Kinesiology Commons^™

Nutritional Data And Corresponding Performance Impacts Of Uri Student-Athletes, Abigael Fenbert

Senior Honors Projects

This research project investigates the diets of various sport athletes at the University of Rhode Island. The question that this project aims to answer is if our athletes are meeting recommended daily values nutritionally, and if not, why? Research continues to grow regarding how performance implications are tied to varying nutritional disparities for athletes. Various studies show malnourishment leads to performance decline, increased injury risk, and improper recovery. This is influenced by factors such as deficits in caloric intake, macronutrient and micronutrient availability, and dehydration. For college athletes, a lack of food availability and nutritional knowledge leaves them especially predisposed …

Swimmers’ Upper Trapezius Activation During Shoulder Abduction Compared To Non-Overhead Athletes, Kendra Graham

Senior Honors Projects

Overhead sports such as baseball, tennis, volleyball, softball and swimming are known to cause rotator cuff imbalances and injuries. These injuries are typically caused by the repeated use of “throwing motion,” where the humerus is externally rotated and shoulder abducted and elevated. Previous research has shown that the function of the upper trapezius muscle in overhead athletes is likely to have improper activation (timing, magnitude) during various shoulder motions and/or activities of daily living. Swimmers are especially susceptible to this improper activation due to the use of their upper limbs in a repeated throwing motion. The added resistance of the …

The Association Between Type-2 Diabetes Pathophysiology & Exercise Adherence, Sydney Raymond

Senior Honors Projects

According to the American Diabetes Association, 1 in 3 Americans will be diagnosed with diabetes. While some of these individuals will be prescribed medications as part of their treatment, most will also be advised to begin an exercise program to assist with blood glucose control. Additionally, while regular exercise is associated with lower HbA1C and decreased insulin/medication dependence, it is estimated that only about half of those diagnosed with diabetes will adhere to their exercise plans. Social, psychological, and physiological factors all play roles in affecting ones ability to adhere to an exercise regiment, and individuals with Type 2 Diabetes …

Implementation Of Exercise Is Medicine On Campus At Uri, Gabrielle E. Tyer

Senior Honors Projects

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics, the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the United States are chronic diseases, including heart disease, lung disease, cancer, cerebrovascular disease and diabetes. There has been recent attention paid to the role that higher levels of physical activity and lower levels of physical inactivity can play in the prevention and management of chronic disease. As a result of the strength of this evidence, the American College of Sports Medicine, in partnership with the American Medical Association, created the Exercise is Medicine (EIM) initiative. The goal …

Exercise Is Medicine, Colby A. Sousa

Senior Honors Projects

College student are often faced with new challenges upon arrival to campus, including making independent decisions about their health and wellness.

As students face new academic and social responsibilities, issues with time management and stress often compromise many students abilities to adopt and maintain health promoting behaviors, including eating well and participating in regular physical activity. The adoption of less health promoting behaviors is associated with increases in rates of illness, increases in weight, adoption of poor sleeping patterns and increasingly poor stress management.

As such, knowledge of the importance of proper nutrition and physical activity/ exercise for optimal health …

Manipulating The Mass Distribution Of A Golf Putter, Paul J. Hessler Jr.

Senior Honors Projects

Putting may appear to be the easiest but is actually the most technically challenging part of the game of golf. The ideal putting stroke will remain parallel to its desired trajectory both in the reverse and forward direction when the putter head is within six inches of the ball. Deviation from this concept will cause a cut or sidespin on the ball that will affect the path the ball will travel.

Club design plays a large part in how well a player will be able to achieve a straight back and straight through club head path near impact; specifically the …

Effect Of An Exercise And Dietary Intervention On Cognitive Function In Obese Older Women, Kathleen Mae Uy

Senior Honors Projects

Background: Cognitive decline in older adults is a public health problem and prior research shows that higher levels of physical activity and dietary factors are associated with higher cognitive function. However, it is unclear how an exercise and diet intervention affects cognitive function in obese older women.

Purpose: To examine the effect of a combined Tai Chi (TC), resistance training (RT), and diet intervention on cognitive function and to evaluate the relationship between cognitive function and physical function in older obese women.

Methods: This was a non-randomized study where 31 obese (BMI= 37.6 ± 4.5 kg/m²) older (age= …

Effect Of Tai Chi Exercise On Cognitive Function During Weight Loss In Obese Older Women, Alice R. Marolla

Senior Honors Projects

Obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) of ≥ 30 kg/m², is a major public health problem in the United States, affecting over 34% of Americans. Among the populations with the highest obesity prevalence is women aged 60 years and older. As a Kinesiology major, I find it very important to examine the complications that arise as a result of obesity.

We know that obese individuals run the risk of developing hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, and coronary heart disease. A potential health risk associated with obesity that is understudied is cognitive functioning impairment, like dementia. Dementia is …