Life Sciences Commons^™

The Effect Of Preparatory Arousal On Hand Grip Strength And 50 Metre Freestyle Swim Performance., Lewan Parker, Rebecca M. Sealey, Anne Swinbourne

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Preparatory arousal is a strategy in which an individual purposefully engages in an activity to get themselves emotionally “pumped up” or “charged up” to increase the body’s level of arousal [1]. Preparatory arousal is a common mental preparation strategy used among competitive athletes [2]. It is suggested that preparatory arousal can increase performance of simple tasks requiring maximal strength and muscular endurance and power [3]. However, the majority of preparatory arousal research has only examined non sport specific skills and thus the findings may not be transferable to actual sports that require more complex and dynamic movement patterns. With the …

Impact Of Exercise Partner Attractiveness On Mood, Enjoyment, And Exertion, Thomas G. Plante, Sarah Gregg, Jaclyn Rubbo, Thomas Favero, Ashley Morisako, Jessica Cuadra

International Journal of Exercise Science

Social comparison theory was used to examine if males exercising with a female research confederate posing as either attractive or unattractive would alter their exercise mood, exertion, and enjoyment. A total of 101 college students (51 males and 51 females) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: biking alone, biking with an attractive female confederate, or biking with the same female confederate appearing unattractive. All participants were instructed to complete 20 minutes of exercise at 60%-70% of their maximum target heart rate. Standard exercise mood measures (e.g., Activation-Deactivation Adjective Check List) were administered immediately prior to and immediately following …

Outcomes Of A Family Based Pediatric Obesity Program - Preliminary Results, Meghan L. Ruebel, Kate A. Heelan, R.Todd Bartee, Nancy Foster

International Journal of Exercise Science

Children that are classified as obese (body mass index (BMI) > 95th percentile for age and sex, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) have an increased risk for metabolic and cardiovascular complications. Family based programs that focus on physical activity (PA) and healthy eating are recommended for treatment of pediatric obesity. The purpose of the current study is to determine the outcomes of Building Healthy Families (BHF), a family-based pediatric weight loss treatment program composed of nutrition, physical activity and behavioral modification strategies. In addition, mediating variables that are associated with weight loss in children, in order to enhance the retention …

Child Obesity In Context: Ecology Of Family And Community, Joel E. Williams

International Journal of Exercise Science

Minority and low socioeconomic status groups have the highest rates of overweight and obesity. Children from these families face a greater risk for weight-related health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer as compared to their non-minority and more affluent peers. Factors from the larger physical, social, and cultural environments, and within families, influence weight status among children. Many of these factors are yet to be identified and relationships among known factors are complex and not well understood. The National Institutes of Health and U.S. Department of Agriculture have proposed a research agenda for social and behavioral scientists to …

The Association Between Physical Activity And Psychological Needs In College-Aged Mexican-American Males, Vanessa M. Martinez, Cheng-Chen Pan

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

The Association between Physical Activity and Psychological Needs in College-Aged Mexican-American Males Vanessa Martinez (Masters), Cheng-Chen Pan, Robert Reguenes, Gabriela Allen, Charity Cavazos, David Wittenburg, Jared Montoya The University of Texas at Brownsville In the last several decades, there has been a tremendous wave of interest in the overweight/obese population in the United States. However, comparatively little research has focused on the association between psychological needs and physical activity (PA) of college-aged Mexican-American males. PURPOSE: To investigate the relationships between PA, obesity, and psychological needs for exercise among college-aged Mexican-American males. METHODS: Height, weight, waist circumference (WC), and BMI measures …

Gender Related Differences In Stress And Health Outcomes In College Age Students, Michael Cedeno, Jennifer Blevins-Mcnaughton

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Background and Purpose: Rates of obesity and metabolic disorders in young adults are becoming more prevalent in today’s society. To date, only a few investigators have compared the effect that stress may have on health and metabolic outcomes in college age adults. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between stress and cholesterol levels in male versus female college age students.

Methods: Thirty-six adults ages 20 to 27 participated in this study. Total blood cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, TC/HDL ratio, and glucose were measured one time using the Cholestech LDX® after either an overnight, or 4-hour fast. …

Effect Of Adopting An External Focus On The Acquisition Of A Motor Sequence, Katherine Mcdonald

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Introduction. Numerous factors make the acquisition of choreography difficult for students, however, contemporary motor learning theory offers insight into tools instructors can use to make the process of acquisition less frustrating for students. Previous research suggests that for the purposes of acquiring skill at a single task, e.g., shooting a basketball, it is optimal for the student to adopt an external focus, rather than an internal focus or no focus at all. Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine the use of an external focus on the acquisition of a motor sequence. Methods. 18 university students were assigned …

Predictors Of Employee Adherence To Worksite Weight Loss Exercise And Nutrition Program, Brittany Crim, John Bartholomew

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Background: Worksite wellness programs (WWP) are becoming a popular means of addressing the obesity epidemic due to their convenience and potential benefit to insurance costs. Unfortunately, few have been evaluated. GET FIT (GF) is a theory-based, worksite exercise and nutrition program that is designed to prevent and treat obesity. Purpose: Adherence is the primary predictor of success to a weight loss program. This study was designed to identify predictors of: adherence to GF; and weight loss in conjunction with GF. Methods: Data was collected for 175 participants (n = 133 female). The mean age was 44.21 yrs. (+/-12.04). Body weight …

Artificial Sweetener Sensing In The Human Mouth And Effect On Exercise Performance, James Mock

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Many studies have suggested that oral rinsing of a sweet carbohydrate can positively affect exercise performance by stimulating reward centers in the brain. However, few studies have been performed which compared the effects of a sweet carbohydrate with a sweet artificial sweetener. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a sweet carbohydrate rinse, an artificial sweetener rinse, and a water rinse on exercise performance. Eight college students completed a ten-minute trial ride and were able to perform significantly more work when rinsing with the carbohydrate or artificial sweetener rinses (Total work= 116.63 (20.3) kJ p=0.003, 117.04 …