providers in their promotion of healthy behaviors. …

Strong Relationship Between Vascular Function In The Coronary And Brachial Arteries: A Clinical Coming Of Age For The Updated Flow-Mediated Dilation Test?, Ryan M. Broxterman, Melissa A. Witman, Joel D. Trinity, H. Jonathan Groot, Matthew J. Rossman, Song-Young Park, Simon Malenfant, Jayson R. Gifford, Oh-Sung Kwon, Soung Hun Park, Catherine L. Jarrett, Katherine L. Shields, Jay R. Hydren, Angela V. Bisconti, Theophilus Owan, Anu Abraham, Anwar Tandar, Charles Y. Lui, Brigham R. Smith, Russell S. Richardson

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Early detection of coronary artery dysfunction is of paramount cardiovascular clinical importance, but a noninvasive assessment is lacking. Indeed, the brachial artery flow-mediated dilation test only weakly correlated with acetylcholine-induced coronary artery function (r=0.36). However, brachial artery flow-mediated dilation methodologies have, over time, substantially improved. This study sought to determine if updates to this technique have improved the relationship with coronary artery function and the noninvasive indication of coronary artery dysfunction. Coronary artery and brachial artery function were assessed in 28 patients referred for cardiac catheterization (61±11 years). Coronary artery function was determined by the change in artery diameter with …

Dance: Music, Movement, And Performance, Elise Beal

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Dance is an art form that incorporates many different mediums. Music is selected to determine the quality of movement that is visualized. Movement becomes realized through repetition of listening to music and outside influences. All dances require collaboration between choreographer and dancers to construct the piece and prepare for performance. The process of development, refinement, and completion is known as the choreographic process. The methods for the process include determining the style of movement and choosing music to satisfy the inspiration. Once music is selected, movement and steps can be determined with influences from previous pieces or other choreographers. The …

Impacts Of Mitochondrial-Targeted Antioxidant (Mitoq) On Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Function In Peripheral Arterial Disease Patients, Jiwon Song

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is an atherosclerotic disease that affects the arteries in the legs, causing decreased blood flow and oxygen transfer capacity to the skeletal muscle. This ischemia in the skeletal muscle in PAD patients may result in increased inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction due to increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Inflammation and ROS production have been shown to attenuate vascular function in PAD patients Mitochondrial-targeted antioxidants (such as MitoQ) have been shown to combat ROS and inflammation in various diseases.

Purpose: We sought to examine the impacts of MitoQ intake on vascular function measurements in PAD patients. …

An Exploration Of Infant And Toddler Unstructured Outdoor Play, Danae Dinkel, Kailey Snyder, Tyler Patterson, Shane Warehime, Miriam E. Kuhn, Deborah Basler Wisneski

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Unstructured outdoor play is important for children's development. The present study examined infants’ and toddlers’ physical and social unstructured outdoor play behaviors within childcare centers. Children's outdoor play behaviors were video recorded at two centers (A&B) and assessed using a modified version of the Observational System for Recording Physical Activity in Children in Preschool (OSRAC-P). Children in this study primarily took part in active play (56.7%) and engaged in play without any type of prompting from a teacher (91.2%). There was a significant interaction between the effect of center and location on physically active play (p < 0.001). Children at Center B were most active in open play areas (77.6%), while children at Center A were most active in gross motor play areas (72.2%). In sum, the outdoor play environment influences infants’ and toddlers’ physical and social play behaviors; however, more research is needed to determine the optimal environment for development.

Improvement Of Lipids And Reduction Of Oxidative Stress With Octacosanol After Taekwondo Training, Sang-Ho Lee, Steven D. Scott, Elizabeth J. Pekas, Jeong-Gi Lee, Song-Young Park

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Athletes in combat sports undergo rapid changes in body weight prior to competition in order to gain a size advantage over their opponent. However, these large weight changes with concomitant high-intensity exercise training create poor lipid profiles and high levels of oxidative stress, which can be detrimental to health and sport performance. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of the nutritional supplement octacosanol to combat the physiological detriments that occur in taekwondo players during rapid weight loss with high-intensity exercise training. Methods: A total of 26 male taekwondo players were randomly divided into 2 groups: …

Group-Based Physical Activity Trajectories In Children Transitioning From Elementary To High School, Russell R. Pate

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Background: Physical activity has been observed repeatedly to decline as children transition into adolescence; however, few studies have explored the possibility that sub-groups of children experience unique patterns of change during this transition. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine the physical activity trajectories in clusters of youth transitioning from 5th to 11th grade.

Methods: Participants (n = 652) were recruited as 5th graders (ages 10–12 years) from elementary schools (n = 21) in two school districts. Demographic, anthropometric, and physical activity data were collected once per year when children were in 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th, …

The Effects Of A 12-Week Jump Rope Exercise Program On Abdominal Adiposity, Vasoactive Substances, Inflammation, And Vascular Function In Adolescent Girls With Prehypertension, Ki-Dong Sung, Elizabeth J. Pekas, Steven D. Scott, Won-Mok Son, Song-Young Park

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Introduction

Childhood obesity is strongly associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) development. It is necessary to combat unfavorable outcomes of obesity at a young age by utilizing effective interventions, such as exercise.

Purpose

We sought to examine the effects of a jump rope exercise program on CVD risk factors, including body composition, vasoactive substances, inflammation, and vascular function in prehypertensive adolescent girls.

Methods

Forty girls (age 14–16) were recruited and randomly assigned to a jump rope exercise group (EX, n = 20) or control group (CON, n = 20). Body composition, nitrate and nitrite levels, endothelin-1 (ET-1), C-reactive protein (CRP), systolic …

Acute High-Intensity Exercise Impairs Skeletal Muscle Respiratory Capacity, Gwenael Layec, Gregory M. Blain, Matthew J. Rossman, Song-Young Park, Corey R. Hart, Joel D. Trinity, Jayson R. Gifford, Simranjit K. Sidhu, Joshua C. Weavil, Thomas J. Hureau, Markus Amann, Russell S. Richardson

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Purpose

The effect of an acute bout of exercise, especially high-intensity exercise, on the function of mitochondrial respiratory complexes is not well understood, with potential implications for both the healthy population and patients undergoing exercise-based rehabilitation. Therefore, this study sought to comprehensively examine respiratory flux through the different complexes of the electron transport chain in skeletal muscle mitochondria before and immediately after high-intensity aerobic exercise.

Methods

Muscle biopsies of the vastus lateralis were obtained at baseline and immediately after a 5-km time trial performed on a cycle ergometer. Mitochondrial respiratory flux through the complexes of the electron transport chain was …

Vascular Mitochondrial Respiratory Function: The Impact Of Advancing Age, Soung Hun Park, Oh-Sung Kwon, Song-Young Park, Joshua C. Weavil, Robert H. I. Andtbacka, John R. Hyngstrom, Van Reese, Russell S. Richardson

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Little is known about vascular mitochondrial respiratory function and the impact of age. Therefore, skeletal muscle feed arteries were harvested from young (33 ± 7 yr, n = 10), middle-aged (54 ± 5 yr, n = 10), and old (70 ± 7 yr, n = 10) subjects, and mitochondrial respiration as well as citrate synthase (CS) activity were assessed. Complex I (CI) and complex I + II (CI+II) state 3 respiration were greater in young (CI: 10.4 ± 0.8 pmol·s−1·mg−1 and CI+II: 12.4 ± 0.8 pmol·s−1·mg−1, P < 0.05) than middle-aged (CI: 7 ± 0.6 pmol·s−1·mg−1 and CI+II: 8.3 ± 0.5 pmol·s−1·mg−1) and old (CI: 7.2 ± 0.4 pmol·s−1·mg−1 and CI+II: 7.6 ± 0.5 pmol·s−1·mg−1) subjects and, as in the case of complex II (CII) state 3 respiration, were inversely correlated with age [r = −0.56 (CI), r = −0.7 (CI+II), and r = 0.4 (CII), …

Taekwondo Training Reduces Blood Catecholamine Levels And Arterial Stiffness In Postmenopausal Women With Stage-2 Hypertension: Randomized Clinical Trial, Sang-Ho Lee, Steven D. Scott, Elizabeth J. Pekas, Seungyong Lee, Seok Hoon Lee, Song-Young Park

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Objective: Menopause is associated with a progressive impairment of vascular function and muscular strength in women. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to determine if Taekwondo training could improve blood catecholamine levels, arterial stiffness, blood pressure (BP) and skeletal muscle strength in postmenopausal women with stage-2 hypertension.

Methods: 20 postmenopausal women (70 ± 4 years old) with stage-2 hypertension were randomly assigned to a 1) Taekwondo training (TT; n = 10) or 2) Control (CON; n = 10) group. Taekwondo training was performed for 60 minutes/day, 3 days/week for 12-weeks.

Results: There were significant (P …

The Relationship Between Acute Pain And Dynamic Postural Stability Indices In Individuals With Patellar Tendinopathy, Adam B. Rosen, Jupil Ko, Cathleen N. Brown

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Background

Patellar tendinopathy is a common condition resulting in persistent pain, frequently reported during physical activity. The relationship between dynamic postural stability and pain in these individuals is unclear and how it may affect postural stability.

Research Question

Is there a relationship between acute pain and dynamic postural stability indices in individuals with patellar tendinopathy?

Methods

Twenty-two recreationally active individuals with patellar tendinopathy participated. Participants performed a two-legged jump and landed on a single test-limb on a force platform. They completed 100 mm visual analogue scales (VAS) before and after landing trials. Anterior-posterior (APSI), medial-lateral (MLSI), vertical (VSI), and composite …

Functional Performance Deficits In Adolescent Athletes With A History Of Lateral Ankle Sprain(S), Jupil Ko, Adam B. Rosen, Cathleen N. Brown

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Objective

To determine if adolescent athletes with a history of lateral ankle sprain(s) (LAS) displayed deficits on functional performance tests (FPTs) and if deficits on FPT were related to the number of previous LAS.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Biomechanics Laboratory.

Participants

The injured group (n = 24) had a history of ≥1 moderate-severe LAS. The uninjured group (n = 34) had no history of LAS.

Main outcome measure(s)

The average reach distance of three trials in each direction of the star excursion balance test (SEBT) was normalized to leg length (%). The average of two trials of single-leg-hop test (SLHT) …

Socioeconomic Status And Cigarette Expenditure Among Us Households: Results From 2010 To 2015 Consumer Expenditure Survey, Mohammed Siahpush, Paraskevi A. Farazi, Shannon I. Maloney, Danae Dinkel, Minh N. Nguyen, Gopal K. Singh

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Objectives To examine (1) the association between household socioeconomic status (SES) and whether a household spends money on cigarettes and (2) socioeconomic variations in proportion of total household expenditure spent on cigarettes among smoking households.

Methods We pooled data from six consecutive years, 2010–2015, of the Consumer Expenditure Interview Survey. The interviews involved a structured questionnaire about household income, demographics and expenditures including expenditure on cigarettes. Households that reported cigarette expenditure in the previous 3 months were distinguished as smoking households. SES indicators were household poverty status, education and occupation of the head of household. Logistic regression was used to …

Comparison Of Wearable Trackers’ Ability To Estimate Sleep, Jung-Min Lee, Wonwoo Byun, Alyssa Keill, Danae Dinkel, Yaewon Seo

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Tracking physical activity and sleep patterns using wearable trackers has become a current trend. However, little information exists about the comparability of wearable trackers measuring sleep. This study examined the comparability of wearable trackers for estimating sleep measurement with a sleep diary (SD) for three full nights. A convenience sample of 78 adults were recruited in this research with a mean age of 27.6... 11.0 years. Comparisons between wearable trackers and sleep outcomes were analyzed using the mean absolute percentage errors, Pearson correlations, Bland–Altman Plots, and equivalent testing. Trackers that showed the greatest equivalence with the SD for total sleep …

The Effect Of Telehealth Interventions On Quality Of Life Of Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Jamie L. Larson, Adam B. Rosen, Fernando A. Wilson

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Introduction:In 2016, ∼1.7 million new cases of cancer were diagnosed. Cancer patients can have physical, functional, and psychosocial issues when dealing with cancer treatment. Telehealth has been effectively introduced to help deliver treatment to patients suffering from chronic disease; however, there is little consensus on its effectiveness in administering sociobehavioral cancer treatments. Thus, this study determines the benefits of telehealth-based interventions providing emotional and symptom support in improving quality of life (QOL) among cancer patients.

Methods:Two researchers conducted comprehensive searches on PubMed, SCOPUS, Medline, PsycINFO, ERIC, Psychology and Behavioral Collection, and Medline Complete. Key search terms included telehealth …

Combined Resistance And Aerobic Exercise Training Reduces Insulin Resistance And Central Adiposity In Adolescent Girls Who Are Obese: Randomized Clinical Trial, Leena P. Bharath, William W. Choi, Jae-Min Cho, Alexus A. Skobodzinski, Alexei Wong, Ty E. Sweeney, Song-Young Park

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Introduction

Exercise training is recommended for improving health and protecting against the development of metabolic and cardiovascular pathologies. Combined resistance and aerobic exercise training (CRAE) has been shown to provide unique benefits in older adults with cardiovascular diseases.

Purpose

We sought to determine the beneficial effects of CRAE in adolescent girls who are obese and hyperinsulinemic.

Methods

Forty adolescent girls who are obese (age 14.7 ± 1 years; BMI 30 ± 2) were randomly assigned to a “no exercise” (CON n = 20) or combined exercise group (EX n = 20). The EX group performed resistance and aerobic exercise for …

Altered Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Phenotype In Copd: Disease Vs. Disuse, Jayson R. Gifford, Joel D. Trinity, Oh-Sung Kwon, Gwenael Layec, Ryan S. Garten, Song-Young Park, Ashley D. Nelson, Russell S. Richardson

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exhibit an altered skeletal muscle mitochondrial phenotype, which often includes reduced mitochondrial density, altered respiratory function, and elevated oxidative stress. As this phenotype may be explained by the sedentary lifestyle that commonly accompanies this disease, the aim of this study was to determine whether such alterations are still evident when patients with COPD are compared to control subjects matched for objectively measured physical activity (PA; accelerometry). Indexes of mitochondrial density [citrate synthase (CS) activity], respiratory function (respirometry in permeabilized fibers), and muscle oxidative stress [4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) content] were assessed in muscle fibers biopsied …

Technical, Clinical And Functional Considerations For The Development Of 3d Printed Upper-Limb Prostheses, Keaton Young

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Oral presentation of over the topic of Technical, Clinical and Functional Considerations for the Development of 3D Printed Upper-Limb Prostheses.

The Relationship Between Linear And Nonlinear Analysis On Activity Data, Katlyn J. Nimtz

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Activity monitoring in older adults is a great way to predict disability without interfering in their daily life. We can analyze that data using linear and nonlinear analysis. While linear analysis measures the variation of activity during a specific period of time (i.e., mean, standard deviation), nonlinear analysis focuses on the evolution of activity over a period of time. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to observe the relationship between linear and nonlinear analysis of activity data obtained by activity monitoring in older adults. Eight participants wore an activity monitor around their waist for seven days. Linear analysis was …

The Astro Xo Exoskeleton Alters Ankle Kinetics In Healthy Individuals, Blake Beier, Angel E. Gonzalez, Erica Hedrick, Jeffrey M. Patterson, Corbin Rasmussen

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The ankle joint is one of the most important for walking, producing 35-45% of the summed ankle, knee, and hip positive mechanical work for each stride. Ankle weakness results in reduced torque and power production, leading to slower self-selected speed. Slower preferred walking speed correlates with poorer physical function, health status, more disabilities, and increased medical-surgical visits. Many orthotic and exoskeletal devices have been created to restore proper ankle function by promoting ankle plantar flexion. This study assessed the effects of the Astro XO Exoskeleton (AXO) on ankle kinetics and kinematics for healthy, young individuals. The study demonstrated that wearing …

Overall Wellness Of First Generation College Student-Athletes, Shane Warehime

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The present study examined the overall wellness of first-generation student-athletes (FGSA) in comparison to non-first generation student-athletes (non-FGSA),first-generation college students (FGCS), and non-first generation college students (non-FGCS). Overall wellness was assessed using the Five-Factor WellnessInventory. Non-FGSA scored significantly higher than non-FGCS in overall wellness and life satisfaction. Non-FGSA and FGSA scored significantly higher than non-FGCS and FGCS in the physical self subscale (i.e., diet, exercise). In sum, athletics may play an important role in the wellness of student-athletes, which could be enough to mitigate any challenges that first-generation college students face.