Life Sciences Commons^™

The Relationship Between Rrequency Of Physical Activity And Stereotypical Behaviors Among Adolescents With Autism, Justin M. Keyes

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Correlational Study: The Relationship Between Physical Activity Levels, Physical Self-Worth, And Global Self-Worth In High School Physical Education Students, Ashley Danelle Eyre

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between physical activity levels, physical self-worth, and its sub-domains; (a) skill, (b) body attractiveness, (c) fitness and conditioning, and (d) strength, and overall global self-worth in high school students. One-Hundred and sixty-seven students (male = 66;female = 101) from the western United States, ages 13-18, participated in this study. Each participant completed a minimum of four days of physical activity (PA) data collection and completed the self-worth questionnaire. Pedometers were used to collect PA levels, calculating mean step counts, and the Children and Youth Physical Self-Perception Profile (CY-PSPP) was used …

Reasons For Physical Activity And Exercise Participation In Senior Athletes, Deborah Lynne Fife

Theses and Dissertations

Research on physical activity and exercise in the elderly is limited. This study used the Participation Motivation Questionnaire for Older Adults (PMQOA) to assess reasons for engaging in regular physical activity of participants at the 2007 Huntsman World Senior Games. The 259 subjects ranged from ages 50 to 85 years and were divided into tertiles based on frequency of exercise, determined by self reported weekly exercise time and days for further comparison. The most commonly reported reasons for exercise were to stay healthy, keep physically fit, and stay in shape. A previously conducted factor analysis on the PMAOQ revealed six …

C-Reactive Protein Levels According To Physical Activity And Body Weight For Participants In The Coronary Health Improvement Project, Michael T. Massey

Theses and Dissertations

Objectives. Evaluate C-reactive protein (CRP) levels according to weight and physical activity. The study explored how changes in CRP were associated with baseline CRP, weight, and physical activity and changes in these variables.

Methods. A randomized controlled study design assigned 348 individuals to the intervention or control group with measurements taken at baseline, 6 weeks, and 6 months of body weight, physical activity, and serum CRP levels. Participants attended an intensive 40-hour educational course delivered over a four-week period.

Results. At baseline, CRP was negatively associated with total steps/week, and positively associated with weight, BMI, percent fat, and saturated fat …

Emotional Health And Weight Gain: A Prospective Study Of Middle-Aged Women, Ann Bahr

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to investigate the extent to which risk of gaining weight or body fat is affected by emotional health in women. A secondary objective was to determine the influence of age, baseline weight and body fat, physical activity (PA), energy intake, and changes in PA and energy intake, on the relationship between emotional health and gains in weight and body fat. The study was a prospective cohort investigation over 20 months of 256 healthy, non-obese females (age: 35-45 y, BMI < 30 kg/m2). All subjects were assessed for several variables using objective measurements at baseline and again at 20 months. Emotional health was assessed using the General Well-Being Schedule. Body fat percentage was indexed using the Bod Pod. PA was measured objectively using MTI (CSA) accelerometers, and energy intake was measured using weighed, 7-day food records. The results of the study demonstrated that risk of gains in weight and body fat were no greater in depressed women compared to their counterparts. However, 171 (66.8%) subjects demonstrated less than positive (LTP) emotional health at baseline, and 37.4% of these subjects gained weight during the 20-month study. Conversely, 85 (33.2%) subjects had positive emotional health at baseline, but only 23.5% gained weight over the investigational period. With no variables controlled, women with LTP emotional health had 59% greater risk of weight gain over the study period than women with positive emotional health (RR 1.59, 95% CI = 1.04-2.44). Women with LTP emotional health were at no greater risk of gains in body fat percentage than women with positive emotional health (RR 0.96, 95% CI = 0.70-1.33). After adjusting for each potential confounder individually, risk of gaining weight or body fat did not change. However, after adjusting for all of the potential confounders simultaneously, risk of weight gain was weakened (RR 1.43, 95% CI = 0.93-2.21). These results seem to demonstrate that middle-aged women with LTP emotional health may be at increased risk of gaining weight compared to women with positive emotional health.

Physical Activity And C-Reactive Protein Levels: The Confounding Role Of Body Fat Percentage, Kenric Lloyd Russell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to examine the cross-sectional relationship between physical activity and C-reactive protein (CRP) in 211 middle-aged women (43.1 + 3.0 years). A secondary objective was to determine the extent to which body fat percentage operated as a confounder in the association between physical activity and CRP. Physical activity was objectively measured using MTI accelerometers, which the subjects wore for seven continuous days. Fasting blood samples were taken, from which CRP was measured using a solid phase ELISA. Body fat percentage was assessed using the Bod Pod. Results showed that physical activity was significantly and …

Variance In Percent Body Fat Between And Within Families As Measured By Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry, Laurel Anne Kelsey

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To determine the variance in percent body fat between and within families as measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Methods: Percent body fat (%BF) assessed in 95 females, 120 males (included 54 sets of biological siblings) using DXA. Physical activity questionnaire used to assess current physical activity habits in each participant. Results: Variance in %BF between and within families is similar. Amount of television viewing and levels of physical activity can affect %BF. Discussion: A model such as the one derived in this study can be a useful tool in intervention programs implemented to decrease obesity.

Physical Activity And Changes In Abdominal Fat Over 18 Months: A Prospective Study Of Middle-Aged Women, Lance Eric Davidson

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To investigate the extent to which changes in physical activity predict changes in abdominal fat in women over an 18-month period, while statistically controlling the effects of possible confounders, such as age, total body fat percent, and energy intake. Design: A prospective cohort design over 18 months. There was no intervention or treatment. Changes in objectively-measured physical activity were used to predict changes in abdominal fat over the study period. Subjects: 110 healthy, middle-aged women (mean: 41.3±3.3 yrs), primarily Caucasian, educated, and married. Measurements: An objective measure of physical activity (ACT) using CSA accelerometers, worn continuously for 7 consecutive …